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The Skeptics
Romney, Kerry Miss the Point on Threats: Size Matters
Senator John Kerry (D-MA) is the latest person to mock Mitt Romney's declaration that the Russian Federation "is, without question, our number one geopolitical foe." It was a pretty silly statement, particularly given the fact that Russia is a demographic basket case and a very humble economic power. But there's all sorts of weirdness going on in Romney's assertions and those of his critics.
Take, for example, Wolf Blitzer's follow up to the Romney assertion:
BLITZER: But you think Russia is a bigger foe right now than, let's say, Iran or China or North Korea? Is that - is that what you're suggesting, Governor?
ROMNEY: Well, I'm saying in terms of a geopolitical opponent, the nation that lines up with the world's worst actors. Of course, the greatest threat that the world faces is a nuclear Iran. A nuclear North Korea is already troubling enough.
But when these - these terrible actors pursue their course in the world and we go to the United Nations looking for ways to stop them, when - when Assad, for instance, is murdering his own people, we go - we go to the United Nations, and who is it that always stands up for the world's worst actors?
It is always Russia, typically with China alongside.
And - and so in terms of a geopolitical foe, a nation that's on the Security Council, that has the heft of the Security Council and is, of course, a - a massive nuclear power, Russia is the - the geopolitical foe and - and the - and they're - the idea that our president is - is planning on doing something with them that he's not willing to tell the American people before the election is something I find very, very alarming.
So in fairness to Governor Romney, it does seem like he realizes he's made a gaffe here, so he tries to back up and take another run at it. But in doing so, he just FUBARs it worse. Taking a mulligan, he tries to pivot from the Russia allegation by folding in Iran ("the greatest threat the world faces") and North Korea, and gesturing at Syria.
It's the same thing Kerry does in his condescending lecture to Romney:
We have much bigger problems on this planet in the Middle East, with the evolution of Egypt, with the challenge of Syria, terrorism, al-Qaeda in Yemen, and so forth.
Both of these guys should be ashamed of themselves. And they ought to be light-headed from the amount of threat inflation they're doing. We spend too much time debating the relative size of our enemies and too little debating their absolute size. Every country at all times has a number one, number two, and number three "geopolitical foe." But the threat environments posed by those foes vary radically.
In a better world, American political elites would discuss the absolute level of threat they face rather than just bickering over our enemies' batting order. As Ben Friedman and I recently wrote in Orbis:
The dirty little secret of U.S. defense politics is that the United States is safe—probably the most secure great power in modern history. Weak neighbors, vast ocean barriers, nuclear weapons and the wealth to build up forces make almost nonexistent the threats that militaries traditionally existed to thwart. Americans cannot seriously fear territorial conquest, civil war, annexation of peripheral territories, or blockade. What passes for enemies here are small potatoes compared with what worried most states at most times. Most U.S. military interventions affect U.S. security at best marginally. We have hopes and sometimes interests in the places where we send troops, but no matter how much we repeat it to honor the troops, it is untrue that they are fighting to protect our freedom.
Part of the reason our national security politics are pathological is that we focus disproportionately on debating which enemy is the biggest without stopping to ask how big the enemies are.
If your three biggest problems are being infected with Black Death, having a bull rhino charging at you, and being knee-deep in quicksand, you can wonder—for a few seconds, at least—which is your number one problem. Similarly, if your three biggest problems are that you got into an argument with your spouse about who left a dish in the sink, your shoelaces are untied, and you can't log in to Facebook, you can puzzle over which of those is bigger. But only a fool would miss the distinctions between the two scenarios.
535 Secretaries of State
Congress, especially the GOP-controlled House of Representatives, has become hyperactive on the foreign-policy front in recent weeks. In rapid succession, the House passed two important amendments to the defense-authorization bill, both of which have the potential to cause major complications for U.S. diplomacy in East Asia. The latest measure would require the sale of sixty-six F-16 C/D model fighters to Taiwan, which drew an immediate, angry response from Beijing. The earlier amendment would press the Defense Department to redeploy nuclear weapons to South Korea. President George H. W. Bush removed such weapons at the beginning the 1990s.
In addition to those two amendments, resolutions are kicking about in both chambers of Congress that seek to dictate to the Obama administration, in pretentious detail, the policy it ought to pursue toward Iran. Among other things, those resolutions try to prevent the administration from even considering containment and deterrence as a strategy for dealing with Tehran's nuclear ambitions. The only options acceptable to hawkish advocates appear to be 1) accepting Iran's abject surrender on every issue in dispute, or 2) a strategy of escalating coercion, up to and including the use of preemptive military force.
It would be an understatement to say that such attempts at congressional direction of foreign policy on highly sensitive matters are most unhelpful. Fortunately, the amendments to the defense-authorization bill may not pass the Democratic-controlled Senate. And the Iran resolutions, despite their rhetorical swagger, are not binding on the executive branch.
But the intent behind those measures is worrisome. And there is more than a little irony involved. Conservatives, especially conservative Republicans, are the most vocal supporters of all three items. Yet, prominent conservatives over the decades, including Ronald Reagan and John McCain, have repeatedly invoked the cliché that the United States cannot afford to have "535 secretaries of state." In other words, Congress must defer to the president in the arena of foreign affairs. That deference, they argue further, is what the Constitution intends.
Unfortunately, conservatives have been most adamant about such deference when it involved chief executives who launched or sought to maintain presidential wars. The view that Congress should tamely acquiesce in such conflicts is a perversion of the Constitution. Both the language of the document and the history of the revolutionary and early national periods in U.S. history make it clear that the founders intended Congress, not the president, to determine whether the republic should go to war.
Conversely, the founders did intend the president, rather than Congress, to manage the day-to-day foreign policy of the United States. We now, quite literally, have the opposite of what they and the Constitution envisioned. Congress has totally abdicated its responsibilities regarding the war power, while it increasingly tries to micromanage key features of the nation's diplomacy.
That is a profoundly unhealthy situation. Policies toward Iran, North Korea and Taiwan are extremely sensitive matters, and it is unwise of Congress to try to force the president into adopting initiatives that could foment or worsen crises. Such posturing may score political points—or, as in the case of pressure for the sale of advanced-model F-16s, bring lucrative contracts to firms in key states and congressional districts—but it does not serve the national interest.
Negotiations with Iran: What Has Changed?
On May 23, the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany (P5+1) will enter into talks with the Iranian leadership about the latter's nuclear program. The Baghdad talks come after talks last month in Istanbul. A number of observers have raised expectations for the talks in Baghdad. The latest hopeful development is IAEA chief Yukiya Amano's declaration, on the heels of his visit to Tehran, that he expects a structured agreement for inspections to be signed "quite soon." Any progress toward a diplomatic solution would be preferable to backsliding or a collapse. Unfortunately, the talks are unlikely to live up to the high expectations.
Beyond Amano's visit to Tehran, the big change since last month's talks is French president Nicolas Sarkozy's loss to the socialist François Hollande, who appears less truculent on Iran than was Sarkozy. Previously, Sarkozy was the hardest-driving member of the P5+1, so Hollande's victory is likely to bring the P5+1 into closer harmony. More broadly, the considerable anxiety over the prospect of an outright collapse of the euro is likely to diminish European interest in focusing too much attention overseas.
Despite these changes, however, one wonders how the underlying calculus of negotiations has changed. The United States is still threatening to bomb Iran in order to prevent it from developing a nuclear deterrent. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu continues to define "success" in a way such that it cannot realistically be achieved and to warn that anything less than total Iranian capitulation is failure. Like-minded U.S. legislators, such as Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), agree that the only acceptable Iranian move is immediate surrender. And high-ranking Iranian military officials are declaring that Iran is "standing for its cause that is the full annihilation of Israel."
Given these two sets of developments, the question remains: Have sanctions by the United States and its partners caused enough pain and fear of instability in Iran that its leadership will forego a nuclear program that it likely feels is vital for its legitimacy and security? Most skeptics, this writer included, would like to be proved wrong, but they still appear to have the better of the argument.
Image: Sinaf7798n
NATO Summit Will Reaffirm Afghanistan's Weakness
The focus of the upcoming NATO summit in Chicago will be Afghanistan. President Obama is expected to speak of the need for solidarity from the international community. His only major success will be a pledge from NATO members to commit funds to Afghanistan well beyond 2014. Difficult questions surrounding the mission's long-term sustainability will remain unanswered. But any long-term plan for stabilization must put Afghans in the lead. That is the country's true path to self-sufficiency.
The estimated cost of paying for the 230,000-350,000-strong Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) hovers between $4-6 billion, annually. The President will seek $1.3 billion from allies, which in an age of austerity will be difficult for NATO partners, leaving the United States to foot much of the bill.
Although it is cheaper to fund Afghan forces than deploy foreign troops, long-term operations, maintenance, and sustainment costs for the ANSF may continue through 2025. Building security and governance to the point where locals can stand on their own is an indefinite commitment, not an exit strategy.
The real story of the summit is that Untied States and NATO officials plan to extend their financial support to Afghanistan in the face of war-weary publics at home, brazen insurgent attacks in the capital, and a string of scandals involving coalition forces and their Afghan counterparts. Lingering issues that will go unresolved include the quality of the ANSF, the seemingly indefatigable insurgency, and the long-talked about negotiated peace settlement with extremists and regional powers.
Beyond the cost and size of the security forces, President Obama will also speak of the lofty commitments in the recently signed U.S.-Afghanistan strategic partnership framework, which include "protecting and promoting shared democratic values" and "social and economic development." What remains unanswered is what will happen if Afghanistan does not meet these ambitious benchmarks?
What will happen if the fundamental rights and freedoms of women are not protected? What will happen if the 2014 presidential elections are not free and fair? What will happen if security and national unity are not advanced? Does failure void the agreement, and for how long will Afghanistan rely on the United States if we do not see progress? These questions persist as American taxpayers spend $2 billion a week on an unpopular war, and as widespread local corruption and perceptions of social injustice continue to fuel passive support to the insurgency.
The international community's pledge to never abandon Afghanistan is well-intentioned, especially since Washington was partly responsible for that country's past and present turmoil. But it is also imperative that the international community not become Afghanistan's perpetual crutch. Afghans desperately seek foreign assistance, but what really matters is the long-term sustainability of Afghanistan's institutions. Sadly, social and political changes won't be seen as legitimate if they depend on institutions that appear to be at odds with local traditions or are excessively reliant on foreign patronage.
Paradoxically, the U.S. and NATO may wind up both helping and hindering Afghanistan on its path toward self-sufficiency.
Euro 2012 and the Price of Repression
Ukraine has suffered a tortured post-Soviet independence. Its second president, Leonid Kuchma, was accused of ordering the murder of an opposition journalist. Kuchma's successor, Viktor Yushchenko, was pro-Western but utterly ineffective, even incompetent. The current president, Viktor Yanukovich, turns out to be almost as pro-Western, but his chief ability appears to be beating up his opponents.
Now, he and his country are paying the price for his politicized prosecution of his last electoral opponent, Yulia Tymoshenko. At least eight foreign leaders, led by the presidents of Austria, the Czech Republic and Germany, threatened to boycott a Central and Eastern European summit scheduled last weekend at Yalta in the Crimea. With so many heads of state indicating they weren't coming, Kiev was forced to postpone the gathering.
Moreover, Herman Van Rompuy, president of the European Council, has told the Ukrainian prime minister not to attend a EU-Ukraine meeting scheduled for next week. The Yanukovich government looks especially foolish being banned from a meeting about the country it governs. And several European leaders are pressing for a boycott of the Euro 2012 soccer tournament, scheduled for next month and cohosted by the Ukraine and Poland. The event, in which Ukraine has invested $9 billion worth of facilities, will go on, but only under a cloud—and the guarantee of numerous media stories about Tymoshenko's condition and Yanukovich's governance.
Admittedly, it's hard to pick sides in Ukraine. Many participants in the political system are unsavory. Virtually no business oligarch, including Tymoshenko, once known as the "gas princess," likely is entirely clean. She and Yushchenko, the joint victors over Yanukovich in the so-called "Orange Revolution," had a bitter falling out. Despite his pro-Russian reputation, Yanukovich has emphasized an orientation toward Brussels over Moscow.
But no one is served by gratuitous repression. One can at least understand brutality intended to keep the existing regime in power. The prosecution of Tymoshenko has the air of persecution, the vengeful destruction of an already defeated opponent. Indeed, it looks a bit like Vladimir Putin's seeming obsession with keeping one-time billionaire and potential political opponent Mikhail Khodorkovsky behind bars.
In Yanukovich's case the practice also smells of political weakness. He faces a tough legislative election in October, when all 450 seats in the Rada will be in play. Now, he has suffered the humiliation of being rejected by his peers throughout the region on top of pressure from European leaders who will decide on Ukraine's suitability for the European Union.
Yanukovich also has squandered any chance of exercising regional leadership. Ukraine is the largest former Soviet Republic, after Russia, to achieve independence. For countries seeking cooperation with Moscow while maintaining their independence, Kiev could play a lead role. But Yanukovich risks turning his nation as well as himself into a pariah. Admittedly, Ukraine won't be North Korea, but no one will be looking to Ukraine for leadership on any issue.
Engagement usually is a better foreign-policy strategy than isolation when attempting to transform a recalcitrant state. Indeed, economic and trade sanctions often are counterproductive, discouraging reform. However, in this case engagement did not prevent repression, so a little bit of isolation seems called for. Especially important is tarnishing the upcoming games, which apparently were a favorite prestige project for Yanukovich. Reported Andrew Rettman in the EU Observer: "Markiyan Lubkivskyi, Ukraine's man in charge of preparing the event, has said Euro 2012 is the president's baby."
Ukraine should be a leader among not only the former Soviet republics but the independent Eastern European nations once dominated by the U.S.S.R. However, Yanukovich's ruthless rule is squandering Ukraine's opportunity. It's a tragedy for the Ukrainian people, but also for anyone else who would benefit from a freer and wealthier Ukraine.
Image: Pavol Frešo
Rough Seas Ahead for Navy's Surface Fleet?
In its markup of the National Defense Authorization Act, the House Armed Services Committee proposed a number of changes to the Obama administration's plans for the U.S. Navy. The NDAA rescinds the retirement of three cruisers and restricts retirement of ballistic-missile submarines (so as not to fall below a minimum of twelve). The bill also contains an amendment which authorizes a GAO review of the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) program. The amendments collectively reflect the committee's concern that the navy won't be able to fulfill its current missions with fewer and perhaps less capable ships. Unfortunately, no one is asking whether any of those missions could be modified, eliminated or shifted to others.
I will address some of those issues at a Cato policy forum this Monday, May 21, at noon. I am particularly thrilled to be joined by Undersecretary of the Navy Robert O. Work, Ben Freeman of the Project on Government Oversight and Eric J. Labs of the Congressional Budget Office. Those three make this an all-star cast to discuss the future of a U.S. surface fleet that is undergoing some major changes. With the retirement of the navy's cruisers and frigates, the development of bigger and more complex destroyers, and the introduction of the LCS, tomorrow's surface fleet will look quite different than today's.
Congress is particularly concerned about the LCS because of reports of design and construction flaws and operational problems, including this letter issued by the Project on Government Oversight and a subsequent article in Aviation Week. But some are also concerned that even though LCSs eventually will constitute about one-third of the navy's surface combatants, the LCS is not supposed to engage in combat. In addition, its mission modules, especially the antisubmarine-warfare package, are years away from operability.
Our panel will address many of the questions swirling around the surface fleet today, including: How will the replacement of thirty frigates with the still-untested LCS affect the navy's overall capability? Will the ballistic-missile-defense requirement reduce the availability of destroyers for other missions? Could the navy pursue a different strategy to advance U.S. national security that could be executed with fewer ships? Of course, the answers to all of those questions are framed within the context of declining procurement budgets. Given that reality, one could argue that the greatest threat to the U.S. Navy's surface fleet is its undersea fleet: the looming SSBN(X) program could devour the shipbuilding budget for a decade.
So, with no shortage of difficult and far-reaching decisions ahead for the navy, it is a privilege to have Undersecretary Work, Ben and Eric to help us navigate the way. I hope you can join us on Monday.
Why Americans Are Less Hawkish than Their Leaders
American leaders are reliably more hawkish than Americans. That gap marks a failure in democratic decision making. Under some circumstances, the free marketplace of ideas not only fails to produce good policy but actually thwarts it.
That problem underlies a new joint study published by the Stimson Center. Based on a survey of 665 Americans, the study shows that when presented with arguments for and against cutting the defense budget, Americans want to cut it—a lot. Respondents rated general arguments for and against cutting total defense spending, finding most arguments convincing but dovish arguments generally more so. They preferred cutting defense spending to raising taxes or cutting other spending (though Republicans somewhat preferred cutting other spending). Asked to set a defense-spending level for next year, nine-tenths of Democrats and two-thirds of Republicans cut it. The survey then listed defense-spending categories, gave standard pro and con arguments for each, and asked respondents for their recommendation on each. Their biggest cuts, by percentage, came from the war in Afghanistan and nuclear weapons. The average total cut amounted to about 18 percent of the nonwar defense budget.
The study is a useful exposition of what we knew: Americans are less enthusiastic about war and military spending than U.S. policy on these matters suggests. As Christopher Preble points out, polls show majorities of Americans will gladly slash defense spending to reduce the deficit, are against the war in Afghanistan and remain lukewarm about global policing and current alliances. But the American political system offers only historically modest defense cuts, an endless, albeit reduced, military presence in Afghanistan and preservation of our globocop strategy. Republican voters' growing opposition to war of late (which, incidentally, Tea Party supporters seem to be hindering, not leading) has not translated into many antiwar positions among Republican leaders. As Ari Berman recently noted in the Nation, Mitt Romney's foreign-policy advisors are almost entirely neoconservative Bush administration retreads. Democratic voters, of course, are disappointed by the Obama administration's hawkishness, though it shouldn't have been surprising.
This gap is not new. Historically, according to Gallup, substantially more Americans say that we spend too much on defense than say we spend too little. Dan Drezner finds Americans are traditionally more realist in their foreign-policy views—thus less inclined to support military adventure—than American elites. In the latest edition of Political Science Quarterly, Joshua Busby and Jonathan Monten show that Republicans elites have long been more prone than Republican voters to favor high defense spending and long-term alliances.
One explanation for this democracy deficit is what Busby and Monten call "dual slack," the absence of restraint that either voters or international politics put on U.S. defense policy. Foreign-policy issues tend to rank low among voters' concerns and to contribute little to their voting decisions. So politicians have little incentive to cater to voters' foreign-policy views. They are relatively free to adopt principled (undemocratic) stances. And with few rivals restricting U.S. military deployments, foreign-policy makers can indulge ideological ambition and fancy.
Relative power causes the two sources of slack. Power lets the United States run amok abroad while insulating citizens from the consequences. For most Americans, even the war in Iraq brought little worse than marginally higher tax rates and unsettling TV images. Americans don't much care about foreign policy because it is usually inconsequential to their welfare.
Slack is a permissive condition. It explains why foreign-policy makers can ignore the public, not why they do. Understanding their motives means considering how power changed interests and ideology. As in other public-policy areas, minorities with concentrated interests rule over less interested majorities. The Cold War required organized interests in government and beyond that benefit from high defense spending. Foreign-policy elites may not directly work for the iron triangle, but those interests dominate conventional wisdom in both parties. Those seeking political appointment, government funding or credentials as an establishment bigwig can't safely buck it.
Exercising power abroad also required changing the United States foreign-policy ideology to suit activism. Where once the dominant idea was that preserving liberalism meant staying out of foreign military fights, the new ethos—call it Wilsonianism—said that liberalism's success required participating in those fights. Advocates of that view included both the narrow interests mentioned above and most others eager to overcome isolationist sentiment and keep the United States military abroad. By further limiting restraints and thus increasing the policies that Wilsonianism had to justify, the Soviet Union's collapse accelerated that shift. Variants of Wilsonianism are now the operational code of party's foreign-policy elite, while realism has been cast aside. The public remains relatively realist because it gets less Wilsonian education and socialization.
The public-elite opinion gap on foreign policy is likely to shrink if these issues get more salient, as Trevor Thrall will tell you. As voters get more interested in issues, they gather information about them from sources consistent with their partisan predispositions and should increasingly reflect elite views. From my perspective, that's ironic: the more Americans learn about foreign policy, the worse their opinions become. Democracy is not the culprit really—elite rule would be worse—but it hardly helps.
This analysis suggests that good U.S. foreign policy requires bad events. As Justin Logan and I discuss in the latest Orbis, if the economy stays flat and deficits further mount, maintaining military costs will increasingly require sacrificing entitlements or low tax rates. Although the public might then become more informed and partisan, the nature of partisanship might shift. That fight should catalyze antidefense interests that slowly move elites toward the realist, public view. Likewise, another brutal war or mounting threats should increase the popularity of restraint and realpolitik among elites. Because none of those conditions are worth rooting for, the public-elite opinion gap is. It's a bad consequence of good fortune.
New Paper Argues for Immediate, Practical Cuts in Military Spending
A new report published today by the Project on Defense Alternatives argues for $17–$20 billion in immediate savings to the fiscal-year 2013 defense budget. I coauthored the report along with Benjamin Friedman of Cato and PDA's Carl Conetta, Charles Knight and Ethan Rosenkranz. Those savings come from eighteen line items—personnel, weapons systems and programs—that could be implemented quickly. Adjustments to U.S. national-security strategy are not a prerequisite for these options, which are relatively low-hanging fruit.
The 2013 defense-authorization bill will move to the House floor this week. Many members are expected to offer amendments, some allowing savings in the defense budget. During the debates that are about to ensue,, it is important to keep in mind just how large the defense budget has become. As our paper notes, the national defense base budget constitutes 52 percent of discretionary spending, separate from the war account. Since 2000, it has risen by 90 percent in nominal terms and 42 percent in real terms. If Washington is serious about addressing the nation's massive fiscal challenge, many programs will have to be cut or reformed. The Pentagon should not be expected to bear all of the costs; other departments and agencies will also have to contribute. But there has not yet been a significant decline in the Pentagon's base budget, contrary to what some have claimed.
The Budget Control Act (BCA) of 2011 places an initial discretionary spending cap on National Defense for 2013 at $546 billion. Both President Obama's request and the House Republican's budget exceed the BCA caps. In addition, the BCA requires $110 billion in spending cuts in January 2013 via sequestration, half of which need to come from DoD. Neither the White House nor Congress plans for that to occur; both sides hope to amend the law and achieve equal deficit reductions by other means. As it currently stands, though, they disagree on how. Republicans want to cut other spending; Democrats want to raise taxes. The options outlined in our paper could facilitate these negotiations by revealing savings in the DoD budget that will not damage our national security.
The savings options in the report focus on reducing or curtailing:
—Assets and capabilities that mismatch or substantially exceed current and emerging military challenges;
—Assets and capabilities for which more cost-effective alternatives exist;
—Investments that are tied to the past, reflecting bureaucratic inertia or individual's service interests, rather than current collective-defense needs;
—Acquisition programs that exhibit serious, persistent cost overruns while failing to deliver promised capability; and
—Acquisition programs that are based on immature or unproven technologies.
Further savings are possible if we rethink our strategy, missions and national-security commitments. Ben Friedman and I have long argued this point. Until then, the options presented in "Defense Sense" are limited in scope in an effort to pave the way toward responsibly balancing national-security ends, ways and means.
Although I encourage everyone to look at the report, here are just five of the eighteen cuts that policy makers should immediately consider:
—Military personnel in Europe: Remove additional ten thousand military personnel by end of FY 2013; save $100 million in FY 2013 and $188 million per year once complete
—Active-component military personnel: Reduce end-strength by an additional ten thousand personnel; save $400 million in FY 2013 and $860 million recurring annual savings once complete
—Missile Defense: Focus on procurement and end-stage development on systems with proven, reliable, cost-effective capability (see report for details); save $2.5 billion in FY 2013
—F-35 Joint Strike Fighter: Cancel USMC variant; buy equivalent numbers F/A-18 E/F; save $1.8 billion in FY 2013
—Littoral Combat Ship (LCS): End procurement at ten and seek alternative; save $2 billion in FY 2013
The U.S. Drug War Comes to Honduras
New York Times correspondent Thom Shanker broke the story on May 5 that the U.S. military had established three base camps in Honduras to help that country combat the increasingly powerful Mexican drug cartels. The Obama administration authorized this new, and potentially quite dangerous, military operation without congressional approval or the slightest public debate by the American people. That aspect is merely the latest evidence that Obama is as much a devotee of the imperial presidency as any of his predecessors.
But this move should not have come as a great surprise. The Mexican cartels have become a major force in nearly all of the Central American countries, especially Honduras and Guatemala, over the past four years. Political leaders in Central America, as well as their U.S. counterparts, have grown increasingly worried that one or more of those countries could become de facto narcostates.
The increased cartel activity in Central America is a direct result of the vigorous, military-led offensive against those organizations in Mexico during President Felipe Calderón's presidency. That offensive has been a fiasco for Mexico, resulting in the deaths of more than fifty thousand people in the past five and a half years and turning portions of the country into full-fledged war zones.
One key effect of the offensive, though, has been to pressure the cartels to find safer locales for their operations. That incentive has caused several of the trafficking organizations to greatly expand their presence in neighboring Central American countries, where government institutions, security forces and civil societies are significantly weaker than in Mexico. Whether that was an inadvertent effect or a deliberate goal of the Calderón government is uncertain. Wall Street Journal columnist Mary Anastasia O'Grady suspects it is the latter. According to O'Grady, "Mexico seeks to raise the cost of trafficking so that the flows go elsewhere." And, one might add, so that much of the violence accompanying the drug trade also goes elsewhere.
But even if it is not a deliberate ploy by Mexico's government to "beggar thy neighbor," the impact is the same. Central American governments have become increasingly vocal in wanting heightened financial and security assistance from Washington. The latest measures in Honduras confirm that the Obama administration is determined to take stronger action against the cartels.
Sending U.S. military personnel into Honduras to wage the war on drugs, though, is ill-advised. American military commanders openly state that they intend to apply the lessons learned in Iraq to the situation in Honduras. That anyone would regard the Iraq debacle as a template for future military operations is more than a little worrisome. The principal lesson of the Iraq war should be to avoid murky counterinsurgency/nation-building crusades, not to try to pursue such missions more effectively.
Given Central America's geographic proximity, the United States does have some security interests at stake there. No one wants to see even one of those countries come under the control of the vicious Mexican drug cartels.
But trying to thwart the cartels with this strategy is akin to putting a Band Aid on a malignancy. The primary reason the cartels are so powerful both in Mexico and Central America has to do with fundamental principles of economics. There is a huge demand for drugs, especially in the United States but also in Europe and, increasingly, in other portions of the world. When such a robust demand for a product exists, it is an economic certainty that profit-seeking entities will try to fulfill that demand. Prohibiting commerce in a product does not negate that dynamic, it merely perverts it. Instead of legitimate businesses engaging in lawful competition, the trade falls into the hands of elements that don't mind breaking the law and assuming all the other risks in a black market. Often, that means that the most ruthless, violent individuals and organizations come to dominate the trade.
Because of the black-market risk premium, profit margins are far wider than normal, filling the coffers of illicit traffickers and giving them ample financial resources to challenge competitors and either corrupt or neutralize government institutions. That is what happened in the United States during the Prohibition era, when the government tried to ban alcoholic beverages. That is what is happening today, especially in the Western Hemisphere, with the prohibition of marijuana, cocaine and other illegal drugs. And the major beneficiaries are the Mexican cartels.
Unfortunately, the Obama administration stubbornly refuses to recognize that reality. Instead of moving to abandon the futile, counterproductive prohibition strategy, the president and his advisers seem intent on sending U.S. military personnel into yet another quagmire, this time in Central America. The deployment in Honduras appears to be the first, fateful step into the quicksand.
Washington Post Defines Worst Fears Down
"Al-Qaeda bombmaker represents CIA's worst fears."
That's the headline of a Washington Post story on Yemeni terrorists' attempt to down a U.S.-bound flight by placing a bomb on the body of an operative who turned out to be a CIA and Saudi agent. By straining to alarm readers about the bomb maker, Ibrahim Hassan al-Asiri, the story makes three errors.
First, by defining the CIA's "worst fears" as"a highly skilled terrorist determined to attack the United States," the Post underestimates the imaginative capacity of intelligence officials and overrates Asiri's prowess. The article uncritically quotes House Homeland Security Committee chairman Peter King's claim that "Asiri is an evil genius. He is constantly expanding, he is constantly adjusting." Whatever King means by "expanding," "failing" would have been a better choice of words. In just one of the four Asiri plots mentioned in article did his bomb detonate properly. That one killed only its bearer, al-Asiri's brother. The nearby target, Saudi's Prince Nayef, suffered only minor wounds.
Second, the article dubiously claims that two of those plots nearly wreaked great damage:
If it were not for a technical problem (Abdulmutallab's device failed to detonate) or solid intelligence tips (Saudi counterterrorism officials alerted authorities in Dubai and Britain to intercept the cargo planes), Asiri would have succeeded in staging a catastrophic disaster in American skies.
It is, however, questionable whether Abdulmutallab's bomb, had it properly detonated, was powerful enough to cause his plane to crash. Even if it opened a hole, the plane might not have crashed.
In the second case, where bombs were hidden in printer cartridges on cargo planes, authorities tell us the detonators probably would have worked and could have downed the planes. But there remains a decent chance that detonation would have occurred while the planes were on the ground. Also, one reason the devices made it on to cargo planes without detection is that they contain few people and thus justify less security. The death of a crew would have been tragic, of course, but "catastrophic disaster" is a stretch.
The likely success of terrorist plots can't be assessed simply by looking at the stage of the plot that caused its failure. As Jim Harper argues, plots require success in a series of tasks, each of which drives down the odds of overall success. Bombs that are both difficult to detect and easy to detonate are tough to make, and competent bombers are hard to find. Borders have guards. Intelligence services employ double agents.
The article's third error is its assertion that the Yemeni branch of al-Qaeda has "taken advantage of Yemen's political turmoil and seized large swaths of territory in the south." That language conflates the terrorist group with a broader insurgency, confuses their goals and overstates the group's potency. The misperception invites a broad U.S. campaign against Yemen's southern Islamists, which could heighten their enthusiasm for attacking Americans, creating the menace we feared.
Let's review the record of the bomb maker who is labeled our "worst fear." His organization has made no discernible progress towards its murky political objectives—though its Islamist protectors have gained territory amid a power vacuum. He has never produced mass violence nor apparently come close, and his most successful act of terrorism was to help his brother blow himself up. His next-best effort resulted in a severe crotch burn for the bomber, who survived, talked to U.S. authorities for months and is serving a life sentence.
That is "success" only under an exceedingly capacious definition. Bin Laden and his acolytes are being grandiose when they talk about bankrupting us. But their boasts show that "terrorism" remains a good label for their misbegotten efforts. They sustain their endeavors by imagining that violence, by generating fear and cost, will cause their enemy to fold and to accommodate their goals. By hyping their menace, we help them cling to that fantasy.


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To all of you spouting off about Denver's early exit from the playoffs being evidence he isn't worthy...THIS IS A REGULAR SEASON AWARD!! Karl lost this season's top scorer and 6th Man of the Year (Melo and JR), the primary player he got in return (Gallo) tore up his knee, lost LOTS of games to his starting point guard (Lawson) and many other key players during the season.
The Nuggets roster is COMPLETELY different from what it was just TWO years ago and this is the MOST games Denver has won since it's ABA days. I'd call the job he did just short of amazing.

subset: commoncrawl


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- Master's in Animals and Public Policy
- The M.S. in Animals and Public Policy (MAPP) program provides students with the opportunity to explore the historical, philosophical, scientific, cultural, legal and political underpinnings of contemporary human-animal relationships. Learn more about how graduates of the program, like Anastacia Southland, have applied their degrees.


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Really, you blame his Mother? It's his MOTHER!!!!!! You are what's wrong: football is a game and it is not everything. REALY? Blame his Mother?
No aspect of college athletics is as dirty as recruiting. Coaches often lie to players about opportunities for playing time. They spread false information about other schools and other coaches. Players sometimes lie to coaches and sign with one school after being committed to another. And then you get high school coaches, street agents and relatives involved. It's a mess.
The question is: How can it be fixed?
The SEC attempted to end the practice of oversigning this past spring when it voted in a soft 25-man signing cap for its football programs. In the case of Justin Taylor it worked. Technically.
Alabama coaches informed Taylor over the weekend that the scholarship he thought was his… won't be. Due to the 25-man cap, Bama couldn't sign him and then tell him he would have to grayshirt. Win. But telling a kid who'd been committed for 11 months that he's suddenly going to have to make new plans — either go elsewhere or wait a full year to play in Tuscaloosa — less than 20 days before signing day is hardly a feel-good win. (Taylor says he's going to go elsewhere rather than wait it out at Alabama.)
By the letter of the law, Bama acted correctly. By the spirit of the law, well, here's guessing the SEC presidents who tried to nuke oversigning last spring aren't smiling about this story getting pub today.
And before we go further, this isn't just an Alabama issue. Other schools pull scholarship offers, too. Taylor's example is simply the latest one to get attention. Tennessee has pulled a couple of kids' offers in the past month and the Vols have gotten some bad publicity, too.
Remember, when put to a vote, all 12 football coaches in the SEC voted to keep oversigning on the table.
What can be done to prevent schools from yanking scholarship offers for any reasons other than academics or legal issues? Perhaps schools could be put on the hook to guarantee scholarships when they accept players' commitment. That would prevent a school from offering a scholarship to a kid only to pull it if someone with a faster 40 time comes along.
Ah, but the commitment is not binding for the player, either. See: Gunner Kiel's situation. The star Indiana quarterback initially committed to Indiana. Then he had a change of heart and picked LSU. Set to enroll early this week, Kiel no-showed in Baton Rouge. It turns out — if the stories are correct — that his mother was so distraught over her son going far away that the player has decided to attend Notre Dame and stay closer to home. (What a shame that a young man isn't being allowed to choose his own path in life. Here's hoping things work out in South Bend because if they don't, Kiel will remember who kept him from going elsewhere.)
In LSU's case, they thought they had their quarterback of the future (after they'd dashed the Hoosiers' dreams and poached Kiel from IU). Now, less than 20 days til signing day, the Tigers have five-star sized hole to fill.
There is no clean way of changing recruiting. If you end oversigning, coaches can still tell a prospect the day before signing day that he's unwanted rather… than on the day after. That's hardly a resounding victory. (And trust me, Big Ten fans, your schools — though they hate oversigning — have no problem backing out of commitments when better players fall into their laps, either.)
So should the commitments of schools and players be made binding? Should the schools be held to a higher standard than the players — meaning players could change their minds but schools could not?
Personally, I would align myself with the teenagers versus the multi-million dollar football coaches and programs. Better to have a coach scrambling to fill a slot than to have a recruit's entire life thrown into chaos at the last minute before signing day. But setting up a mechanism to prevent scholarship-pulls would require more pages and more options in an already too-thick NCAA rule book.
At the same time, many folks will view things from their favorite coach's perspective. Anything's fine and dandy so long as State U. wins 10 games next year. So if a faster, stronger kid becomes available, oust the slower, weaker kid.
Either way, the same dirty coin continues to spin. On one side, players get discarded or have their plans delayed by millionaires. On the other, schools get blindsided by players who change their minds at the last minute.
It's a crummy system. That's why I usually leave the commitment and scholarship stuff to Josh Ward over on our Recruiting Page. I don't enjoy getting down in the signing day mud.


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Dates, times of Raiders exhibition games released
By Steve Corkran
Monday, May 10th, 2010 at 10:58 am in Oakland Raiders.
The league Monday announced the dates and starting times of the Raiders four exhibition games this summer. Here is the game-by-game breakdown:
The Raiders play the Dallas Cowboys on the road Aug. 12 at 6 p.m.
The Raiders play the Chicago Bears on the road Aug. 21 at 5:30 p.m.
The Raiders host the 49ers on Aug. 28 at 6 p.m.
The Raiders host the Seattle Seahawks on Sept. 2 at 7 p.m.
The Raiders first roster cutdown to 75 players comes Aug. 31, between their final two exhibition games. The second and final mandatory roster cutdown to 53 players takes place Sept. 4.
Oakland's first regular-season game is Sept. 12 against the Tennessee Titans in Nashville.
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Sclerosing mesenteritis
Other Names for this Disease
- Idiopathic sclerosing mesenteritis
- Liposclerotic mesenteritis
- Mesenteric fibromatosis
- Mesenteric lipodystrophy
- Mesenteric lipogranuloma
See Disclaimer regarding information on this site. Some links on this page may take you to organizations outside of the National Institutes of Health.
On this page
Newline Maker
How might sclerosing mesenteritis be treated?
Treatment for sclerosing mesenteritis is most often based on the stage of the disease.
- In the early stage when fat necrosis predominates, many physicians tend not to treat because the disease process may regress spontaneously.[1]
- When chronic inflammation becomes a prominent feature but fibrosis is not yet fully developed, medical treatment with corticosteroids, colchicine, immunosuppressants, or orally administered progesterone may be beneficial in the prevention of disease progression.[2][1] These medications are only given for a short period since they can cause serious side effects. Some studies have shown that patients with sclerosing mesenteritis may benefit from a drug combination of tamoxifen and prednisone.[2]
- When fibrosis becomes extensive, especially when the disease presents as a large fibrotic mass with bowel obstruction, surgical interventions may be necessary.[2][1]
Last updated: 8/22/2011
- Sclerosing Mesenteritis. The Doctor's Doctor Web site. 2002; http://www.thedoctorsdoctor.com/diseases/sclerosing_mesenteritis.htm. Accessed 7/11/2011.
- Sclerosing mesenteritis. MayoClinic.org. http://www.mayoclinic.org/sclerosing-mesenteritis/ . Accessed 7/11/2011.


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Morning 5
5 super anthems
Alicia Keys kicked off the Super Bowl with her version of the national anthem. Here are five past singers at the big game:
1) Whitney Houston — The late singer's version dung the Super Bowl XXV is regarded as one of the best renditions in history.
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612 O'Farrell St, San Francisco, CA | Directions 9410937.785649 -122.415025
Tuesday To Sunday From 11:30 AM To 10:30 PM
Neighborhoods: Tenderloin, Northeast
The best of the best
great pakistani food – great food, great prices, very yummy
Awesome Food – It is an awesome place. Me and my friend have tried out all the other restaurants close to this place, but nothing is worth the taste that we found at Lahore Karahi. Most of the Indian/Pakistani restaurants have a little bland food. However, the food at this place has a great flavor.
I tried out a couple of veg options and they were mouth-watering. The only prob I found was that it took a little long for them to serve the food. However, it is worth the wait.
I guess they have mentioned that on their website.
Just to let you know the service is improving. – It is casual beyond most places, so make yourself at home, get a glass of water or chai. A couple of nice young guys are doing a much better job of serving. They will get to you and you will get your dinner. Relax. But that isn't why we drive across the bridge to eat here. It's the food. Just so you know-- It is that good.
best chicken tikka masala in town for the price – The service is SLOW, and there tends to be a wait for a table if you go during the dinner rush. But the food is amazing, just like the price. This is a great place to go if you are with someone you can hold a nice LONG conversation with. I will continue to go back time after time.
Great food, awful service – how much can one sacrifice for good food? my first time at lahore karahi, my friends and I waited a full hour and a half after ordering until our food came. my second time, was a more manageable 30 minutes. my third and final trip, they stuffed my girlfriend and i into a corner table with no space despite plenty of available tables. i have to say that this place has really good food, but has probably the worst service in the city. take a chance at your own risk. i think i'll just be going to shalimar.
Homestyle - The Pakistani Way – I've been eating here along time, since 2004, and have seen the community drawn in to the good food and personality that makes of Lahore Kahari. Many people have already said and sang the praises. I'd like to comment on few of the cons listed. The service staff, and I know who you are taking about, is a very sweet nice man. He is shy and he tries but he does struggle with the various customs and dialects that are here in San Francisco.
Its like eating Thanksgiving Dinner with extended family. Sometimes very intimate, sometimes a bit stressed around the edges. The intentions of everyone is good and - again - if you're use to certain protocols of American dining you may have to learn that something like immediate clearing of finished plates is not a universal custom. However, the middle east is extremely unique in its generous nature. Do not be surprised if you enjoy freebies along the way or something made special just because the chef thought you'd enjoy it, no charge.
As for the neighborhood....if you don't look like a "pro", a picture-taking tourist from WI, "flashing colors", or someone looking to score drugs....the most you might get is "Hey baby" or "Do you have some change." Yes, things change after midnight, so finish your dinner by then. One block up on Geary between Mason and Leavenworth, there are 3 expensive trendy bars, no less then 3-4 tourist hotels and the open late thai noodle house that seems to be a little hotspot until 2am on the weekends. Its a little seedy around the Jones/O'Farrell area but just walk with confidence. Otherwise, use Geary to walk over to Leavenworth and then walk down the block to O'Farrell.
You will NOT get a quick meal, ever. Plan at least 30-40 min for carryout and 90 min for dinner. Things dont move fast, thats why its good. Grab a glass of chai, talk, relax, etc. While you cannot order drinks here, you can bring beer/wine no extra charge. The ice cream and lassi are homemade.
MENU @ lahorekarahisf . com
Best Indian Food in SF – I found heaven when I found Lahore Karahi. It is just a couple of blocks from my house so I found myself irresisably draw...often. Amazing that the chef makes everything as you wait, from the naan to the prawn tikka masala. I noticing that I did not order dessert he insisted on giving my some kheer to take home, also absolutely amazing.
Highly recommended!!!!!!!!
Best Food and Best Service !!! – First time I went inside it didnt seem like the place I would be regularly going to. Ever since that day, I have gone there repeatedly and have taken my collegues, boss and my clients, they have all loved this place. I believe Lahore Karahi deserves this rating. Their Tandoori Stuff, Tandoori Fish, Tandoori Chicken, Chicken Tika Masalah mmmmmmmm mouth watering. They have the best food in town !!! You have to try it to believe it!
Patience Is A Virtue... – And you'll need it at Lahore Karahhi. The food here is GREAT, (especially the butter chicken) but it may take an hour to get it after you order. Another MAJOR flaw is the service. Although pleasant, it's very unprofessional and untrained. You have to ask repeatedly for dishes you ordered, napkins, drinks, etc....then ask some more. The small staff seems overwhelmed and severely untrained. Go for the food; just know you'll be in for a wait!
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Starting with just four symposia in 1983, the Materials Research Society's (MRS) Spring Meeting and Exhibit has grown to over 50 symposia and over 5,000 attendees. Held annually in San Francisco's Moscone West convention hall, MRS Spring Meetings are essential events for discovering and presenting the very latest developments in materials research.
The MRS 2012 Spring Meeting in San Francisco, April 9-13, 2012, is having an Educational Symposium – Symposium ZZ-Transforming Education in Materials Science and Engineering.
Session topics include:
Symposium Organizers
Join us at the Public Outreach Center at the Spring Meeting and learn the role MRS has in the following education outreach communities. Find out how you can participate and be a part of this exciting movement e action as we bring the science of materials to the general public.
The NISE Network will have a booth answering questions, displaying some of our activities for young audiences, and doing some hands-on activities.
Join us throughout the week during the coffee breaks as national science centers and science museums, in partnership with the NISE Network, present "stimulating" educational, outreach through hands-on activities in materials science and nanotechnology.
Created for general public audiences at the Museum of Science Boston, "Cleaning Our Water with Nanotechnology" is a presentation about our drinking water and how we can make contaminated water safe to drink using a variety of technologies – including 3 new nanotechnologies for water purification.
Students are invited to join us at the Student Mixer for good food and drink while exploring interactive science activities.
The offerings below are designed to provide the skills, fundamentals and knowledge needed for both professional development and career enhancement in materials science and engineering. Each of the offerings below are free to registered attendees.
Making the Most of Broadcast Media Workshop - NEW!
This session will explain principles of creating newsworthy stories from research discoveries. You will gain hands-on experience creating news articles, television stories and practice a live media interview.
Mastering Science Presentations Seminar
Learn the tips and tricks to take your scientific presentations to the next level. By selecting the proper tools and techniques, you can effectively communicate your research to a broader audience.
Technical Poster Design Seminar
Don't let poor layouts and bad design interfere with communicating your work through technical posters. This session will discuss effective tools and techniques, while reviewing good and bad designs.


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Pizza >Angelia's Pizza
410 Penn Lincoln Dr, Imperial, PA | Directions 1512640.455935 -80.256591
Monday 11:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Tuesday 11:00 AM - 11:00 PM
Wednesday 11:00 AM - 11:00 PM
Thursday 11:00 AM - 11:00 PM
Friday 11:00 AM - 11:00 PM
Saturday 11:00 AM - 11:00 PM
Sunday 12:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Best Food in Town – Definitely the best pizza in town. I read they won 2nd place in a best hoagies in Pittsburgh contest too.
Huge Menu, great coupons, fast delivery!! Everyone in town recommends this place.
Can't Beat It – Delivery times seem to be pretty quick, Price is good, and the Food is Really Good!
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This Web site is intended for use by US residents only. See International Sites. See our delivery policy for full details. Copyright 1998-2014, Staples, Inc., All Rights Reserved.


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The Cleveland Browns announced a stunning shake-up in their front office on Tuesday that includes the departure of CEO Joe Banner and general manager Mike Lombardi.
Ray Farmer will take over as general manager and lead the team's football operations during free agency and the NFL Draft. Team president Alec Scheiner will remain in charge of business operations.
Banner will transition out of his role as CEO over the next two months, the team said. Lombardi is departing the organization.
At a news conference on Tuesday, Browns owner Jimmy Haslam downplayed the notion that the franchise is in disarray and had trouble attracting candidates to Cleveland during its coaching search last month.
"I will just tell you that the people I talked to around the country do not think this isn't an outstanding opportunity here in Cleveland, whether it's to coach, play or work," Haslam said. "And I continue to hear that."
Farmer was pursued by the Miami Dolphins after the 2013 season for their general manager opening but elected to remain with the Browns.
Haslam called the Browns' previous front-office setup "cumbersome" and said he and Banner agreed that it was best for the organization to streamline.
"First of all, we wanted to capitalize on the knowledge, experience and character we're fortunate to have in Ray Farmer," Haslam said earlier in a statement. "Ray as a tremendous football IQ, he's compelling and he understands the types of players we need to acquire and develop in order to win in Cleveland.
"He embraces his partnership with (new coach) Mike Pettine, which is critical in helping build the right team. Ray will provide excellent leadership in our front office."
Farmer said he signed a four-year contract.
"I'm a big believer in relationships and how people come together and why those things are important, and it's communication," Farmer said at his introductory press conference. "Three tenets that I am going to hold near and dear to as I'm here with the Cleveland Browns are -- you'll figure this out about me in time, I'm a big acronym guy -- the first one is KTB, 'Know, trust and believe.'
"One of the bases behind relationships for me is that in order for people to believe you, they've got to know you; then as they know you, they'll trust you; and as they trust you, they'll believe in you. I think that connecting to people is critical in that way."
Farmer was asked about working with a head coach he didn't hire.
"I didn't have the hiring authority, but I definitely was well aware and communicated well with the search party that was out speaking (with candidates)," Farmer said. "I did my research on Mike Pettine. I have a really good relationship with Mike Pettine. I had a moment this morning to spend some one-on-one time (with Pettine), after the decision was made, to really kind of start to solidify that relationship. I'm excited about the opportunity; I think he is, as well; and I think we're going to work well together."
Farmer is confident he will be ready to run his first draft.
"Running the draft is as simple as the process," he said. "You have to have a process that you create that answers all of the questions in advance. The draft, the hay is in the barn by the time you actually get to picking players. It is the process that you go through to get to that point. I think I am definitely solidified in that process. I've been involved in that process numerous times. We'll be prepared when it's time to select the players, and players that fit what Coach Pettine wants to do."
Banner, 60, came to the Browns in October 2012 to work for Haslam after 19 years in the front office with the Philadelphia Eagles.
"We appreciate Joe's contributions to the Cleveland Browns, especially in helping us as new owners," Haslam said. "He was committed to creating a successful organization and bringing in talented individuals. We thank him for his work and dedication. We wish him and his family the best.
"Alec will continue in his role as president of this team. I think he's one of the most intelligent and innovative young executives in the NFL."
Lombardi was hired by the Browns as vice president of player personnel in January 2013 in a move that was widely criticized by fans who associated him with the team when he worked for former owner Art Modell in the 1990s before the franchise moved to Baltimore. Lombardi was working in broadcasting before joining the Browns for a second time.
Banner and Lombardi worked together for two years with the Eagles, but were unable to land former University of Oregon head coach Chip Kelly last offseason. Kelly ultimately was hired by Philadelphia and led the Eagles to the playoffs, while the Browns settled on Rob Chudzinski as their head coach in 2013 and fired him after just one season.
"We're also grateful for Mike Lombardi's efforts and commitment since rejoining our organization," Haslam said. "He is an experienced and creative NFL executive with a unique ability to see the big picture. He has tremendous instincts and I know he'll be a valuable addition to any NFL organization.
"We simply wanted to give Ray this opportunity that he's earned. We wanted to move forward under his leadership and capabilities. The purpose of these moves is to unify our team with one, unequivocal goal: Provide our fans with the winning organization they have long deserved."
The Browns have posted records of 4-12 or 5-11 each of the past six seasons and skepticism about the franchise's leadership has escalated recently, prompting one reporter to ask whether the Browns were being run by the "Three Stooges" -- Banner, Lombardi and Haslam.
"It is bittersweet leaving the Browns organization," Banner said in a statement. "I have thoroughly enjoyed working with Jimmy Haslam and helping him set the infrastructure for this franchise. I am proud of the talented individuals we brought in to help lead this team and feel that the Cleveland Browns are in good hands moving forward."


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Tom Petty said it best, "Even the losers get lucky sometime."
Maybe that will provide solace from some of the teams that still are searching for their first wins of the 2012 season. Nine teams – five from Conference USA – are still winless and for some the future isn't so bright. Here's a breakdown of the teams and which one could break the chains of losing this week.
Army (0-3)
Buzz: The Cadets are mired in a seven-game losing streak going back to last season and are looking to avoid going 0-4 for the first time since 2008. Army leads the nation in rushing offense (399 ypg), but is next to last in points allowed (44) and 111th in total defense (491 ypg) in the country. They will get a big test against FCS opponent Stony Brook (3-1) and its explosive offense (43.8 ppg).
Chance of first win this week: 60 percent
Eastern Michigan (0-4)
Buzz: It's been rough going for the Eagles who are coming off one of their best seasons in the past decade. The offense has struggled so far this season as the team is near the bottom in the national rankings in passing yards (153 ypg) and points (15.8 ppg). The defense hasn't been much better ranked 114th in the country in total defense (493 ypg). EMU has the week off before hosting Kent State Oct. 6.
Chance of first win this week: 0 percent (See buzz)
Houston (0-3)
Buzz: The Cougars have to be one of the biggest surprises this season especially when you consider this program is coming off a 13-win season. Granted, the program lost head coach Kevin Sumlin and its best quarterback in Case Keenum, but I doubt few thought that would translate into a winless start. Houston will take on a Rice (1-3) squad that gives up lost of points.
Chance of first win this week: 75 percent
Idaho (0-4)
Buzz: Idaho and Army both have something in common besides being on this list. Both are currently riding seven-game losing streaks which is the third-longest losing streak in the nation at this point. The Vandals came close to putting an end to that notoriety last week, but lost a nail biter to Wyoming, 40-37. It doesn't get any better this week as Idaho travels to North Carolina (2-2) Saturday.
Chance of first win this week: 10 percent
Massachusetts (0-4)
Buzz: As the Minutemen make the transition from to the Football Bowl Subdivision, it's only natural to expect the program to have its share of ups and downs. Unfortunately, UMass is on the downswing of that spectrum with four straight games against FBS opponents. You can add five to that list as undefeated Ohio (4-0) travels to Gillette Stadium Saturday.
Chance of first win this week: 15 percent
Memphis (0-4)
Buzz: Wins have always been at a premium for the Tigers when you consider the program has only won five game in the past three seasons. Memphis is the definition of rebuilding especially under first-year head coach Justin Fuente, who is looking to get the program back on the winning track for the first time since 2007. The Tigers are off this week before hosting Rice Oct. 6.
Chance of first win this week: O percent (See buzz)


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?In light of our Christian Faith and the strong Christian values contained within our Cons... 11:08 Wed Apr 16, 2014
PLAYING OUT THE STRING WITH THE ANGLO TRIAL 18:16 Sun Apr 13, 2014
Care and Social Reproduction - Dublin Anarchist Bookfair 12 April 2014 09:58 Sat Apr 12, 2014
TUGGING THE FORELOCK 22:59 Tue Apr 08, 2014
Irish Left ReviewJoined up thinking for the Irish Left
Opening the Low-Low Corporate Tax Rate Door Wed Apr 09, 2014 12:55 | Michael Taft
April Edition of The Socialist Voice is Out Now Mon Apr 07, 2014 09:38 | Communist Party of Ireland
Sheehy Skeffington School, Saturday April 12th in Ireland Institute, 27 Pearse S... Mon Apr 07, 2014 09:15 | Irish Left Review
New LookLeft out now! Fri Apr 04, 2014 18:23 | Irish Left Review
National Competitiveness Council Twists the Evidence to Suit a Political Argumen... Fri Apr 04, 2014 16:50 | Michael Taft
MediaBiteA shot at bias in the media
Separating the News from the Noise Thu Apr 04, 2013 21:14
Blessed with nothing but good intentions Fri Feb 22, 2013 18:04
The Household Charge - How They Failed to Shape Our Perspectives Wed Apr 25, 2012 10:48
The web's political rainbow Wed Dec 07, 2011 09:47
The Forgotten Constituency: The Majority and The Irish Economic Crisis Fri Mar 11, 2011 11:49
national / rights and freedoms / press release Saturday April 19, 2014 23:10 by Seán Ó Murchú
ON this the 98th anniversary of the 1916 Proclamation of the Irish Republic the Republican Movement Cork sends greetings to members, supporters and friends assembled at the graves and monuments of our patriot dead. read full story / add a comment
national / crime and justice / opinion/analysis Saturday April 19, 2014 13:09 by Mark White
Please allow me an opportunity through your site to comment on the interesting I.Green article (31st March 2014) on Garda corruption. While the article deals with a number of cases I will focus on one case in particular, which is less likely to get mentioned during all the present hype into the endless Garda tapes debacle. In my view the case of Michael Mc Kevitt is equally, if not more significant, regarding corrupt activity by some members of the Gardai. Evidently misdemeanours by certain individuals throughout the Mc Kevitt case were endemic. Fearful of the reverberations it is very unlikely that the state would permit the case to be reopened.
read full story / add a comment
national / environment / opinion/analysis Wednesday April 16, 2014 11:57 by Biofuelwatch 1 image
Having followed the partial conversion of Drax coal power station in the UK to biomass, we are dismayed to see calls across the Irish media for Moneypoint to be converted to biomass. Those calls follow ReThink Pylon's recent publication of a report by a UK consultancy which greenwashes Drax's experience.
read full story / add a comment
national / eu / other press Saturday April 12, 2014 12:13 by Gary Boyne 1 image
PEOPLES NEWS Issue 102. April 2014 out now
Table of Contents below
This fortnightly journal contains comment on developments in the EU from an Irish and democratic perspective
Back issues of the newsletter are available from the website http://www.people.ie/english5.html
The Peoples Movement Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/peoplesmovementireland?ref=hl read full story / add a comment
national / miscellaneous / press release Saturday April 05, 2014 19:37 by Seán Ó Murchú
Cork Airport is being left in the lurch while other Irish airports receive new services. read full story / add a comment
national / miscellaneous / event notice Thursday April 03, 2014 18:31 by Dublin 32CSM 2 images
32 County Sovereignty Movement Commemorations 27th of April. read full story / add a comment
national / rights and freedoms / press release Wednesday April 02, 2014 04:32 by Seán Ó Murchú
Occupied Six Counties Tourist Board Campaign
Or as the brits say
Northern Ireland Tourist Board Campaign
Yes, its April 2nd 2014 so no catch.
read full story / add a comment
national / crime and justice / opinion/analysis Monday March 31, 2014 09:33 by I. Greene 1 comment (last - friday april 04, 2014 23:33)
Not unexpectedly Martin Callinan was forced to stand down as head of the Gardai on 25th March 2014. Throughout 2013 I have written a number of articles concerning malpractices within the Garda organisation and particularly the questionable management style of (former) Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan. While Callinan was eventually forced from office, the mess created during his term will take years to cleanse, indeed if ever. That will only happen when there is accountability. Amongst the outstanding bad practice issues are multiple claims of Gardai mishandling of a number of serious cases involving abduction, assault and murder that are being presently looked at by a Senior Barrister and now we are told that people have been maliciously prosecuted previously, it is frightening. However, if former Garda Wilson or others are in possession of such detail he must divulge it to the relevant authority.
read full story / add a comment
national / history and heritage / event notice Monday March 24, 2014 20:58 by Sharon. 1 image
Venue - Wynn's Hotel , Middle Abbey Street , Dublin city centre , from 11.30am to 5pm. The new book ' 100 Years Defending The Republic' will be launched at 2pm, at this event. read full story / add a comment
national / bin tax/household tax/water tax / other press Monday March 24, 2014 14:56 by fred 1 image
broadsheet.ie have put together a great timelline for the activities of Irish water thus far. It makes for very interesting reading. That is, If you are into reading about how our lords and masters and their capitalist friends are taking us for a ride at our own expense and the loss of what should be very basic state run services that should never be run as for profit services. After reading this expect it to be your blood and not the kettle that is boiling! read full story / add a comment
national / anti-war / press release Sunday March 23, 2014 22:25 by shannon-watch
At a News Conference in Buswell's Hotel today (Saturday, March 22, 2014), immediately following her release from Mountjoy Prison, peace activist, artist and human rights campaigner, Margaretta D'Arcy, discussed her nine weeks in both Limerick and Mountjoy Prisons and the reasons for her arrest.
Ms D'Arcy continues to refute the charge that she and her co-defendant, Niall Farrell, were interfering with the 'proper use' of Shannon Airport by going onto the runway in October 2012 and again in September 2013 (for which a second trial is pending). They were in fact highlighting the 'improper use' of Shannon Airport by the US military, who have colonised an Irish airport. Since 2003, over 2 million US soldiers and their weapons and thousands of US military aircraft and cargo planes have transited Shannon Airport on their way to wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and elsewhere. The Government of neutral Ireland has 'improperly' facilitated these movements of troops and weaponry - which could easily have included killer drones and depleted uranium - through Shannon, and failed to inspect any of these military cargos. They've also never inspected any of the CIA planes implicated in illegal rendition flights. read full story / add a comment
national / environment / press release Thursday March 20, 2014 23:28 by Friends of Irish Environment 1 image
A United Nations Committee has found there is a 'profound suspicion of non-compliance' over the United Kingdom's failure to undertake trans-boundary consultations for the construction of a new nuclear plant in Somerset, England.
The investigation has been undertaken by the Implementation Committee of the United Nations Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context [Espoo]. read full story / add a comment
national / arts and media / event notice Thursday March 20, 2014 17:06 by Rachel O'Hanlon
Lajee Cultural Tour Ireland 2014
Ireland meets Palestine for a night of traditional music and dance
Liberty Hall Theatre, Dublin 1
Sunday 13th April read full story / add a comment
national / history and heritage / event notice Tuesday March 18, 2014 21:24 by Stoneybatter & Smithfield People's History Project 1 image
Our next public talk takes place on Saturday 29th March at 4.30pm in The Cobblestone, Smithfield.
This month's topic is The Siege of the Four Courts with guest speaker Liz Gillis, author of the Fall of Dublin, the story of the attack on the Four Courts. read full story / add a comment
national / history and heritage / event notice Thursday March 13, 2014 18:04 by Seán Ó Murchú
Republican Sinn Féin Annual Easter 1916 Commemoration - Cork
read full story / add a comment
national / miscellaneous / press release Monday March 10, 2014 23:46 by Wayne Flanagan Tobin
Post offices: loss of community, Tesco takeover and rush to electronics?
In a press statement Wayne Flanagan Tobin an independent candidate for elucidates the current situation regarding local post offices.
Flanagan Tobin opened:
Post offices have served a very important role over the years as far as the payment of welfare, and those on welfare are concerned. People have been able to go into the post offices and collect their welfare payments without any big stigma being attached, and they have often gotten to know the post master or post office staff and have developed good relationships with them. read full story / add a comment
national / anti-capitalism / other press Sunday March 09, 2014 10:48 by Red Banner
Issue 55 of
Red Banner: a magazine of socialist ideas
is out now
€2 / £1.50 from bookshops or the address above read full story / add a comment
national / miscellaneous / press release Thursday March 06, 2014 18:00 by 32 County Sovereignty Movement 1 image
Carlow, Kildare, Wicklow, Wexford and Kilkenny are now recruiting. read full story / add a comment
national / eu / other press Tuesday March 04, 2014 22:06 by Gary Boyne 1 comment (last - tuesday march 04, 2014 22:18) 1 image
PEOPLES NEWS issue no. 100 Date: 3 3 14
Table of Contents below
THE PEOPLES NEWS contains comment on developments in the EU from an Irish and democratic perspective
Back issues of the newsletter are available from the website www.people.ie
The Peoples Movement Blog www.irishreferendum.org
The Peoples Movement Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/peoplesmovementireland?ref=hl read full story / add a comment
national / elections / press release Tuesday March 04, 2014 16:33 by People Before Parties 1 comment (last - tuesday march 04, 2014 21:53) 1 image
In the spirit of Lent, a group of Trinity College, Dublin graduates, co-founders of the People Before Parties
initiative, have called on the citizens of Ireland to give up party politics.
read full story / add a comment
UK Indymedia Features
Sun Apr 20, 2014 12:43 UK Indymedia Features
Women's battle against undercover policing: Week of Action Wed Mar 12, 2014 17:08 | Police Spies Out of Lives | en
Updates to the Indymedia Newswire Sun Feb 16, 2014 20:44 | IMC UK | en
New squatting law starts to crumble - Keep squatting! Mon Nov 11, 2013 20:31 | imc-uk & housing war | en
Attack on The Casa Fri Nov 08, 2013 16:32 | UK Indymedia | en
Tower Hamlets - Round Two Sat Aug 24, 2013 08:10 | Jo Makepeace | en


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Friday, April 25, 2014
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Runoff Election Won't End Zimbabwe's Crisis
Written by Donna Bryson
19 June 2008
AP?PhotoMorgan Tsvangirai talks to journalists after getting off his campaign bus in Harare, Wednesday, June, 11, 2008, Tsvangirai's campaign bus was unveiled to the public at the party's headquarters. ...
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Washington University Recognizes World Sickle Cell Expert
Written by Sandra Jordan
19 June 2008
St. Louis native Michael R. DeBaun, a renowned physician at Children's Hospital St. Louis, was recently named the first Ferring Family Chair in Pediatric Cancer and Related Disorders at Washington ...
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From Homeless to Millionaire
Written by Jason Lewis (Sports Editor)
19 June 2008
42-year-old woman shares her unique story Elon Bomani is a living example that you can never keep a good woman down. After a divorce, Bomani found herself temporarily homeless with her son, who was ...
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Meet Local Artist Nathaniel Bustion
Written by Jason Lewis (Sports Editor)
19 June 2008
Artist Nathaniel Bustion is a Jack-of-all-trades, and is a master of all of them. An artist all his life, Bustion works with a number of different materials. He is a sculptor who works with clay, bronze, ...
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Wilma J. Pinder to Retire
Written by Sentinel News Service
19 June 2008
Los Angeles Assistant City Attorney On June 27, the Los Angeles City Attorney's office will lose a tremendous asset — Assistant City Attorney Wilma J. Pinder. Pinder will retire after nearly ...
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High Priced Neighborhoods Not Affected by Shaky Housing Market
Written by City News Service
19 June 2008
CNS - The high cost of gasoline, the credit crunch and the rest of economic woes now festering do not appear to have much of an effect on the pace of mega-mansions being built in the city's priciest ...
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Empowering African American Teenage Girls
Written by Myra Blackburn, Sentinel Intern
19 June 2008
Thatgirl Magazine invited influential African American women leaders in business and politics to speak with 40 inner city girls about their experiences and challenges in their careers. The event was ...
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Two Get Life Sentence in Store Murder
Written by City News Service
19 June 2008
CNS - One of two men convicted of murdering an Anaheim liquor store owner who was shot as he tried to run away was sentenced to life in prison without parole. Robert Quenton Feeney, 27, of Anaheim, was ...
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Va Lecia Adams Ready to Lead St. Joseph Center
Written by Jason Lewis (Sports Editor)
19 June 2008
She replaces longtime director Rhonda Meister, who steps down after 22 years The St. Joseph Center has served the community for over 30 years, and with the re-opening of their facilities in Venice, they ...
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Harold Washington
Written by Yussuf Simmonds (Managing Editor)
19 June 2008
Like so many clichés, Chicago politicians seem to be unfairly stigmatized with a negative reputation for underhanded backroom dealings in smoke-filled rooms, but Harold Washington, the city's ...
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]: failed to open stream: No such file or directory in
on line
Another Milestone for Obama
Written by Yussuf Simmonds (Managing Editor)
19 June 2008
Former Vice President, Al Gore (l) formally endorsing Senator Barack Obama (r) at the Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, Michigan.This week, Senator Barack Obama continued his historic march towards the presidency ...
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Tortured 5-Year-Old Remains Hospitalized
Written by Jennifer Bihm (Contributing Writer)
19 June 2008
Boy's mother and live-in girlfriend charged with abuse, bail set for $1 million As of Tuesday, questions were still surrounding the details of the case of a 5-year-old who was found to have suffered ...
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Calif. Gay Marriage
Written by Jasmyne A. Cannick (Columnist)
19 June 2008
African-American Lesbian and Gay Couples Speak Out on the Issue of Marriage On Monday at 5:01 p.m., California became only the second state to issue same-sex marriage licenses to lesbian and gay couples. ...
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2008 Voter Registration Drive
Written by Sentinel Staff Writer
17 June 2008
Get Registered to Vote! The Los Angeles Sentinel Newspaper asks all of it's readers to encourage their eligible friends, family members, and associates to become members of the voting population. ...
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James Byrd Family Says, 'We Will Never Forget' on 10th Anniversary of Dragging Death
Written by Gordon Jackson
12 June 2008
Last week, a small east Texas town comes to a moment of truth and close evaluation, whether it wants to or not or whether it deserves such nationwide scrutiny or not. Nevertheless, activities that took ...
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Federal Courts Reduce Sentences in Crack Cocaine Cases
Written by Sentinel News Service
12 June 2008
Since 1986, Congress has mandated that the federal courts impose significantly longer sentences when defendants are convicted of trafficking in crack cocaine as compared to powder cocaine. If a defendant ...
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Tomatoes Linked to Salmonella Outbreak
Written by City News Service
12 June 2008
CNS - Yes we have no tomatoes today.'' That was the message at many Southland fast food restaurants after a nationwide outbreak of salmonella poisoning was linked to certain types of raw ...
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Congresswoman Diane E. Watson
Written by Yussuf Simmonds (Managing Editor)
12 June 2008
She represents her constituents with grace, flair and commitment to excellence Congresswoman Diane E. Watson first went to Congress in 2001, having been an ambassador, a state senator and a school board ...
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Community Mourns Tobin
Written by Kenneth Miller ASSISTANT MANAGING EDITOR
12 June 2008
Publicity Icon Pat Tobin Loses Bout With Cancer The legacy of public relations icon Patricia L. Tobin will be her unforgettable warm smile, her unyielding passion for minorities, women and children ...
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Landmark Decisions (Cases and Admendments)
Written by Yussuf Simmonds (Managing Editor)
12 June 2008
According to the United States Constitution, "all men are created equal" and recent events have brought the nation closer to that reality. Senator Barack Obama is the ultimate recipient of ...
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Cell Phone Laws get Tougher by July
Written by City News Service
12 June 2008
CNS - Holding cell phones while driving will be severely restricted in California beginning July 1, the California Highway Patrol reminded motorists. "The goal is, by July 1, everyone will have ...
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Police Union Angered Over New Finance Policy
Written by Alice Walton, City News Service
12 June 2008
The union that represents the rank-and-file members of the Los Angeles Police Department filed court papers Tuesday in a bid to halt the implementation of a policy that would require anti-gang and narcotics ...
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Woman in Men's Clothing Protests Ejection from Hotel Restroom
Written by City News Service
12 June 2008
CNS - A female songwriter who often wears men's clothing demanded an apology from the general manager of the Beverly Hills Hotel, saying she was ejected from a women's restroom and verbally ...
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Compton Lawyer Jailed
Written by City News Service
12 June 2008
CNS - A lawyer spent two days behind bars last week after being ordered jailed by a Compton judge angry over his chronic tardiness, it was reported. Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge John J. Cheroske ...
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Inglewood Louisiana Fried Chicken Introduces Chef Marilyn's
Written by Kenneth Miller ASSISTANT MANAGING EDITOR
12 June 2008
Franchise owner Gilbert Cox partners with Soul Food queen She is tastefully known throughout Southern California as Chef Marilyn, but she is actually a Louisiana native who has brought her flavor to ...
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Wesson Saves Funding for Programs
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Marc Morial Selects L.A. as Urban League's Newest City for its National Jobs Rebuild America Initiative
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National »
Jimmy Carter says his Life Shaped by 'Black Culture'
Falsely Convicted Black N.Y. Man Finally Exonerated After 24-Years
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Africa University names Furusa as new vice chancellor
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South Africa: Platinum miners reject 9% hike
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Tax Time Tip Sheet: Simplify e-Filing with Mobile Tax Tips and Apps from Aio Wireless
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Simmons College of Kentucky Wins Accreditation
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New Federal Grant Will Prepare Graduates For High-Demand Careers
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Black Leadership: Why the Downward Slide?
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Public relations firms sometimes can help companies find appropriate bloggers, Wilder said.
You also can do it yourself, but it takes a lot of research, Willis said.
Sometimes just doing a Google search of your commodity can bring up a suitable blogger, Reinhold added.
The luncheon was held at the Sheraton hotel.


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2014 Public Health Internships in Portland, ORPublic Health Internships
Find a 2014 public health Internship in Portland, OR. Want to serve your community and gain some valuable experience while you're at it? Public health internships are a great way to get involved in policy, research, finance, and more! As an intern in public health you could work for large national organizations such as the American Red Cross, international groups like the World Health Organization, or local programs administered by your city, county, or state. An internship in public health is a great foot in the door to a variety of careers. If you are interested in medicine and intrigued by the ever-changing state of health care try researching a public health nurse internship. However, public health interns do not need to be focused on practicing medicine. The National Partnership for Women and Families offer internships that range from health policy to communications. According to the U.S. Department of Health, health care is projected to create 3.2 million jobs by 2018. With such a growth rate in the industry, one summer as an intern in public health can lead to a very steady career. Take your time to research the space, identify what skills you want to gain, and carefully choose from the thousands of organizations devoted to public health.
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must login
Weight post is 1" dia. Olympic Adapter Sleeve, weight plates, and collar optional.
One thing potential buyers should know is that there is only one length adjustment to accomodate height variations in users. The "curl" (upper arm) part of the leg arm has two length positions - the heel padding arm can be brought in closer to accomodate a shorter person. The leg extension part, however, only has one setting. This setting is appropriate for someone (this is just a guess) between 5'6" to 6'3". Too far outside of that height range and you might experience limited function.