United States political journal containing speech transcripts, photos, editorial and archives of historical documents relating to the Presidency of the United States.
India's Press Information Bureau sent the media advisory published below.
According to the Indian government, encrypted e-mail and other secure forms of communications are a potential threat to national security. Communication service providers are being asked to maintain servers in India where data can be harvested by law enforcement agencies. Full release posted below:
Government of India have been having discussions with RIM, Canada over
the last few weeks on the issue of lawful access by the law enforcement
agencies to the communications passing through RIM systems. RIM have
made certain proposals for lawful access by law enforcement agencies and
these would be operationalized immediately. The feasibility of the
solutions offered would be assessed thereafter. These decisions were
taken here today at a meeting, chaired by the Union Home Secretary, Shri
G.K.Pillai. Representatives of security agencies and Telecom
Department attending the meeting.
It was also decided that the Department of Telecommunications would
study the feasibility of all such services being provided through a
server located only in India.
Ministry of Home Affairs have made it clear that any communication
through the telecom networks should be accessible to the law enforcement
agencies and all telecom service providers including third parties have
to comply with this. Ministry of Home Affairs will review the
situation within 60 days by which time the Department of
Telecommunications is expected to submit its report.
The FTC’s Revised Endorsement Guides:
What People are Asking
Suppose you meet someone who tells you about a great new product.
It performs exactly as advertised and offers fantastic new features.
Would that endorsement factor into your decision to buy the product?
Probably.
Now suppose you learn that the person works for the company that
sells the product – or has been paid by the company to tout the product.
Would you want to know that when you’re evaluating the endorser’s
glowing recommendation? You bet. That common-sense premise is at the
heart of the revised Endorsement Guides issued by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation’s consumer protection agency.
The revised Guides – issued after public comment and consumer research – reflect three basic truth-in-advertising principles:
Endorsements must be truthful and not misleading;
If the advertiser doesn’t have proof that the endorser’s
experience represents what consumers will achieve by using the product,
the ad must clearly and conspicuously disclose the generally expected
results in the depicted circumstances; and
If there’s a connection between the endorser and the marketer of
the product that would affect how people evaluate the endorsement, it
should be disclosed.
Since the FTC issued the revised Guides, advertisers, ad agencies, bloggers, and others have sent questions to endorsements@ftc.gov. Here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions.
About the Endorsement Guides
Are the FTC Endorsement Guides new?
The Guides aren’t new, but they’ve recently been updated. It’s
always been the law that if an ad features an endorser who’s a relative
or employee of the marketer – or if an endorser has been paid or given
something of value to tout the marketer’s product – the ad is misleading
unless the connection is made clear. The reason is obvious: Knowing
about the connection is important information for anyone evaluating the
endorsement. Say you’re planning a vacation. You do some research and
find a glowing review on someone’s blog that a certain resort is the
most luxurious place they’ve ever stayed. If you found out that the
hotel had paid that blogger to say great things about it or that the
blogger had stayed there for a week for free, it could affect how much
weight you’d give the blogger’s endorsement.
Why did the FTC revise its Endorsement Guides to include social media?
The FTC revised the Guides because truth in advertising is
important in all media – including blogs and social networking sites.
The FTC regularly reviews its guides and rules to see if they need to be
updated. Because the Endorsement Guides were written in1980, they
didn’t address social media. The legal principles haven’t changed. The
FTC revised the examples to show how these standards apply in today’s
marketing world.
Isn’t it common knowledge that some bloggers are paid to
tout products or that if you click a link on my site to buy a product,
I’ll get a commission for that sale?
First, many bloggers who mention products don’t receive anything
for their reviews and don’t get a commission if readers click on a link
to buy a product. Second, the financial arrangements between some
bloggers and advertisers may be apparent to industry insiders, but not
to everyone else who reads a blog. Under the law, an act or practice is
deceptive if it misleads “a significant minority” of consumers. So even
if some readers are aware of these deals, many readers aren’t. That’s
why disclosure is important.
Has the FTC been getting complaints about deceptive blogs?
No. As it happens, many bloggers and advertisers already are
disclosing their ties to each other. Industry associations and
self-regulatory groups advocate disclosure, too.
I’ve read that bloggers who don’t comply with the Guides can be fined $11,000? Is that true?
No. The press reports that said that were wrong. There is no fine for not complying with an FTC guide.
Are you monitoring bloggers?
We’re not monitoring bloggers and we have no plans to. If concerns
about possible violations of the FTC Act come to our attention, we’ll
evaluate them case by case. If law enforcement becomes necessary, our
focus will be advertisers, not endorsers – just as it’s always been.
Do the Guides hold online reviewers to a higher standard than reviewers for paper-and-ink publications?
No. The Guides apply across the board. The issue is – and always
has been – whether the audience understands the reviewer’s relationship
to the company whose products are being reviewed. If the audience gets
the relationship, a disclosure isn’t needed. For a review in a
newspaper, on TV, or on a website with similar content, it’s usually
clear to the audience that the reviewer didn’t buy the product being
reviewed. It’s the reviewer’s job to write his or her opinion and no one
thinks they bought the product – for example, a book or movie ticket –
themselves. But on a personal blog, a social networking page, or in
similar media, the reader may not expect the reviewer to have a
relationship with the company whose products are mentioned. Disclosure
of that relationship helps readers decide how much weight to give the
review.
Don’t these guides violate my First Amendment rights?
If you are acting on behalf of an advertiser, what you are saying
is commercial speech – and commercial speech can be regulated under the
FTC Act if it’s deceptive.
When do the Guides apply to endorsements?
I’ve heard that every time I mention a product on my
blog, I have to say whether I got it for free or paid for it myself. Is
that true?
No. If you mention a product you paid for yourself, the Guides
aren’t an issue. Nor is it an issue if you get the product for free
because a store is giving out free samples to all its customers. The
Guides cover only endorsements that are made on behalf of a sponsoring
advertiser. For example, an endorsement would be covered by the Guides
if an advertiser – or someone working for an advertiser – pays a blogger
or gives a blogger something of value to mention a product, including a
commission on the sale of a product. Bloggers receiving free products
or other perks with the understanding that they’ll promote the
advertiser’s products in their blogs would be covered, as would bloggers
who are part of network marketing programs where they sign up to
receive free product samples in exchange for writing about them or
working for network advertising agencies.
What if all I get from the company is a $1-off coupon,
or if the product is only worth a few dollars? Do I still have to
disclose?
Here’s another way to think of it: While getting one item that’s
not very valuable for free may not affect the credibility of what you
say, sometimes continually getting free stuff from an advertiser or
multiple advertisers is enough to suggest an expectation of future
benefits from positive reviews. If you have a relationship with a
marketer who’s sending you freebies in the hope you’ll write a positive
review, it’s best if your readers know you got the product for free.
What if I upload a video that shows me using different
products? Do I have to disclose whether I bought them myself or got them
from an advertiser?
The guidance for videos is the same as for websites or blogs.
What if I return the product after I review it? Should I still make a disclosure?
That may depend on the product and how long you are allowed to use
it. For example, if you get free use of a car for a month, a disclosure
is recommended even if you return it. But even for less valuable
products, it’s best to be open and transparent with your readers.
I have a website that reviews local restaurants. It’s
clear when a restaurant pays for an ad on my website, but do I have to
disclose which restaurants give me free meals?
If you get free meals, it’s best to let your readers know so they
can factor that in when they read your reviews. Some readers might
conclude that if a restaurant gave you a free meal because it knew you
were going to write a review, you might have gotten special food or
service.
Several months ago a manufacturer sent me a free
product and asked me to write about it in my blog. I tried the product,
liked it, and wrote a favorable review. When I posted the review, I
disclosed that I got the product for free from the manufacturer. I still
use the product. Do I have to disclose that I got the product for free
every time I mention it in my blog?
It probably depends on how much you say about it. A casual remark
like “I use X brand food processor” may not raise an issue under the
Guides, but each new positive endorsement made without a disclosure
could be deceptive.
My Facebook page identifies the company I work for.
Should I include an additional disclosure when I talk about how great
our products are?
It’s a good idea. People reading that discussion on your Facebook
page might not know who you work for and what products the company
makes. And many businesses are so diversified that readers might not
realize the products you’re talking about are sold by your company.
A famous athlete has thousands of followers on Twitter
and is well-known as a spokesperson for a particular product. Does he
have to disclose that he’s being paid every time he tweets about the
product?
It depends on whether his readers understand he’s being paid to
endorse that product. If they know he’s a paid endorser, no disclosure
is needed. But if a significant number of his readers don’t know that, a
disclosure would be needed. Determining whether followers are aware of a
relationship could be tricky in many cases, so a disclosure is
recommended.
How should I make the disclosure?
Is there special language I have to use to make the disclosure?
No. The point is to give readers the information. Your disclosure
could be as simple as “Company X gave me this product to try . . ..”
Do I have to hire a lawyer to help me write a disclosure?
No. What matters is effective communication, not legalese. A
disclosure like “Company X sent me [name of product] to try, and I think
it’s great” gives your readers the information they need. Or, at the
start of a short video, you might say, “Some of the products I’m going
to use in this video were sent to me by their manufacturers.” That gives
the necessary heads-up to your viewers.
Would a single disclosure on my home page that “many of
the products I discuss on this site are provided to me free by their
manufacturer” be enough?
A single disclosure doesn’t really do it because people visiting
your site might read individual reviews or watch individual videos
without seeing the disclosure on your home page.
Would a button that says DISCLOSURE, LEGAL, or something like that be sufficient disclosure?
No. A button isn’t likely to be sufficient. How often do you click
on those buttons when you visit someone else’s site? If you provide the
information as part of your message, your audience is less likely to
miss it.
What about a platform like Twitter? How can I make a disclosure when my message is limited to 140 characters?
The FTC isn’t mandating the specific wording of disclosures.
However, the same general principle – that people have the information
they need to evaluate sponsored statements – applies across the board,
regardless of the advertising medium. A hashtag like “#paid ad” uses
only 8 characters. Shorter hashtags – like “#paid” and “#ad” – also
might be effective.
How do the Guides apply to affiliate or network marketing?
I have a small network marketing business: advertisers
pay me to distribute their products to members of my network who then
try the product for free. How do the revised Guides affect me?
It’s a good practice to tell participants in your network that if
they get products through your program, they should make it clear they
got them for free. It also makes sense to advise your clients – the
advertisers – that when they give free samples to your members, they
should remind them of the importance of disclosing the relationship when
members of your network praise their products. You might consider
putting a program in place to check periodically whether your members
are making these disclosures.
I’m an affiliate marketer with links to an online
retailer on my website. When people click on those links and buy
something from the retailer, I earn a commission. What do I have to
disclose? Where should the disclosure be?
Let’s assume that you’re endorsing a product or service on your
site and you have links to a company that pays you commissions on sales.
If you disclose the relationship clearly and conspicuously on your
site, readers can decide how much weight to give your endorsement. In
some instances, where the link is embedded in the product review, a
single disclosure may be adequate. When the product review has a clear
and conspicuous disclosure of your relationship – and the reader can see
both the product review and the link at the same time – readers have
the information they need. If the product review and the link are
separated, the reader may lose the connection.
As for where to place a disclosure, the guiding principle is that
it has to be clear and conspicuous. Putting disclosures in obscure
places – for example, buried on an ABOUT US or GENERAL INFO page, behind
a poorly labeled hyperlink or in a terms of service agreement – isn’t
good enough. The average person who visits your site must be able to
notice your disclosure, read it and understand it.
It’s clear that what’s on my website is a paid
advertisement, not my own endorsement or review of the product. Do I
still have to disclose that I get a commission if people click through
my website to buy the product?
If it’s clear that what’s on your site is a paid advertisement,
you don’t have to make additional disclosures. But what’s clear to you
may not be clear to everyone visiting your site, and the FTC evaluates
ads from the perspective of reasonable consumers.
Our company runs a social media marketing network. We
understand we’re responsible for monitoring our network. What kind of
monitoring program do we need? Will we be liable if someone in our
network says something false about our product?
Advertisers need to have reasonable programs in place to train and
monitor members of their network. The scope of the program depends on
the risk that deceptive practices by network participants could cause
consumer harm – either physical injury or financial loss. For example, a
network devoted to the sale of health products may require more
supervision than a network promoting, say, a new line of handbags. Here
are some core elements every program should include:
Given an advertiser’s responsibility for substantiating
objective product claims, explain to members of your network what can –
and can’t – be said about the product;
Set up a reasonable monitoring program to check out what your people are saying about your product; and
Follow up if you find questionable practices.
It would be unrealistic to say you had to be aware of every single
statement made by a member of your network. But it’s up to you to make
an effort to know where your people are talking about your product. It’s
unlikely that the activity of a rogue blogger would be the basis of a
law enforcement action if your company has a reasonable training and
monitoring program.
What do I need to know about the Guides?
What are the essential things I need to know about using endorsements in advertising?
The most important principle is that an endorsement has to represent the accurate experience and opinion of the endorser:
You can’t talk about your experience with a product if you haven’t tried it.
If you were paid to try a product and you thought it was terrible, you can’t say it’s terrific.
You can’t make claims about a product that would require proof
you don’t have. For example, you can’t say a product will cure a
particular disease if there isn’t scientific evidence to prove that’s
true.
In our ads we want to feature endorsements from
consumers who achieved the best results with our product. Can we do that
under the revised Guides?
Testimonials claiming specific results usually will be interpreted
to mean that the endorser’s experience is what others can expect.
Statements like “Results not typical” or “Individual results may vary”
won’t change that interpretation. That leaves advertisers with two
choices:
Have adequate proof to back up the claim that the results shown in the ad are typical, or
Clearly and conspicuously disclose the generally expected performance in the circumstances shown in the ad
How would this principle apply in a real ad?
The revised Guides include a lot of examples with practical advice
for marketers. Suppose an ad features an endorsement from “Mary G.” who
says, “I lost 50 pounds in 6 months with WeightAway.” This ad likely
conveys that Mary G.’s experience is typical of what consumers will
achieve by using the product. If consumers can’t expect to get those
results, the ad likely would mislead consumers unless it makes clear
what consumers can expect to lose in similar circumstances – for
example, “Most women who use WeightAway for six months lose at least 15
pounds.”
Our company website includes testimonials from customers
who used our product during the past few years and mentions the results
they got. We can’t figure out now what the “generally expected results”
were then. What should we do? Do we have to remove those testimonials?
There are two issues here. First, according to the Guides, if your
ad (in this case, your website) says or implies that the endorser uses
the product in question, you can run the ad only as long as you have
good reason to believe the endorser still uses the product. If you’re
using endorsements that are a few years old, it’s your obligation to
make sure the claims still are accurate. If your product has changed,
it’s best to get new endorsements.
Second, assuming the claims are still accurate, if your product
is the same as it was when the endorsements were given, you probably can
use a disclosure based on the results consumers generally achieve now.
Where can I find out more?
The revised Guides offer more than 35 examples of how they apply in practical settings. The FTC also has produced to-the-point video clips discussing some of the issues on marketers’ minds. Questions? Send them to endorsements@ftc.gov. We’ll address the most common ones in future FAQs.
The FTC works to prevent fraudulent, deceptive and unfair business
practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help
consumers spot, stop and avoid them. To file a complaint or get free information on consumer issues, visit ftc.gov or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. Watch a new video, How to File a Complaint, at ftc.gov/video to learn more. The FTC enters consumer complaints into the Consumer Sentinel Network,
a secure online database and investigative tool used by hundreds of
civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad.
Your Opportunity to Comment
The National Small Business Ombudsman and 10 Regional Fairness Boards
collect comments from small businesses about federal compliance and
enforcement activities. Each year, the Ombudsman evaluates the conduct
of these activities and rates each agency's responsiveness to small
businesses. Small businesses can comment to the Ombudsman without fear
of reprisal. To comment, call toll-free 1-888-REGFAIR (1-888-734-3247)
or go to www.sba.gov/ombudsman.
This is a historical reprint of the actual text of eco-terrorist James Lee before being shot.by atuthorities
The Discovery Channel MUST broadcast to the world their commitment to save the planet and to do the following IMMEDIATELY: 1. The Discovery Channel and it's affiliate channels MUST have daily television programs at prime time slots based on Daniel Quinn's "My Ishmael" pages 207-212 where solutions to save the planet would be done in the same way as the Industrial Revolution was done, by people building on each other's inventive ideas. Focus must be given on how people can live WITHOUT giving birth to more filthy human children since those new additions continue pollution and are pollution. A game show format contest would be in order. Perhaps also forums of leading scientists who understand and agree with the Malthus-Darwin science and the problem of human overpopulation. Do both. Do all until something WORKS and the natural world starts improving and human civilization building STOPS and is reversed! MAKE IT INTERESTING SO PEOPLE WATCH AND APPLY SOLUTIONS!!!! 2. All programs on Discovery Health-TLC must stop encouraging the birth of any more parasitic human infants and the false heroics behind those actions. In those programs' places, programs encouraging human sterilization and infertility must be pushed. All former pro-birth programs must now push in the direction of stopping human birth, not encouraging it. 3. All programs promoting War and the technology behind those must cease. There is no sense in advertising weapons of mass-destruction anymore. Instead, talk about ways to disassemble civilization and concentrate the message in finding SOLUTIONS to solving global military mechanized conflict. Again, solutions solutions instead of just repeating the same old wars with newer weapons. Also, keep out the fraudulent peace movements. They are liars and fakes and had no real intention of ending the wars. ALL OF THEM ARE FAKE! On one hand, they claim they want the wars to end, on the other, they are demanding the human population increase. World War II had 2 Billion humans and after that war, the people decided that tripling the population would assure peace. WTF??? STUPIDITY! MORE HUMANS EQUALS MORE WAR! 4. Civilization must be exposed for the filth it is. That, and all its disgusting religious-cultural roots and greed. Broadcast this message until the pollution in the planet is reversed and the human population goes down! This is your obligation. If you think it isn't, then get hell off the planet! Breathe Oil! It is the moral obligation of everyone living otherwise what good are they?? 5. Immigration: Programs must be developed to find solutions to stopping ALL immigration pollution and the anchor baby filth that follows that. Find solutions to stopping it. Call for people in the world to develop solutions to stop it completely and permanently. Find solutions FOR these countries so they stop sending their breeding populations to the US and the world to seek jobs and therefore breed more unwanted pollution babies. FIND SOLUTIONS FOR THEM TO STOP THEIR HUMAN GROWTH AND THE EXPORTATION OF THAT DISGUSTING FILTH! (The first world is feeding the population growth of the Third World and those human families are going to where the food is! They must stop procreating new humans looking for nonexistant jobs!) 6. Find solutions for Global Warming, Automotive pollution, International Trade, factory pollution, and the whole blasted human economy. Find ways so that people don't build more housing pollution which destroys the environment to make way for more human filth! Find solutions so that people stop breeding as well as stopping using Oil in order to REVERSE Global warming and the destruction of the planet! 7. Develop shows that mention the Malthusian sciences about how food production leads to the overpopulation of the Human race. Talk about Evolution. Talk about Malthus and Darwin until it sinks into the stupid people's brains until they get it!! 8. Saving the Planet means saving what's left of the non-human Wildlife by decreasing the Human population. That means stopping the human race from breeding any more disgusting human babies! You're the media, you can reach enough people. It's your resposibility because you reach so many minds!!! 9. Develop shows that will correct and dismantle the dangerous US world economy. Find solutions for their disasterous Ponzi-Casino economy before they take the world to another nuclear war. 10. Stop all shows glorifying human birthing on all your channels and on TLC. Stop Future Weapons shows or replace the dialogue condemning the people behind these developments so that the shows become exposes rather than advertisements of Arms sales and development! 11. You're also going to find solutions for unemployment and housing. All these unemployed people makes me think the US is headed toward more war. Humans are the most destructive, filthy, pollutive creatures around and are wrecking what's left of the planet with their false morals and breeding culture. For every human born, ACRES of wildlife forests must be turned into farmland in order to feed that new addition over the course of 60 to 100 YEARS of that new human's lifespan! THIS IS AT THE EXPENSE OF THE FOREST CREATURES!!!! All human procreation and farming must cease! It is the responsiblity of everyone to preserve the planet they live on by not breeding any more children who will continue their filthy practices. Children represent FUTURE catastrophic pollution whereas their parents are current pollution. NO MORE BABIES! Population growth is a real crisis. Even one child born in the US will use 30 to a thousand times more resources than a Third World child. It's like a couple are having 30 babies even though it's just one! If the US goes in this direction maybe other countries will too! Also, war must be halted. Not because it's morally wrong, but because of the catastrophic environmental damage modern weapons cause to other creatures. FIND SOLUTIONS JUST LIKE THE BOOK SAYS! Humans are supposed to be inventive. INVENT, DAMN YOU!! The world needs TV shows that DEVELOP solutions to the problems that humans are causing, not stupify the people into destroying the world. Not encouraging them to breed more environmentally harmful humans. Saving the environment and the remaning species diversity of the planet is now your mindset. Nothing is more important than saving them. The Lions, Tigers, Giraffes, Elephants, Froggies, Turtles, Apes, Raccoons, Beetles, Ants, Sharks, Bears, and, of course, the Squirrels. The humans? The planet does not need humans. You MUST KNOW the human population is behind all the pollution and problems in the world, and YET you encourage the exact opposite instead of discouraging human growth and procreation. Surely you MUST ALREADY KNOW this! I want Discovery Communications to broadcast on their channels to the world their new program lineup and I want proof they are doing so. I want the new shows started by asking the public for inventive solution ideas to save the planet and the remaining wildlife on it. These are the demands and sayings of Lee.
President Barack Obama Speech On End of Iraq War Delivered August 31 2009
THE PRESIDENT: Good evening. Tonight, I’d like to talk to you
about the end of our combat mission in Iraq, the ongoing security
challenges we face, and the need to rebuild our nation here at home.
I know this historic moment comes at a time of great uncertainty for
many Americans. We’ve now been through nearly a decade of war. We’ve
endured a long and painful recession. And sometimes in the midst of
these storms, the future that we’re trying to build for our nation -- a
future of lasting peace and long-term prosperity -- may seem beyond our
reach.
But this milestone should serve as a reminder to all Americans that
the future is ours to shape if we move forward with confidence and
commitment. It should also serve as a message to the world that the
United States of America intends to sustain and strengthen our
leadership in this young century.
From this desk, seven and a half years ago, President Bush announced
the beginning of military operations in Iraq. Much has changed since
that night. A war to disarm a state became a fight against an
insurgency. Terrorism and sectarian warfare threatened to tear Iraq
apart. Thousands of Americans gave their lives; tens of thousands have
been wounded. Our relations abroad were strained. Our unity at home
was tested.
These are the rough waters encountered during the course of one of
America’s longest wars. Yet there has been one constant amidst these
shifting tides. At every turn, America’s men and women in uniform have
served with courage and resolve. As Commander-in-Chief, I am incredibly
proud of their service. And like all Americans, I’m awed by their
sacrifice, and by the sacrifices of their families.
The Americans who have served in Iraq completed every mission they
were given. They defeated a regime that had terrorized its people.
Together with Iraqis and coalition partners who made huge sacrifices of
their own, our troops fought block by block to help Iraq seize the
chance for a better future. They shifted tactics to protect the Iraqi
people, trained Iraqi Security Forces, and took out terrorist leaders.
Because of our troops and civilians -- and because of the resilience of
the Iraqi people -- Iraq has the opportunity to embrace a new destiny,
even though many challenges remain.
So tonight, I am announcing that the American combat mission in Iraq
has ended. Operation Iraqi Freedom is over, and the Iraqi people now
have lead responsibility for the security of their country.
This was my pledge to the American people as a candidate for
this office. Last February, I announced a plan that would bring our
combat brigades out of Iraq, while redoubling our efforts to strengthen
Iraq’s Security Forces and support its government and people.
That’s what we’ve done. We’ve removed nearly 100,000 U.S. troops
from Iraq. We’ve closed or transferred to the Iraqis hundreds of
bases. And we have moved millions of pieces of equipment out of Iraq.
This completes a transition to Iraqi responsibility for their own
security. U.S. troops pulled out of Iraq’s cities last summer, and
Iraqi forces have moved into the lead with considerable skill and
commitment to their fellow citizens. Even as Iraq continues to suffer
terrorist attacks, security incidents have been near the lowest on
record since the war began. And Iraqi forces have taken the fight to al
Qaeda, removing much of its leadership in Iraqi-led operations.
This year also saw Iraq hold credible elections that drew a strong
turnout. A caretaker administration is in place as Iraqis form a
government based on the results of that election. Tonight, I encourage
Iraq’s leaders to move forward with a sense of urgency to form an
inclusive government that is just, representative, and accountable to
the Iraqi people. And when that government is in place, there should be
no doubt: The Iraqi people will have a strong partner in the United
States. Our combat mission is ending, but our commitment to Iraq’s
future is not.
Going forward, a transitional force of U.S. troops will remain in
Iraq with a different mission: advising and assisting Iraq’s Security
Forces, supporting Iraqi troops in targeted counterterrorism missions,
and protecting our civilians. Consistent with our agreement with the
Iraqi government, all U.S. troops will leave by the end of next year.
As our military draws down, our dedicated civilians -- diplomats, aid
workers, and advisors -- are moving into the lead to support Iraq as it
strengthens its government, resolves political disputes, resettles those
displaced by war, and builds ties with the region and the world.
That’s a message that Vice President Biden is delivering to the Iraqi
people through his visit there today.
This new approach reflects our long-term partnership with Iraq
-- one based upon mutual interest and mutual respect. Of course,
violence will not end with our combat mission. Extremists will continue
to set off bombs, attack Iraqi civilians and try to spark sectarian
strife. But ultimately, these terrorists will fail to achieve their
goals. Iraqis are a proud people. They have rejected sectarian war,
and they have no interest in endless destruction. They understand that,
in the end, only Iraqis can resolve their differences and police their
streets. Only Iraqis can build a democracy within their borders. What
America can do, and will do, is provide support for the Iraqi people as
both a friend and a partner.
Ending this war is not only in Iraq’s interest -- it’s in our
own. The United States has paid a huge price to put the future of Iraq
in the hands of its people. We have sent our young men and women to
make enormous sacrifices in Iraq, and spent vast resources abroad at a
time of tight budgets at home. We’ve persevered because of a belief we
share with the Iraqi people -- a belief that out of the ashes of war, a
new beginning could be born in this cradle of civilization. Through
this remarkable chapter in the history of the United States and Iraq, we
have met our responsibility. Now, it’s time to turn the page.
As we do, I’m mindful that the Iraq war has been a contentious issue
at home. Here, too, it’s time to turn the page. This afternoon, I
spoke to former President George W. Bush. It’s well known that he and I
disagreed about the war from its outset. Yet no one can doubt
President Bush’s support for our troops, or his love of country and
commitment to our security. As I’ve said, there were patriots who
supported this war, and patriots who opposed it. And all of us are
united in appreciation for our servicemen and women, and our hopes for
Iraqis’ future.
The greatness of our democracy is grounded in our ability to
move beyond our differences, and to learn from our experience as we
confront the many challenges ahead. And no challenge is more essential
to our security than our fight against al Qaeda.
Americans across the political spectrum supported the use of
force against those who attacked us on 9/11. Now, as we approach our
10th year of combat in Afghanistan, there are those who are
understandably asking tough questions about our mission there. But we
must never lose sight of what’s at stake. As we speak, al Qaeda
continues to plot against us, and its leadership remains anchored in the
border regions of Afghanistan and Pakistan. We will disrupt, dismantle
and defeat al Qaeda, while preventing Afghanistan from again serving as
a base for terrorists. And because of our drawdown in Iraq, we are now
able to apply the resources necessary to go on offense. In fact, over
the last 19 months, nearly a dozen al Qaeda leaders -- and hundreds of
al Qaeda’s extremist allies -- have been killed or captured around the
world.
Within Afghanistan, I’ve ordered the deployment of additional troops
who -- under the command of General David Petraeus -- are fighting to
break the Taliban’s momentum.
As with the surge in Iraq, these forces will be in place for a limited
time to provide space for the Afghans to build their capacity and secure
their own future. But, as was the case in Iraq, we can’t do for
Afghans what they must ultimately do for themselves. That’s why we’re
training Afghan Security Forces and supporting a political resolution to
Afghanistan’s problems. And next August, we will begin a transition to
Afghan responsibility. The pace of our troop reductions will be
determined by conditions on the ground, and our support for Afghanistan
will endure. But make no mistake: This transition will begin --
because open-ended war serves neither our interests nor the Afghan
people’s.
Indeed, one of the lessons of our effort in Iraq is that
American influence around the world is not a function of military force
alone. We must use all elements of our power -- including our
diplomacy, our economic strength, and the power of America’s example --
to secure our interests and stand by our allies. And we must project a
vision of the future that’s based not just on our fears, but also on our
hopes -- a vision that recognizes the real dangers that exist around
the world,
but also the limitless possibilities of our time.
Today, old adversaries are at peace, and emerging democracies
are potential partners. New markets for our goods stretch from Asia to
the Americas. A new push for peace in the Middle East will begin here
tomorrow. Billions of young people want to move beyond the shackles of
poverty and conflict. As the leader of the free world, America will do
more than just defeat on the battlefield those who offer hatred and
destruction -- we will also lead among those who are willing to work
together to expand freedom and opportunity for all people.
Now, that effort must begin within our own borders. Throughout
our history, America has been willing to bear the burden of promoting
liberty and human dignity overseas, understanding its links to our own
liberty and security. But we have also understood that our nation’s
strength and influence abroad must be firmly anchored in our prosperity
at home. And the bedrock of that prosperity must be a growing middle
class.
Unfortunately, over the last decade, we’ve not done what’s
necessary to shore up the foundations of our own prosperity. We spent a
trillion dollars at war, often financed by borrowing from overseas.
This, in turn, has short-changed investments in our own people, and
contributed to record deficits. For too long, we have put off tough
decisions on everything from our manufacturing base to our energy policy
to education reform. As a result, too many middle-class families find
themselves working harder for less, while our nation’s long-term
competitiveness is put at risk.
And so at this moment, as we wind down the war in Iraq, we must
tackle those challenges at home with as much energy, and grit, and sense
of common purpose as our men and women in uniform who have served
abroad. They have met every test that they faced. Now, it’s our turn.
Now, it’s our responsibility to honor them by coming together, all of
us, and working to secure the dream that so many generations have fought
for -- the dream that a better life awaits anyone who is willing to
work for it and reach for it.
Our most urgent task is to restore our economy, and put the
millions of Americans who have lost their jobs back to work. To
strengthen our middle class, we must give all our children the education
they deserve, and all our workers the skills that they need to compete
in a global economy. We must jumpstart industries that create jobs, and
end our dependence on foreign oil. We must unleash the innovation that
allows new products to roll off our assembly lines, and nurture the
ideas that spring from our entrepreneurs. This will be difficult. But
in the days to come, it must be our central mission as a people, and my
central responsibility as President.
Part of that responsibility is making sure that we honor our
commitments to those who have served our country with such valor. As
long as I am President, we will maintain the finest fighting force that
the world has ever known, and we will do whatever it takes to serve our
veterans as well as they have served us. This is a sacred trust.
That’s why we’ve already made one of the largest increases in funding
for veterans in decades. We’re treating the signature wounds of today’s
wars -- post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury --
while providing the health care and benefits that all of our veterans
have earned. And we’re funding a Post-9/11 GI Bill that helps our
veterans and their families pursue the dream of a college education.
Just as the GI Bill helped those who fought World War II -- including my
grandfather -- become the backbone of our middle class, so today’s
servicemen and women must have the chance to apply their gifts to expand
the American economy. Because part of ending a war responsibly is
standing by those who have fought it.
Two weeks ago, America’s final combat brigade in Iraq -- the
Army’s Fourth Stryker Brigade -- journeyed home in the pre-dawn
darkness. Thousands of soldiers and hundreds of vehicles made the trip
from Baghdad, the last of them passing into Kuwait in the early morning
hours. Over seven years before, American troops and coalition partners
had fought their way across similar highways, but this time no shots
were fired. It was just a convoy of brave Americans, making their way
home.
Of course, the soldiers left much behind. Some were teenagers
when the war began. Many have served multiple tours of duty, far from
families who bore a heroic burden of their own, enduring the absence of a
husband’s embrace or a mother’s kiss. Most painfully, since the war
began, 55 members of the Fourth Stryker Brigade made the ultimate
sacrifice -- part of over 4,400 Americans who have given their lives in
Iraq. As one staff sergeant said, “I know that to my brothers in arms
who fought and died, this day would probably mean a lot.”
Those Americans gave their lives for the values that have lived
in the hearts of our people for over two centuries. Along with nearly
1.5 million Americans who have served in Iraq, they fought in a faraway
place for people they never knew. They stared into the darkest of human
creations -- war -- and helped the Iraqi people seek the light of
peace.
In an age without surrender ceremonies, we must earn victory
through the success of our partners and the strength of our own nation.
Every American who serves joins an unbroken line of heroes that
stretches from Lexington to Gettysburg; from Iwo Jima to Inchon; from
Khe Sanh to Kandahar -- Americans who have fought to see that the lives
of our children are better than our own. Our troops are the steel in
our ship of state. And though our nation may be travelling through
rough waters, they give us confidence that our course is true, and that
beyond the pre-dawn darkness, better days lie ahead.
Thank you. May God bless you. And may God bless the United States of America, and all who serve her.
The White House Released the following several hours before the President delivered the speech (transcript of actual speech posted above.
The White House
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
August 31, 2010
Excerpts from President Barack Obama's Address to the Nation on the End of Combat Operations in Iraq
“But this milestone should serve as a reminder to all Americans
that our future is ours to shape if we move forward with confidence and
commitment. It should also serve as a message to the world that the
United States of America intends to sustain and strengthen our
leadership in this young century.”
***
“At every turn, America’s men and women in uniform have served with
courage and resolve. As Commander-in-Chief, I am proud of their service.
Like all Americans, I am awed by their sacrifice, and by the sacrifices
of their families.”
***
“Tonight, I am announcing that the American combat mission in Iraq
has ended. Operation Iraqi Freedom is over, and the Iraqi people now
have lead responsibility for the security of their country. This was my
pledge to the American people as a candidate for this office. Last
February, I announced a plan that would bring our combat brigades out of
Iraq, while redoubling our efforts to strengthen Iraq’s Security Forces
and support its government and people. That is what we have done. We
have removed nearly 100,000 U.S. troops from Iraq. We have closed or
transferred hundreds of bases to the Iraqis. And we have moved millions
of pieces of equipment out of Iraq.”
***
“Ending this war is not only in Iraq’s interest – it is in our own.
The United States has paid a huge price to put the future of Iraq in the
hands of its people. We have sent our young men and women to make
enormous sacrifices in Iraq, and spent vast resources abroad at a time
of tight budgets at home. We have persevered because of a belief we
share with the Iraqi people – a belief that out of the ashes of war, a
new beginning could be born in this cradle of civilization. Through this
remarkable chapter in the history of the United States and Iraq, we
have met our responsibility. Now, it is time to turn the page.”
***
“Today, our most urgent task is to restore our economy, and put the
millions of Americans who have lost their jobs back to work. To
strengthen our middle class, we must give all our children the education
they deserve, and all our workers the skills that they need to compete
in a global economy. We must jumpstart industries that create jobs, and
end our dependence on foreign oil. We must unleash the innovation that
allows new products to roll off our assembly lines, and nurture the
ideas that spring from our entrepreneurs. This will be difficult. But
in the days to come, it must be our central mission as a people, and my
central responsibility as President.”
-------------------------------
Message sent to Change.org members from Barack Obama
Darin --
Tonight marks the end of the American combat mission in Iraq.
As a candidate for this office, I pledged to end this war responsibly. And, as President, that is what I am doing.
Since I became Commander-in-Chief, we've brought home nearly 100,000
U.S. troops. We've closed or turned over to Iraq hundreds of our bases.
As Operation Iraqi Freedom ends, our commitment to a sovereign, stable,
and self-reliant Iraq continues. Under Operation New Dawn, a
transitional force of U.S. troops will remain to advise and assist Iraqi
forces, protect our civilians on the ground, and pursue targeted
counterterrorism efforts.
By the end of next year, consistent with our agreement with the Iraqi government, these men and women, too, will come home.
Ending this war is not only in Iraq's interest -- it is in our own. Our
nation has paid a huge price to put Iraq's future in the hands of its
people. We have sent our men and women in uniform to make enormous
sacrifices. We have spent vast resources abroad in the face of several
years of recession at home.
We have met our responsibility through the courage and resolve of our women and men in uniform.
In seven years, they confronted a mission as challenging and as complex as any our military has ever been asked to face.
Nearly 1.5 million Americans put their lives on the line. Many returned
for multiple tours of duty, far from their loved ones who bore a heroic
burden of their own. And most painfully, more than 4,400 Americans have
given their lives, fighting for people they never knew, for values that
have defined our people for more than two centuries.
What their country asked of them was not small. And what they sacrificed was not easy.
For that, each and every American owes them our heartfelt thanks.
Our promise to them -- to each woman or man who has donned our colors --
is that our country will serve them as faithfully as they have served
us. We have already made the largest increase in funding for veterans in
decades. So long as I am President, I will do whatever it takes to
fulfill that sacred trust.
Tonight, we mark a milestone in our nation's history. Even at a time of
great uncertainty for so many Americans, this day and our brave troops
remind us that our future is in our own hands and that our best days lie
ahead.
Community Health Data Initiative Interim Work Page
The Community Health Data Initiative is a collaborative effort among
government and non-government partners to establish a network of
suppliers and demanders of community health data, indicators, and
interventions. Its purpose is to help Americans understand health and
health care system performance in their communities, thereby sparking
and facilitating action to improve performance and value.
The HHS Health Indicators Warehouse that is currently under
development will serve as the data hub for the initiative. We consider
health indicators to be measurable characteristics that describe the
health of a population (such as life expectancy, mortality, disease
incidence or prevalence, or other health states); determinants of health
(such as health behaviors, health risk factors, physical environments,
and socioeconomic environments); and health care access,
cost, quality, and use. Depending on the measure, a health indicator
may be defined for a specific population, place, political jurisdiction,
or geographic area. NCHS is working with data, content, and application
experts to develop this interactive system that will represent a major
infusion of free, easily accessible HHS data. While the warehouse is
under development, we are making several resources available.
Below you will find links to downloadable data sets which form the
basis for the content anticipated to be available through the Indicator
Warehouse and which will further the success of the Community Health
Data Initiative. A draft set
of indicators [PDF - 122 KB] that may be included is available for
review and comment.
Please send all questions and suggestions to IndicatorsWarehouse@cdc.gov.
Chronic Disease Indicators A
set of 90 cross-cutting, important, uniform, and available indicators
developed by consensus and drawn from many data sources. Health, United States,
2009 A chartbook and 150 detailed tables providing an annual
picture of the health of the entire United States. Healthy
People Healthy People 2010 contains 467 objectives in 28 focus
areas designed to serve as a framework for improving the health of all
people in the United States. Healthy People 2020 is currently under
development.
Older
Americans 2008 A report of the Federal Interagency Forum on
Aging-Related Statistics, providing data on 38 key indicators that
portray aspects of the lives of older Americans and their families.
BP today provided an update on developments in the response to the MC252 oil well incident in the Gulf of Mexico. This follows an announcement on May 29 to move to the next step in the subsea operations.
Subsea Source Control and Containment
Preparations are ongoing for deployment of the lower marine riser package (LMRP) cap containment system. Remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) are engaged in preliminary operations, including preparing for operations to cut through and separate the damaged riser from the LMRP at the top of the Deepwater Horizon’s failed blow-out preventer (BOP).
Deployment of the system will involve connecting the containment cap to a riser from the Discoverer Enterprise drillship and then placing it over the LMRP, with the intention of capturing most of the oil and gas flowing from the well and transporting it to the drillship on the surface.
All of these operations, including the cutting of the riser, are complex, involve risks and uncertainties, and have to be carried out by ROVs at 5,000 feet under water. Systems such as the LMRP containment cap have never before been deployed at these depths and conditions, and their efficiency and ability to contain the oil and gas cannot be assured. It is currently anticipated that attachment of the LMRP cap will be attempted later this week; however, operational delays could impact anticipated timeframes.
Preparations to use the Discoverer Enterprise to deploy the LMRP cap and the intended severing of the damaged riser mean that the riser insertion tube tool, previously deployed, will not be reinserted into the main leak at the end of the riser.
Work on the first relief well, which started on May 2, continues and it has currently reached a depth of 12,090 feet. Work on the second relief well, which started on May 16, had reached a depth of 8,576 feet before drilling was temporarily suspended on May 26. Drilling operations on the second relief well resumed on May 30. Both wells are still estimated to take around three months to complete from commencement of drilling.
Surface Spill Response and Containment
Work continues to collect and disperse oil that has reached the surface of the sea, to protect the shoreline of the Gulf of Mexico, and to collect and clean up any oil that has reached shore.
Over 1,600 vessels are now involved in the response effort, including skimmers, tugs, barges and recovery vessels. Operations to skim oil from the surface of the water have now recovered, in total, some 321,000 barrels (13.5 million gallons) of oily liquid.
The total length of containment boom deployed as part of efforts to prevent oil reaching the coast is now over 1.9 million feet, and an additional 1.8 million feet of sorbent boom has also been deployed.
So far approximately 30,000 claims have been submitted and more than 15,000 payments already have been made, totalling some $40 million. BP has received more than 110,000 calls into its help lines to date.
Additional information
The cost of the response to date amounts to about $990 million, including the cost of the spill response, containment, relief well drilling, grants to the Gulf states, claims paid and federal costs. It is too early to quantify other potential costs and liabilities associated with the incident.
