The Islamic Caliphate announced in 2014 by Abu
Bakr al-Baghdadi, the head of ISIS, is approaching the end of its short
and terrible life. Iraqi forces, supported by Americans, have reclaimed
the eastern half of Mosul and are retaking the western one. Kurdish
militias in Syria, also backed by the United States, are homing in on
the ISIS capital of Raqqa. Word came this week that a contingent of
Marines has been deployed in Syria
to position heavy artillery for the fight ahead. "We expect that within
a few weeks there will be a siege of the city," a militia spokesman tells Reuters.
ISIS doesn't have a chance. American air and ground forces,
working with local proxies, are about to terminate its existence as a
state. "Crushed," to paraphrase President Trump. A just—and
popular—cause.
But that won't be the end. Recent events suggest that the
military defeat of ISIS is just the beginning of a renewed American
involvement in Iraq and Syria. And whether the American public and
president are prepared for or willing to accept the probable costs of
such involvement is unknown. That is reason for concern.
To glimpse the future, look at the city of Manbij in
northeast Syria. Humvees and Strykers flying the American flag have
appeared there in recent days.
The mission? Not to defeat ISIS. Our proxies kicked them out last year.
What we are doing in Manbij is something altogether different from a
military assault: a "deterrence and reassurance" operation meant to
dissuade rival factions from massacring one another. If you can't
remember when President Obama or President Trump called for such an
operation, that's because they never did.
And there's a twist. One of the factions we are trying to
intimidate is none other than the army of Turkey, a NATO member and
purported ally. Turkey moved in on Manbij not because of ISIS but
because of the Kurds. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Turkish autocrat,
opposes one of our Kurdish proxies. He says the YPG is the Syrian
affiliate of the Kurdistan Worker's Party, which has conducted an
insurgency against his government for decades. Yet the YPG is also the
most effective indigenous anti-ISIS force on the ground. We need it to
take Raqqa.
Things get even more complicated. Also in Manbij are the
Russians, who are helping units of the Syrian army police a group of
villages. The Kurds invited them, too, presumably as a separate hedge
against Turkey. To keep score: The Americans, the Russians, the Turks,
the Kurds, and the Syrians are all converging on an impoverished city in
the middle of nowhere that has no strategic importance to the United
States.
One needn't have read The Guns of August to fret
about the risks of miscalculation and misinterpretation. Which is why,
on Tuesday, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Gen. Joseph Dunford, met
with his Russian and Turkish counterparts. "One American official
described the situation around Manbij as a potential tinderbox," reports the New York Times. As if we didn't have enough to worry about.
http://freebeacon.com/columns/the-isis-endgame/
"... It is only in this way that we can hope to arrive at truth, and fulfill the great responsibility which we hold to God and our country. Should I keep back my opinions at such a time, through fear of giving offense, I should consider myself as guilty of treason towards my country, and of an act of disloyalty toward the Majesty of Heaven, which I revere above all earthly kings."....I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!"
Saturday, March 11, 2017
WITH THE HELP OF THE US MILITARY, NATO, TURKEY, RUSSIA AND THE KURDS THE ISLAMIC CALEPHATE IS SEING ITS END GAME IN SYRIA AND IRAQ BUT THIS IS NOT MISSION ACCOMPLISHED SINCE WINNING THE LOCALS WILL TAKE YEARS OF RE-EDUCATION TO BECOME CONTRIBUTORS TO HUMANITY AND NOT BE ITS DESTRUCTION - WITH TURKEY AGAINST THE KURDS AND RUSSIA AGAINST TURKEY A NEW GEO POLITICAL GAME UNFOLDING IN THE MIDDLE EAST - SO WILL WE BUG OUT AND CUT AND RUN JUST LIKE THE DEMOCRAT POTUS BHO IN 2008 BEGS THE QUESTION
THE US NUCLEAR MILITARY CAPABILITY TO GET AN $1 TRILLION OVERHAUL THAT WILL UPGRADE THE NUCLEAR ARSENAL INTO THE 21ST CENTURY AND THUS TOO ITS TRANSPORTATION CAPABILITY OF MOVING THE ARSENAL FROM COAST TO COAST - SO WHY CAN'T MOVING THE SAME NUCLEAR WASTE FROM THE NUCLEAR ENERGY SITES BE DONE THE SAME WAY INTO THE YUCCA MOUNTAIN COMPLETED NUCLEAR WASTE REPOSITORY YOU ASK - AS CONGRESS HAS PASSED NOT ONCE NOT TWICE BUT THREE TIMES - WILL LEST JUST CALL IT THE DEMOCRAT WAY OF DOING BUSINESS - BUILD IT TO THE TUNES OF BILLIONS AND LET IT SET IDLE AS NUCLEAR WASTE PILES UP IN THE NUCLEAR ENERGY SITES INSTEAD OF SAFELY STORING, LETS SAY LETTING CHAOS REIGN BY DESIGN IS THE PLAN, BUT I DIGRESS SO LETS IMPROVE AND UPGRADE THE TRANSPORT OF NUCLEAR SAFELY CREATING MORE JOBS
The unmarked 18-wheelers ply the nation’s interstates and
two-lane highways, logging 3 million miles a year hauling the most
lethal cargo there is: nuclear bombs.
The covert fleet, which shuttles warheads from missile silos, bomber bases and submarine docks to nuclear weapons labs across the country, is operated by the Office of Secure Transportation, a troubled agency within the U.S. Department of Energy so cloaked in secrecy that few people outside the government know it exists.
The $237-million-a-year agency operates a fleet of 42 tractor-trailers, staffed by highly armed couriers, many of them veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, responsible for making sure nuclear weapons and components pass through foggy mountain passes and urban traffic jams without incident.
The transportation office is about to become more crucial than ever as the U.S. embarks on a $1-trillion upgrade of the nuclear arsenal that will require thousands of additional warhead shipments over the next 15 years.
http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-nuclear-couriers-20170310-story.html
The covert fleet, which shuttles warheads from missile silos, bomber bases and submarine docks to nuclear weapons labs across the country, is operated by the Office of Secure Transportation, a troubled agency within the U.S. Department of Energy so cloaked in secrecy that few people outside the government know it exists.
The $237-million-a-year agency operates a fleet of 42 tractor-trailers, staffed by highly armed couriers, many of them veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, responsible for making sure nuclear weapons and components pass through foggy mountain passes and urban traffic jams without incident.
The transportation office is about to become more crucial than ever as the U.S. embarks on a $1-trillion upgrade of the nuclear arsenal that will require thousands of additional warhead shipments over the next 15 years.
http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-nuclear-couriers-20170310-story.html
20 MILLION PEOPLE FACE THE THREAT OF STARVATION, A MAN MADE CATASTROPHE - WHEN GOVERNMENT IDEOLOGY AND ITS LEADERS GOES CORRUPT AND CONTROLS THE PEOPLE DESIRE TO HELP YOUR WORLD AND OF DOING GOOD FOR HUMANITY WHAT HAPPENS ARE CRISIS OF MASS PROPORTION AS IN THE 21ST CENTURY HUNGER JUST CAN'T BE STOPPED WHEN GOVERNMENTS RULE IN OPPRESSION AND THUS ITS PEOPLE SUFFER - AS GANG RULES ARE THE LAW OF THE LAND
The world is facing its largest
humanitarian crisis since 1945, the United Nations says, issuing a plea
for help to avoid "a catastrophe".
UN humanitarian chief Stephen
O'Brien said that more than 20 million people faced the threat of
starvation and famine in Yemen, Somalia, South Sudan and Nigeria.Unicef has already warned 1.4m children could starve to death this year.
Mr O'Brien said $4.4bn (£3.6bn) was needed by July to avert disaster.
"We stand at a critical point in history," Mr O'Brien told the Security Council on Friday. "Already at the beginning of the year we are facing the largest humanitarian crisis since the creation of the United Nations."
"Now, more than 20 million people across four countries face starvation and famine. Without collective and coordinated global efforts, people will simply starve to death. Many more will suffer and die from disease.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-39238808
POTUS DEMOCRAT BHO APPOINTED PLAY OBSTRUCTION ATTORNEYS ARE REQUESTED TO RESIGN BY THE NEW LEADERSHIP GOP POTUS TRUMP CLEANS HOUSE AS ATTORNEY GENERAL JEFF SESSION LISTS 46 FEDERAL PROSECUTORS TO GET THE BOOT
S Attorney General Jeff Sessions abruptly asked the remaining 46
chief federal prosecutors left over from the Obama administration to
resign on Friday (March 10), including Manhattan US Attorney Preet
Bharara, who had been asked to stay on in November by then
President-elect Donald Trump.
Although US attorneys are political appointees, and the request from Trump's Justice Department is part of a routine process, the move came as a surprise. Not every new administration replaces all US attorneys at once.
A Justice Department spokeswoman confirmed the resignation requests included Bharara, whose office handles some of the most critical business and criminal cases passing through the federal judicial system.
http://www.straitstimes.com/world/united-states/us-attorney-general-jeff-sessions-asks-46-obama-era-us-attorneys-to-resign
Although US attorneys are political appointees, and the request from Trump's Justice Department is part of a routine process, the move came as a surprise. Not every new administration replaces all US attorneys at once.
A Justice Department spokeswoman confirmed the resignation requests included Bharara, whose office handles some of the most critical business and criminal cases passing through the federal judicial system.
http://www.straitstimes.com/world/united-states/us-attorney-general-jeff-sessions-asks-46-obama-era-us-attorneys-to-resign
THE AIRLINE INDUSTRY HAS GONE CHARGING EXTRA CRAZY FOR EVERYTHING AND GETTING AWAY WITH IT - SIMILAR TO HOW THE TELECOMMUNICATION INDUSTRY MAKES YOU PAY FOR ALL THOSE TAXES THEY ARE BY LAW TO PAY FOR - THUS YOU THE CONSUMER PAYS FOR ALL OF IT IN THE END - BUT I DIGRESS AS HAWAIIAN AIRLINES CHARGES A PASSENGER FOR ALL THINGS A US$12 DOLLARS FOR A BLANKET
IT’S certainly annoying when airlines make you fork out for extras like checked luggage and earphones.
But
one passenger’s frustration reached a whole new level on a recent
flight after he was told he’d have to pay $16 for a blanket.A Hawaiian Airlines flight from Las Vegas had to divert to Los Angeles after a passenger got into a dispute with a flight attendant over the cost, the Associated Press reported.
The airline confirmed flight HA7 from Las Vegas was about an hour into its trip on Wednesday, local time, when the plane turned and stopped at Los Angeles airport (LAX).
There was a dispute between a 66-year-old male passenger and the flight crew about the cost of a blanket, said Rob Pedregon of the Los Angeles Airport Police.
After being informed a blanket cost $12 ($A16) the passenger “made a statement that he wanted to take somebody behind the woodshed over this, which prompted the flight crew to contact the captain who then in turn diverted the aircraft to LAX”.
http://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/incidents/man-kicked-off-flight-after-raging-against-16-blanket-fee/news-story/5a1f5c4b9914b8b43cf6159327d187fc
WHO NEW RISING OIL PRICES CAN RAISE EXPORTS - AS AN EXAMPLE S KOREA EXPORT GROWS 20% UNDER THE USA POTUS TRUMP - AS PETROCHEMICAL DERIVED FROM OIL GETS SOLD AT A HIGH PROFIT COST
South Korea's exports jumped 19.3 percent on-year in the first 10 days
of this month led by petrochemical goods, semiconductors and
automobiles, government data showed Saturday.
Overseas shipments from March 1-10 were estimated at US$1.43 million after hitting a five-year high in the previous month, the Korea Customs Service said in a statement.
"Rising oil prices in recent months have boosted local exporters who had been suffering from slumping oil prices and slowing demand in global markets," a KCS spokesman said.
Exports of petrochemical goods soared 109.7 percent in the 10 days from the same period of 2016, it said.
Oil price hikes allowed domestic petrochemical companies to sell their products at higher prices and boosted demand in oil-producing countries, helping stimulate the global economy.
http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20170311000057
Overseas shipments from March 1-10 were estimated at US$1.43 million after hitting a five-year high in the previous month, the Korea Customs Service said in a statement.
"Rising oil prices in recent months have boosted local exporters who had been suffering from slumping oil prices and slowing demand in global markets," a KCS spokesman said.
Exports of petrochemical goods soared 109.7 percent in the 10 days from the same period of 2016, it said.
Oil price hikes allowed domestic petrochemical companies to sell their products at higher prices and boosted demand in oil-producing countries, helping stimulate the global economy.
http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20170311000057
COMMUNIST CHINA PREPARES ITS FUTURE WARS WITH THE WESTERN USA WITH SPACE BASED MILITARY LASERS, RAILGUNS, AND HIGH POWER MICROWAVE - AS THE CHINESE MILITARY TO NEUTRALIZE THE USA ADVANTAGE IN SPACE BY TAKING DOWN COMMUNICATION AND ALL OTHER SATTELLITES
China’s military is developing powerful lasers, electromagnetic
railguns and high-power microwave weapons for use in a future “light
war” involving space-based attacks on satellites.
Beijing’s push to produce so-called directed-energy weapons aims to neutralize America’s key strategic advantage: the web of intelligence, communication and navigation satellites enabling military strikes of unparalleled precision expeditionary warfare far from US shores.
The idea of a space-based laser gun was disclosed in the journal Chinese Optics in December 2013 by three researchers, Gao Ming-hui, Zeng Yu-quang and Wang Zhi-hong. All work for the Changchun Institute for Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics – the leading center for laser weapons technology.
“In future wars, the development of ASAT [anti-satellite] weapons is very important,” they wrote. “Among those weapons, laser attack system enjoys significant advantages of fast response speed, robust counter-interference performance and a high target destruction rate, especially for a space-based ASAT system. So the space-based laser weapon system will be one of the major ASAT development projects.”
The researchers propose building a 5-ton chemical laser that will be stationed in low-earth orbit as a combat platform capable of destroying satellites in orbit. Given funding by the Chinese military, which is in charge of China’s space program, the satellite-killing laser could be deployed by 2023.
http://www.atimes.com/article/light-war-space-based-lasers-among-beijings-high-tech-arms/
Beijing’s push to produce so-called directed-energy weapons aims to neutralize America’s key strategic advantage: the web of intelligence, communication and navigation satellites enabling military strikes of unparalleled precision expeditionary warfare far from US shores.
The idea of a space-based laser gun was disclosed in the journal Chinese Optics in December 2013 by three researchers, Gao Ming-hui, Zeng Yu-quang and Wang Zhi-hong. All work for the Changchun Institute for Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics – the leading center for laser weapons technology.
“In future wars, the development of ASAT [anti-satellite] weapons is very important,” they wrote. “Among those weapons, laser attack system enjoys significant advantages of fast response speed, robust counter-interference performance and a high target destruction rate, especially for a space-based ASAT system. So the space-based laser weapon system will be one of the major ASAT development projects.”
The researchers propose building a 5-ton chemical laser that will be stationed in low-earth orbit as a combat platform capable of destroying satellites in orbit. Given funding by the Chinese military, which is in charge of China’s space program, the satellite-killing laser could be deployed by 2023.
http://www.atimes.com/article/light-war-space-based-lasers-among-beijings-high-tech-arms/
SELF DRIVING CARS TO BE THE NORM IN SF CA AS THE DMV RELEASES NEW REGULATION CONTROLLING THE INHUMAN CAR WILL ALLOW 27 COMPANIES TO PARTICIPATE IN THE DRIVERLESS CAR TRANSPORTATION AS EARLY AS NEXT YEAR
Self-driving cars with no human behind the wheel — or, for that
matter, any steering wheel at all — may soon appear on California’s
public roads, under regulations state officials proposed Friday.
The rules represent a delicate balance, trying to ensure the safety of a new technology many people don’t trust while avoiding tough restrictions that could send car companies fleeing to other states.
Until now, California has required all 27 companies testing autonomous cars in the state to have someone in the driver’s seat, ready to take over, when testing on public roads. And those vehicles needed to have steering wheels and brake pedals, even if some self-driving car engineers didn’t consider them necessary.
Both of those requirements would disappear under the new regulations proposed by the California Department of Motor Vehicles.
Instead, automakers would need to certify to the state that their own testing — either on closed tracks or through computer modeling — shows the cars are ready to operate on public roads with no one behind the wheel. Tests with no driver would require an operator monitoring the car, ready to steer via remote control if necessary.
Source: (CA) DMV
By the numbers
27 Number of companies testing self-driving cars in California
180 Number of licensed self-driving cars in California
658 Number of drivers permitted to test-drive autonomous cars in California
Leaders: Google/Waymo (77 cars, 239 drivers); GM/Cruise (27 cars, 55 drivers); Tesla (24 cars, 64 drivers)
http://www.sfchronicle.com/news/article/DMV-Humans-soon-no-longer-required-in-10993072.php
The rules represent a delicate balance, trying to ensure the safety of a new technology many people don’t trust while avoiding tough restrictions that could send car companies fleeing to other states.
Until now, California has required all 27 companies testing autonomous cars in the state to have someone in the driver’s seat, ready to take over, when testing on public roads. And those vehicles needed to have steering wheels and brake pedals, even if some self-driving car engineers didn’t consider them necessary.
Both of those requirements would disappear under the new regulations proposed by the California Department of Motor Vehicles.
Instead, automakers would need to certify to the state that their own testing — either on closed tracks or through computer modeling — shows the cars are ready to operate on public roads with no one behind the wheel. Tests with no driver would require an operator monitoring the car, ready to steer via remote control if necessary.
Source: (CA) DMV
By the numbers
27 Number of companies testing self-driving cars in California
180 Number of licensed self-driving cars in California
658 Number of drivers permitted to test-drive autonomous cars in California
Leaders: Google/Waymo (77 cars, 239 drivers); GM/Cruise (27 cars, 55 drivers); Tesla (24 cars, 64 drivers)
http://www.sfchronicle.com/news/article/DMV-Humans-soon-no-longer-required-in-10993072.php
AFTER ADDING ALMOST $10 TRILLION TO THE NATIONAL DEBT BY THE DEMOCRAT POTUS BHO IN 8 YEARS THE TREND WITH THE POTUS TRUMP IS REVERSING THE DEBT CLOCK FROM THE $19.947 TRILLION DOWN $68 BILLION IN THESE LAST 3 MONTHS OF 2017 - ITS ALL BECAUSE OF JOBS JOBS JOBS AS US AMERICANS JOB PARTICIPATION RATE SOARS UPWARDS
Is it the federal government’s hiring freeze on non-essential employees?
Or is it a miracle?
The U.S. debt clock is actually spinning backwards since Donald Trump moved into the White House Jan. 20.
On inauguration day, the debt stood at $19.947 trillion. Since then it has reversed by $68 billion, or 0.3 percent, for the first time in at least 10 years.
What happened in the same period after Barack Obama’s inauguration in 2009? The debt rose $320 billion in the same period – an increase of 3.1 percent. Overall, the debt nearly doubled in Obama’s eight years, by far the largest increase in any administration in history.
And that’s hardly the only good economic news for the new administration.
Trump used the first federal jobs report reflecting a full month of his presidency to send a message: He’s already making America great again.
“GREAT AGAIN: +235,000,” Trump posted on his Twitter account in a retweet of a Drudge Report headline on Friday after the Bureau of Labor Statistics released payroll data for February showing the U.S. added 235,000 jobs......
........Trump promised more manufacturing jobs in America and that’s what he got last month, with the U.S. adding 28,000. So far in 2017 (January and February), the U.S. has gained 39,000 manufacturing jobs and 25,000 government jobs.
Read more at http://www.wnd.com/2017/03/trump-aftershocks-economy-rocks/
Or is it a miracle?
The U.S. debt clock is actually spinning backwards since Donald Trump moved into the White House Jan. 20.
On inauguration day, the debt stood at $19.947 trillion. Since then it has reversed by $68 billion, or 0.3 percent, for the first time in at least 10 years.
What happened in the same period after Barack Obama’s inauguration in 2009? The debt rose $320 billion in the same period – an increase of 3.1 percent. Overall, the debt nearly doubled in Obama’s eight years, by far the largest increase in any administration in history.
And that’s hardly the only good economic news for the new administration.
Trump used the first federal jobs report reflecting a full month of his presidency to send a message: He’s already making America great again.
“GREAT AGAIN: +235,000,” Trump posted on his Twitter account in a retweet of a Drudge Report headline on Friday after the Bureau of Labor Statistics released payroll data for February showing the U.S. added 235,000 jobs......
........Trump promised more manufacturing jobs in America and that’s what he got last month, with the U.S. adding 28,000. So far in 2017 (January and February), the U.S. has gained 39,000 manufacturing jobs and 25,000 government jobs.
Read more at http://www.wnd.com/2017/03/trump-aftershocks-economy-rocks/#72EcFmcjLMoepims.99
Read more at http://www.wnd.com/2017/03/trump-aftershocks-economy-rocks/
Friday, March 10, 2017
ONLY THE GREAT BUSINESS LEADERS WHO CAN INSPIRE AND LEAD CAN DO THIS AS THE POTUS TRUMP IN THE FIRST 3 MONTHS OF HIS PRESIDENCY HAS GARNERED JOBS FOR THE CITIZENS OF THIS GREAT USA WITH THE TRUMP GOAL OF JOBS JOBS JOBS IN THE TUNE OF 25 MILLION EMPLOYED IN THE NEXT 10 YEARS OR 208,000 JOBS EVERY MONTH WHEN US AMERICANS WORK AMERICA BECOMES THE GREAT AND PROSPEROUS NATION IT IS - BECAUSE THE AGENDA IS ABOUT MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN WITH FUTURE EMPLOYMENT AND NOT SOME LEFTIST AGENDA OF DESTRUCTION OF CONTROLLING THE MASSES
U.S. employers added jobs at an above-average pace for a second
month on outsized gains in construction and manufacturing, showing the
labor market continued its steady growth in the new year.
The 235,000 increase in jobs followed a 238,000 rise in January that was more than previously estimated, the best back-to-back rise since July, a Labor Department report showed Friday in Washington. The unemployment rate fell to 4.7 percent, and wages grew 2.8 percent from February 2016.
While unseasonably warm weather may have boosted the payrolls count, the data represent President Donald Trump’s first full month in office and coincide with a surge in economic optimism following his election victory. The figures also validate recent comments by Federal Reserve officials that flagged a likely interest-rate increase this month.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-03-10/u-s-jobs-wages-show-solid-gains-in-trump-s-first-full-month
The 235,000 increase in jobs followed a 238,000 rise in January that was more than previously estimated, the best back-to-back rise since July, a Labor Department report showed Friday in Washington. The unemployment rate fell to 4.7 percent, and wages grew 2.8 percent from February 2016.
While unseasonably warm weather may have boosted the payrolls count, the data represent President Donald Trump’s first full month in office and coincide with a surge in economic optimism following his election victory. The figures also validate recent comments by Federal Reserve officials that flagged a likely interest-rate increase this month.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-03-10/u-s-jobs-wages-show-solid-gains-in-trump-s-first-full-month
SOUTH KOREA DEMOCRACY IS SO AGAINST CORRUPTION THAT EVEN ITS HEAD OF STATE POSK IMPEACHMENT AS PASSED BY ITS CONGRESS IS UPHELD BY ITS RULING SUPREME JUDGES AS PARK GEUN HYE IS OUSTED THIS 2017 - CORRUPTION IN THE HEAD OF STATE MUST NOT BE - AS DEMOCRATIC LEADERS AROUND THE WORLD WILL NOW TAKE HEAD
South Korea’s Constitutional Court on Friday ruled unanimously to remove
President Park Geun-hye from office, the capstone of a sweeping
corruption scandal that has engulfed the country for months.
“Hereby, in a unanimous decision, the court issues the verdict: the court rules to expel President Park Geun-hye,” acting Chief Justice Lee Jung-mi said in a nationally televised ruling.
With the decision, which is final and unchallengeable, Park has become the nation’s first democratically elected leader to be ousted by impeachment. The nation now must hold a presidential election within 60 days, making it likely to fall on May 9.
Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, who has been substituing for Park since her parliamentary impeachment on Dec. 9, will continue to lead the nation until the next leader is elected.
http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20170310000352
“Hereby, in a unanimous decision, the court issues the verdict: the court rules to expel President Park Geun-hye,” acting Chief Justice Lee Jung-mi said in a nationally televised ruling.
With the decision, which is final and unchallengeable, Park has become the nation’s first democratically elected leader to be ousted by impeachment. The nation now must hold a presidential election within 60 days, making it likely to fall on May 9.
Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, who has been substituing for Park since her parliamentary impeachment on Dec. 9, will continue to lead the nation until the next leader is elected.
http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20170310000352
Sunday, March 5, 2017
CHINA TO GROW ITS MILITARY BUDGET UP TO 7% IN 2017 TO RAISE MORE MILITARY HARDWARE IN ITS QUEST TO HOLD DOWN THE LAND GRAB SOUTH SEA ISLANDS FROM THE PHILIPPINES, MAYLAYSIA, AND VIETNAM
China
will raise defence spending by “around seven percent” this year as it
guards against “outside meddling” in its disputed territorial claims in
Asian waters, a top official said Saturday.
“We call for a peaceful settlement through dialogue and consultation (of the disputes). At the same time we need the ability to safeguard our sovereignty and interests and rights,” said Fu Ying, spokeswoman for the National People‘s Congress, the Communist-controlled parliament.
“In particular, we need to guard against outside meddling in the disputes.”
Fu did not specify what “meddling” she was referring to, but Beijing’s claims in the South China Sea and East China Sea have stirred alarm in the region and prompted criticism from Washington.
The announcement came just days after US President Donald Trump outlined plans to beef up American military forces by raising expenditures by around 10 percent.
China‘s planned spending increase for 2017 holds steady from last year, when the government said it would grow by 6.5-7.0 percent.
The 2016 figure marked the first time since 2010 that spending growth did not rise into double figures.
China nonetheless continues a decades-long build up and modernisation of its once-backward armed forces as it seeks military clout commensurate with its economic might.
In recent years Beijing has launched a campaign to rapidly expand tiny South China Sea reefs and islets into artificial islands capable of hosting military facilities, raising concerns throughout the region.
Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Taiwan have contested Beijing’s claims, and the United States has repeatedly called on China to uphold freedom of navigation, sending ships and aircraft to pass close to the new islands.
http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20170304000042
“We call for a peaceful settlement through dialogue and consultation (of the disputes). At the same time we need the ability to safeguard our sovereignty and interests and rights,” said Fu Ying, spokeswoman for the National People‘s Congress, the Communist-controlled parliament.
“In particular, we need to guard against outside meddling in the disputes.”
Fu did not specify what “meddling” she was referring to, but Beijing’s claims in the South China Sea and East China Sea have stirred alarm in the region and prompted criticism from Washington.
The announcement came just days after US President Donald Trump outlined plans to beef up American military forces by raising expenditures by around 10 percent.
China‘s planned spending increase for 2017 holds steady from last year, when the government said it would grow by 6.5-7.0 percent.
The 2016 figure marked the first time since 2010 that spending growth did not rise into double figures.
China nonetheless continues a decades-long build up and modernisation of its once-backward armed forces as it seeks military clout commensurate with its economic might.
In recent years Beijing has launched a campaign to rapidly expand tiny South China Sea reefs and islets into artificial islands capable of hosting military facilities, raising concerns throughout the region.
Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Taiwan have contested Beijing’s claims, and the United States has repeatedly called on China to uphold freedom of navigation, sending ships and aircraft to pass close to the new islands.
http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20170304000042
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