U.S. State Department Warning About Traveling to Mexico

The U.S. State department has issued a new travel warning for U.S citizens traveling to Mexico. Skirmishes between Mexican authorities and the drug cartels in border towns and elsewhere are being described as "small unit combat" and in some cases foreign bystanders have been caught in the cross fire resulting in injuries and death.

 

Although large-scale confrontations between authorities and the cartels have occurred across Mexico they have recently became more frequent in Northern Mexico in towns such as Tijuana, Chihuahua City and Ciudad Juarez and others. The border towns can erupt into combat zones as government officials confront cartels that are using automatic weapons and hand grenades in their fight for the valuable Northern drug trade routs.

U.S. citizens are being advised to cooperate fully with any official Mexican checkpoints they may in counter. They are also advised to be extremely aware of their surroundings at all times, travel only on main roads (Toll roads are the most secure) and avoid any areas known for drugs or prostitution as well as isolated areas. The U.S. Embassy and consulates will issue travel advisories asking their employees and tourist to stay away from certain roads or areas of the country due to dangerous conditions and criminal activities, be aware of these advisories and stay up to date.

Criminals along the border region are known to be heavily armed and have used police and military uniforms as well as vehicles that appear to be official in the commission of various crimes.

The drug war in Mexico is having a dramatic impact on Mexican and U.S. Businesses located in border towns, the fear of violence has led many U.S. shoppers to refrain from their usual shopping trips south of the border. In many cases merchants are reporting that sales are down by as much as 75%. Gabriel Lara, a Mexican businessman, said:

“The economy is very bad. We need your money,”

Sharelene Reams from Arizona said:

“I haven’t been down shopping for a long time just because of what we heard about the shootings six months or so ago,”

Mexican tourists who do not live in the Northern region may otherwise visit the U.S. border states, but due to the ever-increasing violence they are afraid to travel through the area.

Two Top Police Commanders Become the Latest Victims in Mexico

Francisco Federico Lopez Brito, a local garrison commander for the Tabasco state police was gunned down while getting into his vehicle outside of his home in Cardenas. Police found dozens of shell casings on the street. 

His death came only days after the assassination of officer Carlos Reyes López, a member of an elite state squad that was created to tackle the growing violence. López along with eleven others was killed when his home was stormed by a group of armed men Saturday. Lopez’s wife, mother and several of her grandchildren as well as a strawberry vendor were among the dead; the youngest victim was 2 years old. Caledonio Reyes López, also a police officer and the brother of Carlos López, and two others were wounded. 

Both officers were involved in joint anti-drug operations involving both police and military elements; authorities believe the assassinations are in retaliation for recent drug related arrest. They are also investigating the possibility that an ongoing feud between López and another family could have played a role in his death. 

President Felipe Calderón has had some success in the war against the cartels; he has increased the number of drug seizures and arrested top cartel leaders. However despite the use of tens of thousands of soldiers and police officers throughout Mexico he has been unable to control the rapidly increasing violence. 5630 people died in the drug related violence in 2008 alone, with an estimated total of 9830 over the past three years. The majority of the deaths were in towns along the U.S.-Mexico border. 

To complicate matters more Mexican protesters blocked roads and bridges entering the U.S. in the towns of Monterrey and Veracruz to protest the Military-backed drug war. Some protestors carried their children as they blocked the roads. Officials have accused the cartels of organizing the protest saying that they paid people and gave free school supplies to poor families in exchange for them marching in the protest. 

President Calderon condemned the protest saying: 

"Those who see ... their criminal structure weakened have tried to provoke the army's retreat,”

and

"True to form as cowards, they have even used women and children for their wretched goals," 

Journalist Killed While Covering Pakistan-Taliban Peace Deal

Mosa Khankhel, a correspondent with GEO TV's Peshawar bureau became the first casualty of the Pakistan-Taliban peace agreement. He was covering the latest peace deal between the Taliban and Pakistan and was traveling in the caravan with Sufi Mohammed, a pro-Taliban cleric and lead negotiator for the Taliban who is considered a relative moderate, when he went missing on Wednesday.

Issa Khan, Khankhel's brother, told reporters

"My brother was taken away at gunpoint from the march," 

(piece rally)

His body was later found, he had been shot three times (reports vary: he was shot 3-12 times) and his assailants had attempted to behead him. Mosa Became the fourth journalist to be killed in swat Valley in less than a year, he was killed one day after the Pakistan government agreed to recognize the sharia law as interpreted by the Taliban in the Malakand Division, which includes Swat Valley, In return for the Taliban agreeing to a 10-day cease-fire.

Azhar Abbas, GEO TV's managing director said:

"He is the first martyr of this peace deal," 

A funeral was held today for Mosa in the town of Mingora a prominent town in Swat Valley, around 600 people were in attendance (many of whom were journalist) and called on the government to bring the killers to justice.

More than 500 people including lawyers and journalist marched on the governor's house in Peshawar calling on the government to protect journalists. In the eastern city of Lahore more than 500 media workers held a rally demanding protection for journalists and chanting anti-Taliban slogans. Rana Aziz, secretary general of the Punjab Union of Journalists said,

"Musa Khan Khel's murder is an attack on freedom of press." 

Similar protests were reportedly held in Karachi, Multan, Bannu, Nowshera, Mansehra in the North West Frontier Province, and Quetta.

No one has claimed responsibility for the killing but a Taliban spokesman said,

"It is the work of those who do not want peace in the region and are opposed to the deal signed between Soofi Mohammad and the government," 

 

A Chesterfield Teacher Arrested While Chaperoning a Field Trip

Jean Marie Mendelis, a world history teacher at James River High School in Chesterfield County, was arrested while on an overnight field trip to the Model U.N. in Norfolk Virginia. Mendelis was arrested for public drunkenness around 1:00 a.m. on Friday February 13 while acting as a chaperone. Upon learning of the arrest school officials sent two replacements to Norfolk. Mendelis has been suspended pending the outcome of an investigation by the school.

It seems simple enough, until you take a look at the information that was released (or not released) by the school and by the Norfolk police department. On Saturday February 14 James River High School Principal,John Titus sent the following letter to the parents:

 

"February 14, 2009 

Dear Parents and Guardians of students on Model U.N. Trip in Norfolk, Virginia:

Early yesterday morning (Feb. 13), we were made aware that a teacher-chaperone on the Model U.N. field trip had been arrested overnight in Norfolk. The teacher-chaperone was immediately directed by Chesterfield County Public Schools to leave the event site. Two additional staff members were immediately dispatched to Norfolk to join the student group and assist our chaperones already on site through the end of the conference.

The school administration began an immediate investigation as soon as it was made aware of these serious allegations, and the teacher will not be returning to the classroom pending completion of the investigation and final disposition of any resulting disciplinary action.

We take very seriously our responsibility to provide a safe, supportive and nurturing environment. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me directly at 378-2420. As always, if your child shares any information or concerns with you as you discuss this information, please let us know as well.

Thank you for your support of James River High School.

Sincerely,

John Titus

Principal"

At this point neither the school nor the police department would release any information concerning the identity of the teacher or the charges filed against her leaving many local parents only able to guess as to the nature of the crime and who was involved.

On February 17 information was released naming the teacher and the charges against her (public drunkenness). To add a twist to the story at around 9:40 a.m. on the 17th a Norfolk police spokesperson sent an e-mail to local Richmond media saying that the charges had been determined to be unfounded and no charges would be filed against Mendelis. According to the Richmond Times-Dispatch they asked for clarification of this statement and received a second email from Norfolk saying the charges had been dropped because they where "determined unwarranted”.

At around 1:30 pm yet another email was sent from the Norfolk police department to several Richmond news agencies informing them that they had once again changed their mind and Mendelis is in fact facing a charge of public drunkenness, a court date has been set for April 7.

Mendelis is the second Chesterfield county teacher to be arrested this month, a Tomahawk Creek Middle School teacher was charged with one count of felony assault and two counts of misdemeanor assault after he allegedly shoved three disorderly students against a wall during a fire drill.

Henrico County Man Charged With Impersonating a Police Officer

Shay Cameron Mann,31 of Henrico county VA has been charged with impersonating a police officer, attempted abduction, use of a firearm in a felony and brandishing a firearm.

The intended victim, a 48-year-old woman diving alone, pulled into a shopping center parking lot after a gray Ford Escape with flashing headlights pulled up behind her on Parham road. Mann approached her vehicle and showed her a gold badge and asked her to get into his car, when she refused Mann pulled a gun. A "good Samaritan" saw what was happening and stooped to ask if she was O.K.

At this point Mann made a run for it but not before his intended victim wrote down his licensee number that included official looking Fraternal Order of Police tags. The license plate number led Henrico authorities to Mann, when they searched his home in the 6800 block of Carnegie Drive they found batons, pepper spray and police patches. Police also seized a computer and car that had alternating, flashing headlights installed, normally reserved for police cars.

Police have advised anyone being pulled over who has doubts about the legitimacy of the police car to pull into a well lit, populated area and dial 911 -- if he is a real officer he will be required to call in the stop and the 911 dispatcher will know about the stop, if not, they can send immediate assistance.

At this time the identity of the "good Samaritan" is still unknown but police are asking him to come forward and help them in their investigation. Mann is being held without bond.

North Korea Ratchets Up Tensions while Preparing for Talks

Kim Jong-il will celebrate his 67th birthday this Sunday and is suspected of timing a test of the Taepodong-2 missile around that date, as well as possible test of short-range missiles. In the past North Korea has used such accessions to praise Kim's "military-first policy".

The launches are intended to show the people of North Korea that they are strong enough to stand up to the U.S. and South Korea. It is believed that the possible upcoming test are intended to get the attention of President Obama as well as to put pressure on President Lee Myung-bak of South Korea. Shortly after taking office Myung-bak cut off what was described as a free flow of unconditional aid to the North. Since then Kim Jong-il has threatened to reduce South Korea to rubble and said that he would have no more dealings with them.

Recently North Korea said that they had aborted all peace agreements with South Korea, they have also reassigned senior military leaders, this is not uncommon and is usually done on April 15 or April 25th but it is uncommon to reassign top leaders at a time when the threat of military conflict is increasing.

"It's unusual for North Korea to reshuffle key military leaders in a situation where it is increasing the threat of armed conflict by showing signs of preparing for a long-range missile test. We're carefully analyzing why North Korea has replaced the key officials.” says a South Korean Intelligence officer.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told reporters "North Korea has to understand that all of the countries in East Asia have made it clear that its behavior is viewed as unacceptable."

Defense Secretary Robert Gates said the U.S. could shoot down any ballistic missile that was being tested with the continental U.S. as a potential target but he went on to say "Since the first time that they launched the missile (in 2006) it flew for a few minutes before crashing, the range of the Taepodong-2 remains to be seen. So far, it's very short."

The recent disappearance of Chinese fishing vessels from North Korean Waters in the West Sea is believed by some to be a sign of pending military action by the North. Although the number of ships began to decrease over a month ago on February 4, 50 vessels suddenly left the area. The South Korean Defense Ministry said that this is has nothing to do with possible military actions and is based on false information from two previous navel skirmishes. . "Claims that Chinese fishing boats moved out of the sea near the NLL prior to the two previous inter-Korean naval skirmishes has been proven groundless," said ministry spokesman Won Tae-jae.

Former U.S. ambassador to Seoul Stephen Bosworth, along with several others, recently met with Officials in North Korea and afterwards he said, "They said we should all wait and see, There were no threats, no indication that they were concerned. They treated the missile issue as just a normal run-of-the-mill issue." he went on to say that he believes the north is preparing for six-party talks and bilateral talks talks with the U.S.

U.N. Issues Dire Warnings about Global Food, Water Supplies

According to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization the world's farmers must begin to move away from conventional intensive farming and begin the transition to what is known as conservation agriculture if they intend to produce enough food and cope with climate change. 

By the year 2030 agricultural production is expected to drop by 1.9 percent and an additional .09 percent by 2050; however we will need to double our food production if we hope to feed nine billion people by 2050. 

Conventional farming methods often result in environmental damage as a result of over-ploughing, over-fertilizing, over-irrigating, and extensive use of pesticides. These efforts, all in the name of increased production, effect the ecosystem and eventually result in lower production rates, conservation agriculture on the other-hand focuses on a minimal amount of soil disturbance, permanent soil cover and crop rotations. This method can support profitable farming and addresses environmental concerns and sustainability. Conservation agriculture has been tested and proven to work in a wide variety of agro-ecological zones and farming systems. 

At the Fourth World Congress on Conservation Agriculture in New Delhi, India, Shivaji Pandey, Director of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization said, 

“The world has no alternative to pursuing sustainable crop production intensification to meet the growing food and feed demand, to alleviate poverty and to protect its natural resources, Conservation agriculture is an essential element of that intensification.”

The U.N. is also predicting that as many as 1.8 billion people could be facing a water shortage by 2025 and an estimated two-thirds of the global population could be facing some form of water stress in less than 20 years if current trends in population growth, climate change and consumption continue. 

The United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro told a high-level symposium on water security at UN Headquarters that

“More than 1.4 billion people live in river basins where their use of water exceeds minimum recharge levels, leading to desiccation of rivers and the depletion of groundwater." She went on to say that insuring water security would require effective water management, “It means ensuring the integrity of ecosystems, and it means promoting peaceful collaboration in the sharing of water resources, particularly in the case of boundary and transboundary water resources.”

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is calling on the United States, China, India and the European Union to show "global leadership" in combating climate change at a news conference in New York saying,

“We have no time to lose, The United States, China, India and the European Union – all must show the way. We must provide for those least able to adapt.”

Honoring the Last to Die Crossing the Berlin Wall

On Thursday, February 5 a service was held to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the last death that resulted from an attempt to cross the Berlin Wall. 

Karin Gueffroy, the mother of Chris Gueffroy, lit a candle in his honor at a commemorative service held at Berlin's Chapel of Reconciliation. The chapel is located on the former "death strip". 

20-year-old Chris Gueffroy unwittingly made history on the night of Feb. 5, 1989 when he became the last victim of the Berlin wall "death strip." Gueffroy, attempting to avoid an upcoming mandatory enlistment in the military, was shot and killed attempting to cross the wall. Gueffroy and his friend, Christian Gaudian, attempted the crossing mistakenly believing that the standing order to "shoot to kill" had been revoked. 

The pair successfully avoided detection when making their way through the first sets of barriers, however their luck ran out when they set of an alarm at a steel-lattice fence. The border guards opened fire and Gueffroy was reportedly shot ten times with the fatal bullet piercing his heart, Gaudian was shot in the foot and later sentenced to 3 years in prison for attempting an "illegal border crossing". In September 1989 the West German government paid for his release from prison and expulsion from East Germany. 

As a result of East German state manipulation of records there is no universally accepted number to accurately show how many died trying to escape from East Germany but the number is believed to exceed 1100. 

When the obituary for Chris Gueffroy appeared in East German newspapers it would be the first time a death notice for someone killed trying to escape East Germany was allowed.

Criminals go Free While Untested DNA Sits in Storage

Dozens of Los Angeles detectives from the L.A.P.D. spent weeks going through what was described as a poorly maintained jumble of untested DNA evidence kits going back over ten years in L.A. evidence storage areas. In all, they found DNA evidence (semen, blood and other genetic material) from over 5000 rapes and sexual assaults in storage that had not been tested. 

In at least 118 of these cases testing the DNA now may lead to the identity of the perpetrator but no charges can be filed, the statute of limitations has expired. In an additional 403 cases police have no suspects and the DNA could be crucial in leading to an arrest. The remaining 3800 cases have been closed because an arrest was made without the DNA or other reasons. 

In an October 29 article on Human Rights Watch that put the number at 7300 cases Sarah Tofte, criminal justice researcher with the US Program at Human Rights Watch said,

" The rape-kit backlog is not simply a crime-lab capacity problem. The city needs a plan to improve the entire process of investigating and prosecuting rape cases. That is what will be meaningful to victims."

This revelation comes only days after the L.A. County Sharif's department announced that they had discovered 815 untested rape kits in their storage facility with 51 being beyond the statute of limitations. Over 100 more of these cases will expire within six months. Both agencies have been downplaying the seriousness of the problem for the past couple of months until the final counts came in. 

L.A. County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky told Cmdr. Earl M. Shields,

"You've got a bunch of evidence sitting there that is potentially a smoking gun, It could be the silver bullet to getting a suspect in a sexual assault case, and it's just sitting there."

Both agencies are in the process of increasing the number of analysts in their labs while considering ways to outsource the backlog, which is expected to take years to clear up.

Russian Hospital Rat Attack is Blamed on Negligence

On January 28 the Serpukhov Children's Hospital in Serpukhov Russia was the scene of a gruesome rat attack. At around 4 p.m. nurses heard 1-year-old Anastasia cry out, and as they ran to her aid they saw a large rat jump from her bed. While the nurses tended to Anastasia the rat attacked eight-month-old Alexandra. After the attack the girls were moved to another Moscow hospital where they were treated for their injuries and given rabies shots. Doctors said that the girls were very weak but none of their injuries were life threatening. 

Social service workers placed Alexandra and Anastasia at Serpukhov Children’s Hospital after their parents abandoned them; they both have serious neurological disorders. They believed the girls would be well treated and receive the care they needed. 

The hospital is described as having cracks in the walls, patches of mold, the air that is hard to breath due to the amount of moisture and it's been categorized as being in dangerously decrepit condition. 

It took authorities around two hours to trap the rat; the remaining children were moved to another ward and the room was fumigated. Despite the conditions at the hospital rats had not been a problem in the past and it is believed that this rodent could have came from a nearby mortuary. Child welfare officer Sofia Tulkinasaid, 

"We were all scared, the rat was acting so aggressively."

Despite an earlier report that indicates that the H=head doctor had requested funds to repair the hospital on several occasions the investigative committee has released a statement saying the incident happened

"as a result of the careless attitude of the hospital's management toward its immediate responsibilities to maintain sanitary and hygienic norms and supervise the children."

A finding of negligence is punishable by three months in jail or a $3300 fine.

Asylum Hearing Held for an AWOL U.S. Soldier in Germany

An asylum hearing was held yesterday in the German city of Karlsruhe for a U.S. soldier who went AWOL In the spring of 2007 after he was ordered to redeploy to Iraq for a second tour. 31-year old André Lawrence Shepherd decided that he could not return to what he referred to as a completely illegal war. He went AWOL from his base in Germany and spent the next 19 months on the run. In November of last year he became the second U.S. soldier to request asylum in Germany. Another U.S. soldier applied for asylum in 2007 but later withdrew his application. If Shepherd's application is approved he will become the first U.S. soldier to receive asylum. 

The hearing was described as a fact-finding session; Shepherd was questioned for several hours about the procedure for leaving the U.S. military, his motivation for enlisting and why he decided to leave. The hearing was a closed-door session intended to determine if he had a valid reason to go AWOL. 

According to a NATO statute he could have been arrested and returned to stand trial in a military court however under the Geneva Refugee Convention, Germany is required to provide Shepherd protection from arrest until a decision has been reached on his asylum status. When the application for asylum was first made the U.S. Army said they would not be involved in the case because it involved a federal agencies of a sovereign foreign government and therefore it would be handled by the State Department. According to the state department less than 1% percent of soldiers dessert and it is not common for their reason to be conscientious objection. German politicians and refugee organizations alike have asked the government to support the Shepherd's application for asylum. 

Shepherd's case rest interlay on the illegality of the war and he is hopeful he will be granted asylum based on the Nuremberg trials that established that even a soldier is responsible for his own actions, just following orders is not an excuse. He is also counting on the fact that Germany strongly opposed to the war in Iraq to work in his favor. 
Shepherd fears that a military court will unfairly prosecute him if he returns to the U.S. According to U.S. law deserting during a time of war can carry a death penalty.

Evanston School death Ruled a Suicide

The death of 10-year old Aquan Lewis has been ruled a suicide by the medical examiner but Evanston police Cmdr. Tom Guenther described the matter as an ongoing "death investigation.” This turn of events has left friends and family with only more questions, perhaps the biggest being: could he have actually committed suicide? 

A tearful Angel Marshall, Aquan's mother, said "My baby did not kill himself," and "You all need to get in that school and look at that stall." as she left the school. Her attorney has said that they may ask for another autopsy because the police investigation was incomplete when the M.E ruled it a suicide and the ruling was made to quickly. 

According to the Chicago Tribune a source has said that a footprint was on the toilet in the stall where he was found, they believe he stepped up and hanged himself from the coat hook. Sources also said that he had threatened to take his own life earlier in the day after being scolded by a teacher, however this begs the question: why did no one pay attention to such a threat? 

Ronald Davidson, a faculty member in the University of Illinois at Chicago's department of psychiatry said: 

"This underscores the need for teachers and school administrators and anyone who works with kids to pay attention to what children tell them,”

Child suicides are rare, according to 2005 statistics only about 36 children between the ages of 9 and 11 committed suicide nationally. 

In another turn of events the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services is investigating the school for possible neglect based on a complaint they received regarding the death. There have been no previous complaints against the school or the family.

A second Look At The 1982 Tylenol Poisonings

The Chicago office of the FBI along with state and local authorities are taking a second look at the 1982 Tylenol poising case. 2007 was the 25th anniversary of cyanide laced Tylenol capsules turning up on store shelves and resulting in 7 deaths.

Authorities are conducting a full review of all evidence that was collected related to the case. This second look into this "cold Case” began last year and is in part due to advances in forensic technology and new information that came in during 2007. Authorities are saying that all of the new information either has been or will be investigated thoroughly.

No one was charged with the deaths however James W. Lewis was charged with extortion and spent 12 years in prison after he sent a note to Johnson and Johnson demanding $1 million dollars to stop the poisonings. At the time of his arrest he gave a detailed account of how he could pull off the crime but denied any involvement. After completing his sentence for extortion Lewis moved to the Boston area in 1995. Although he was never charged with the poisonings he has remained a suspect.

FBI agents from Chicago and Boston searched a condominium on Gore Street in Cambridge that is owned by Lewis along with several other locations in Cambridge including one storage unit. Agents left the condominium with a computer and several boxes. The FBI has said that the searches are part of an ongoing investigation but would not confirm that they are related to the Tylenol case.

After his conviction on the extortion charge Lewis offered to help authorities solve the case. He sent what is described as "volumes" of diagrams and documents explaining his theories of how the poisonings could have been carried out to Jeremy Margolis, the federal prosecutor who had handled his case.

In 2004 Lewis was arrested in Massachusetts and charged with kidnapping, rape and other charges, the case was dismissed by the court one day before the trial began after the alleged victim refused to testify.

Boy, 10, dies after being found hanging from coat hook

Counselors are on hand and two police cars are parked in front of Oakton Elementary School in Evanston Illinois after a ten-year-old student was found hanging from a hook in the restroom yesterday. 

Aquan Lewis, 10, of Skokie was apparently found hanging from a hook in the boys bathroom by a principal and a teacher around 3 pm yesterday. According to school janitor Elliott Lieteau Aquan was unresponsive when he was found. The child was pulled off of the hook and school officials called 911,while Lieteau began performing CPR. 

Aquan was taken to St. Francis Hospital and later transferred to Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago where he was pronounced dead at about 4 AM. An autopsy is scheduled for later today. 

Details are not being released but school officials and police are investigating the incident and have scheduled a press conference for noon today. The death has everyone asking if this was a tragic accident, bullying gone wrong, or something much worse. 

Many parents are concerned about how their own children will deal with this tragedy, especially those who knew Aquan.

A Spotsylvania man faces charges after striking a 2-year-old girl

50-year-old Richard Bundy of Spotsylvania County, VA is being held without bond on charges of threatening a police officer, felony child abuse, and malicious wounding after allegedly striking a 2-year-old girl. Bundy, who is married to the child's grandmother, was at home alone with the girl and her 7-year-old brother when the incident occurred. 

The brother ran to a neighbors house and called 911, when deputies arrived they found the girl unconscious. The 7 year old told the officers that he saw Bundy hit the child in the head and then ran to the neighbor’s house. Bundy told the deputies that she had collapsed on her own but an examination at a local hospital contradicted his account. Doctors found injuries consistent with blunt force trauma including extensive bleeding in her brain and damage to her right pupil. 

During an interview with Detective DeMoranville Bundy began to threaten her and the girls brother. 

The girl is currently in the pediatric intensive care unit at Inova Hospital in Fairfax where she is listed in critical condition. 

Bundy was released from prison only 7 months ago after completing a 2-year sentence for arson in Spotsylvania County.

U.S.-China Relations and the Global Economic Crisis

President Obama called Chinese President Hu on Friday to discuss the trade imbalance and ways to build "a more positive and constructive relationship". President Hu Expressed a desire to strengthen cooperation between China and the US while emphasizing that the interest of each country should be respected by the other. 

China recently surpassed Japan to become the US government's largest creditor and the U.S. trade deficit with China is the largest ever recorded with a single country. For now China continues to help finance the US budget deficit by buying treasuries and government securities. However, they may be considering slowing this practice due to their own economic slowdown and irritation over criticism of China's currency policies by Vice President Joe Biden and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geither. Geither has accused China of manipulating it's currency and Biden told CNBC that the Obama administration would "say to China - which occasionally the last administration was reluctant to do - 'your a major player on the world scene economically, and you've got to play by the rules that everybody else plays by.”’ Biden also stated that China as well as other counties are focused on their own economy and are taking action to protect themselves. 

China has already begun cutting back their holdings in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac as well as establishing their own $586 billion stimulus plan to build railroads bridges and dams. Germany has also approved a €50 billion stimulus package in an effort to combat the current economic downturn. As the world's largest export driven economies China and Germany have agreed to support each other in their economic stimulus plans as well as to strengthen dialogue on economic, trade, and currency policies in an effort to stabilize the global economy. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said “We can overcome the crisis together,” and German Chancellor Angela said, “Our opportunity lies in open markets,” And warned against turning to protectionist policies. 

The controversial "Buy American" provision in the President's new stimulus package is also causing concern. The provision is intended to stimulate manufacturing jobs in the U.S. by requiring government contractors to use equipment and materials "Made in America". 

Supporters of "Buy American" provision argue that it is the only way to insure that we create jobs and stimulate the economy at home as opposed to exporting those jobs. One example of the desire for this type of act is all to obvious in a car commercial currently running in Richmond, VA. Two competing dealers have joined together in the commercial. The opening is what would be expected from any commercial however the closing line says it all. Dealer A says (referring to dealer B) if you don’t want to buy from me then buy from him, the important part is to “Buy America”. 

Those who appose the provision, including some of the biggest American manufacturers, fear retaliation from counties that currently buy their products. They have compared it to a declaration of war on free trade. Opponents go on to argue that it would violate existing trade agreements as well as sending a protectionist message to the world. 

According to the China daily China acknowledges the US effort to stabilize the financial market and stimulate the economy. They go on to say that China will join hands with the United States at the April GE 20 summit to promote a healthy and stable economy. 

With over 100,000 jobs lost in the US last week alone, Iceland's government becoming the first to fall due global economic crisis, and the effect of the economy being felt worldwide it is clear the nation's will need to work together to overcome the problem. This could include a great deal of fancy footwork on the tightrope of protectionism and free trade.

Opinion: A Proud Day, As History Has Been Made in America

America made history yesterday, in the great tradition of democracy the American people spoke out loud and proud to elect the first non white U.S. president. 

For many in America this is a day that only a few years ago they dreamed of but believed it would only be a dream, never to become a reality in their life time. many others did not dare dream of this day. 

On December 1, 1955 Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her seat and move to the back of the bus. On December 5, 1955, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was unanimously elected president of the Montgomery Improvement Association and the Montgomery Bus Boycott began. Many whites believed that this would end quickly, after all, they had to have public transportation and they just needed to stay in the back of the bus. they were wrong, this passive protest would last for 382 days and result in the bombing of Martin luther King's home as well as his arrest on conspiracy charges yet the boycott continued. This passive, silent steadfast approach led to the December 21, 1956 supreme court ruling that segregation on public transportation was illegal. 

King would go on to lead many nonviolent protests following the teachings of Thoreau and the examples of Gandhi as the leader of The Southern Christian Leadership Conference. 

This passive approach would be met with violence, it would lead to many arrests and the eventual assassination of Martin Luther King but not before he would help change the course of American history. He would not die before becoming the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, meet with Pope Paul VI, and be Time Magazine's Man of the Year. He would not die before giving the famous "I Have a Dream"Speech. He would not die before America saw for themselves the film of "Bloody Sunday" when 600 African-American marchers were attacked on the Edmund Pettus bridge in Selma, Ala. by state troopers in an attempt to stop their march to the capital for the right to vote. The arrest, beatings, and deaths of that day would lead to a public outcry for change and to President Johnson presenting congress with "The Voting Rights Act". It took three attempts but finally 3200 african-Americans crossed that bridge under the protection of the National Guard. 

It was a long walk from the Edmund Pettus bridge in Selma, Alabama to this day in history, a long march from "I Have a Dream" to a dream realized for millions. It was a long journey from segregation to Americans coming together over all racial divides to achieve a common goal. 

It is important for us all to remember that this dream was realized by uniting in "The United States" and that all things are possible when we are united. 

I thought it was ironic that the democratic news source known as citizen journalism made its own history by bringing the first all CJ live blogging to the world news arena on this historic day thanks to The Digital Journal.

Myanmar: Soldiers believed responsible for rape, torture and murder of schoolgirl

15-year-old Nhkum Hkawn Din, an ethnic Kachin of Nam Sai village Myanmar, was last seen as she was walking to the fields where her brother was working to deliver his lunch. Afterwards, she did not return home and her family alerted local police. 

After a three-day search her body was found naked near a military check point along with her personal possession. According to her family she had been beaten, raped, stabbed 7 times, her throat was cut, her eyes had been stabbed out with a knife and she had cuts on her “private areas”. The Burma Campaign UK said the girl’s skull was smashed and described her face as mutilated, 

Witnesses say they saw Corporal Aye Thein and two other soldiers following her in the field just before she disappeared. Local police have told the family that there is no evidence to charge the soldiers with the crime and at this point the military has not conducted an investigation into the matter. 

Nang Seng, Campaign Officer for The Burma Campaign said

“"This is one incident among thousands of cases and is the trademark of the Burmese Army's use of rape as weapon of war in Burma.”

In a later statement she added:

"This is a horrific attack and should remind governments and the United Nations of the true nature of this regime,"

and

"There is no justice or rule of law in Burma,"

The advocacy group, Christian Solidarity Worldwide, released a statement condemning the government and calling for more international pressure. Alexa Papadouris, Advocacy Director for the group said,

"This latest tragedy is another example of the grotesque barbarism of the military regime in Burma, and evidence that despite what the regime tells UN envoys, they continue to perpetrate crimes against humanity with impunity,"

Both organizations are calling on the International Criminal Court to bring charges of crime against humanity against the government of Myanmar.

Lionfish Invade The Caribbean

An unexpected after effect of 1992’s Hurricane Andrew was the introduction of venomous lionfish into the Caribbean. It is believed that six of the predatory fish where released into Biscayne Bay when Hurricane Andrew smashed a private aquarium.

According to NOAA the lionfish were first reported off the coast of North Carolina in 2000 and in 2004, 155 Lionfish were caught at 19 different locations, again off the N.C. Coast and began appearing in the Bahamas. Biologists believe that when the fish were freed into the bay they released there floating egg sacks that then road the Gulf Stream to the coast of North Carolina where they colonized the area. The lionfish are now being found from the Bahamas to the coast of Florida and have been found as far north as Road Island during the summer months. The largest concentrations seem to be in the Bahamas where they have invaded every habitat and in some areas have multiplied by ten fold in one year. Mark Hixon, a marine ecology expert at Oregon State University compared the invasion to a plaque of locusts saying, "This may very well become the most devastating marine invasion in history," and "There is probably no way to stop the invasion completely." 

Their venom is not fatal to humans and they are not known to be aggressive towards humans, however they do sting people occasionally. Officials believe the risk of being stung will greatly increase as the Lionfish colonize more of the popular Caribbean beaches. Bruce Purdy, a diver who has helped REEF track the invasion says he has been stung several times. On the worst of these occasions Purdy said,

"It was so painful, it made me want to cut my own hand off,"

The lionfish is a predator with an apparently insatiable appetite and the ability to disrupt ecosystems and devastate the populations of smaller fish. Researchers have observed the Lionfish eat as many as 20 smaller fish in 30 minutes. A big concern is that the lionfish may devastate the grazing fish that protect the reefs from over population of seaweed. The reefs are already under strain from climate changes and pollution. Andy Dehart of the National Aquarium in Washington said,

"If we start losing these smaller reef fish as food to the lionfish ... we could be in a whirlwind for bad things coming to the reef ecosystem."

There seem to be only a handful of larger fish that will eat the lionfish. In an effort to control this invasion researchers are scrambling to find just such a predator. Researchers have experimented with moray eels, sharks and even humans. The moray experiment was totally unsuccessful and one report said even a hungry shark would turn away when they attempted to feed them the lionfish, eventually they did have some success with the shark but it took a lot of work. Human test subjects said the fish taste similar to halibut. 

One predator that will eat the Lionfish is grouper, scientist are now scrambling to create new reserves to protect the grouper from over fishing as well as other predators that may eat the lionfish. Grouper can be found in the lionfish’s natural habitat in Southeast-Asia. T 

Although lionfish have been used as food in their native areas they are usually caught or raised and sold as pets, they are especially popular in the U.S. thus explaining the current problem.

Democratic Party Chairman Bill Gwatney Dead From Gun Shot Wounds

A 48-year-old former state senator and current democratic party Chairman Bill Gwatney died about four hours after being shot at the Arkansas Democratic Party's headquarters in Little Rock. 

A 17-year-old volunteer at the party's headquarters said the suspect, 50-year-old Timothy Dale Johnson. asked to speak to Gwatney saying he wanted to volunteer. After being told he could not see him Johnson forced his way paste employees and barged into Gwatney's office. The two introduced themselves to each other then Johnson pulled his weapon and fired several shots fatally wounding the chairman. 

According to police Johnson then drove about seven blocks were he stooped at the Arkansas State Baptist Convention and pointed his weapon at the building manager saying "I lost my job" then sped away. Apparently he had been fired earlier in the day from his job at Target for writing graffiti on a store wall. The police were called to the store because of the graffiti but Johnson had left before they arrived. 

The shooting was followed by a 30 mile chase, A police spokesman said officers fired shots at the suspect during the chase which came to an end in Grant county. At this point Arkansas state police and Little Rock police fired additional shots at the suspect who died as a result of the injuries. 

A party statement released said

"Bill Gwatney was our friend, our party's leader, and so many times our party's conscience," and "Our state and our party are better for all that Bill Gwatney has done."

Gov. Mike Beebe, a Democrat who served with Gwatney in the state Senate, made the followingstatement:

"Arkansas has lost a great son, and I have lost a great friend, There is deep pain in Arkansas tonight because of the sheer number of people who knew, respected and loved Bill Gwatney."

The FBI is assisting the Arkansas state police in the investigation.

Cancer Survivor Sells His Cheek on ebay

n an interview with channel 4 news, Gregory Brown of Woodland Hills CA. explains why he offered his left cheek for auction on ebay. Gregory, a Stage 4 Malignant Melanoma survivor, offered one year of advertizing on his left cheek to the highest bidder. 

Following surgery to remove the Melanoma in November of 2005 and a second surgery in January 2007 (the result of a recurrence) Gregory was left with a hole in his cheek. Gregory also had 17 lymph nodes removed from his neck, a tumor removed from his left femur and two, back-to-back craniotomies after being diagnosed with a brain metastasis in his right temporal lobe. He has also undergone high-dose Bio Chemotherapy for the original tumor and whole brain radiation treatments after several smaller lesions were discovered in his brain. 

After the prosthetic originally provided failed to adhere to his skin Gregory decided to make the best of a bad situation by offering his face on ebay. A portion of the auction reads,

“What you/your company is bidding on is one-year advertising rights to my left facial cheek in the form of a Medically-Safe prosthetic” and “I encourage the winning bidder to provide me with a supply of 3" x 5" index cards that state your company’s support of Skin Cancer Awareness, Research and Education.”

The auction received 11 bids with the winning bid being $76.00. 

Apparently the idea caught on, while searching for Gregory’s auction I came across these: “Tattoo space on my Right foot” and “Advertising Space on the FRONT AND BACK of my BALD Head”

Japan Bans Nicky Foods' Products Imported From China

The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry in Japan has ordered a ban on “Nicky Foods” products imported from China. The move comes after they found elevated levels of pesticides in frozen food. The products in question had been sold to members of a coop union in Kanagawa, Shizuoka and Yamanashi prefectures (states) before the contaminants were discovered. The product was recalled and the majority was collected before being sold to the public 
. 
This is the third incident involving pesticide contamination since the beginning of the year. The latest round of product recalls come shortly after the Chinese government announced that a campaign to eliminate all non-food materials from there food products was a success. 

Osaka, based Nicky Foods said the products were manufactured by there subsidiary in China, Shandong Renmu Food Co, and imported by there trading division, Nicky Trading Company. The recall was ordered after officials detected 1.2 parts per million of phorate (organophosphate pesticide) in the products, the acceptable level for humans is .03 ppm. 

In late December and early January 10 people became ill after eating gyoza" dumpling, manufactured by Tianyang Food in Hebei Province China, bringing the contamination to the attention of authorities. An additional 286 people received medical treatment after consuming the dumplings. Police found 1-mm. holes in the front and back of at least one package leading them to believe the contamination may have been intentional. "Nikuman" buns and dim sum were also recalled after elevated levels of pesticides were found. 

The Chinese General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine told the government owned China Daily that “The contamination is likely to have been caused by loopholes in the producers' purchase of raw materials such as vegetables," placing blame on Japan based Nicky Foods and their subsidiaries. They also pointed out that both manufactures, although located in China are wholly owned subsidiaries of Nicky Foods. 

China has also suspended exports from Wangyu Aquatic Food Company after they discovered similar contaminants in frozen mackerel that was to be exported to Japan. Chinese official say that they tested samples from the plant including packaging materials and found no evidence of the pesticide. Officials also said that the only seasoning provided by the Chinese plant was salt, and again pointed out that this is a Japanese funded facility. 

China has sent Wu Guoqing, top criminal investigator, and toxicologist Wang Guiqiang to aid in the investigation into the source of the contamination.

Japanese Destroyer Collision Caused by Negligence

On Feb.19 at 4:07 a.m. the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force destroyer, Atago, collided with a small fishing vessel, the Seitoku Maru, in the pacific just off of Chiba Prefecture, Japan. The 7,700-ton destroyer apparently struck the smaller vassal’s wheel house broadside slicing the ship in half instantly. 

According to the MSDF, the Atego alerted the Japanese coast guard about 17 minutes after the collision, the JCG responded with five patrol boats, three aircraft, and a four-member diving team who searched the wreckage of the Seitoku Maru for survivors with no results. The father and son crew, Tetsuhiro, 23 and Haruo Kichisei, 58, have not yet been recovered. 

The JCG immediately launched an investigation into the cause of the accident. They acquired a warrant to search the Atago as soon as it arrived at Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture. The warrant was obtained on the basis that the JCG believed that the Atago’s crew endangered maritime traffic through negligence. They were looking far any clues related directly to the accident and examined the surface radar system and determined that it was functioning properly. The JCG also questioned the crew of the Atago about events leading up to the collision while divers examined the hull of the ship for any additional clues. 

As a result of information and evidence obtained during the investigation the accident is believed to be the result of negligence on the part of the destroyer’s crew. The smaller vessel should have appeared on the Atago’s radar as early as 30 minutes before the collision although the JCG is unsure if it was detected. The initial report filed by the Defense Ministry stated that the crew of the Atego saw the Seitoku Maru’s navigation light only two minutes before the collision however new information reveals that at least one watch crew member saw the light 12 minute prior to the accident. The investigation also reveals that the Atago was returned to manual control and evasive action ordered only one minute before impact. Maritime law requires all ships to yield right of way to vessels approaching from the right. Grey paint traces found on the recovered wreckage of the Seitoku Maru shows that it was hit on the port side indicating that the Atago was required to yield and failed to do so. 

Maritime law also requires all ships operating at night to display a green light on the starboard side and a red light on the port side, in this manner other ships can determine position and heading. Ships towing any object, including fishing nets, must display an additional light visible from all directions. At this time it is believed that the Seitoku Maru was in compliance with with applicable laws at the time of the accident. This seems to indicate that the fishing vessel should have been easily visible and the collision avoidable. 

It is now being reported that Adm. Eiji Yoshikawa, the Maritime Self Defense Force’s chief of staff, is expected to be relieved of duty for failing to report the accident to the prime minister in a timely manner. His possible successors are Chief of Staff Vice Adm. Tamotsu Kato and Vice Adm. Yoji Koda. 

The incident has some Japanese officials asking the question, if the destroyer could not detect and avoid a collision with a well marked fishing trawler what could they expect in the event of a terrorist attack against one of there ships.

Blind Man's Legacy Continues to Teach After Almost 90 Years

After losing his vision at 55, former high school teacher William A. Hadley was faced with the challenges that are realized by all of us who lose our vision or are born blind. One of his greatest sources of frustration was the lack of educational opportunities available for the blind. 

After teaching himself braille, Mr. Hadley decided that he could help other vision impaired individuals learn much needed communication skills. With the help of his neighbor and ophthalmologist Dr. E.V.L. Brown the idea of teaching by mail was conceived. In this manner he could teach those who may otherwise be out of reach of a reasonable education. 

In 1920 Mr. Hadley mailed his first braille course to a Kansas women desperate to be able to read again, he would personally teach this first student. Over the next 21 years until his death in 1941 the school grew to 800 enrolled students. Today the Hadley School for the Blind’s annual enrollment is over ten thousand students from every U.S. state and 100 countries around the world. Mr. Hadley’s legacy has grown from one student in 1920 to become the largest international source of education for the blind and vision impaired. 

High school as well as other educational programs are available to students 14 years old and up and are offered free of charge to those who are vision impaired and there families. The high school program allows students to take course in media suitable for the vision impaired. Class materials are available in large print, braille, cassette, and in many cases online. Enrolling in the high school program at Hadley gives the vision impaired student the added benefit of blindness specific classes that may not be available at there local school, braille, independent living for the blind, and mobility just to name a few. 

Hadley’s Adult Continuing Education program offers a variety of courses for the blind including braille and academic studies to independent living, life adjustment , technology and recreation. These classes are designed to help in adjusting to life after vision loss, employability and independent living for those of us who lose our vision as adults, as well as learning for the simple joy of learning. Hadley also offers the Family Education Program for family members of the blind and vision impaired. This program is available to the parents of blind children as well as family members of blind adults. 

The Hadley School for Professional studies is designed to teach volunteers, teachers and paraprofessionals new to the blindness field the skills to interact and educate the vision impaired. Some of the topics covered are early independence for blind children, understanding common causes of blindness, and independent living and mobility. Tuition for professional studies ranges from $99 to $139 (modest by any standards). The number of students enrolled in these classes has grown from around 300 annually in 1997 to 3000 annually as of January 2008. 

The Hadley School is accredited by The North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement, The Accrediting Commission of the Distance Education and Training Council, and The Commission on International and Trans-Regional Accreditation. 

The Hadley School for the Blind has continued to offer free classes to the blind and vision impaired and there families by relying on gifts and donations from individuals, corporations and community organizations willing to support there efforts. 

I can’t help but wonder if when Mr. Hadley mailed that first lesson to his only student almost 90 years ago if he could have imagined what that would lead to.

Rockets Fired into Israel as They Prepare for President Bush's Visit

Two Katyusha rockets slammed into Israel today as they prepared for U.S. President George W. Bush who is scheduled to arrive tomorrow. According to Haaretz the western Galilee town of Shlomi was struck by two Katyusha rockets fired from Lebanon. one rocket caused light damage to a house while the other landed in the street and damaged only an electricity pole, no injuries have been reported.

Israel has filled a complaint with the United Nations Security Council calling this a severe violation of Security Council Resolution 1701, the resolution that brought to an end the second Lebanon war. They are also reporting that two U.N. peacekeepers were wounded by a roadside bomb in southern Lebanon today. Israel is calling for immediate U.N. and Lebanese government action. Defense Minister Ehud Barak said "We will learn what happened together with the army officers, we'll think and decide how to act," Hezbollah refused to comment but an unidentified Lebanese military officer told said "It's baseless and completely fabricated." UNIFIL said it was investigating but "In the meantime, we can't confirm or deny the Israeli claims,"

This attack comes just one day before President Bush is scheduled to arrive. His visit is being described as the most high profile visit since Pope John Paul. over ten thousand security personnel including body guards and snipers are preparing for the visit. All 237 rooms of the hotel David will be taken up by the presidents entourage, One person described it as a mini White house with a little state department thrown in. The trip is scheduled to last 3 days and is aimed towards urging progress in the middle east peace process.

al-Anfal Dead Returned to Families After 20 years

The words al-Anfal or Operation Anfal as it is also known may have little or no meaning to many of us, perhaps some of us have never heard about it. To the Kurdish people living in Iraq under the rule of Saddam Hussein it has great meaning; Just the mention of the word will evoke gruesome memories of the campaign of terror and genocide that was carried out against them between1987 and 1989 that culminated in 1988.

During Operation Anfal as many as 182,000 Kurds died and 5000 villages were destroyed. Civilians who were captured were taken to camps that in many ways were similar to Hitler's concentration camps; the most notorious of these was Topzawa. Men and teenage boys (any one believed to be capable of holding a weapon) were separated from there families. After a few days of living in severely overcrowded conditions and being subjected to random beatings they would be taken away for mass execution. Many women and children died as a result of starvation, exposure and willful neglect. 

In the village of Halabja alone around 5000 Kurds died as the result of a chemical attack carried out by Saddam's forces. The effects of the chemicals ware first felt by the animals and birds, then by the Kurds, stabbing pain in the eyes, uncontrollable vomiting, tremors, confusion soon followed by death. 

Four years ago 371 bodies were found in four mass graves near the cities of Mosul, Dohuk,Sulaimaniyah and Samawa. The bodies have since been positively identified and on January 14 a ceremony was held at the Sami al-Rahman park in Arbil, capital of Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region to commemorate there return. In a procession of coffins draped in the Kurdish flag, the remains were carried in and placed in rows. They were to be properly re-buried on Wednesday at a cemetery in Sulaimaniyah 

Kurdish president Massud Barzani spoke at the event saying: "This ceremony makes us feel pain but at the same time happiness because they are back in their fatherland," he went on to say "We want guarantees that these kinds of crimes will not target our people ever again." Iraq's Kurdish Deputy Prime Minister said "This is an important occasion because it confirms the legitimacy of Iraq's liberation, There may be some who doubt that but the bodies of these victims remind us that Iraq's liberation was legal." 

Ali Hassan al-Majid , Sultan Hashim al-Tai , Hussein Rashid al- Tikriti were all convicted and sentenced to death for there role in the attacks. They are currently awaiting an agreement between the various Iraqi politicians who have been unable to decide who should carry out the executions. 

Operation Anfal was only one of many mass casualty attacks carried out by Saddam Hussein's forces throughout the years he was in power. These attacks were part of Saddam's "ethnic cleansing" of Iraq. 

1980, Fayli villages 

Saddam's forces moved against the Fayli Kurds near the Iraq-Iran border. Security forces invaded there villages and took the Faylis from there homes. They were loaded into trucks and taken to detention centers were they separated the men and boys from the rest. The males were taken away and have not been seen since. The rest were held in detention centers. 

1982, Dujail (Shiite) 

Approximately 160 men and boys are killed and as many as 1500 people were taken away to detention centers following a failed assassination attempt carried out against Saddam. The attempt was made by a small group of villagers who were outraged over state–ordered assassinations of Shiite religious leaders. The retaliation was indiscriminate and targeted the entire village. 

1983, Arbil province. 

Saddam's troops surrounded villages occupied by the Barzanis (A Kurdish clan led by Masoud Barzani) They went house to house taking every male older than 10. As many as 8000 were taken and have never been seen since. Only 512 bodies have been recovered. Many more BArzanis along with other Kurds were sent to Nugra Salman, a prison located in the southern deserts where, many more would die of starvation, dehydration and torture. 

1991 Uprising in Iraq. 

Shortly after the U.S. entered into the first Gulf War President George H.W. Bush urged the people of Iraq to rise up against Saddam and overthrow him. Believing they had the support of the U.S. the Kurds in the North and the Shiites in the south staged an uprising in an effort to rid themselves of Saddam. The uprising gained momentum but the U.S. troops had been ordered to stop at the Kuwait-Iraq border and no support was given by the U.S. or allied forces. As a result, Saddam’s forces regrouped and began a ruthless campaign to put down the uprisings. Between 20,000 to 100,000 Kurds and 60,000 to 130,000 Shiites died as a result. 

This resulted in "operation safe haven", An operation designed to protect northern Iraq from persecution and provide humanitarian aid, eleven countries, including the United States participated in the operation