D.C. to Beijing : US and China agree on military 'HOTLINE'

Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates has gone to China and came back with a telephone. The United States already has a 'hot line' from Moscow to D.C. why not Beijing to D.C, as well.

From the VOA,

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Chinese Defense Minister Cao Gangchuan announced the plan for a military-to-military hot line during Gates's first visit to China as pentagon chief.

No date of operation was given, but China's official Xinhua news agency said it would be the first of its kind that China has established with another country.

From Reuters,

Beijing has previously indicated it backs a hot line, long wanted by Washington, but the project has not been realized.

U.S. officials had expected China to embrace the idea again during Gates' visit. But they said talks on finalizing the arrangements would be the true test of whether Beijing really had the political will to establish such a direct link.

Good idea. Let our military officials communicate with each other. It's far better than having our 'elected' leader offer up his 'Bush Diplomacy' to China. We don't need any missiles flying around because we 'think' one side or the other has done something. Our decent into another 'Cold War' mentality is occurring...again. Until then, China can continue to ply the world markets with their lead contaminated products, anti freeze in toothpastes, copy right infringed materials, poisoned pet food, and hack into the computers of the Pentagon and our allies. We get a "hot line".

Same Players. Different Scandal.

Independent panel cites U.S. Army as a procurer of needless debt

"The Iraq-Kuwait-Afghanistan contracting problems have created a crisis"

It must be nice to be a government contractor. No bid contracts, limited oversight, unlimited profit potential...all is great. Not so according to a new report by six independent members on a panel to review the U.S. Army 'procurement process'.

From an article in the IHT. ...According the the six member panel,

In a wide-ranging report to be made public on Thursday, the panel said these and other shortcomings had contributed to an environment in Iraq and Kuwait that allowed waste, fraud and other corruption to take hold and flourish.
.....
the six-member panel, appointed in August by Army Secretary Pete Geren, levels a stinging indictment of how the army oversees $4 billion a year in contracts for food, water, shelter and other supplies to sustain United States forces in Iraq, Kuwait and Afghanistan. The panel also blames senior army leaders for not responding more swiftly to the problems, despite warning signs like severe shortages of contracting officers in the field. "The Iraq-Kuwait-Afghanistan contracting problems have created a crisis," the report states.

Got that...a 'crisis'. These guys are spending not only our current funds, but those of our children as well. How hard is it to employ people to 'review' these shady contracts? How hard can it actually be? From the time I was little..I've always heard, " pay for what you can afford. Don't purchase anything you can't pay for up front. Anything else will lead to debt" The message appears true.

...the panel's examination of the problem is the broadest to date and offers potentially the most far-reaching recommendations for fixing the shortcomings plaguing the supply system for a military that is increasingly conducting combat and stability operations around the globe. (nowadays, War is everywhere)

and those recommendations are....

increasing the number of army contracting officers by about 25 percent, or 1,400, in coming years. (Years? try NOW!) It urges the department to improve training and to start young officers in the procurement corps soon after they join the army, not after seven or eight years of other duties, as is common now.
.....
any increases in financing or changes in authority, would require congressional approval, officials said. But several others will be up to Geren, the army secretary, and senior army leaders to carry out. ( In short, they still get what they want.)

The recommendations haven't came without grief, though. Many 'top lawmakers' view the 'recommendations' as too little too late,

These and other changes, the officials say, are long in coming, and if they had been put in place immediately after the Sept. 11 attacks, they could have curbed much of the corruption that has surfaced since then.

"If you had had more personnel, who were better trained, on longer tours with more supervision, could you have cut the number of fraud, waste and corruption cases in half?" asked Raymond DuBois, a former senior army official. "Yes."

Yet the corruption still continues,

As of Oct. 24, the army reported that it had 83 criminal inquiries related to contract fraud in Iraq, Kuwait and Afghanistan, according to Christopher Grey, an army spokesman. He said that 23 military and civilian staff members faced criminal charges, and that over $15 million in bribes had been uncovered. (The "#" is most likely far higher)
.....
One of the largest cases involves Major John Cockerham of the army, who is accused of bribery, conspiracy, money laundering and obstruction. Prosecutors have accused Cockerham, with his wife and sister, of taking at least $9.6 million in bribes in 2004 and 2005, when he was a contracting officer in Kuwait. ( these people should be tried for TREASON)

and how does the military 'attack' the problem? They've created another panel of course..

A second army review, led by Lieutenant General N. Ross Thompson III and Kathryn Condon, two army contracting specialists, is examining current contracting operations, particularly in Kuwait.

We don't need anymore 'studies' or 'investigations' . The contract 'procurement' system is in shambles. Our hard earned tax payer dollars are being diverted into 'programs, systems, and weapons' which the American tax payer would never approve. We're getting a lot of 'bang', but it's not worth the 'buck'.

Until we change the monetary equation...war will always come first and diplomacy second. The Department of State NEEDS to receive more funds...not the Department of Defense. Change that equation..you change the fate of the world.

Same Players. Different Scandal.

"Mission Accomplished" Redux..this time Bush has "Destoryed Al Qaeda in Iraq"

"America has one goal in the war on global terrorism: "It's victory -- unconditional, unapologetic and unyielding," Donald Rumsfeld 2005

The Washington Post is reporting the Pentagon is expected to release a raving review of US military forces progress against Al Qaeda in Iraq (AQI). In short..it's expected to be the second round of Bush and Cheney's famous "Mission Accomplished" in Iraq...this time Bush, following General David Petraeus' pseudo plan, he has 'crippled' AQI.

Before everybody gets all crazy about what the Pentagon is hypothetically going to say,let's take a moment and reflect on what Donald Rumsfeld had said about "accomplishing" the "mission" in Iraq and Afghanistan in 2005.

MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla., Oct. 12, 2005 – Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld suggested to military men and women at a town hall meeting here Oct. 11 how they might answer questions stemming from "growing confusion and some misunderstanding" about the global war on terror.

Speaking to a group of airmen from the 6th Air Mobility Wing and other service members from U.S. Central Command and U.S. Southern Command, Rumsfeld noted that the troops might be getting questions from others about what America is trying to accomplish in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Well, you can tell those who ask such questions that you and your friends across the world are standing on the front lines to protect them and to safeguard their freedoms, as well as your own

and you can tell them something else: that America is not what's wrong with this world...What's wrong with this world are the terrorists, the 'beheaders,' the hostage-takers, the assassins -- the people our forces are fighting every day in a number of locations -- they're what's wrong with the world. And our country's finest men and women are out there meeting them every day.

it is not the mission of the U.S. military to "cower behind illusory defenses" because "defenses don't work." The only defense is to go on the offensive, to stop terrorists before they attack America.

Your mission is to be on the offense; it's to go on the attack and that's what our forces are doing: they're engaging the enemy where they live so that they do not attack us where we live."

America has one goal in the war on global terrorism: It's victory -- unconditional, unapologetic and unyielding...

You fight today so that our children and their children might not have to experience the heartbreak of something like Sept. 11th and the men and women in uniform -- you and your associates all across the globe -- are displaying resolute courage, the kind of courage that's defined our country through the generations. defenselink

and just in case the White House and Pentagon want to start ridiculing our former Generals that are speaking out on the war..remember Rummey's advice

it's service members' responsibility to speak up about what they believe.

Save Democracy from the Monarchy, but be careful...as General Odierno recently stated, it only takes three people" to construct and detonate a suicide car bomb that can "kill thousands."....thump thump thump..the constant drumbeat of fear continues...

The Statements Don Rumsfeld did not say on Camera
Remembering History: Donald Rumsfeld on 9/10/2001
It's Official...Petraeus is marching US towards war with Iran
Kuwait agrees to US Arms package..."no aircraft included"
also:
From the All Spin Zone: Are We About to See “Mission Accomplished” Again?

Same Players. Different Scandal.

Bush administration Dominatrix: Debra Cagan..pounds on her "war drum" to British MP's

Have you ever wondered who debriefed our allies on America's 'position' on Iran and Iraq? Well..it might shock you. On Sept. 11th there were 2 partisan 'Playbills' in Bush diplomacy. The most obvious being the 'Petraeus/Crocker Show' but, the more theatrical content was provided via 'The Debra Cagan Show' at the Pentagon.

Six members of the British Parliament met with Debra Cagan to discuss America's stance on Iraq on Iran. Cagan, the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Coalition Affairs to Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, made sure the MP's understood her message when stating..."I hate Iranians".

What the Hell is this? Are you kidding me? I'm not a member of the British Parliament but I can understand their astonishment. Who in the world communicates on an intelligent level this way. No way...it couldn't be true. Wrong. The six MP's made sure everyone understood when they provided their responses to their 'meeting' with the She Devil.

"She made it clear that although the US had no plans to attack Iran, it did not rule out doing so if the Iranians ignored warnings not to develop a nuclear bomb.

It was her tone when they met her on September 11 that shocked them most.

The MPs say that at one point she said: "In any case, I hate all Iranians."

Although it was an aside, it was not out of keeping with her general demeanour.

"She seemed more keen on saying she didn't like Iranians than that the US had no plans to attack Iran," said one MP. "She did say there were no plans for an attack but the tone did not fit the words."

Another MP said: "I formed the impression that some in America are looking for an excuse to attack Iran. It was very alarming."

Tory Stuart Graham, who was on the ten-day trip, would not discuss Ms Cagan but said: "It was very sobering to hear from the horse's mouth how the US sees the situation."dailymail.co.uk

The crazy lady wasn't finished either. She continued beating her 'Iranian war drum' by stating that it would be the UK's fault if 'Iranians' took over southern Iraq after a UK pullout

"She said if we leave the south of Iraq, the Iranians will take it over," said one MP.

When questioned about the meeting, the Pentagon responded to the claims by simply stating

"She doesn't speak that way"

Are you kidding? Because if one takes the way she dresses one might differ with that opinion. Who in the world wears a bright red leather dominatrix jacket to an awards benefit(see picture) much less to receive the Commander's Cross Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary?

Well that person is Ms. Debra Cagan, the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Coalition Affairs to Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and member of the Commander's Cross Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary (2005).

Remember, America...she "hate(s) Iranians". Worse.. she has the ear of the 'resident in the Oval Office' and his key advisers. Aren't we so lucky?

...the drumbeat to war continues...

*special note* Her award is given by the President of Hungary and has many levels. The GREEN ribbon on her award signifies the CIVILIAN, not MILITARY division.
Transcript of Ambassador András Simonyi and Keynote Speech by Mickey Hargitay during her awards ceremony.

The Dominatrix has been around DC for well over a decade..with SECURITY CLEARANCE!!
TRANSCRIPT: NSC, DOD, STATE BRIEFING, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1998

Same Players. Different Scandal.