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174 PCTR 07 E rev 1 - THE FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM - IMPACT AND IMPLICATIONS FOR THE ATLANTIC ALLIANCE
TABLE OF CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION II. DEFINING THE THREAT III. NATO'S EVOLVING ROLE IN COMBATING TERRORIST GROUPS IV. IRAQ V. THE BROADER MIDDLE EAST VI. THE NEED FOR BROAD INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATION A. THE ROLE OF THE UNITED NATIONS VII. THE DIFFICULTY OF MAINTAINING A "COMMON FRONT" AGAINST TERRORISM VIII. WHERE DO WE STAND? IX. PRELIMINARY RECOMMENDATIONS I. INTRODUCTION 1. The terrorist attacks on the United States on 11 September 2001 dramatically changed the global security landscape and had a profound impact on the transatlantic relationship and NATO as an alliance. 2. This report takes a brief look at where the transatlantic partners stand six years after US President George W. Bush declared the "war on terror". The paper argues that progress has been made, but that the Allies need to expand and refine their instruments and that NATO's political-diplomatic clout has not been used to its full potential. NATO's role in combating terrorism is important, but limited. Many of the essential activities of the fight against terrorism occur outside NATO, through bilateral co-operation, or are done by international actors such as the UN.
3. Terrorism is not a new phenomenon, but it has evolved over the past years. Today's threat of terrorism, brutally exposed by 9/11, does not come from an organised enemy with a clear identity and a coherent set of objectives. The threat emanates from a relatively small number of loose, shifting and disparate groups that want to force their individual and narrow values on others through violence. Religious extremism, while not the sole motivation for terrorism, is likely to be the most immediate source of terrorist threats in the short to medium term. In 2006, 706 individuals were arrested in 15 EU member states on suspicion of terrorism offences, and half of these arrests were related to Islamist terrorism. Among the range of terrorist threats, that of "home-grown" terrorism is a particular concern, because it is more difficult to anticipate the motives or actions of potential terrorists who are citizens of Western countries. "Home-grown" Islamist terrorism is considered a bigger problem in Europe than in the United States or in Canada. The Muslim communities in Western European countries account for a larger percentage of the population and Muslims in North America are generally better integrated than their counterparts in Europe. 4. The threat of terrorism is global and the widespread availability of information technology has enabled terrorist organisations to communicate in new and more effective ways. Terrorists can increasingly operate "virtually" and without formal structures. They can share tactics and strategies through the internet and there is evidence of collaboration between terrorist organisations and international criminal organisations. 5. Terrorist groups like al Qaeda have planned attacks across the world, from Afghanistan to Indonesia to the United Kingdom and the United States. Terrorist groups work across borders and in stateless cyberspace. No single nation can defeat terrorism on its own, as it is a global threat. International co-operation between national authorities, and firm and decisive resistance of the societies is essential to ensuring the safety of innocent civilians around the world.
6. All international organisations have some role to play in combating terrorism, as it is a multi-faceted threat requiring a multi-pronged response. However, as a long-established political-military organisation, NATO has particular comparative advantages in this struggle. The capabilities of NATO member countries and their co-operation with geographically, ethnically, and culturally diverse partner countries, allow NATO as an organisation to create counter-terrorism strategies that are useful to a wide range of situations and threats. NATO can also help countries with weaker defences against terrorism by disseminating expertise from countries that have had more experience in this area. Through the North Atlantic Council (NAC) and its consensus-driven decision-making, NATO has the ability to generate political will among the Allies to address terrorism. NATO also has proven intelligence-sharing channels, used predominantly in the military domain. NATO has the military assets needed for operations to disrupt terrorist activities, including force generation and command and control procedures. Finally, through science and technology co-operation, NATO can perform the research and development necessary to find new methods to counteract terrorism. Together, these areas are essential to tackle terrorist groups, and should be fully exploited by Allies. 7. The attacks of 9/11 were a turning point for NATO, propelling the fight against internationally active terrorist groups to the top of NATO's priorities. Almost all of NATO's activities today are shaped by the struggle against terrorism. While terrorism was listed as a threat when NATO revised its Strategic Concept in 1999, there was little talk within the Alliance, at that time, either at the strategic or at the operational level, about how NATO should combat this threat. However, within 24 hours of the terrorist attacks on America the Alliance invoked Article 5 of the Washington Treaty for the first time in its history. This interpretation of collective defence, which the founders of NATO could not have envisioned, made abundantly clear that the Alliance faced a new threat, and that the Alliance needed to find a way to respond. 8. Operationally, the Alliance agreed to eight measures to aid the United States immediately after 9/11, including its first official counter-terrorism operations. NATO deployed its Standing Naval Force Mediterranean (STANAVFORMED) to the Eastern Mediterranean (Operation "Active Endeavour" - OAE) and sent Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft to help defend the United States from further attack. Additionally, NATO members agreed upon increased intelligence sharing, assistance to states subject to increased terrorist threat, blanket overflight rights for counter-terrorism operations, free access to ports, and finally to "backfill" selected Allied assets that were being used to fight terrorism. 9. Politically, however, these eight measures were seen as small compared to the operation that the United States launched to overthrow the Taliban in Afghanistan. NATO Allies had offered the United States much more support for its initial campaign in Afghanistan, but the US administration preferred to run the campaign through its own Central Command, rather than through NATO command. This decision was largely based on the US administration's perception that the Kosovo campaign was made more difficult through problems with "targeting by committee". It was also due to the fact that NATO lacked, at that point, the range of capabilities needed for such a large operation far from NATO territory, particularly one that relied heavily on Special Forces. In the end, however, 15 of the then 19 Allies contributed to the initial Afghanistan campaign on a national basis, including large troop contributions and air and naval resources. 10. Following intense discussion among member states as to the appropriate role for the Alliance in the fight against terrorism, the Allies agreed in early 2002 that NATO's role should be "to help deter, defend, disrupt, and protect against terrorist attacks, or threat of attacks, directed from abroad against our populations, territory, infrastructure and forces of any member state, including by acting against these terrorists and those that harbour them," as the political guidance provided by the NAC stated. This overall goal has directed all further efforts by the Alliance to combat terrorism. 11. Recent NATO Summits have adopted incremental measures to enhance Allied capabilities to fight terrorism. At the Prague Summit in 2002, NATO Heads of State and Government agreed on a new Military Concept for the Defence against Terrorism that recognised four key areas where NATO can play a role: antiterrorism, i.e. defensive measures against terrorism, management of the consequences of a terrorist attack, offensive counter-terrorism operations, and military co-operation, particularly intelligence sharing. These four areas are clearly military competencies, and on these military dimensions NATO has made much progress. The Alliance also initiated a new Missile Defence Feasibility Study. 12. NATO's Comprehensive Political Guidance (CPG), endorsed by NATO Heads of State and Government in November 2006 at the Riga Summit, states that NATO must have the "ability to deter, disrupt, defend and protect against terrorism, and more particularly to contribute to the protection of the Alliance's populations, territory, critical infrastructure and forces, and to support consequence management". The CPG also refers to the importance of protecting information systems of critical importance to the Alliance against cyber attacks. 13. The transformation in NATO capabilities since autumn 2001 is perhaps the most striking change in the Alliance. At the Prague Summit, the Allies adopted a three-pronged approach to improving their defence capabilities - launching of the Prague Capabilities Commitment (PCC), the creation of the NATO Response Force (NRF) and the streamlining of the military command structure. The PCC set specific targets for each Ally, and the Alliance collectively, to increase capabilities in over 400 specific areas. While these capabilities span many different military fields, all are relevant to counter-terrorist operations. Progress on implementation of the PCC, however, has been mixed, thereby delaying and diminishing NATO's usefulness in the struggle against terrorism. 14. More successful has been the creation of the NRF, a Rapid Reaction Force that is self-sustainable and able to deploy for any crisis anywhere in the world. The NRF was declared fully operational at the Riga Summit in November 2006 and can be a key asset in any future counter-terrorism operation. Combining land, air, sea, and Special Forces into one package, the NRF is deployable within five days of a North Atlantic Council decision to do so. However, force generation for the NRF still poses problems. Shortfall in terms of troops and equipment remain and need to be tackled. 15. NATO has also developed key capabilities in the management of a possible terrorist attack. In Prague the Allies agreed on five initiatives to develop capabilities in dealing with chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear (CBRN) attacks. The largest of these initiatives was the creation of a Multinational CBRN Defence Battalion, which can be deployed with NATO forces or on its own to provide a full range of CBRN defences, including reconnaissance, detection, and light and heavy decontamination units. The Battalion has already been deployed to aid civilian authorities during the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. In addition, NATO has compiled an inventory of Allies' response capabilities under a terrorist attack that can be called upon if an incident occurs. 16. The Alliance has also improved intelligence sharing since 9/11. At the Istanbul Summit in 2004, the Allies agreed to create a joint Terrorist Threat Intelligence Unit, which uses both civilian and military intelligence resources to provide advice to the NAC and the NATO staff. However, as intelligence is by its nature confidential and paramount to each nation's security, most intelligence sharing still happens on a bilateral basis, making it difficult for NATO to add value in this area. Still, a thorough review of NATO intelligence is underway to identify means of ensuring that NATO staff has timely access to accurate intelligence. 17. NATO's operations are also aiding the struggle against terrorism. OAE, NATO's only Article 5 operation, continues to help detect and deter terrorist activity in the Mediterranean. Broadly defined, its mandate has been expanded since it was created in 2001 to cover the entire Mediterranean and to counter terrorism in the region,. OAE now involves intelligence sharing in targeting of specific vessels of interest that can be tracked, or even boarded. NATO ships also patrol and survey choke points in the region, such as important passages and harbours. In addition, while their primary goal is to create and maintain a secure environment, NATO operations in Afghanistan and in the Western Balkans also include significant counter-terrorism components. These operations rely on NATO's main comparative advantages in fighting terrorism - its integrated military structure, highly developed military planning mechanisms, and less tangibly, its moral authority as an alliance of democracies. 18. The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan continues to assist the Government of Afghanistan, as part of the international community's broader efforts in creating and maintaining a secure environment across all Afghanistan. In this context ISAF can be considered to be by far the most important contribution of the Alliance in the fight against international terrorism. It is the most challenging mission NATO has ever taken on and its primary task there is to assist the Afghan authorities in providing security and stability. In addition, the Alliance has also become involved in reconstruction efforts. Significant progress has been achieved, but the security situation in Afghanistan markedly worsened during 2006, particularly in the south of the country. Suicide bombings, previously unknown in Afghanistan, have increased fourfold from 2005 and the Taliban were able to perform major military operations against Afghan and ISAF units at the end of last year. Security has also deteriorated in other parts of Afghanistan, including in Kabul. The decreased level of security has already hampered reconstruction efforts and limited NGO assistance activities mainly to urban areas. This year's General Report of the Political Committee offers a closer look at the operations in Afghanistan. 19. Partnerships, too, are part and parcel of the fight against terrorism. NATO and Partner countries agreed to the Partnership Action Plan on Terrorism in November 2002, which provides a framework for co-operation against terrorism. This mechanism is important for generating political will to fight terrorism across a broad range of states and for exchanging information on preparedness as well as on ways to impede support to terrorist groups. Co-operation on terrorism is also a key aspect in the founding charter of the NATO-Russia Council (NRC), signed in 2002. The NRC draws up an annual action plan on terrorism and conducts training exercises to manage the consequences of a terrorist attack. In 2006 Russia joined OAE. NATO's Mediterranean Dialogue also contributes to the fight against terrorism which, through individual co-operation programmes (ICP), offers the opportunity to focus more on terrorism. NATO and partner countries also established the Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Centre (EADRCC), a mechanism through which NATO can coordinate responses to a terrorist attack or other disasters by all NATO Allies and Partners. The EADRCC helps to avoid duplication in an emergency, and also facilitates training to improve capabilities.
20. The US administration has defined the Iraq war as the "front line in the 'war on terror'". The involvement and the presence of the Alliance in Iraq have been limited, however. NATO has provided communications, logistical and intelligence support to the Polish-led multinational division in Iraq and it has set up the NATO Training Mission-Iraq (NTM-I). Through NTM-I, NATO has trained over 4,000 mid- and senior-level military officers in the country, and over 900 officers in NATO and national facilities. NTM-I also co-ordinated donations of equipment to Iraq from a number of NATO countries worth more than €110 million in the last two years. 21. There is no effective central government in Iraq and the overall security picture has been steadily deteriorating. Since 2003, an estimated 64,000 Iraqi civilians died as a result of insurgents' attacks and sectarian violence. Iraq has become one of the most dangerous places in the world. Sectarian clashes have continued to increase, as has the insurgents' capacity to organise high-impact attacks mainly through car-bombings. As reconciliation efforts have made little headway, the UN Security Council has, at the request of the Iraqi government, unanimously approved a resolution expanding the UN's role to help promote political talks among the country's ethnic and religious groups. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), an estimated 2 million Iraqis have fled to neighbouring countries, primarily Jordan and Syria, and 1.9 million Iraqis are internally displaced in Iraq. Nearly 50,000 Iraqis leave the country every month. The deployment of 17,500 additional US troops as part of a major US-Iraqi "surge" operation to secure Baghdad appears to have reduced sectarian violence somewhat. According to an ABC News/USA Today/BBC News/ARD TV poll of late February/early March 2007, only 26% Iraqis feel safe in their neighbourhoods and 80% have experienced some forms of attack. Furthermore, living and economic conditions are significantly deteriorating given not only the worsening security situation but also the lack of rule of law, as well as rising levels of corruption. Iraq has become a training ground for terrorists and the US Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) estimates that approximately 10% of the Iraqi insurgency consists of foreign fighters, the majority of whom are allegedly suicide bombers. 22. The decision to go to war in Iraq had badly strained the transatlantic partnership, NATO, and also the EU. The Allies differed on whether Iraq represented an immediate threat and whether it was justified to use force against the regime of Saddam Hussein. While these tensions have now settled, there is still no transatlantic consensus on the best way to promote stability in the country. 23. The US focus on the Iraq war has jeopardised the early military victory in Afghanistan of 2001. Moreover, the 2006 US National Intelligence Estimate concluded that the Iraq war has fuelled the growth of Islamist extremism. The war has also created a climate of growing mistrust between Islamic countries and the West. Linking democracy promotion and regime change sparked a debate not only among allies but also outside the Alliance. Unfortunately, the Iraq war has discredited democracy in the eyes of many Iraqis. Many Muslims throughout the world regard the war in Iraq as unjust and there is a deep suspicion of US motives among the Muslims in the region. The pictures of the Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo prisons and related events have increased anti-American sentiment among Muslims around the world. Democracy promotion's place in foreign policy has become controversial with the debate over the war in Iraq.
24. Islamic fundamentalists argue that terrorist action is a result of policy, primarily the perceived injustice in Palestine and the presence of a non-Muslim military on sacred Muslim soil in Saudi Arabia. The Middle East conflict is one of the most important, if not the most important, stumbling blocks on the path towards reducing terrorism. Many Muslims are critical of the United States and the West because they perceive that we have backed repressive regimes in the Middle East and that we appear to be tacitly supporting repression and imprisonment of dissenters. Moreover, many Muslims perceive that the United States and the European countries support Israel and its occupation of Arab and Muslim territories. They feel that the United States and the West are applying double standards and they also cannot understand the opposition to Iran's nuclear programme while Israel's was ignored. However, the primary enemy for Islamic fundamentalists is not the United States and the West but their own governments and ruling elites, which have failed to prevent the corruption of their religion and to protect Muslim society from the unholy influence of the secular world. The United States and the Allies are being targeted because they are perceived to be in support of these oppressive governments and policies. 25. There is a link between political repression and the rise of terrorist movements. However, we need to be careful with advocating regime change. We cannot and we must not impose our political system on others. Rather, our priority should be to help these countries allow political participation of all their citizens, rule of law and economic opportunity. 26. Secular governments across the Broader Middle East face a surge in conservative religiosity that supports an extreme form of political Islam. Many countries in this region have suffered terrorist attacks from local groups that have emerged from the repressed extremists. Their governments have outlawed extreme Islamist parties that would be likely to win large parliamentary blocs - if not majorities - were they allowed to participate in free and fair national elections. But the circumscribed democracy that exists throughout the region also prevents more liberal elements of civil society from participating in politics as well. Islamist movements appear to be gaining ground and they can easily exploit the disenchantment with repressive, corrupt regimes, particularly among the young generation that forms a high percentage of the population in many Arab countries and many of whom are unemployed. Economic development alone, however, does not suffice to address the problem. In fact, a recent study by the Gallup Centre for Muslim Studies in ten Muslim countries showed that wealthier and better-educated Muslims are more likely to be radicalised. Islamist movements easily exploit the Internet and Arabic satellite TV stations to spread their militant political messages.
27. The fight against terrorism is being waged on many fronts: military, intelligence, diplomatic and financial. NATO's role in this fight is important, but limited. The fight against terrorist groups is principally a "war of ideas" and the principal weapons that the Allies should be applying are our freedom, our liberty, and our rule of law, as Colonel (ret.) Lawrence Wilkerson, former chief of staff to US Secretary of State Colin Powell, stressed during the visit of the Sub-Committee to the United States in July this year. To succeed in tackling terrorist groups the Allies need to have consistent policy approaches and need to act transparently, Colonel Wilkerson told the Sub-Committee. Moreover, international co-ordination and co-operation are and remain crucial to counter the threat, both at the international level, as well as on the bi-lateral level. A. THE ROLE OF THE UNITED NATIONS 28. The UN has much to contribute to the development and implementation of an effective strategy to combat internationally active terrorist groups. The UN's most important contribution is that it establishes a legal framework for counter-terrorism and that it provides legitimacy in combating terrorist groups. The UN Security Council (UNSC) has passed numerous binding counter-terrorism related resolutions. To monitor member states' implementation of these obligations and to strengthen their counter-terrorism infrastructures it also established a number of subsidiary bodies. Moreover, the UN General Assembly has adopted a Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy thus marking an important consensus in the UN on terrorism. 29. Shortly after 9/11 the UNSC adopted Resolution 1373, which required all 191 UN member countries to freeze the financial assets of terrorists and their supporters, deny them travel or safe haven, prevent terrorist recruitment and weapons supply, and cooperate with other countries in information sharing and criminal prosecution. To monitor state compliance with these obligations and to strengthen their counter-terrorism capacities, Resolution 1373 created the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC). 30. UN activities have raised awareness among member states of the importance of international co-operation on counter-terrorism, but political and institutional limitations, including the consensus decision-making process that makes it difficult to take action in a timely fashion, as well as a lack of financial and human resources, impede the UN's efforts. Moreover, the UNSC's counter-terrorism activity has been mostly reactive, with the majority of Council resolutions dealing with terrorism having come in the aftermath of an attack or another major event. As a result, the Security Council's efforts against terrorism are both incoherent and uncoordinated. The CTC relies exclusively on reports from member states and has no possibility of verifying if countries are actually implementing counter-terrorism mandates.
31. The 9/11 terrorist attacks, as well as the later attacks in Madrid and London, were also calls to action for the European Union. While the EU gives primary responsibility for the protection of citizens to the member states, the Union feels it can add value to the fight against terrorism by confronting networks of terror with networks against terror. Therefore, in the months following 9/11, European leaders agreed to a series of broad political measures intended to improve co-operation in the fight against terrorism. The EU's initial " Plan of Action to Combat Terrorism ", agreed within the context of the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) in late September 2001, aimed to enhance police and judicial co-operation, while fighting terrorist financing and improving air security. This was followed by an agreement to create a European Arrest Warrant, thus speeding extradition of terrorist suspects and other criminals within the EU, and a common definition of terrorism. In March 2004, in the wake of the Madrid bombings, the EU member states agreed to a new "Declaration on Combating Terrorism" which, among other things, created an agreement on solidarity among the member states in the event of another terrorist attack. The EU also created the position of Counter-Terrorism Coordinator, who would report directly to the High Representative for CFSP. The EU has a number of instruments outside European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP) that are important in this area, such as an agreement on data sharing via Europol's antiterrorist cell, and Eurojust, designed to co-ordinate investigations and prosecutions between national prosecuting authorities. 32. In the wake of the attacks in London in July 2005 the British Council Presidency sped the creation of a unified "EU Counter-terrorism Strategy." Along with its accompanying action plan, with its 160 specific measures, this Strategy is a comprehensive document combining steps to fight terrorism across all three EU pillars. The Strategy's headline commitment is "to combat terrorism globally while respecting human rights, and make Europe safer, allowing its citizens to live in an area of freedom, security and justice." It is important to note that security and the preservation of fundamental rights are given equal weight in this statement. The Strategy is divided into four work streams - prevent, protect, pursue, and respond - each of which has its own key priorities. The work streams aim to improve upon national efforts by strengthening national capabilities, facilitating European co-operation, developing collective capability, and promoting international partnership. The Council meets to review the progress on implementing the Strategy every six months, and prior to this meeting a High Level Political Dialogue on Counter-Terrorism takes place, with representatives from the Council, the Commission, and the European Parliament. The EU has also assisted the United States in the areas of police and judicial co-operation, in particular regarding regulation on extradition and police surveillance. 33. While the EU has now created a unified counter-terrorism strategy, implementation of this strategy is left to the member states. In practice this means that member states differ radically in their counter-terrorism legislation. In general, smaller and less affluent states have had difficulties advancing their legislation as speedily as the larger member states, many of whom had counter-terrorism legislation even prior to 9/11. More co-operation among member states in implementation of counter-terrorism policies would certainly add to the security of the Union as a whole. Other areas for improvement within the EU framework are better sharing of information and best practice, and better co-ordination of counter-terrorism related external development assistance.
34. Although 9/11 and other attacks such as those in Turkey in 2003, in Spain in 2004 and in the United Kingdom in 2005 created a general consensus that the transatlantic partners face a similar threat, there are significant differences, across the Atlantic, on the means to employ to counter the threat. In the United States, the terrorist attacks led to the largest expansion and restructuring of the security agencies in US history. This has not been the case in European member countries, as a number of them have been exposed to terrorism long before and had already adapted their law enforcement structures and legal means. However, the EU has introduced a broad array of structures and initiatives to allow for a more integrated and co-ordinated management of its policies to address the problem. 35. Many governments have introduced new anti-terrorism legislation and the issue remains high on the agendas in member countries. Surveillance of private individuals and the collection of data about them has been greatly expanded. But there has also been concern that the character of our open societies may change for the worse. One of the challenges the Allies face is that they have differing answers on how to balance civil liberties against the need to increase security. The issue is primarily related to domestic legislation and it is up to every individual country to define the proper balance between civil liberties and increased state control. However, there are also important foreign and security aspects to it. 36. NATO allies share the same values, including the emphasis on the "rule of law" and a strong case can be made that protecting human rights and strengthening democracy are essential over the long term to the fight against terrorism. Holding on to our values and obtaining the strongest international legitimacy will make it easier to combat terrorists. Allegations of war crimes and torture undermine our values and make it more difficult to reach out to Muslim communities as well as hurt our reputation and legitimacy abroad. 37. Tackling terrorist groups also requires co-operation with countries that do not necessarily share our values. Terrorist movements often arise in societies where civil and human rights are denied and opportunities for political expression are lacking. The difficulty is that we also need to co-operate with repressive governments, some of which may use this co-operation for their own domestic purposes. While we also need to co-operate with repressive regimes, we need to consider short-term gains against long-term costs. We need to recognise that democracy can be a tool against terrorism and we must resist any temptation to weaken democratic values in our own societies. While we cannot and should not impose our values on others, we must be strong examples of how countries benefit from democracy and we must encourage other states to adhere to democratic values as well. We must consider that the potential costs of avoiding democratisation are far greater in terms of forsaking our values and weakening our long-term security. 38. There is no trade-off to be made between human rights and terrorism and upholding human rights is not at odds with battling terrorism. On the contrary, the moral vision of human rights - the respect for the dignity of each person - is among our most powerful weapons against it. We must not torture, arrest without justification, and detain individuals without recourse to basic legal protections. These are means employed by terrorist groups like al Qaeda. To compromise on the protection of human rights would hand terrorists a victory they cannot achieve on their own. Therefore, the promotion and protection of human rights should be key part of our strategy to combat terrorism. 39. We need to use the ''soft power'' of values and ideas as well as military strength to defeat extremism. We must avoid "politics of fear" - which is the primary weapon that terrorists employ - and we must also reject the vision of Islam as the Evil Power. Most Muslims consider terrorist acts to be egregious violations of Islam's laws. 40. Another problem that our open societies face is how we deal with terrorists and insurgents, as the distinction between military and civilian combatants has become increasingly blurred. In addition to ignoring or violating many fundamental individual rights and liberties, the Bush Administration has been accused of acting in violation of international law, human rights, and the US Constitution in its execution of the campaign, particularly with regard to the internment of so-called "unlawful combatants" in its military prison at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. Critics emphasise that it has detained many hundreds of prisoners, some of them American citizens, indefinitely, in secret, and without charge or access to a lawyer. Concerns have also been raised about the creation of special military tribunals where traditional safeguards to protect the innocent from conviction will not be available. Designated by the US authorities as "unlawful enemy combatants", who are thus denied the privileges of prisoner of war (POW) designation in accordance with the Geneva Conventions, many have been held for more than five years without knowing if or when they will be released or brought to any form of judicial process. But other countries, too, have difficulties in finding a "right" balance between upholding civil liberties and protecting against terrorist attacks and some of their anti-terror programmes have been criticized domestically and internationally. 41. The Bush Administration has also been criticised over the rendition-flights programme of kidnapped suspects. At least 1,245 such flights in EU states have occurred since 2001 with the tacit approval and co-operation of some European governments, according to a report by the European Parliament. 42. The existence of the CIA's secret prison system and allegations by some former prisoners that they were tortured in these secret facilities have made European public opinion more critical of the United States. In addition, critical media reports have prompted a closer look in Europe at the co-operation with United States intelligence agencies. Europeans are increasingly concerned about the US's use of airline and banking data of European citizens in terrorist profiling. A German court has ordered the arrest of 13 Americans, presumed to be CIA agents, in the "extraordinary rendition" of a German citizen who was later found not to have any connections to terrorism. Critics have chided the United States and some European governments for "outsourcing torture."
43. Six years after President Bush declared the "war on terror" it is difficult to assess where we stand. There are no clear benchmarks against which we could measure success or possible failure. Moreover, the inherent secrecy of terrorist and government actions makes it almost impossible to provide a clear picture. Failure or success in combating terrorist groups becomes public only after an attack or after a foiled attempt. Calling the fight against international terrorist groups a "war on terror" has been a mistake. The term is vague and simplistic and suggests that we could win this struggle by applying primarily military means. Groups like al Qaeda are not governments that can be subdued by war but a diverse network of non-state actors spread across more than sixty countries. 44. It appears that the general picture is mixed. One main success is certainly that the Taliban no longer rule Afghanistan. What is more, international awareness of and co-operation against terrorism has greatly increased. As to the bi-lateral and multi-lateral co-operation, a number of new initiatives have been developed, such as the Container Security Initiative (CSI). With regard to NATO, it has engaged in a major transformation which is directed to make it much more responsive to fight terrorism. NATO has developed and expanded its capabilities that are important in tackling the threat posed by internationally active terrorist groups. 45. According to reports, a number of major terrorist attacks have been thwarted and numerous high-profile terrorists have been arrested or killed. Foiled plots like the trolley bomb case near Cologne in Germany in July 2006 and the London airplane in August, which had a large impact on civilian air travel and led to a substantial increase in airport security measures, demonstrate that the threat has not subsided, but that national and international authorities are making progress in tracking these threats. 46. But "despite being forced to decentralise its network, al Qaeda retains the ability to organise complex, mass-casualty attacks and inspire others", as the director of the US Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), General Michael Maples, submitted in a written statement to the US Senate Armed Services Committee earlier this year. Moreover, according to the 2006 US National Intelligence Estimate, al Qaeda may have been weakened since the 11 September 2001 attacks, but new radical Islamic groups and cells, which are inspired by Osama Bin Laden but not under his direct control, have been formed. The terror threat to EU member states is "more serious than ever", according to the annual report of Europol, the EU's police office. Al Qaeda propaganda is now of "greater sophistication and quality" and more "professional" than ever before and the radicalisation of young, disenchanted Muslims has become more rapid. 47. As to Iraq, the security is highly fragile and the country is close to a civil war which could spill over to neighbouring countries. The presence of the US-led coalition is proving a recruiting tool for young radical Muslims worldwide, but a precipitous withdrawal of the troops would probably make the situation worse, thereby aggravating the terrorism problem. 48. By concentrating on Iraq, we diverted already scarce resources from improving the situation in Afghanistan. As a result, we have made less progress there than was possible, and there is still unrest and instability in Afghanistan while the Taliban are resurging. Moreover, the focus on Iraq distracted us from addressing other important issues, in particular Iran, which has been accused of assisting terrorist organisations. American intelligence officials allege that Iranian paramilitary groups are providing weapons and sophisticated bombs to Iraqi Shiite groups thereby helping the insurgency there. Tehran was also able to continue pursuing its controversial nuclear programme. If Iran decided to develop nuclear weapons, it could lead to the further proliferation of WMD and would further destabilise the Gulf's already volatile security. The Iranian problem contains the basis for another transatlantic clash. The clash could emerge over whether the idea of Iran having nuclear weapons is something that is inevitable and worth the risk of war. 49. The greatest threat to our security is a "nexus between terrorist networks, terrorist states and WMD" as former US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld described. Here, too, the picture is mixed as international co-operation has increased and new partnerships developed. Programmes like the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism and the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) have generated additional capabilities among participating countries to combat the global threat of nuclear terrorism. However, there has been no progress with regard to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty regime (NPT) which is worrisome, as the danger of WMD proliferation appears to increase and the possible nexus of terrorism, "states of concern" and WMD proliferation has become a major security concern.
50. Despite the achievements in combating terrorism, the threat posed by international terrorist groups has not abated. Although assessments like the 2007 US National Intelligence Estimate do not allow for much optimism that the fight against globally active Islamist terrorist groups can be won in the short term, the long term prognosis may be rather good. These groups suffer from significant strategic weaknesses as Peter Bergen, Adjunct professor at the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University, informed the Sub-Committee: Their lack of a positive vision and their willingness to accept the killing of innocent Muslims through their actions are depriving them of mass support and their expanding list of enemies will eventually led to their defeat. 51. Although its role in this field is limited, NATO provides the essential transatlantic dimension in combating terrorism. Defeating radical Islamist terrorist groups requires vigorous law enforcement, intelligence, and military action. However, the operations in Afghanistan have shown that the "rules of the road" in this fight are not clearly agreed upon in the Alliance. Therefore, NATO should use its political-diplomatic clout more effectively to work towards greater policy coherence between the Allies. The Alliance needs to re-invigorate its ability to achieve political consensus, agree on common concept and act as a coalition. To that end, NATO needs to expand and refine some of the policies it has developed. 52. One of the areas where NATO could take on additional responsibility is homeland defence, and its role in this area could be to co-ordinate national policies across the Atlantic. Certainly the main responsibility for protecting citizens from terrorist attacks belongs with national authorities and homeland security will always remain an essential competence of every nation's government. However, NATO has already had a role in homeland defence and homeland security since the Cold War. What is more, military forces have always co-operated with civilian authorities in responding to natural disasters, sealing borders or protecting critical infrastructures. NATO's role in homeland defence must not detract from national and EU capabilities and institutions in this field but rather complement these. Thus NATO could develop a co-ordination and planning role to warrant that Allies' capabilities and activities are adapted and integrated to deal with these new threats. 53. NATO's political clout should also be used more effectively with regard to partner countries. As the Broader Middle East is of critical strategic importance, the Allies should expand the engagement with neighbouring states by developing existing programmes like the Mediterranean Dialogue and the Istanbul Co-operation Initiative (ICI) using the experience and assets of NATO's Partnership for Peace. 54. A just and lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict would go a long way in tackling the problem of Islamist terrorism. Although NATO is not involved in settling this conflict, NATO should consider adding its political and diplomatic weight to finding a solution. For example, the NAC could be used to devise joint transatlantic initiatives that could help to co-ordinate the policies and initiatives of member countries as well as those of the United States and the EU. Moreover, NATO could provide additional training assistance to Mediterranean Dialogue or ICI partner countries. A greater emphasis should be placed on co-operation with countries that develop democratic structures and respect human rights. Here too, it would be important to co-ordinate with the EU as the latter could offer non-military assistance and training that are relevant in tackling terrorism. 55. Finally, the developments in the last six years have underlined the importance of public diplomacy, both in terms of maintaining support at home and co-operation abroad. Although the role of the Alliance is limited in this area, NATO can and should do more to build public support for the operations in Afghanistan and to explain the Alliance as a values-based organisation. The fight against Islamist terrorist groups is a struggle of ideas and we need to do better in dealing with the radicalisation of Islam. Allies need to support moderate Islamic forces who can show how al Qaeda and similar groups are distorting the Koran. NATO allies should better orchestrate their activities among themselves. To that end NATO's capacities should be strengthened and more funding as well as expertise made available. |


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I keep a small piece of you here in my luggage. Shut the world down 'cause it's mine you can't have it. You're too good to show the way you rock my body. Shake it, shake it, shake it, like it, like it, I like it.
What am I looking for in a woman?
She has confidence, but humble smile.
Somebody who appreciates me and get my jokes.
Eye is the gateway to the soul, but that's really honestly what I look for. You can tell a lot about a person by looking at their eyes.
What am I looking for in a woman? A lady me.
I really like it. Never ever did your heart break.
My favorite feature on a woman is definitely her legs.
My favorite feature on a woman are their eyes and their hips.
My favorite feature on a woman is beautiful hair.
I really don't have a favorite feature on a woman. There's none an inch of her body that I don't love.
Your heart is beating like a drum. Never ever did your heart break. But you see I think--
Who is the hottest? Vote at cosmopolitan.com?
These days theres more than one way to feed your Cosmo fix. You can get your subscription to the print magazine as you always have, or if youd prefer to get it sent to you as a digital edition to read on your iPad, tablet, or Nook, weve got you covered. And, when you just cant get enough Cosmo, well give you even morecheck out our Sex Position of the Day app for your iPhone or Android-enabled device. Now hows that for a turn-on?
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31-12-2012, 09:30 AM | #11 (permalink) |
I rally like the idea and the model looks great so far.
Personal I think the texture is to blurry and the level of detail could be better. If you have the time, take a look at this tutorial. Its good for some input In case of the spec map. I´m not sure. I agree with Polycruncher that you could increase the contrast, but you can also do that in mamoset.
In the chambers, he will learn how to fight, to recover all the blood lost in life and he can´t hear the fall of another, he lights a fire up above under covers - down the isles adorned, with all those beautiful bright lights- [from the isle of the blessed] |
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07-01-2013, 11:42 PM | #12 (permalink) |
Senior Member
Thank you guys for your valuable feedback. Now i have lost that model :P but i will keep your words in my mind and will improve it. Thank You so much Guys...
HIT THANKS IF MY POST HAVE HELPED YOU Take a look at this. Maulik Pankhanya - www.maxthebest685.carbonmade.com |
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G. McAvoy and M. Ozores-Hampton2
"The fact that Florida is the number one producer of fresh market pepper and tomato in the United States is quite remarkable given the unique challenges to growing vegetables in Florida and is a testimony to the resourcefulness and skill of the growers engaged in producing these crops."
Unique Challenges for Florida Growers
Weather Events
Poor Soils
Pest & Disease Pressure
Development & Urban sprawl
While Florida's normally mild semitropical climate may seem ideal for the cultivation of warm season crops like peppers and tomatoes, producers have to deal with wide variations in temperature ranging from blazing hot to freezing cold. High temperatures can inhibit pollination and fruit set while all parts of extreme southern peninsular Florida can experience an occasional frost and more rarely a devastating freeze that can inflict millions of dollars in crop loss in a few short hours.
Florida receives bountiful precipitation; however, the majority of the annual rainfall (50 to 70 inches in the major production areas) occurs during the wet season, which typically extends from May–June through mid October. During the long dry season, which coincides with the major part of the production cycle, it is not uncommon to go weeks and sometimes longer without a drop of rain. Given this reality, it is impossible to successfully produce vegetables without irrigation.
Throughout the dry winter months, weather fronts passing across the state can result in uncharacteristic heavy rainfall as cold dry Arctic air collides with moist tropical air masses. Tropical storms can drop as much as 5 – 10 inches (or more) of rainfall in a few hours or days (Figure 1). Thus, growers may spend nearly as much time and money pumping water off their fields as they do irrigating their crops.
This environment necessitates that growers provide for exquisite drainage by planting on raised beds and maintaining elaborate canal systems to remove excess water from the land. Intense rains can also result in leaching of fertilizer, depriving crops of needed nutrients as well as resulting in non-point source pollution of ground water in some instances.
During the winter months, much of peninsular Florida can be blanketed by dense protracted fogs and heavy night dews resulting from the interaction of cooler terrestrial air and warmer air masses moving in from the surrounding waters. These events can occur on a nearly daily basis for extended period of time in some seasons and may endure until 9 or 10 AM before eventually dissipating. These events cause ideal conditions for the development of disease, which can be difficult to control until environmental conditions ameliorate.
Florida's geographical location makes it extremely vulnerable to direct hits from tropical weather systems and hurricanes originating in the Atlantic and/or Gulf of Mexico. Looking at a map of hurricane strikes over the last 100 years, it becomes readily apparent that no area of the state has been spared and most areas suffer a direct hit every couple of decades. These violent events can leave plantings in a shambles resulting in enormous losses in a brief period of time (Figure 2).
"Climate is what you expect, weather is what you get..."
Most of the soils used to produce peppers and tomatoes in Florida are some sort of sand ranging from coarse "ball bearing" sands to fine "sugar" sands. In other pepper and tomato producing regions, most notably in the Homestead area, what passes for soil is basically pulverized limestone from ancient coral reefs. In either case, Florida's soil is merely a media to hold plants that provides little in terms of nutrients beyond what the grower supplies.
As a result of the high average temperature and abundant annual rainfall, the organic matter (OM) content of many agricultural soils is extremely low, often a fraction of a percent at best. Due to both low OM and the porous nature of these sands, Florida's soils have very low water holding and cation exchange capacity. Some soils can literally go from a flood to a drought condition in less than two weeks if rain does not occur or irrigation is not provided.
Low native fertility and low cation exchange capacity dictate that growers use high rates of fertilizer to supply all the essential nutrients that their crops require to produce. This situation makes leaching, especially under high rainfall or poor irrigation management, a distinct possibility, a factor that can contribute to non point source nutrient loading of surface water adversely affecting environmental sensitive areas nearby. In some instances on some of Florida's uncoated sands, the exchange capacity is so low because there is nothing to bind minerals to what are basically miniature glass beads so that even some nutrients such as phosphorus that are typically considered to be immobile elements become mobile moving with ground water.
The pH of Florida soils can vary widely as well, ranging from very acid as low as 4.2 on native Pine Flatwoods fine sands to quite alkaline as high as 7.8 – 8 on the Rockdale soils and marls of Miami-Dade. Since much of the irrigation water used in agriculture is extracted from the limestone underlying the state, the pH of many originally acid soils can increase dramatically over time moving from an acidic to an alkaline condition in response to sustained irrigation, which can add as the equivalent of a ton of lime per acre on a yearly basis. These extremes of pH can induce either nutrient toxicities at the lower end of the pH scale or nutrient deficiencies as pH increases above 7 that a successful grower must learn to anticipate, diagnose and rectify.
Given the state's humid subtropical environment and warm average annual temperatures, insect, weed and disease pressure is constant and can be intense at times. Unlike other more temperate pepper and tomato producing areas, most of the state's growing regions do not experience hard freezes that so effectively reduce pest pressure. Pest control costs for Florida growers surpass those encountered in many other growing regions of the United States.
Per acre production costs for pepper and tomato in Florida often exceed $10,000 per acre in large part due to the high cost of pest control.
Florida's environment is also favorable for the introduction, survival and establishment of exotic pests entering the state from other countries. It is estimated that at least one new introduced pest or disease enters the state each year.
In 1997, Tomato yellow leaf curl virus infected whiteflies blew into the state by hurricane winds most likely from the Dominican Republic (Figure 3).
In 2005, chilli thrips were detected in the state and since have been found in a least 16 counties across Florida. This pest has the potential to become a major pest of peppers and other vegetables and ornamental plants.
Most recently (2010), groundnut ringspot virus has been detected on tomatoes in South Florida.
Successful tomato and pepper production depends on an adequate supply of labor to plant, nurture, harvest and pack the crop. Florida's vegetable industry is heavily reliant on migrant labor. Unfortunately many of these laborers enter the U.S. illegally and have attracted the attention and ire of many citizens and legislators who seek to curb the flow of undocumented workers into the country.
Competition for labor from the construction, fast food, hotel, landscape and other industries could negatively impact the supply of labor and force wage increases.
Rapid development has gobbled up much of the prime agricultural land previously used for tomato and pepper production in eastern Palm Beach, Homestead and more recently in southwest and west central Florida.
Development has also raised real estate prices to levels which prohibit the purchase of land for agricultural use in most areas of the state. In some areas land sells for in excess of $100,000 per acre and it is almost impossible to find any land for less than $8 - 10,000 an acre suited for crop production anywhere in south Florida (Figure 4).
Although development has slowed somewhat and land prices are falling in recent years due to the economic downturn, historical trends indicate this is temporary at best.
As housing encroaches on agricultural areas, neighbors may object to pesticide spraying, the movement of heavy equipment on roadways and other operations associated with agriculture.
Successfully negotiating the regulatory environment can be a daunting task. The acronyms for the rules and the names of the agencies that administer them present a veritable alphabet soup for the typical grower.
BMP: Best Management Practices
FWC: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Committee
FDACS: Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
FDEP: Florida Department of Environmental Protection
EPA: US Environmental Protection Agency
SWFWMD: Southwest Florida Water Management District
WPS: Worker Protection Standard
Layered on top of legislative regulations may be buyer-mandated programs such as food safety or fair wage programs that have begun to emerge in recent years. These programs cost money to implement and in most cases do not provide any increased return.
Surveys of vegetable producers in southwest Florida indicate that growers spend from 6% to over 30% of their time and energy trying to comply with and maintain documentation required by various regulations.
Competition from offshore producers has also emerged as a factor affecting vegetable producers in Florida. Beginning with the North America Free Trade Initiative in the early 90's production of many crops has emerged in many lower cost producing areas, most notably Mexico. In addition to lower cost of land and labor, many of the areas currently in competition with Florida's growers are not bound by the regulatory tangle that vegetable producers in Florida must negotiate.
Imports have made up a large portion of U.S. fresh tomato consumption for many years. Imported tomatoes account for about one-third of U.S. tomato consumption, up from one-fifth in the early 1990s. U.S. net imports of fresh tomatoes now approach 2.4 billion pounds per annum. Canada and Mexico, U.S. trading partners under NAFTA, are the main sources and the Netherlands follows as the third largest source. After implementation of NAFTA in 1994, some tariffs were phased out in the five years between 1994 and 1998, while others were eliminated over a ten-year period ending in 2003.
Although Mexico was a substantial partner in trade prior to NAFTA, the total value of imports from Mexico increased 138 percent between 1993 and 2004. According to USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), Mexico supplied 85 percent of U.S. fresh tomato imports, valued at $750 million. U.S. fresh tomato imports from Canada substantially increased as well. From 1989, the year the Canadian-U.S. Trade Agreement (CUSTA) was implemented, to 2004, fresh tomato imports from Canada into the United States rose 889 percent, from $2.8 million in 1989 to $257 million in 2004. In 2004, Mexico and Canada combined accounted for roughly 95 percent of the $1 billion U.S. fresh tomato import market.
Because U.S. field-grown fresh tomato production is seasonal, Mexico is the predominant importer to the United States in the spring, fall and winter, with Canada providing the bulk of imports during summer months.
In 2010 Mexico alone contributed about twice the volume of fresh vegetables to the U.S. as all other countries combined, accounting for 65% of the 4.3 billion worth of fresh vegetables that the U.S. imported. Fresh tomatoes led the way with a value of $1.1 billion exported to the U.S. accounting for 40% of Mexico's vegetables exports to the U.S. had already surpassed $1 billion or 39% compared to the same period last year.
In response to many of the factors discussed above, pepper and tomato production in Florida is now primarily controlled by a relatively small number of large corporate agribusinesses that have the ability to spread risk between multiple production centers and the resources to endure the adversity of a poor market year or years.
This document is IPM-201 (IN733), one of a series of the Entomology and Nematology Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Published: November 2007. Revised January 2011. Please visit the EDIS website at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.
G. McAvoy, county extension director and regional vegetable extension agent, M. Ozores-Hampton, assistant professor, Southwest Florida REC - Immokalee. Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida.
The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal
Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational
information and other services only to individuals and institutions
that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed,
color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital
status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations.
For more information on obtaining other extension publications,
contact your county Cooperative Extension service.
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service,
University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A. & M. University Cooperative
Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Nick T. Place,


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Store > ANOTF5WH
ANOTF5WH 0 remaining Outfoxed - Through the Foliage - WhiteUS $10.50
Lavender, Paprika, Sienna, Coral, Copper, WhiteMod and magical, these twisting vines and leaves provide a fairytale forest for you to wander. Match with the rest of this fun collection or use it for a special botanical project, we're sure the outcome will be enchanting. Larger leaves are about 1/2", from the 'Outfoxed' collection by Lizzy House for Andover Fabrics.
Quantity: yardsMinimum 0.5 yard;increments of 0.25 yard


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The Original deadline for the credit Expired on April 30, 2010, however the expiry date has been amended to September 30, 2010.
Due to the home buyer tax credit extension, expect delays when applying for mortgages these days. Between this tax credit and all the refinances taking place processing time can be as long as 4-5 months, rather than the normal 6-8 weeks.
Plan ahead and bring a complete package to your lender for their underwriting department.


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I'm a 6th grade Social Studies teacher. The topic of religion as a part of culture comes up all the time. Today during a discussion of Greek myths, a student (a 12 year-old girl with a sweet smile) asked me if I believed in god. I paused and said, "Well, sure."
I felt that I was having a discussion with a child about Santa or the Easter Bunny. I didn't want to be the one to tell the child that all the adults in her life have been lying to her.
This has been bothering me all day. When this comes up again - I'm sure it will - should I lie as I did today, or should I tell the truth?
It isn't.
If a child inquires about your personal beliefs, you should take the secular route and choose not to discuss such matters in school. Children at this age are frankly too immature to handle what is candid; a child needs something to believe in. The inquiry of existence is not within a child's mental capacity, and should thus remain out of the child's psyche.
I was in sixth grade about four years ago; I still vividly recall how I thought and how I acted. I can honestly say that I was too immature to handle the truth and that tender age.
Totally agree. One of things that most upsets me is when I see "Christian pre-schools", etc. - filling young minds with nonsense and INSISTING that it is the truth.
It's what made me an atheist at age 12 - the sudden realisation of how much I'd been lied too when I wasn't old enough to be able to sort the truth from the crap.
And that's in secular Britain. God only knows ;-) how I'd feel if I had to live in some of the more God-deranged states of the U.S. I think I'd explode.
I would say that a child does not need to believe in something. A child does not need santa to be happy or to be normal. And could you please explain what you mean by "The inquiry of existence is not within a child's mental capacity, and should thus remain out of the child's psyche.". I would have thought that even a child could comprehend existance.
To word it quite bluntly, kids are stupid. That being said, they should not concern themselves with how the world came about.
Kids are not stupid. They are only limited by their biology and the experiences they've had. Almost every kid I have worked with (and please mind you I have worked with hundreds of 3 to 6 year old children) has at one point or another inquired about life, death, god and how the world came about. 'Should or should not' doesn't even work into the equation the fact is that many children if not most of them do concern themselves with life, death, god and how the world cam about.
you are just wrong kids are smart and their ability to learn is probably 1000 times greater than yours
Lying hurts trust. It's not good to lie to a child especially when you're teaching them. The question was 'out of bounds' and the child needs to know that you are the master of the boundaries. The context of the question is somewhat unclear. What do you think was the motive behind the question?
To be fair, few of the parents are lying to their kids as such - they are telling them what THEY believe to be the truth (absurd though it may be).
Only if the parents were "closet atheists" and still filled the kids' heads with religious mumbo-jumbo would they truly be lying.
It's telling that this is still an issue in the US. I'm quite sure that no teacher in a British (secular) school would have any problem at all admitting that they were an atheist.
That's really tough. You might want to take my advice with a grain of salt since I'm only a teenager however usually teachers in my grade schools and jr. highs just changed the subject when a topic came up that they weren't comfortable with. If the student asks repeatedly they would usually answer the question and move on without elaborating. That's what I would suggest.
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We have been abundantly blessed by God in many ways, both personally and collectively as a church. With the gifts of life and free will, we have time which we can use in many ways. We have been blessed with a wide variety of skills and abilities. Our family and friends are cherished and priceless treasures. And during his earthly ministry, Jesus often taught about another gift: money (or material wealth).
In times of old, stewards were servants who served as business managers for their masters. Stewards had to wisely manage and maintain their lord's wealth (e.g., land, buildings, money) and ensure that the lord's household was always provisioned with food and drink. Each of us are called to be stewards of God's wealth, both individually and together, as members of God's household.
How we use our time and money reveals a great deal about who we really are! Both our interests and values can be seen in our bills and receipts. Of course, many of them are associated with the stuff of life, where money is spent on food, clothing, housing, and much more. But, despite our challenges with personal budgets, there are probably very few of us who do not spend money on things we don't need. We can of course use that money for ourselves or for greater purposes. But only through giving can we mimic our Creator, express thanks to our Savior, and get a into a right relationship with the Holy Spirit.
"The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: `Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is on.e Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: `Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these."
Mark 12:29-31 (NIV)
We are called to put God and others first in our lives. Are we doing that with our time and money? Can we each take a step toward that by increasing our giving for God's work in this world?
Tax-deductible donations may be made to "First Congregational UCC Church" and submitted through the offering during worship or mailed to the church office (e.g., via check or your bank's electronic bill-pay program).


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Carla, I can appreciate that you want to write based on the fan mania you have for the Kings. That is a good thing. But players do not read this stuff/boards (as you hinted they probably don't). Although I am sure you are a great lawyer and such, you are way out of your league on NHL hockey player contracts and the player fraternity itself.
Other comments, if DL is running around making threats about other GM's signing his players it makes me laugh, laugh and laugh (can we get an Eddie Murphy chuckle here). Maybe Burke will give DL a shoulder to cry on. IMO the other GM's are eating DL's lunch and DL can't handle it because in my opinion he can't keep up and is old school. Pedigree?
If these threats continue DL will loose more respect from his players and he should be cut and sent to the minors, LOL
Competiion on the ice and in the Manager's office is a b*tch, aint it. If you can't stand the heat get out of the kitchen and let a real GM take over.
This is getting very comical.


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Classic Dating Mistakes that Keep you Single
Posted by John Aiken, RSVP dating and relationship expert on
The beginning of the year is a great time to look at your current dating approach and make some adjustments to improve your love life. Put simply, whatever you've been trying to do that hasn't worked - replace it with something else. However, one of the difficulties when doing this, is that often you make dating mistakes unknowingly and these can end up keeping you single and unhappy.With this in mind - I've outlined 10 key mistakes that you need to be aware of because they maybe ruining your current dating chances. If any of these mistakes sound like you, make a commitment now to change it up and apply a new dating approach for the rest of the year.
Mistake #1: You have a negative mindset
In this case, you're guilty of focusing on how difficult it is to meet someone, you complain that all the good ones are taken and you put yourself down about being bad at relationships. Essentially, you're bitter and cynical about your love life and feel disillusioned about the future.
Mistake #2: You're only attracted to the wrong types
Become clear about the types of potential love interests you need to avoid moving forward. Think about some of the key issues in your marriage and the behaviours and traits of your ex that you no longer want in your life (e.g. heavy drinker, low sex drive, workaholic, unsociable, player etc.)
Mistake #3: You're too clingy and nice
You have a bad habit of becoming desperate when you first meet someone and start chasing too hard. You give yourself away, please at all costs, ring or text too often, have sex too soon, change your plans to fit in with them, and spend a lot of time waiting around for them. You end up getting taken for granted and used.
Mistake #4: You're too dramatic
Everything in your life is sooooooooooo dramatic. You complain, get hysterical, catastrophise, and melt down constantly about your life on a daily basis. You don't ask other people questions or take an interest - it's all about you. Everything evolves around you and your dramas - and it's exhausting to listen to.
Mistake #5: You're hung up on the past
The baggage from your past is always coming up for you. From relationship break-ups and upsetting events of your upbringing, to recent disappointments and long-held grudges. You dwell on them and are weighed down by all the hurts that you like to talk about on a regular basis.
Mistake #6: You hang around with toxic friends
The friends you mix with are holding you back from finding someone special. They might party too hard, love to play the field, and have a negative view on relationships and settling down. Or else, they constantly get into 'victim talk' about how hard the dating game is and how there's no hope for the future.
Mistake #7: You put work before romance
This sees you put your career ahead of your love life at all costs. As a result, you work late, go into the office in the week-ends, stand up dates and miss important events, spend hours on your computer, iPad and mobile phone with work commitments. Your ambitious and focused on getting up the career ladder, not on finding a long-term partner.
Mistake #8: You drink too much
This can be a key problem for many singles who use alcohol to relax when out trying to meet someone special. The bottom line is - it's unattractive to drink too much as you end up looking worse for wear, you lose your power of communication and you can end up in some very regrettable situations.
Mistake 39: You're only into one-night stands
If you want a long-term serious relationship - don't jump into bed with people on the first date. It sends the wrong signal (e.g. not serious) and you will go away feeling used and alone. If you want players to stay away - don't have sex for at least six weeks when you are dating and you'll end up with the committed ones that respect you and want something serious.
Mistake #10: You have a problem ex
You won't have any success in the dating world if you have a problem ex on your hands. This is an ex who wants to spend all their time with you, is still in love with you, is a source of advice and reassurance and whom you're best friends with. It will simply scare away potential love interests who can't be bothered with the complication.
For more classic mistakes to avoid - check out John's best selling book - Accidentally Single: the 15 Mistakes that ruin romance and how to avoid them.
John Aiken, RSVP dating and relationship expert, seen weekly on Ch 7's the Morning show, and author of the new book Making Couples Happy (www.johnaiken.com.au)
Was up front about why he wanted to meet you Iamorata? If not he needs reporting, he's not using the site for its intended purpose
Members seem to better at detecting scammers than peole paid to crtique profiles and reject any that seem sus :)
I would rather have mine than yours. How incredibly boring for you.
Regarding scammers, have not had any real ones. I think though there are a fair few people on RSVP who use the service for business purposes. I have been directed to websites for seminars for personal growth, financial, real estate management and investment etc. Also on a recent m&g was subjected to a 30min talk on some new technology that needed funding from investors.Do I look rich or what! I am still working at my age.
I went to do the same thing but then deleted. My thoughts were that, this is an open forum and talking about detection of scammers and the specific mistakes they make, may help them improve their technique. They are not players, they are professionals. The Mods may have had the same thought. I can not judge, for I do not know what you wrote. It is just a thought
My advice to everyone. Catch someone lying, avoiding a question or insisting you get offsite. Dump their arse. Block. Report
QMW I posted a response to your question explaining the experience I have had with online scammers but unfortunately somebody didn't deign to put it up - odd, as so many others aer posted every single day.
The two scammers were of the professional Nigerian type. The phrasing and sentence structure is a dead give away. It was very poor indeed but then they had that they were post graduates and worked in a managerial position. The two I saw were almost identical but lived in different places in Australia. I am sure that this was just a recent breach and was dealt with promptly by RSVP.
QMW~~~That IS a Predatory Scammer. And then we JUST have the loverats, that are addicted Lotharios, and they are out to rob your soul/your very essence, and to suck it dry.
Either or, need to be avoided like the plaque that they are.
There are those who will weedle their way into your home just to see what you own~and for Identity theft from any papers you may have lying around.
And then there are the truly good and great genuine guys who these other wretches/scum spoil it for~ if we don't savvy up~
And then there are two victims~yourself and also the good guy that will have trouble getting close to you~ after you have been bitten by these thugs.
Prevention is much, much better than cure.
MM :-)x
Lady's there have been a flood of scammers, 8 of the last 10 contacts (kisses/emails) I've received this month have been removed by RSVP. Which is great, but be mindful that new ones are populating all over the place.
Be aware and just play it cool, don't invest to much energy until you can verify their bona fides.
Push for the M&G as soon as possible, as that can expose them.
I think the problem Is you sound nice. I think words like kind, generous mixed with lonely are the words that set them off. They look for women who appear vunerable. To them this equates to weak. Morons.
There is nothing wrong with your profile, you just have to be careful and report all suspicious behaviour.
Nothing~TheOtherRedHead~~~Please don't think you are doing anything wrong.
I liken it to swimming in the ocean when there is a plaque of Jelly Fish going on~~It doesn't matter in which direction you swim, you are bound to run into one of the slimy little critters.
And the one way to beat them is to dive deep and/or skirt around them~~~tune up that antennae and do not be rushed into anything.
This is a profession for them~and they are smooth master manipulators.
I attract psychopaths~~~now beat that for excitement and intrique.
Those that need to be healed gravitate to those that heal~ and those that need to be exposed gravitate to those who have the capacity to expose them for what they are~while staying safe.:-)))
Women of 'a certain age' preferably widowed, lonely and looking for love are prime targets for scammers~~~(not my own imaginings but the cold hard facts} And watch the wording in your own profiles. Mine says under subterfuge "Don't bother giving me any crap/I'm a wakeup" (especially now, these days~~~I have spent my time in bootcamp dealing with one experience~(on a personal level that is)~and I needed that to wise me up as to what is out there.) And don't think it is just on RSVP or other dating sites either~~~they troll any/everywhere.
But there are gooduns out there~so don't be discouraged~there are female scammers as well preying on the men~so they are undoubtedly just as wary as we have to be.
MysticalM :-)x
theotheredhead yes l too encountered a scammer when l first came on this site last year. I was only on it 6 weeks when he contacted me. I made my account inactive, changed my bank details and didn't use my personal email address for a few weeks, there was no real damage done,but there could have been. Ironically, lve just received a kiss now from a man, who's type of profile is something l now avoid! Be wary of people that send you kisses that live in another state! Yes,some people may travel around for work and get to go to different states regularly, so sure, friends in different places can help, but remember most of these scammers are foreign,so they may not be aware at the actual distance between each state, or they may be married and looking for action in another city as it's easier to cover up the affair. Don't respond to profiles that only type in a few details eg might say age, height, location, but then that's it, no other information! If other people can fill out the full profile criteria then why can't they? I always think that something is not right with those ones. Never ever give a man your own personal email address unless you have spoken to him, met him and are comfortable with him being who they say they are. Someone else suggested opening up a separate email address and buying a prepaid phone for this reason, good idea!! They will try to get personal info quickly from you and things may be a misfit in their contact, look out for spelling typos!
I'm curious as l seem to have had no exposure to on-line scammers.. Apart from those who are preying on women for financial or sexual gain, could some of you please outline what exactly you mean by a 'scammer'?
Hi all,
I have been back on this site for just two short weeks and already I have been hit by a scammer. I seemed to be a target for them before and this appears to be the case again. Maybe it was just a one off and I am being paranoid. What am I doing wrong?
I have seen two scammers on this site but the same applies as Stella stated.
I reported them straight away to RSVP and they were promptly removed.
Inspiraled, and others who may be concerned, dating Scammers often use very identifiable and rather 'odd' language. If you suspect someone may be a scammer, AND they've used some odd wording or phrasing in their correspondence with you, Google those phrases - you'll find there are quite common ones. I suspect they don't get thru on RSVP Profiles because this site is closely monitored, but once off-site, keep your ears 'pricked' as it were, and your eyes open.
Speaking about landmines; watch out for the scammers on other sights as RSVP is generally safe. This goes for men and women. While not sucked in I was impressed at how highly skilled on of the four were. It happened on a little heard of site. Later I found that the site draws from 700 other sites internationally and they don't tell you this.
~~~~Positive with sensible is a good blend AngelLove
MysticalM :-)x
Being positive helps, good points here also
~~~It pays to walk softly and carry a big stick, doesn't it girls! :-)
(re landmines)
Hi Jess! Have often wondered about you and how you were doing.
Enjoy all those precious moments with your little boy~you will be celebrating his 21st before you know it (in the blink of an eye)~ and now you have two to watch out for~diligently :-)
Perhaps the only purpose of your stepping on that particular landmine was so he could impart this special gift to you.
MysticalMidnight :-)x
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Overview: Follow the adventures of Ooga, Nooby, Klik, and the rest of the Pocket God Pygmy tribe as they try to outsmart the angry gods!
BOLT CREATIVE'S bestselling game, POCKET GOD, is now the FIRST iOS original creation to get its very own COMIC BOOK!
Winner of the 2011 Best Comic App Award from the Best App Ever Awards!
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PLUS — LEARN the secret of how the Pygmy's come back to LIFE!
You'll never look at the world of POCKET GOD the same AGAIN!
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Gem Cell Research: Part 3 of 5! Youll never guess what that Seaweed Monster is up to! Trying to kill them? Uh, yeah, so I guess you did guess. But can the tribes all get away from it or not? Thats the question! The girls regeneration gem is still busted, so no more second chances for them! This drives Sun and Ooga to train both tribes in what to do in an emergency
cause you KNOW there is going to be another one of those sooner or later!
Meanwhile, Klik and Teela work to fix the girls gem. And its looking pretty good too! But can they fix the broken gem before someone dies of a broken heart? This issue PROMISES you the most shocking and unexpected ending of any issue so far! And if you are shocked and amazed by that, just wait until you see what we have in mind for parts 4 & 5!
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Download Pocket God Comics 2.0.5 {ipa} | iPhone iPod Touch
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Written by: admin


text:
19 July 2012
Foreign and Commonwealth Office: British Behaviour Abroad Report 2012
On 19 July, 2012 the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) published the 2012 British Behaviour Abroad Report covering the period April 2011 to March 2012 [1].
During this period, the FCO handled 19,874 cases requiring Consular assistance, a three per cent increase on the previous year [2]. Arrests involving British nationals totalled 6,015 compared to 5,700 during the same period 2010 to 2011. The highest number of arrests overall were in Spain (1,909 compared to 1745) and the USA (1,305 compared to 1,272). Many arrests were alcohol related and over half of those arrested were under 34 years of age [2].
Drug arrests increased by two per cent compared to those reported for the previous year (816 compared to 799); the US detained the most British nationals for drug offences (147), followed by Spain (141) and Jamaica (65) [2].
Globally, there was a ten per cent increase in rape cases who sought Consular assistance (127 compared to 115); overall the number of sexual assaults reported to Consular staff was less than the previous year (154 compared to 163) [2].
Proportionately, most British nationals who required hospital admission were hospitalised in Greece, Thailand and the Philippines. A large increase (132%) in hospitalisations of British nationals visiting Majorca or Ibiza is reported over the last two years; causes include road traffic accident, balcony falls and heart attack [2].
The full report can be accessed here: British Behaviour Abroad Report 2012.
Advice for travellers
Travellers are encouraged to research the laws and customs of the country they're visiting by checking out FCO travel advice in advance:
For information on local laws and safety advice at your destination. access the FCO website and the Know Before You Go campaign before travel.
Do not take or carry illegal drugs, there can be severe penalties in some countries. The FCO cannot get Britons out of jail.
Take out comprehensive travel insurance before travelling and make sure it includes any pre-existing medical conditions.
Follow the FCO and NaTHNaC on Twitter for regular travel advice updates
1. Foreign and Commonwealth Office. British Behaviour Abroad Report 2012 [Accessed 19 July 2012], Available at: http://www.fco.gov.uk/resources/en/pdf/travel-living-abroad/21151574/british-behaviour-abroad-2012
2. Foreign and Commonwealth Office.10 Brits hospitalised abroad every day according to Foreign Office figures 19 July, 2012 Available at: http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/news/latest-news/?view=News&id=790045282
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text:
In 1986, National Fire Safety Council, Inc. (NFSC) developed Firepup,® a friendly Dalmatian cartoon character, in an effort to make learning about fire and burn prevention and life safety issues, fun, entertaining, and non-threatening. Firepup® was developed to be a friendly and positive role model for children. He has proven to be a successful learning tool used by fire prevention officers and teachers across the country.
Firepup®'s accomplishments have been many. Here are a few:
Firepup®'s image is portrayed by a cuddly hand-held puppet and a life-size costumed character. The character is treated as an auxiliary fire prevention officer by many fire departments. Many hospitals and children's organizations use the character in their programs. Because of his good intentions and positive personality, Firepup® has become familiar to hundreds of thousands of children from all over the country who view Firepup® as a role model and trusted friend.
Firepup® is a registered trademark of NFSC, Inc.
The Firepup® puppet was created in the Research and Development Department of National Fire Safety Council, Inc.
During development, NFSC contacted Jim Hensen of Children's Television Workshop (Sesame Street, Muppets, etc.). Mr. Hensen offered the services of his head designer Bonnie Erikson who spent several days at NFSC helping us fine tune mouth construction and character development.
Newspaper articles showing how departments are utilizing the Firepup® puppet in their fire safety programs appear locally and nationwide.
The Firepup® puppet has been distributed throughout the United States through schools and fire departments. Our goal is to place a Firepup® puppet in every grade of every school, especially Kindergarten and First grades.
Our Firepup® costume is one of the finest costumes available to help you educate your community about fire & life safety and burn prevention. Because Firepup® does not speak, we've paid a great deal of attention to detail to make his personality shine!
The Firepup® costume is a must for programs and events that further public information, education, and awareness in fire & life safety and burn prevention. Children respond to the costume in a positive manner and recognize him wherever he goes. This Firepup® costume includes a large head with helmet attached and a built-in fan; an ice-pack cooling vest; a shirt with attached mock suspenders & buckles; a pair of black drawstring pants with an attached tail; a yellow vinyl fire coat; white fur gloves; and one pair of over-sized adjustable boots.
With the help of the costume, Firepup® can be seen at various public functions including:


text:
Clinical Services
Tests currently offered at the Molecular Oncology Laboratory include:
Hematologic Malignancies
- Immunoglobulin gene rearrangement
- T-cell receptor beta chain gene rearrangement
- BCL-2 t(14;18) translocation
- BCR-ABL t(9;22) translocation
- PML-RAR alpha t(15;17) translocation
- PBX1-E2A t(1;19) translocation
- MLL-1 gene rearrangement
- Bone marrow engraftment analysis using polymorphic markers
Solid Tumors
- H-, K-, and N-Ras oncogene mutation analysis
- N- and e-myc gene amplification
- HER-2/neu gene amplification
- Microsatellite (genomic) instability analysis
- LOH studies
- RET oncogene mutation analysis in MEN II and FMTC
- APC mutation analysis in FAP
- MSH2 and MLH1 mutation analysis in HNPCC
- p53 gene mutation analysis
- FISH analyses with unique sequence probes and alpha satellite probes
Specimen Requirements
All testing must be arranged before sending specimens by calling Dr. Faye Eggerding at (626) 795-4343.
Each sample must be accompanied by a completed test requisition form and be labeled with the patient's name, specimen type, and age of specimen collection. Blood or bone marrow samples should be collected in an EDTA (lavender top) tube and delivered overnight. Tissue may be sent fresh on ice or snap-frozen in liquid nitrogen and delivered overnight on dry ice.


text:
The Committee for the 21st Century
William R.
Brody, Chair Professor and Director, Radiology Wilda Anderson Professor and Chair, French Judith K. Broida Associate Dean and Director, Division of Business Eileen T. Cline Dean, Peabody Conservatory Martha Hill Associate Professor Nicholas P. Jones Associate Professor, Civil Engineering Bruce D. Marsh Professor, Earth and Planetary Sciences Richard McCarty Professor and Chair, Biology Daniel Nathans Professor, Molecular Biology and Genetics Vincent L. Pisacane Principal Professional Staff Donald M. Steinwachs Professor and Chair, Health Policy and Management Stephen F. Szabo Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Katherine M. Verdery Professor, Anthropology C. Roger Westgate Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering Scott L. Zeger Professor, Biostatistics Joseph Cooper, Ex Officio Provost GO TO REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE FOR THE 21ST CENTURY GO TO JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY REPORTS GO TO JHUNIVERSE
© 1994 The Johns Hopkins University.
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