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WASHINGTON, May 11, 2010 – Senior U.S. and Afghan officials today agreed to explore ways to broaden and deepen defense cooperation between the two countries and establish a long-term partnership for the future, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates today hosted Afghan Defense Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak, Interior Minister Mohammad Hanif Atmar and Afghan Intelligence Chief Amrullah Saleh during a 90-minute Pentagon meeting. The meeting is part of a series of discussions between U.S. and Afghan officials built around Afghan President Hamid Karzai’s visit here. “This is a very important week for our partnership, for...

KABUL, March 31, 2010 – After visits to U.S., coalition and Afghan forces in Afghanistan’s Helmand and Kandahar provinces, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said today that “never has our partnership … been stronger, or the challenges we face, clearer.” Navy Adm. Mike Mullen completed a rigorous three-day visit to Afghanistan that took him to the region of the recent offensive in Marja in Helmand province. Mullen also attended a “shura” – a meeting of community leaders -- at the governor’s palace in downtown Kandahar. In central Helmand, Mullen saw the results of the offensive. Though combined...

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif.- Two Afghan national army officers, Col. Mohammad Aslam Mohammad Hashim Hashmi, and Lieutenant Col. Sayed Mohammad Gulakai Malekzai, discuss lessons learned and exchange perspectives with the 'village elders'; in a training exercise Jan. 14. The Afghan officers observed scenario training specifically designed to improve the partnering capabilities of Marine Transition Teams as they work with Afghan forces to combat terrorism and conduct counterinsurgency operations in Afghanistan. The delegation also observed and participated in simulated patrol missions, vehicle check points and detainee actions offering some unique insight to role players and training teams. (U.S. Marine...

BAGHDAD — Soldiers with the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division took over partnership responsibilities with Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) in eastern Baghdad during a transfer ceremony, Nov. 15. The ceremony here at Joint Security Station Loyalty marked the end to the year-long deployment for paratroopers of the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division. "I would like to take a moment to thank ... the entire Panther team for the hard work they put in to making our transition a success,” said Col. David M. Miller, of Evanston, Ill., the commander of 2nd BCT, 10th Mtn. Div. “Congratulations...

AMARAH, Iraq, Nov. 12, 2009 – Soldiers of the 57th Military Police Company have spent the past three months building a partnership with the Iraqi police in this Maysan province city to improve their ability to govern and secure the local populace. Iraqi police officers watch a safe-body-search demonstration by Dan Escudero, an international police advisor, at an Iraqi police station, Oct. 15, 2009. U.S. Army photo by 2nd Lt. Len Rothermich  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. The MPs engage with key police leaders and visit the district headquarters weekly to collect information on the area, establish training dates...

ABOARD A MILITARY AIRCRAFT, May 13, 2009 – With piracy generating big news in the Gulf of Aden, a far-less-recognized multilateral partnership has brought pirates’ swashbuckling days to a virtual halt in the strategic Strait of Malacca. Navy Adm. Timothy J. Keating, commander of U.S. Pacific Command, praised a partnership among Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and, increasingly, Thailand and the Philippines, that has boosted maritime security dramatically. An estimated 40 percent of the world’s trade -- about 50,000 vessels each year -- transit the narrow passageway that links the Indian and Pacific oceans. Until three years ago, pirates trolling the strait...

TBILISI, Georgia, March 31, 2009 – The United States and Georgia will continue to work on a strategic partnership over the coming years, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said here yesterday. Marine Corps Gen. James E. Cartwright is visiting the former Soviet republic to meet with senior military and civilian officials, traveling to both Tbilisi and Gori. During his visit to Gori, Cartwright toured an old tank battalion base and a field artillery base. At both locations, he was able to see first-hand destroyed buildings and military equipment from the Russia-Georgia war in August over...

WASHINGTON (Jan. 17, 2009) - The Army Reserve signed an agreement with General Electric Jan. 15 at the Pentagon making the 330,000-employee company the 153rd to become an employer partner with the Reserve in less than a year. Chief of the Army Reserve Lt. Gen. Jack C. Stultz and GE Vice President and Chief Security Officer Francis X. Taylor put their pens to the Employer Partnership Initiative document, formalizing an agreement to work collaboratively in developing long-term job solutions for Soldiers and veterans. "GE has a great development program in terms of teaching not only the technical skills, but management...

WASHINGTON, Jan. 7, 2009 – As the United States carries out the terms of its new status-of-forces agreement with Iraq, it has the opportunity to successfully conclude the American effort in Iraq and gain a long-term democratic partner in the Middle East, National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley said today. Hadley, who is slated to be succeeded by retired Marine Corps Gen. James L. Jones when President-elect Barack Obama takes office Jan. 20, gave his assessment of the state of national security in a speech to The Center for Strategic and International Studies here. “Today, violence is down in Iraq,”...

SALEM, Ore., Nov. 4, 2008 – The Oregon National Guard has established a partnership with one of the most populous -- and according to many at the State Department, one of the more strategically located -- countries in South Asia. A delegation from the Oregon National Guard meets with key civic and military leaders in Bangladesh to discuss a collaborative partnership between Oregon and the South Asian country. Bangladesh is the first official partner for Oregon in the State Department's "State Partnership Program", developed to foster alliances between the United States and foreign countries. U.S. Army photo   (Click photo...

CONTINGENY OPERATING BASE ADDER, Iraq, Oct. 31, 2008 – As the sun began to set on the base’s soccer complex Oct. 23, 15 U.S. soldiers warmed up for a big game here. Army Sgt. Freddy Valdez attempts to reach a soccer ball before an Iraqi soldier can kick the ball away during a soccer match at Contingency Operations Base Adder in southern Iraq, Oct. 23, 2008. U.S. Army photo by Maj. Jesse Henderson  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. The “Rough Rider” soldiers of the 1st Cavalry Division’s 27th Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, were set to...

"GE slashes earnings view for 2008, but shares gain" by Marketwatch shows that General Electric is off about 38% from its high of about 42 only a year ago. Furthermore, "GE currently makes about 45% of its earnings from the financial unit, called GE Capital." From where we sit, General Electric's problems are the direct result of a management belief, as exemplified by the company's membership in the Climate Action Partnership, that the company does not have to create genuine value to earn a profit. As described by Kimberly Strassel's "If the Cap Fits: Why our CEOs are warming to...

WASHINGTON, Sept. 24, 2008 – The partnership between the coalition and the Iraqi government has been enormously productive and is continuing to pay dividends, Brig. Gen. David Perkins, a coalition spokesman in Baghdad, said. Perkins and Iraqi Army Maj. Gen. Qasim Atta spoke about a range of subjects during a news conference today. Atta, the spokesman for the Iraqi Army’s Baghdad Operations Center, said that as the holy month of Ramadan closes and Iraqis begin to celebrate the Feast of Eid on Oct. 1, security forces will take extra precautions, such as not allowing vehicles to enter parks where the...

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan, Sept. 18, 2008 – Partnership among coalition, NATO and Afghan forces is a must in providing the security necessary for Afghanistan to move forward, a senior coalition officer said here today. Army Brig. Gen. James C. McConville, deputy commander of support for Combined Joint Task Force 101, gave Afghan media and a host of international journalists an overview of the security situation in Regional Command East and a glimpse at the concept for going forward in the coming months. “If you had asked me, ‘What do you think of Afghanistan?’ after being here almost six months, I...

California, six other Western states and four Canadian provinces launched plans on Wednesday for one of the world's largest carbon-trading systems, a sweeping effort to cut greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming. The North American program, like a similar market-based system in Europe, focuses on heavy polluters such as electric utilities, oil refineries and large industrial and commercial facilities. Environmental groups immediately questioned whether the plan will be tough enough on polluters, while industry groups said the program lacks details. California officials said the proposal will be an integral part of the Golden State's ambitious goal of reducing...

A North American deal made in the dark, asserts federal NDPer Concern over Canadian sovereignty is growing as New Democratic Party MP Peter Julian lectures citizens on a national tour. The disquiet is stemming from a little-known extension of the North American Free Trade Agreement that doesn't require parliamentary approval and whose meetings take place behind closed boardroom doors. The "dialogue," known as the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America, was instigated in Mar. 2005, with a goal of increasing security and prosperity by harmonizing standards between Mexico, the United States and Canada. However, the partnership, which is neither...

WASHINGTON, Jan. 17, 2008 – Troops serving in Iraq this February will see a little Valentine love from the states thanks to a partnership between a troop-support group and a regional video store. On Jan. 15, 25 Family Video stores in the Central Illinois area began collecting DVDs and Valentines for the troops, said Eric Schuller, president of Operation Homefront’s Illinois chapter. The effort is part of the “Send a Soldier a Movie and a Valentine” campaign, which will end Jan. 29. Operation Homefront is a supporter of America Supports You, a Defense Department program connecting citizens and corporations...

WASHINGTON, Dec. 28, 2007 – Military spouses now have a larger scholarship pool to draw from, thanks to a new partnership between the National Military Family Association and the Fisher House Foundation. The collaboration will enable the NMFA to expand its Joanne Holbrook Patton Military Spouse Scholarship Program to many more deserving spouses, association officials said. “With 55 years of combined experience serving military families, both NMFA and Fisher House Foundation are acutely aware of the challenges and hardships facing today’s military families,” Tanna Schmidli, chairman of the NMFA’s board of governors, said. “We are thrilled to be working...

CAMP LIBERTY, Iraq, Dec. 19, 2007 – There must be a “full and complete” partnership between coalition and Iraqi security forces for success in the country, the coalition’s day-to-day commander of ground operations in Iraq said here today. Army Lt. Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, commander of Multinational Corps Iraq, spoke as the 1st Cavalry Division – commanded by Army Maj. Gen. Joseph F. Fil – transferred authority for Multinational Division Baghdad to the 4th Infantry Division – under Army Maj. Gen. Jeffrey Hammond – during a ceremony here. Odierno said that when the 1st Cavalry took command of the Multinational...

LISBON, Portugal (AP) -- Senior officials from the European Union, three U.S. states, Canada, Norway and New Zealand launched an international effort Monday to fight climate change by building a global carbon trading market. The International Carbon Action Partnership aims to add momentum toward low-carbon economies by grouping countries and regions that cap and trade environmentally damaging carbon dioxide emissions. Under the scheme, local authorities place an annual ceiling on carbon dioxide emissions and issue "pollution permits" to companies, which can then buy and sell them. ICAP intends to push for a worldwide marketplace that will allow cross-border trading in...