U.S./Cuba Relations

U.S. / Cuba Relations:

A change has come about with the abrupt release of American contractor Alan Gross, who had been imprisoned in Cuba for 5 years.  The release was granted on humanitarian grounds.  Gross, who has been on a hunger strike, is in poor health and deteriorating.  At the same time the U.S. released 3 Cubans jailed for 15 years on spying charges.  Cuba also released a U.S. spy held there for 2 decades.   As part of the deal to end decades of hostility is the release of 53 political prisoners.  It is not clear if some prisoners were kept off the list because the Cuban government refused to release them.  

President Barack Obama has announced the U.S. would restore full diplomatic and economic relations with Cuba.   The U.S. will establish an embassy in Havana for the first time in 50 years.   Negotiations are ongoing regarding lifting the 54 year old trade embargo.   Obama stated the U.S. would relax travel, banking, and commerce restrictions, and instructed  Secretary of State John Kerry to start to re-establish diplomatic relations.  The president also directed Kerry to review Cuba's status as a  sponsor of terrorism, which has been in place since 1982.  

This policy shift is the result of 18 months of talks between the U.S. and Cuba held in Canada, and a pivotal meeting in the fall at the Vatican.  Both President Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro received personal appeals from Pope Francis.   President Obama stated that the U.S. is ending an "outdated approach" after 5 decades of isolation has failed to accomplish a democratic and prosperous Cuba.   While the Cubans have made no concessions on human or political rights, as relations are established, President Obama said that U.S. officials would push Cuba on those issues 

Not everyone is behind the president.  Florida Senator Marco Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants, said that the policy change was "the latest in a long line of failed attempts by President to appease rogue regimes at all costs".  There is also a feeling among Congressional opponents that the move by the president is naive and will cause a loss of support among other Latin nations.  Cuban President Raul Castro told the Cuban National Assembly, "In the same way that we have never demanded that the U.S. change its political system, we will demand respect for ours.  

I favor the re-establishment of diplomatic and economic relations with Cuba.  Fifty years of isolation has produced only suffering and economic hardship for the Cuban people.   When what you are doing does not produce results, common sense dictates that you try something else.   At the very least these new policies have the potential for economic gain from commerce for both the U.S. and Cuba.  Many will be the families who will be reunited after years of separation.   The best ambassadors for America are the American people who will now have more exposure to Cubans.  Let's keep our expectations realistic.  Cuba is not likely to become democratic any time soon, but what we can expect is the benefits of reunited families, tourism and trade.  Who knows what can happen over time. 

What do you think?

Senate Report on CIA Interrogations

Senate Report on CIA Interrogations:

This report which was 5 years in the making examined 6.3 million CIA documents and produced a 6000 page document which examined the CIA's methods of interrogating prisoners after the 9/11 attack.  The report found that the CIA misled the White House and the public about its torture of detainees and acted more brutally and pervasively than it acknowledged.   It concluded that the intelligence agency failed to disrupt a single plot.   

The interrogations took place in countries including Afghanistan, Poland, and Romania.   The report revealed that detainees were subjected to repeated waterboarding, slapping, stress positions and sleep deprivation.  Saudi al-Queada suspect Abu Zubayda was kept in a coffin sized box for hours on end.  Suspects were threatened with severe harm psychologically and physically.   Meanwhile the investigators found that 3 CIA directors and their deputies lied to Congress, the White House and the American people.  A review of 20 cases found that  no usable intelligence was produced. 

Civil rights advocates are calling for accountability.  There are calls for prosecution of American officials.  John  Brennan, CIA director, calls the Senate report "flawed" in that investigators failed to interview key personnel about their decisions.   The CIA has also issued its own report.   In it they try to justify their tactics by giving examples of what they called thwarted terrorist plots and suspects captures, but these representations were inaccurate and contradicted the CIA's own records. 

In any event President Obama cancelled the program 2 days after taking office.  Obama said the methods used were inconsistent with U.S. values.   Despite the calls for accountability there seems little prospect of criminal prosecutions of those who implemented the program.  A law official said the U.S. Justice Department has no plans to conduct any investigation of the CIA actions.   President Obama signaled he is more interested in focusing on the future, than reopening a dark and contentious period of the recent past. 

I must agree with the President.  Let's concentrate on the future.   I see no benefit in hanging people out to dry who acted in what they thought was the correct way to protect our country. To be sure there was intense pressure following the 9/11 attack to prevent further attacks.   There are those who will say that the U.S. had prior knowledge that al-Queada would use commercial airliners as weapons of terror.  There are others who will say U.S. authorities had never thought of that possibility.   Just as there are those who will say officials had foreknowledge of the Pearl Harbor attack at the beginning of WW II.  In the end whom do you believe ?   Only one side is correct, but the truth usually lies somewhere in the middle.  Did we need to resort to the interrogations in the first place?

I think it is clear that the tactics used by the CIA in the interrogation of terror suspects are inconsistent with U.S. values and should not have been used whether they were effective or not.  

What do you think?

In Ferguson

In Ferguson:

Monday evening the results of the Grand Jury investigation into the shooting of unarmed teenager Michael Brown by Ferguson, Missouri Police Officer Darren Wilson on August 9th were announced.  The Grand Jury declined to indict Wilson.  Demonstrations and violence followed.  Protests have been reported in 13 cities.

Officials commented that the next night was not as intense.  At least 44 people were arrested as protests erupted.   Most of the arrests were for misdemeanors. The arrests included people residing in New York, Oklahoma, and Georgia.  Two guns and a Molotov cocktail were seized, while rocks, broken tent poles and bottles were hurled at officers.  Windows were broken at City Hall and tear gas was deployed.  

Protesters torched a police car and smashed windows at businesses that had not already boarded up their storefronts. Missouri governor Jay Nixon deployed 2000 National Guard troops  to patrol the St. Louis area.  These are clearly not peaceful demonstrations.   These violent and destructive acts are the work of street thugs.  Some coming from out of state to join the mayhem. 

If the Grand Jury did indict Officer Wilson, Federal civil rights charges against him prosecutors would have to show that the police officer used excessive force willfully, knowing it was wrong.  Wilson states that he has done his job.  He has done nothing wrong, and his conscience is clear.  A conviction, given this high bar of proof, would be unlikely.  In any case an indictment is not a conviction.  So even if the Grand Jury had indicted, that would not provide the justice  people seek. 

More likely would be civil proceedings by Brown's family and disciplinary actions by local and state police.  In a civil suit such as a wrongful death action in state court or federal court the burden of proof would be only a "preponderance of the evidence".

I believe at it's source is the belief that our judicial system is slanted against blacks and in many communities blacks are treated unfairly and intimidated.  This is what fuels the anger and frustration that many blacks feel.  This is what needs to be addressed.  While we have taken many steps forward in creating equality among the race, we still have very far to go. 

What do you think ?

Global Warming - Revisited

Global Warming - Revisited

I originally published this blog on June 2, 2014.  I revisit today because we are coming upon an international meeting on global warming.   This weeks U.N. Climate  Summit will bring together 120 heads of state  on Tuesday.  The question is  will the nations of the world agree on a path to avoid the most dangerous consequences of climate change, such as dramatic sea level rise and extreme droughts and storms.  This week's event is not a negotiating session for the next international agreement.  That will happen in December 2015, when signatories of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Control will meet in Paris. 

  

Global Warming:

Global warming refers to the rise in average temperature of the Earth's climate system.  Since the early 20th century, the global air, sea, and surface temperature has increased about 1.4 degrees F.  About two-thirds of the increase has occured since 1980.  Each of the last 3 decades has  been successively warmer at the Earth's surface than any preceeding decade since 1850.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports that scientists are 90% sure that global warming is being caused by increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases produced by human activities.   The greenhouse effect is the process by which absorption and emission of infrared radiation by gases in a planet's atmosphere warms its lower atmosphere and surface.   Human activity since the Industrial Revolution (c. 1760 - 1840) has increased the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.  Over the last 3 decades gross domestic product and population growth were the main drivers of increase in greenhouse gas emissions.

Climate model projections were summarized in 2007.  Future climate change and associated impact vary from region to region around the globe.  Warming is expected to be strongest in the Arctic with continuing retreat of glaciers, permafrost, and sea ice.   Other likely effects include more extreme weather, including heat waves, droughts, and heavy rainfall.  There is a threat to food security from decreasing crop yields and the loss of habitat from inundation.   The year 2012 was the warmest year on record for the U.S.  We were hit hard with heat waves, wildfires, floods, and droughts.  Scientists warn that if we do not address climate change, this is just a taste of what we could expect in the years ahead.  

A majority of Americans say that global warming is happening and the numbers have held relatively steady since the 2000's.  While still a majority, the numbers of Americans who believe in global warming has declined slightly since 2008.   The number of Americans who call global climate change a "major threat" varies by political affiliation:  Republicans - 25% and Democratas - 65%.  Among Americans in recent years other policy issues out-rank global warming as top concerns.  Americans name the economy, jobs, or the deficit as top concerns.  Among environmental concers global warming was last on the list with worries about drinking-water pollution ranking 25 points higher.  This from Gallup poles.  Americans think that climate change will hurt future generations more than current generations. 

So, what do you think?

The National Resources Defense Council recommends a five-step plan to repower, refuel and rebuild America:

1. Set limits on global warming pollution
2. Invest in green jobs and clean energy
3. Drive smarter cars
4. Create green homes and buildings
5. Build better communities and transportation networks.

I think it's a no-brainer.  Regardless of what you think or believe the National Resources Defense Council's recommendations are the way to go.  Everyone can participate.  The recommendations are responsible and doable.  Good will ensue.  We'll all be better for it. 

Islamic State

Islamic State:

The Islamic State was formerly known as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).  It was also known as the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant and Islamic State.  It's hard to turn on the news and not hear about the threat of the Islamic State.  

The Islamic State started as a splinter group of another militant group, al Qaeda.   In 2006 the Islamic State became a separate group under the leadership of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.  He transformed a few terror cells on the verge of extinction into what is considered by many to be the most dangerous militant group in the world.

The aim of the group is to create an Islamic "caliphate" or state across Sunni areas of Iraq and Syria.  It ignores international borders and has a presence from  Syria's Mediterranean coast to south of Baghdad.   It is known for killing dozens at a time, carrying out executions, crucifixions, and other acts.  It has taken over large areas of northern and western Iraq.  It controls hundreds of square miles.  

The Islamic State rules by Sharia law.  Sharia law covers both religious and non-religious aspects of life.  Boys and girls must be separated at school, women must wear the "niqab"or full veil in public.  Music is banned and the fast is enforced during Ramadan.  Sharia courts often dispense brutal justice.  

The Islamic State is well organized militarily and financially.   After Saddam Hussein's military was disbanded former Iraqi soldiers could not serve the new military and so became fighters for ISIS, according to Middle East expert Fawaz Gerges.  Isis has a trained and experienced  fighting force.   The initial strategy for revenue was through extortion and robbery.  Now it generates resources through large scale attacks aimed at capturing and holding territory.  It will use cash reserves from banks, military equipment seized from military and police bases, and the release of fighters from local jails to bolster military and financial capability.  

The Islamic State tries to capture and channel the resentment of the Sunni's.  In both Syria and Iraq it wins favor through "dawa" - organizing  social welfare programs and even recreational activities for children, distributing food and fuel to the needy, and setting up clinics.   The price it demands is enforcement of the strict Sharia code. 

To be sure the Islamic State is a force to be reckoned with.  As it grows in size and strength it will eventually visit it's extremism and terrorism on the West and particularly the  U.S.  President Barack Obama has declared America's intention is to eradicate this militant group.  America plans expanded air strikes against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria and more support for moderate rebels opposed  to the Islamic State.  The Gulf Cooperation Council, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates, are being consulted as to whether they would commit their forces to fight the Islamic State.  This is a slippery slope for them as they do not want to alienate their own Sunni populations.  

President Obama has no plans to deploy U.S. combat troops to fight this jihadist militant group.  There is agreement that there is a need for increased training and equipping of the moderate Syrian opposition in order to confront  this extremist group.   The U.S. can't "take the place of Arab partners in securing their region."  I agree with the President.   The militant extremism of elements in the Middle East has been ongoing for hundreds of years.  We cannot nor should we try to end it.  At most we can advise and assist nations in that area to meet these challenges.

What do you think?  

Militarized Police

Militarized Police:

In response to the protests and civil unrest in the wake of the fatal shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown by a Fergusen, MO police officer last Saturday, local authorities have employed armored vehicles, noise based crowd control devices, shotguns, M4 rifles, rubber-coated metal pellets and tear gas.   For 4 straight nights police deployed on Florissant Avenue wearing camouflage, black helmets, and vests with "POLICE" stamped on the back.  Their adversaries were a ragtag group of mostly unarmed neighborhood residents, hundreds of African Americans  whose pent up fury at the police sent them pouring into the streets demanding justice for Michael Brown.

This is an example of the use and miss-use of what has become known as  "militarized police".   The militarization of our police began when then President Reagan intensified the "war on drugs".   The post 9-11 "war on terror" has added fuel to the fire.  

As reported in the New York Times, "police departments have received tens of thousands of machine guns; nearly 200,000 ammunition magazines, thousands of pieces of camouflage and night vision equipment; hundreds of silencers, armored cars, and aircraft.  The result is that police around the nation posses military grade equipment turning officers who are supposed to fight crime and protect communities into what looks like an invading army".  Military style police raids have increased in recent years.  One recent count puts the number at 80,000 such raids this year.  

In June the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) issued a report based on public records that concludes that police militarization "unfairly impacts people of color and undermines individual liberties, and it has been allowed to happen in the absence of any meaningful public discussion.  Here are 11 things you should know about the militarization of police:

1. It harms and sometimes kills innocent people. - Heavily armed police using flash-bang grenades and armored personnel carries are bound to hurt someone.
2. Children are impacted. - Police conduct their break-ins and gun fights regardless of the presence of children.
3. The use of SWAT teams is often unnecessary. - The ACLU reports that the vast majority of cases  where SWAT teams are deployed are in situations where a search warrant is being executed to look for drugs.  These situations are not why SWAT was created. 
4. The "war-on-terror" is fueling militarization - The DOD (Dept. of Defense) "1033" program provides "surplus military equipment" left over from US military programs in Iraq and Afghanistan, and elsewhere largely cost free to police agencies. 
5. Its a boon to contractor profits. - It is another market for military contractors selling to agencies  with Dept. of Homeland Security grants. 
6. Border militarization and police militarization go hand in hand. - This is also the war on undocumented immigrants.
7. Police are cracking down on dissent. - The use of paramilitary tactics often cause police to over react and so escalate and prolong a conflict.
8. Asset forfeitures are funding police militarization. - Asset forfeitures bring in millions of dollars to police agencies, who spend it for their own uses.  For some police departments it goes to militarizing their personnel. 
9. Dubious informants are used for raids. - In up to 80% of drug cases in America CI's (Confidential Informants) are used.  Some of the information they gather leads to military style police raids.  Unfortunately CI's are quite unreliable and the wrong information can lead to tragic consequences.
10. There's been little debate or oversight.
11. Communities of color bear the brunt. - Across the country communities of color are the people most targeted by police practices.

In my opinion militarizing our police is the wrong way to go.  At the very least we need to insure that there is openness, debate and oversight with regard to militarized police practices.   As is attributed to Thomas Jefferson,  "Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty."

What do you think?

Ebola Virus Outbreak

Ebola Virus Outbreak:

The current 2014 outbreak of the West Africa Ebola virus is the deadliest in history.  According to  the WHO (World Health Organization) the virus has led to 1711 suspected and confirmed cases and 932 deaths.  The WHO has started ist 2 day emergency committee meeting to discuss the outbreak.   The IHR (International Health Regulation) Emergency committee, a panel of 20, will determine whether to recommend a PHEIC (Public Health Emergency of International Concern) meaning the outbreak could spread internationally and require a coordinated international response.

The EVD (Ebola Virus Disease) spreads through contact with an infected person's bodily fluids, and it can take up to 3 weeks for symptoms to appear.   The symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, and often bleeding.  Health workers are the most likely to encounter infected blood, vomit, or feces, and they are using gowns and gloves. 

I don't know about you, but I find this pretty disturbing.   The fatality rate for those who are infected is up to 90%.   Two American aid workers in Liberia have been infected.  They have been tansported back to the U.S. for treatment  and seem to be doing better.  An experimental drug called ZMapp is being used.  It remains to be seen if they will fully recover. The drug is created with tobacco plants, and heretofor has only been tested on Primates.   Health officials are discouraging Americans from traveling to areas where the outbreak is ongoing.  The CDC (Centers for Disease Control) is telling people to avoid non-essential trips to Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. 

Every time we turn on the TV, we hear about the story and more possible cases.  True to form, reality  TV stars express their fears of an outbreak in the U.S.   Just in case you don't have enough to worry about.   The truth is  that infectious disease experts have said that there is no actual danger facing the American people.  Again and again these experts point out that the risk faced by people in the U.S. is incredibly low.   

So, what I think is that we don't have to be so concerned about an outbreak in this country, but it is perfectly fine to be concerned and say a prayer for those in  Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone.  

What do you think?  

Accountable Care

Accountable Care Organizations:

As I have blogged in the past, I am not a big fan of our healthcare system in America.  I think I have come across something that is a vast improvement to what we are doing now.  It is called an Accountable Care Organization.  Here is how it works. 

Accountable Care Organizations seek to create a healthcare system where people, even though they are living longer, are healthier than ever before, the quality of care is continually improving, and the cost of care is affordable for all Americans.  In this system healthcare providers across the country from primary care doctors and specialists to hospitals and large health systems are all collaborating and coordinating care with each other to improve outcomes for their patients and getting paid well in return. 

Under an Affordable Care Act program $126 million in bonuses were issued nationally last year by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services.  Twenty-nine groups of doctors across the country have received bonuses for lowering costs to taxpayers while keeping patients happy.   The government tracks Medicare spending for certain patients and if it goes down compared with past years, and the care meets standards of quality and patient satisfaction, the doctor groups share in the savings. 

Slightly fewer than 1/2 of accountable care units formed in 2012 managed any savings after a year, but 1/4 achieved significant savings.   Here in Florida Palm Beach Accountable Care Organization and Accountable Care Options in Boynton Beach say they have saved taxpayers $30 million combined last year.  They received half the savings as a bonus ($15 million).  

ACO's are currently serving about 4 million of the 50 million Medicare beneficiaries.  Dr. Francisco Perez-Mesa, a doctor with a Boynton Beach ACO says, "Its a total change in approach.  The primary care physician is rewarded for looking past the patient's immediate issue and aggressively addressing all of the patient's chronic conditions.  This combined with early screenings, prevention, and education can result in significant savings to Medicare and performance bonuses to the physicians."  It can work, though it often means providing a lot more attention to patients at the primary care level to head off more expensive care such as a hospital stay.  The ACO is going to do everything it can at the primary level.   A fundamental problem with the traditional fee-for-service system is that doctors , other health professionals, and hospitals often have little incentive to work together to avoid repeat hospitalizations and tests or to coordinate treatments and prescriptions.   The ACO goes out of its way to coordinate and communicate  so as to avoid expensive duplication. 

Not everyone believes it can work on a large scale, and statistics suggest it is not easy to pull off.   ACO's must invest a lot of money setting up for this system.  They may find themselves on the hook for patients who don't comply with recommended treatments or lifestyle changes. 

I agree with Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services spokesman Alper Ozinal who states, "These ACO's are showing promising initial results and are providing insights as to how to improve and reform our country's healthcare system. 

What do you think?

Crisis in Iraq

Crisis in Iraq:

Over the last few days the militant group ISIS has taken control of Iraqi cities including Mosul, Iraq's 2nd largest city.  Faluja was taken over by militants 6 months ago.  ISIS now controls territory from western Syria to central Iraq.  There are fears Baghdad could also fall into their hands.  ISIS, The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, is an organization that was once a part of Al Qaeda.  They fight to establish an Islamic state across the region, where they can impose Sharia law.

The Iraqis who fled Mosul say they prefer the militants to the Maliki government.  Iraq was included on a list of the world's 7 most corrupt governments.  Soldiers and their commanders abandoned bases in Mosul, all but ceding Iraqi's 2nd largest city to extremest fighters belonging to ISIS.  After months of grinding conflict against a resurgent militant movement the Iraqi army is having its power blunted by a rise in desertions turning the tide of the war and fragmenting an institution.  

The fear in this is that if ISIS is successful, we will end up with a state that openly sponsors terrorism.   Now there are various organizations including Al Qaeda and ISIS who sponsor terrorism, but must operate in the shadows.

President Obama told the nation America will not put boots on the ground again in Iraq.  He is considering other options such as air strikes and drone strikes.  I believe he is correct in not sending American soldiers to Iraq.  I would not like to see any military action at all.  The post-war Iraqi military is trained and funded by the U.S.   It is time for the Iraqis to take responsibility for themselves.  How long are we going to support them?  

The United States promulgates and supports democracy wherever it can.  It can not, however, impose democracy.  Perhaps for certain peoples given their history democracy is not possible or even desirable.   To be sure, the United States must provide for its own security.  Terrorism against America and American citizens must be met with a swift and sure response.   Perhaps we have something to learn from the Israelis.  They have been dealing with these kinds of threats for a long time.

What do you think?

Global Warming

Global Warming:

Global warming refers to the rise in average temperature of the Earth's climate system.  Since the early 20th century, the global air, sea, and surface temperature has increased about 1.4 degrees F.  About two-thirds of the increase has occured since 1980.  Each of the last 3 decades has  been successively warmer at the Earth's surface than any preceeding decade since 1850.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports that scientists are 90% sure that global warming is being caused by increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases produced by human activities.   The greenhouse effect is the process by which absorption and emission of infrared radiation by gases in a planet's atmosphere warms its lower atmosphere and surface.   Human activity since the Industrial Revolution (c. 1760 - 1840) has increased the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.  Over the last 3 decades gross domestic product and population growth were the main drivers of increase in greenhouse gas emissions.

Climate model projections were summarized in 2007.  Future climate change and associated impact vary from region to region around the globe.  Warming is expected to be strongest in the Arctic with continuing retreat of glaciers, permafrost, and sea ice.   Other likely effects include more extreme weather, including heat waves, droughts, and heavy rainfall.  There is a threat to food security from decreasing crop yields and the loss of habitat from inundation.   The year 2012 was the warmest year on record for the U.S.  We were hit hard with heat waves, wildfires, floods, and droughts.  Scientists warn that if we do not address climate change, this is just a taste of what we could expect in the years ahead.  

A majority of Americans say that global warming is happening and the numbers have held relatively steady since the 2000's.  While still a majority, the numbers of Americans who believe in global warming has declined slightly since 2008.   The number of Americans who call global climate change a "major threat" varies by political affiliation:  Republicans - 25% and Democratas - 65%.  Among Americans in recent years other policy issues out-rank global warming as top concerns.  Americans name the economy, jobs, or the deficit as top concerns.  Among environmental concers global warming was last on the list with worries about drinking-water pollution ranking 25 points higher.  This from Gallup poles.  Americans think that climate change will hurt future generations more than current generations. 

So, what do you think?

The National Resources Defense Council recommends a five-step plan to repower, refuel and rebuild America:

1. Set limits on global warming pollution
2. Invest in green jobs and clean energy
3. Drive smarter cars
4. Create green homes and buildings
5. Build better communities and transportation networks.

I think it's a no-brainer.  Regardless of what you think or believe the National Resources Defense Council's recommendations are the way to go.  Everyone can participate.  The recommendations are responsible and doable.  Good will ensue.  We'll all be better for it.