3
POPSBangladesh, and others, moved to Compressed Natural Gas over Oil.
CNG programs work well in countries with abundant natural gas reserves like Bangladesh. Italy started using CNG in the 1930s and was the first country to put a viable program in place. Other countries now using CNG successfully include India, Pakistan, Iran, Argentina, and Brazil. CNG has been around in Bangladesh since 1982. “At that time it wasn’t an issue of environmental concerns,” says Iftikar “Sabu” Hussain, CEO of CNG Distribution Company. Compressed natural gas was initially introduced as a domestic fuel alternative to expensive imports, but did not catch on then because converting to the cheaper fuel involved an expensive engine conversion. The increasing cost of imported petroleum, however, plus a rising concern for the environment made CNG a stronger choice in the early 2000s. CNG began to succeed in Bangladesh at this time because of millions of dollars in loans from international agencies to encourage a long-term program.
8
POPSThe Spies who love Obama The world is a very complicated place and there are not always easy solutions to a lot of the problems out there," says John Brennan, a top Obama intelligence advisor and former senior CIA official who co-founded the Terrorist Threat Integration Center and the National Counterterrorism Center, a post-9/11 effort to integrate the US government's terror threat intelligence. "If you look at the world in black and white, you miss a lot of the subtleties out there. 'Either with us or against'—the world is not divided into good and evil a lot of time. Despite America's military might, a lot of these problems do not lend themselves to kinetic solutions"—i.e. the use of force. And world dynamics are likely to get more complicated and nuanced, not less, by 2025. "It's time to update our national security strategy to stay one step ahead of the terrorists," Obama said at Indiana's Purdue University. "It's time to look ahead—at the dangers of today and tomorrow rather than those of yesterday.
5
POPSMedia gives McCain a pass on his Iraq gaffe McCain seems to have forgotten that there are two Islamic sects in a civil war in Iraq. Can't keep it straight which one is which and were their strength and allies are located. Believes Sunnis go to Iran for training. Has to be saved by Grima Wormtongue (a.k.a. Joe Lieberman)
7
POPSBush Hides Behind Condolezza's Skirt Huckabee said he consulted several foreign policy experts but wrote most of the article himself and took responsibility for its passages. "I certainly approved them," he said. Rice was asked about the criticism from Huckabee at a news conference. She did not mention Huckabee by name in her response and at first declined to weigh in, saying dismissively: "Look, I don't comment on other people's comments. I don't have time, all right. I really don't have time to worry about this." But she then launched into a vigorous defense of the administration's multilateral diplomatic efforts on Afghanistan, North Korea and Iran, and pointed to improving ties with traditional allies in Europe, some of which were strained by the Iraq war.
7
POPSFormer CIA: Evidence Abounds for Impeachment of Bush & Cheney The recent report detailing Iran's stopping its nuclear weapons program four years ago, is an example of how the administration knows it can no longer hide such "incontrovertible evidence" from the American people in the fallout from the misinformation they received on the Iraq War, McGovern said. He added that he had almost given up believing their were people still working at the top with a conscious and enough people at the top willing to let analysts do their job and accept independent analysis. McGovern also addressed the reasoning he believes is behind the threat of war with Iran. He believes Israel thinks they have a pledge from the White House to deal with Iran before Bush leaves office and relayed the story of the U.S.S. Liberty, which was attacked by the Israelis in 1967 and covered up by the U.S. Thirty-four U.S soldiers were killed and about 170 were seriously injured. "On June 8, 1967 Israel realized it could literally get away with murder," McGovern said.
10
POPSRepublican War Hero - "Bush Administration Are Losers" More: He would be open to the idea of either working in a Democratic administration or even running as the vice presidential nominee on a Democratic ticket -- though, he conceded, "I probably won't have to worry about it" because he's unlikely to be asked. "If there was an area that I thought I could make a difference and influence policy, leadership, outcome ... then I would entertain" those possibilities, Hagel said. He called Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton "capable." As for the speculation that he and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg might form an independent ticket, Hagel joked that "Bloomberg's got the money. I think it'd be Bloomberg-Hagel" ticket.
6
POPSMiddle East racing to Nuclear Power. More: Egypt's nuclear plans have been reinvigorated in recent years, with Mubarak's son, Gamal, widely seen in Egypt as his father's favored successor, calling for the building of a reactor. Mubarak discussed nuclear power cooperation on state visits to Russia and China last year. For Egypt, the allure of nuclear power is apparent. Its oil consumption is growing and electricity demand is growing at about 7 percent a year. "Egypt can absolutely make a legitimate case for nuclear energy," says Mr. Fitzpatrick. "Its reserves are dwindling, it needs the oil and gas for export, and it needs to diversify its energy resources." Even major oil producers such as Saudi Arabia are, along with Iran, arguing that they need nuclear power. They say it's better to sell their oil than to burn it at home. My own statement: Unwittingly by not developing renewable energy sources the US, through consumption, is driving the Middle East toward Nuclear proliferation. Do a google search for
2
POPSUS General & Envoy: Bush unwittingly driving Turkey and Iran together. More: The White House and the U.S. military have appeared leery about opening a new front in the war in Iraq — particularly in generally stable northern Iraq — by launching assaults against the PKK. Neither the U.S.-backed Iraqi government nor the semiautonomous Kurdish Regional Government has shown any inclination to go after the group. The officer who commands U.S. forces in northern Iraq, Maj. Gen. Benjamin Nixon, last week said he planned to do "absolutely nothing" to curb PKK activities. Ralston, a vice chairman of the Washington-based Cohen Group, a consulting firm, said the statement was "directly opposite" promises Bush has made to Turkey. Asked whether the Turkish military would invade northern Iraq, which PKK fighters use to launch attacks into Turkey, Ralston said: "They're going to have to, in the absence of the U.S. doing anything."
7
POPSWhy does Bush want to attack Iran? It's not as dangerous as Pakistan. More: The safe haven provided by Pakistan has already had dire effects on U.S. and NATO efforts to fight the resurgent Taliban next door in Afghanistan Dozens of Taliban commanders have moved their wives and children to Pakistan, where they live in the suburbs of cities like Peshawar and Islamabad The militants dominate in areas beyond the tribal areas as well. Armed groups have effectively seized control in places like the picturesque Swat Valley, where a jihadi leader named Mullah Fazlullah rides a black horse and commands hundreds of men under the noses of a nearby Pakistani Army division that seldom leaves its barracks. Peshawar is perhaps the most important production and distribution center for Taliban and other Islamist material. Jihadi CD and DVD shops abound. One shop features large posters of the notorious Taliban commander Mullah Dadullah Akhund, who was killed in Helmand earlier this year, and pictures of Guantnamo inmates in their orange jumpsuits behind barbed wire
11
POPSU.S. Mercenaries deported from Namibia: "We settle our disputes by peaceful means" More: SOC-SMG is looking to hire role players for their 'security guard' training. Which role will you get to play? A disarmed U.S. soldier? A poor Iraqi child looking for scrap metal to sell? Helpful Hint: Read the fine print of your health insurance policy (if you have one) before applying 3. We are also looking for Role Players on a part-time basis to augment our staff supporting scenario role-playing for our clients (military, law enforcement, government agencies). Please indicate "HDSOC Role Player Position" in the subject line. Some Role Player positions require a Secret clearance and can last for a month duration. You must be willing to undergo a criminal background check and be a U.S. citizen to be eligible.
7
POPSMore Bush Lies from National Address: Grand Coalition More: The most substantial non-U.S. troop contribution, from the UK, pulled back from Basra earlier this month to assume the non-combat "overwatch" role that General Petraeus believes that the U.S. can adopt at some as-yet-undefined point in the (far) future. Others are pulling out: the Danes, proud contributors of 470 troops in Iraq, have said they would withdraw in August, but that seems not to have happened yet. South Korea is expected to get out at the end of the year. Then there's Fiji, which devotes 150 troops to helping secure the United Nations' assistance mission in Iraq -- a job mostly done from outside of the country, but with a new mandate approved by the Security Council last month, it may soon have a more substantial presence inside Iraq. Go Fijans!
7
POPSBush sets up the Iranian Powder Keg More: The Iraqi commander in charge of the southern part of the country, General Mohan al-Furayji, said he would not hesitate to call for British help if there was an emergency.
11
POPSThe Iraq War Architects: Where are they now? MITCH DANIELS - Key Quote: Mitch Daniels had said the war would be an “affordable endeavor” and rejected an estimate by the chief White House economic adviser that the war would cost between $100 billion and $200 billion as “very, very high.”
42
POPSPowell spills it about Bush / Iraq Al-Qaeda, Powell asserted, was only 10% of the problem in Iraq and Nouri al-Maliki, its prime minister, lacked the political will to establish an effective government. After a promising start to the surge at the beginning of the year, 453 unidentified corpses were found on the streets of Baghdad last month, 41% more than the 321 bodies found in January, according to unofficial Iraqi health ministry statistics.
4
POPSCheated of Future, Iraqi Graduates Want to Flee The class of 2007 came of age during a transformation that according to students has harvested tragedy from seeds of hope. They are the last remnants of a middle class that has already fled by the tens of thousands. As such they embody the country’s progression from innocence to bitter wisdom amid dashed expectations and growing animosity toward the Americans.
21
POPSWild-Eyed Bush Thumping Chest: "I Am the President" The comments about the other ranting in the article: ome big money players up from Texas recently paid a visit to their friend in the White House. The story goes that they got out exactly one question, and the rest of the meeting consisted of The President in an extended whine, a rant, actually, about no one understands him, the critics are all messed up, if only people would see what he’s doing things would be OK…etc., etc. This is called a “bunker mentality” and it’s not attractive when a friend does it. When the friend is the President of the United States, it can be downright dangerous. Apparently the Texas friends were suitably appalled, hence the story now in circulation.
2
POPSNew Highs in Iraq: Contractor Death Tolls Representative Jan Schakowsky, an Illinois Democrat, has introduced legislation to force the government to release detailed records on the use of contractors in Iraq and the names and job descriptions of all those killed and injured, information that is virtually impossible to get right now. The military releases names and biographical information about its wartime casualties, but businesses are not required to provide such information, and the Labor Department refuses to do so, citing privacy laws. "By keeping the knowledge of this force hidden, it changes one's perception and one's evaluation of the war," Ms. Schakowsky said. "There are almost a thousand dead and a large number of injuries. I think it masks the fact that we are privatizing the military in this country.
5
POPSEvangelical Coup of the US Military In response to the event, Mikey Weinstein, an Air Force veteran and the founder of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, intends to file a lawsuit against the Department of Defense. He stated: "The participation of the United States Air force and United States Army in a blatantly fundamentalist, evangelizing Christian conversion spectacle represents a veritable unparalleled rape of the US Constitution, which all members of the American military swear an oath to protect, preserve, support and defend. This is an absolutely crystal-clear example of the most pernicious religious predation by the US military command structure, and simply writing letters and making phone calls of protest appear to be as useless as a baseball bat in a football game."
4
POPSUnsupervised Bush = KABOOM! Well what did you expect from the guy who couldn't find oil in Texas? Maybe W stands for Wile E. Coyote? (my sincere apologies to Wile E. Coyote).
9
POPSThe Ties That Bind - Hussein, Bin Laden, BCCI and Bush When the BCCI scandal began to break in the late 1980s, the Sr. Bush administration did what it could to sit on it. The Justice Department went after the culprits -- was virtually forced to -- only after New York District Attorney Robert Morgenthau did. But evidence about BCCI's broader links exist in numerous U.S. and international investigations. Now could be a good time to take another look at the BCCI-Osama-Saddam-Saudi-Bush connection.
6
POPSObama Steps Up For Wounded Soldiers "This bipartisan legislation provides federal protections against a family member on invitational orders being fired," said the Illinois Senator. "I think we can all agree that a mother should never have to choose between caring for a wounded son or daughter and keeping her job."
Newest Clips
see Newest Clips
1
Latest Pops
Latest Comments
Most Pops
Tags
Print
Save
Turn on live update