Freedom Calendar 04/26/08 - 05/03/08

April 26, 1999, Legislation authored by U.S. Senator Spencer Abraham (R-MI) awarding Congressional Gold Medal to civil rights pioneer Rosa Parks is transmitted to President.

April 27, 1822, Birth of Republican President Ulysses Grant; championed and enforced Republican legislation to safeguard civil rights of African-Americans.

April 28, 1971, Rear Admiral Samuel Lee Gravely becomes first African-American to achieve Flag Rank in U.S. Navy, promoted by President Richard Nixon.

April 29, 1877, Death of Republican Gov. William Brownlow, who led fight for Tennessee’s ratification of 14th Amendment guaranteeing due process and equal protection of the laws.

April 30, 1862, African-American Republicans in New Orleans establish L’Union, first African-American newspaper in South.

May 1, 1981, President Ronald Reagan proclaims first Jewish Heritage Week.

May 2, 1963, Republicans condemn Democrat sheriff of Birmingham, AL for arresting over 2,000 African-American schoolchildren marching for their civil rights.

May 3, 1876, Birth of Isaac Leevy, South Carolina African-American Republican who established Lincoln Emancipation Clubs in 1940s to enable African-Americans to vote.

“This country will not be a permanently good place for any of us to live in unless we make it a reasonably good place for all of us to live in.”

Theodore Roosevelt, 26th President of the United States

Technorati Tags: President Bush and Freedom Calendar or NAACP and Republicans or African-Americans and 13th Amendment or right to vote and Civil Rights or Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass or 40 acres and a mule or Brown v. Board of Education and Martin Luther King or Dred Scott

Presidential Podcast 04/26/08

Presidential Podcast 04/26/08 . Subscribe to Our Podcast feed or online podnova Podcast Channel and receive the weekly Presidential Radio Address in English and Spanish with select State Department Briefings. Featuring full audio and text transcripts, More content Sources added often so stay tuned.

Tags: President Bush and White House radio address or Department of Education

Bush radio address 04/26/08 full audio, text transcript

bush radio address 04/26/08 full audio, text transcript. President's Radio Address In Focus: Education and In Focus: Economy

Subscribe to Our Podcast feed or online podnova Podcast Channel and receive the weekly Presidential Radio Address in English and Spanish with select State Department Briefings. Featuring real audio and full text transcripts, More content Sources added often so stay tuned.

THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. As we approach graduation season, many American students are looking forward to beginning college in the fall. This new chapter of life is a time of great expectation but can also be a time of anxiety. And that anxiety is being heightened by the recent credit crunch, which has raised concerns about the potential availability of student loans.

Recently, some lenders have dropped out of the Federal program that provides college loans to students who have often little or no credit. Without an adequate response, this means that many students may approach the upcoming school year uncertain of when they will be able to get their loans or where they will come from.

A slowdown in the economy shouldn't mean a downturn in educational opportunities. So we're taking decisive action now to ensure that college is accessible and affordable for students around the country.

One way we're helping is through the Department of Education's "lender of last resort" program, which works to provide loans for students who are unable to secure one from a lender. The Department is taking steps to ensure that the agencies involved in this program are ready and able to meet their responsibilities. If necessary, the government will help fund these loans. With these actions, we will help ensure that a college education is not unnecessarily denied to those who have earned it.

These are important first steps, but more needs to be done. Congress needs to pass legislation that would give my Administration greater authority to buy Federal student loans. By doing so, we can ensure that lenders will continue to participate in the guaranteed loan program and ensure that students continue to have access to tuition assistance.

A bill that would do this has already passed the House of Representatives. It is called the "Ensuring Continued Access to Student Loans Act." This bill provides the necessary tools for safeguarding student loans without permanently expanding the government's role in their financing. The authority the bill grants is temporary and would be used only if it became apparent there was a shortage of loans available to students.

Ensuring the stability of student loans is essential to keeping educational opportunities open to all Americans. Last year alone, Federal loans provided more than $60 billion of aid to American students. This money helped pay for tuition, textbooks, and the lifetime of opportunity that comes with holding a college degree. Members of Congress now have a chance to preserve this opportunity, and they should take it.

I urge Congress to get the "Ensuring Continued Access to Student Loans Act" to my desk as soon as possible. A delay of even a week or two may make it impossible for this legislation to help students going to school this fall. By working together to improve and enact this legislation quickly, we can ensure that higher education remains within the reach for all those who've earned it. And we can ensure that America's college students can spend more time next fall thinking about their textbooks than their pocketbooks.

Thank you for listening.

For Immediate Release Office of the Press Secretary April 26, 2008

Tags: President Bush and White House radio address or Department of Education

Discurso Radial del Presidente a la Nación 04/26/08

forre el audio de la dirección de radio 04/26/08 por completo, transcripción del texto. (nota de los redactores: ninguna lengua española mp3 lanzó esta semana, apesadumbrada) PODCAST

Suscribir a nuestro canal de Podcast de Odeo o del podnova y recibir la dirección de radio presidencial semanal en inglés y español con informes selectos del departamento del estado. Ofreciendo transcripciones audio y con texto completo verdaderas, más fuentes contentas agregaron a menudo así que la estancia templó.

Buenos Días.

Al acercarse la temporada de graduaciones escolares, muchos estudiantes estadounidenses están mirando hacia el comienzo de la universidad en el otoño. Este nuevo capítulo de la vida es un tiempo de grandes expectativas, pero también puede ser un momento de ansiedad. Y esa ansiedad está siendo enaltecida por la reciente crisis financiera, la cual ha dado lugar a inquietudes sobre la disponibilidad potencial de préstamos estudiantiles.

Recientemente, algunos prestamistas se han retirado del programa federal que ofrece préstamos universitarios a estudiantes que suelen tener poco o ningún crédito. Sin una respuesta adecuada, esto significa que muchos alumnos podrán enfrentar el año escolar venidero inciertos sobre cuando podrán obtener sus préstamos o de donde provendrán.

Una disminución en la economía no debería significar un descenso en las oportunidades educativas. Por lo tanto estamos tomando acción decisiva ahora para asegurar que la universidad sea asequible y al alcance de estudiantes en todo el país.

Una manera en que estamos ayudando es a través del programa del Departamento de Educación llamado “prestamista de último recurso”, que se esfuerza por ofrecer préstamos a estudiantes que no pueden obtenerlos de un prestamista. El Departamento está tomando medidas para asegurar que las agencias involucradas en este programa estén listas y capaces de cumplir con sus responsabilidades. De ser necesario, el gobierno ayudará a financiar estos préstamos. Con estas acciones, ayudaremos a asegurar que una educación universitaria no sea negada innecesariamente a aquellos que la hayan merecido.

Estos son primeros pasos importantes, pero queda más por hacer. El Congreso necesita aprobar legislación que de a mi Administración mayor autoridad para comprar préstamos estudiantiles federales. Al hacer esto, podemos asegurar que los prestamistas sigan participando en el programa de préstamos garantizados y asegurar que los estudiantes sigan teniendo acceso a asistencia para la matrícula. Un proyecto de ley que haría esto ya ha sido aprobado por la Cámara de Representantes. Se llama la “Ley para Asegurar el Acceso Continuo a Préstamos Estudiantiles”. Este proyecto de ley ofrece las herramientas necesarias para proteger a los préstamos estudiantiles sin ampliar permanentemente el rol del gobierno en su financiamiento. La autoridad que el proyecto de ley concede es provisional y sería usada sólo si una escasez de préstamos disponibles para estudiantes llegara a ser aparente.

El asegurar la estabilidad de préstamos estudiantiles es esencial para mantener abiertas las oportunidades educacionales para todos los estadounidenses. Apenas el año pasado, los préstamos federales ofrecieron más de 60 mil millones de dólares en ayuda a estudiantes estadounidenses. Este dinero ayudó a pagar la matrícula… los libros de texto… y la vida llena de oportunidades que acompaña el ser acreedor a un título universitario. Los miembros del Congreso ahora tienen la oportunidad de conservar esta oportunidad… y deben tomarla.

Insto al Congreso que me haga llegar lo más pronto posible la “Ley para Asegurar el Acceso Continuo a Préstamos Estudiantiles”. Una demora de apenas una o dos semanas podría imposibilitar que esta legislación ayude a los estudiantes que van al colegio este otoño. Trabajando juntos para mejorar y sancionar esta legislación sin demora, podemos asegurar que la educación superior se mantenga al alcance de todos que la hayan merecido. Y podemos asegurar que el próximo otoño, los estudiantes universitarios de Estados Unidos puedan dedicar más tiempo a pensar en sus libros de texto que en sus billeteras.

Gracias por escuchar.

Para su publicación inmediata Oficina del Secretario de Prensa 26 de abril de 2008

Etiquetas De Technorati: Discurso Radial del Presidente a la Nación, y Presidente Bush

President Bush Discusses Economic Stimulus Rebate Checks VIDEO PODCAST

President George W. Bush delivers a statement Friday, April 25, 2008, on the South Grounds of the White House regarding the economic stimulus rebate checks. "I'm pleased that the Treasury Department has worked quickly to get the money into the hands of the American people. Starting Monday, the effects of the stimulus will begin to reach millions of households across our country." White House photo by Joyce N. Boghosian

President Bush Discusses Economic Stimulus Rebate Checks FULL STREAMING VIDEO South Grounds In Focus: Economy 9:16 A.M. ED PODCAST OF THIS ARTICLE THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. It's obvious our economy is in a slowdown. Fortunately, we recognized the signs early and took action. I signed an economic growth package that will provide tax rebates to millions of American families and workers to boost consumer spending. On Monday, the Treasury Department will begin delivering the first of these tax rebates by direct deposit. During the first week alone nearly 7.7 million Americans will receive their tax rebates electronically. Then on May 9th, the IRS will begin mailing checks to millions more across America.

By this summer, the Treasury Department expects to have sent rebates to about 130 million American households. These rebates will provide eligible Americans with payments of up to $600 a person, $1,200 for couples, and $300 per child.

If you've already filed your income tax return your rebate is on the way. Even if you don't owe any income taxes you may still be eligible for a check, but you need to file a form with the IRS. And it's not too late to do so. Now, you can find out information as to how to proceed by calling your local IRS office, or go to the IRS website.

We want to make sure everyone who's eligible for a check gets one on a timely basis. This money is going to help Americans offset the high prices we're seeing at the gas pump and at the grocery store, and it will also give our economy a boost to help us pull out of this economic slowdown.

I'm pleased that the Treasury Department has worked quickly to get the money into the hands of the American people. Starting Monday, the effects of the stimulus will begin to reach millions of households across our country.

Thank you very much.

END 9:18 A.M. EDT. For Immediate Release Office of the Press Secretary April 25, 2008

Tags: President Bush and White House or Economic Stimulus Rebate Checks

White House Press Briefing by Dana Perino 04/24/08 VIDEO, PODCAST

Press Briefing by Dana Perino FULL STREAMING VIDEO, running time 18:10 min, James S. Brady Press Briefing Room, Dana M. Perino Biography, 12:40 P.M. EDT. PODCAST OF THIS ARTICLE

MS. PERINO: Hello, everyone. I don't have anything to start with, so we'll go straight to questions.

Q Does the information that's being released today about North Korea and Syria help or hurt the administration's argument that North Korea is going to fully disclose its nuclear activities?

MS. PERINO: As I said this morning, there are many things I'm not going to be able to comment on in today's briefing, which I know is very frustrating, not just for you but for me, too.

Q I'm not talking about the information itself, but I'm talking about --

MS. PERINO: But commenting on -- by answering that question I would be also answering the previous question. There are Hill briefings that are ongoing right now. Out of respect for that process, and for the members of Congress to be able to hear this from administration officials first, I'm going to defer to answer specific questions on that until they have a chance. But I would refer you back to what the President said on -- just last Saturday at Camp David in regards to the North Koreans and the six-party talks and North Korea's declaration.

Q When did President Bush see the videotape of what happened in Syria?

MS. PERINO: Again, I'm going to decline to comment on specifics of whatever is being said to Capitol Hill right now and what other people -- what you all might see later today.

Q Was it shown to the South Korean President?

MS. PERINO: I'm not commenting on it. You can chase me around the podium -- (laughter.)

Q One more general question, though. The administration got it wrong on Iraq and weapons of mass destruction. Why should this new information, whatever it is, be believed?

MS. PERINO: Again, Mark, I am going to -- I understand the question. I appreciate that you'd like for me to be able to answer it. I am not going to be able to answer these questions. I'm going to let the senior administration officials and intelligence officials talk to Capitol Hill. Last fall we did brief 22 members of Congress, House and Senate members, consistent with our obligations. More members are being briefed today and I'm going to let that process take place.

Q Dana, on that point, because you brought up the lawmakers, two of them who were briefed today who were among those who were briefed back in the fall came out -- Chairman Reyes and Ranking Republican Hoekstra -- and they were livid, I think to say the least. And what Hoekstra said -- and I'm quoting him -- he says, "We were used." The administration -- he said, we were told -- "We were used today by the administration, not because they felt they had to inform Congress because it was their legal obligation to do that, but because they had other agendas in mind." He says, any bond of trust between the administration and Congress has been shattered. And he says it will now be very difficult to get any agreements, in particular, anything based on the six-party talks through Congress. What do you say to that?

MS. PERINO: Obviously we would be very disappointed that he feels that way and would hope he understands our tremendous respect for members of Congress. And as I said, back in the fall we briefed 22 members of Congress, consistent with our obligations. He was one of them. There are tensions that exist between the executive branches and the legislative branches on a range of issues in regards to who should know what when. But we will continue to work with Representative Hoekstra and continue to talk with him. And he was part of the briefings this morning, and again, I'm not going to comment on anything until those briefings can be completed today.

Q He says he just doesn't feel that then, in September, eight months ago, that they got any kind of decent explanation as to why the other members of the committee shouldn't have been briefed. They asked for them to be briefed. And he said, I don't -- still don't believe we've gotten a good explanation then today for this delay. Why now?

MS. PERINO: Again, I will decline to comment. There will be more information that will hopefully answer more of these questions later today. It could be that once senior administration officials talk with Representative Hoekstra that he still won't be satisfied, and we'll have to satisfy that he got an answer that he believes is satisfactory. We'll have to accept that -- that's his opinion. But we certainly have tried to work with him and the Democrats across the board, and consistent with our obligations, briefed the appropriate members of Congress last fall.

Q Syria is saying that this is an attempt -- all it is is an attempt to put pressure on North Korea. Is the United States at this point trying to increase pressure on North Korea to comply with its nuclear declaration?

MS. PERINO: Our pressure on North Korea has been ongoing through the six-party talks, and you just heard from the President on Saturday about that. I think that by the end of the day, I think a lot of these questions will be answered for you. I'm not able to go into details here.

Bret.

Q Will one of those questions later today be why this information came out? Will we find that out later today?

MS. PERINO: I believe that you will be given more information about that later today and that -- again, will it satisfy everybody? I don't know. But let's let the briefings take place and then we can go from there.

Q What form will the information be put out later here? Is there a statement by the White House?

MS. PERINO: As I said this morning, I am working to get something that could come out from me as soon as possible. I'm having to be respectful of the congressional briefing schedule that is ongoing today, and I'm trying to push the system a little bit for not only our interest to make sure that we inform the American public, but for yours so that you get -- don't get jammed on the back-end of your day. I'm aware of deadlines and hope that we can meet them.

Q Are there other agency briefings, backgrounders or otherwise -

MS. PERINO: I'd just refer you to the intelligence community for that.

Q But you will be having a statement later today, but maybe not before 5:00 p.m., 6:00 p.m.?

MS. PERINO: I hesitate to put a time on it. I'm pushing as hard as I can. It probably will not be as early as I would like.

Q Is it tied to the conclusion of the briefings on the Hill?

MS. PERINO: I'm trying to work on that and trying to push the system a little bit. I'm not sure if I'll be successful.

Q Dana, just to be clear, Hoekstra did already get his briefing and he wasn't satisfied. So will you be reaching out again to him?

MS. PERINO: Of course, we'll just have to -- our senior officials and our staff talk with him and his staff on a regular basis.

Q Dana, in October the President said that any such proliferation activities would be a grave threat to the United States and that North Korea would face serious consequences. Does he stand by those statements?

MS. PERINO: Yes.

Q What should the consequences be then?

MS. PERINO: Well, let's let the briefings take place and the declaration take place, and we will move on from there.

Q And what's the international component to this? Have you talked to the other -- do the other six-party -- or four parties know the information that's being provided to Congress today?

MS. PERINO: This will not come as a surprise to any members of the six-party talks.

Q Okay. And I understand that the United States reached out to the IAEA today. Do you want inspectors to go into Syria to make sure that they're satisfied -- make sure that Syria is in compliance with the NPT?

MS. PERINO: I don't know who reached out, if they did. So I'm not aware of that. I don't know who it would have been. But I think when I have my statement today that you'll have later this afternoon, that that question will be at least partially answered.

Q Okay.

Q Another issue?

MS. PERINO: Is everyone okay with that? Okay.

Q I'd like to ask you about a couple of comments from Democrats about the oil price situation.

MS. PERINO: Okay.

Q Some Senate Democrats are threatening to block arms deals if the Saudis, the Kuwaitis and other Arab countries don't pump more oil. And there's also a call on the House Democratic side once again to tap the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

MS. PERINO: Okay, I'll go in order then, taking the first question first. I think once again the Democrats are barking up the wrong tree. The last thing that we want to do is increase our dependence on foreign sources of energy. For years they have been in the lead to block efforts to have environmentally responsible exploration and production in our own country. Arms deals are not favors that we do for friends; they are in our national strategic interests and something that we work closely with Congress on.

And therefore, what would be most productive on Capitol Hill right now is to take measures into their own hands and work to make sure that we are increasing production and exploration here in our own country, so that we can reduce our dependence on foreign sources of energy in ways where we know how to do it, without harming the environment -- or with minimal impact on the environment, while we work to transition our economy to one where we would be able to operate on less traditional sources of energy -- alternatives and renewables.

I would remind you that it was just in his 2007 State of the Union address that an additional plan the President put forward was to reduce traditional oil and gas use by 20 percent in 10 years. We were able to get that bill passed. It doesn't go as far and as fast as we would like, but just this week, on Tuesday, Secretary Peters of the Transportation agency, said that on the mileage-per-gallon standards that were supposed to be increased at 4 percent a year, that we think that we can do better and we can do it faster, and so we're going to do it at 4.5 percent a year.

So we're trying to push the technology and push the system. But the suggestion that they made today is not one that we could support, for the reasons I said.

Q What about the Petroleum Reserve?

MS. PERINO: So to that point, the purpose of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve is to provide the United States with oil in the event of a severe disruption of supply. It has been ineffective when it has been used to manipulate the price in the past. And the administration continues to fill the reserve at a very modest rate, and we don't believe the fill rates have a meaningful impact on oil supplies, as this oil equates to less than one-tenth of 1 percent of daily world consumption.

Q Can I just get your reaction to something that Senator Schumer said on the same thing? He said that the Saudis and the oil companies are in cahoots and the administration is coddling them.

MS. PERINO: You know, I think that Senator -- that those types of -- that those remarks are ones that again continue to ignore the root cause of this issue. And continuing to blame other countries, when in fact, those countries -- and the one that he mentioned, especially in regards to Saudi Arabia just this week talked about how they have spent billions of dollars to explore for more oil in their own country. There are limits to supply and there is a huge amount of demand.

We can encourage them, and we have asked them, to increase production. But we are not going to be able to do so in a way that waves a magic wand and immediately reduces gas prices. And I would say this about that particular Senator that you mentioned: For the very same people that are clamoring for lower gasoline prices, they are the same ones that are hailing policies in the United States Senate that would expressly increase gas prices or electricity prices. And I could point to the Warner-Lieberman bill as one that across the board economists have forecasted would increase gas prices.

Q On the same topic -- you called on them to take measures to increase production. Can you just be specific?

MS. PERINO: Sure, there's ANWR, which we've been talking about for years. And I think that the issue -- there are so many facts on the ground now when it comes to that, that it's disingenuous to suggest that it would harm the environment, because we know how to do it in the best possible way, with the newest and best technologies on Earth that could help us produce that; plus, not to mention, all of the jobs that it would create up in that part of our country.

In addition, there is offshore oil that we could pursue in ways that don't hurt viewscapes, as has been a concern, but also ones that take into account the way to do offshore oil in a way that will not harm the environment.

Q And just a quick question -- in the letter that Speaker Pelosi sent to the President, she mentioned -- she called on him to get the FTC to crack down on price manipulators. Is that something under --

MS. PERINO: We absolutely agree. We absolutely agree that there are -- if there are any cases of price gouging, that they should be fully investigated. But I think that, again, to bark up the wrong tree and suggest that there is an easy fix to this -- they are -- it's not fair to the American people and it's absolutely misleading. And what Congress should be focused on is how do we start addressing the root causes of these problems in a way that we can reduce our dependence on foreign sources of energy in ways that we can produce more here at home?

Bret.

Q Two quick issues. Senate John McCain was touring a Lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans today. He said, "Never again will a disaster be handled in this terrible and disgraceful way." He was asked specifically to talk about President Bush and how he failed in his Katrina conduct, and he said, "I think everybody knows how it was a failure." There were unqualified people in charge. There was a total misreading of the dimensions of the disaster. There was a failure of communications on the part of the way -- the common spectrum to used by many first responders. He said, "It's been well chronicled. I don't think anybody in America, hardly, is unaware of the many failings that took place." What your reaction to that?

MS. PERINO: Well, I didn't see the comments, but from what I know, having been here during the time, President Bush absolutely took responsibility for any failing on the part of the federal government. But at the same time there were problems at the federal, state and -- I'm sorry, at the state and local levels, as well, which they have admitted to. One thing I would point to is that -- it was the largest hurricane to hit us. It hit us hard and it hit us in a spot where we were the most vulnerable; where we had citizens who were living in a place that was really in a bowl, and they suffered the consequences of a terrible flooding.

That said, one of the things that the President asked then Homeland Security Director Fran Townsend to do was an after-action report, of which we did, and the recommendations have all been taken into account and they are being addressed. And we can get you an update, but I think that almost all of the recommendations were accepted and have been addressed by -- across the board, across the federal government.

Q One quick one to finish up. Is there any update on the stolen Blackberries in New Orleans? What is the story with this?

MS. PERINO: There was an incident in New Orleans at the leaders' summit in -- where an individual from the Mexican delegation, or a staff member was involved in these Blackberries -- the disappearance of a couple of Blackberries. I don't know how many it was. The matter is under investigation by law enforcement officials and they haven't decided yet what exactly happened, but they're working on it.

Q Was there sensitive material on the Blackberries?

MS. PERINO: I don't know. I'm going to let the investigation take place before I comment on it.

Q Whose were they?

Q Yes, whose Blackberries? Were they White House staff Blackberries?

DANA: I don't -- I'm not --

Q U.S.?

DANA: U.S., yes.

Q White House officials?

DANA: I don't know if they were -- I'm not quite sure whose they were, so I don't want to say that, but they were certainly U.S. delegation.

Q Dana, there seems to be some concern in the Palestinian community that the President does not have any meetings on his schedule when he goes to Israel with Palestinian leaders. What, if anything, will the President do while he's there to reach out either to Palestinian leaders or ordinary Palestinians to commemorate in a way the flip side of Israel's birthday, which is the loss of Palestinian homes and their expulsion?

DANA: Well, the first thing he's going to do is he'll be meeting in just 20 minutes with President Abbas of the Palestinian Authority. So we'll be there, and then there's pool at the bottom of their meeting and I think you'll hear from him that he plans to be able to see President Abbas in Sharm el-Sheikh when he's there.

Q But what about when he's in Israel, will he reach out in any way to the Palestinian community?

MS. PERINO: Well, we haven't released the schedule yet so let's wait and see. But the expressed purpose of the trip is to go to the 60th anniversary of the celebration of the start of Israel. And beyond that, let's wait for their meeting to take place. We're still finalizing the schedule; it's not set in stone.

Q Does he view that, though, as an insult in a way to Palestinians, to go to -- you know, is he siding himself too closely with Israel?

MS. PERINO: Since the President met yesterday with King Abdullah and he's meeting today with President Abbas and plans to see him in a couple of weeks, no, I don't think that that's a fair characterization.

Q The President in August, saying that time is running out -- do you still believe that the peace process is on track?

MS. PERINO: Well, we certainly think it's had much more halting progress than we would have liked and it's not moving fast enough. But one of the things the President is doing today is listening to President Abbas as he continues to find the spots where we can continue to push. I mean, a lot of this is up to the Palestinians and the Israelis, who committed to trying to work something out by the end of the year. And we are hopeful that we can continue on that path, but we also know we have a heck of a lot of work to do.

Q But since Annapolis, it's been six months until now. Can you point out any achievement that happened between now and then, in nine months until the President is --

MS. PERINO: Well, I think you have to look at this in terms of a package. And while they have had good conversations early on in the process, then they backtrack a little bit. And we have a very complex situation on the ground and it's going to take a little while. But I wouldn't say that you're going to get this in a piecemeal fashion. I think that you're going to have to take a look at it in total, once we get to a resolution, if we can get one.

Q Thank you.

Q Dana.

MS. PERINO: Can I just do Goyal -- sorry.

Q Thank you.

MS. PERINO: Go ahead, Goyal. Kathleen must have a lunch date. (Laughter.)

Q Two quick ones. One is that Iran is saying now that they are opening for the inspections for IAEA and because their nuclear program is now for peaceful, which they have denied in the past. How does it look -- President believes Iran now that they are ready to open various facilities?

MS. PERINO: We'll see. Actions speak louder than words, and we haven't seen a lot of action on their side, but a lot of words.

Q And second quick one. Yesterday Attorney General was speaking at CSIS and he gave a review of the -- what do you call the international --

MS. PERINO: The terrorist program?

Q What I'm saying is my question, quick, does President believe what he set out as far as international criminals are concerned they are also connected with terrorism and terrorists? And what steps President --

MS. PERINO: Yes, the President believes that and that's something we've been working on and something Judge Mukasey -- I should say Attorney General Mukasey is continuing to work on.

Okay, thank you.

END 1:01 P.M. EDT. For Immediate Release Office of the Press Secretary April 24, 2008

Tags: President Bush and White House or Dana Perino and North Korea

White House Press Briefing by Dana Perino 04/23/08 VIDEO, PODCAST

Press Briefing by Dana Perino FULL STREAMING VIDEO, running time 11:23 min, James S. Brady Press Briefing Room, Dana M. Perino Biography, 12:45 P.M. EDT. PODCAST OF THIS ARTICLE

MS. PERINO: Hello. Three announcements for you, and then I'll go to questions. Today, as you saw, with the concurrence of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Secretary Gates has recommended, and the President has approved and will nominate, General David Petraeus as the new Commander of Central Command. In addition, he will withdraw the nomination of Lieutenant General Ray Odierno to be the Army Vice Chief of Staff, and nominate him instead to return to Baghdad as the new Multi-National Force Iraq Commander, replacing General Petraeus. And finally, the President will also nominate Lieutenant General Peter Chiarelli as Vice Chief of Staff of the Army.

As Secretary Gates said, he does not anticipate General Petraeus leaving Iraq until late summer or early fall. We expect to move the paperwork on these nominations to the Senate very quickly. Because of the complex nature of getting all of these done, we ask that the Senate move as expeditiously as possible and ask that they act by Memorial Day. One of the reasons that we would ask that is so that not only can the military plan, but so that their families can plan accordingly.

Secretary Gates said that he recommended General Petraeus to the President because he is absolutely confident he's the best man for the job. And as Secretary Gates said, he doesn't know anybody in the United States military better qualified to lead the effort.

On another subject, President Bush, as you have heard him say, is concerned about the number of faith-based schools across the country that are closing their doors. The National Center for Education Statistics reports that nearly 1,200 urban faith-based schools in America closed between 2000 and 2006. More than 400,000 students were affected by these closures.

To address this issue, President Bush announced in the State of the Union address in January that he would convene a White House summit on inner-city children and faith-based schools to help highlight the lack of educational options facing low-income urban students. Tomorrow at the Ronald Reagan International Center here in Washington, D.C., he will bring together educators, clergy, philanthropists and business leaders to highlight the problem and encourage practical solutions to help save these schools.

Yesterday we released a fact sheet on the summit's agenda, and if you have additional questions you can ask anyone in the Press Office.

Finally, recent credit market conditions have raised concerns in the student loan market among parents and some college students, and so the administration has been taking steps to prepare for the approaching student loan peak season of applications in July and August. Today Secretary Spellings, Secretary Paulson and Director Jim Nussle sent a letter to members of Congress urging prompt action to get the Department of Education authority to purchase federal family education loans to better ensure the availability for the upcoming academic year.

The House recently passed a bill to provide this authority, and we urge the Senate to act promptly on the bill. Implementing this authority will take time, so it is imperative to move this legislation without delay if this authority is to be used in the upcoming school year. We do not want to see any students unable to attend universities this year because of the credit crunch, and that's why we are taking appropriate steps now to confront that challenge should it arise.

That's all.

Q Secretary Gates was asked today when the American public would be told about North Korea's nuclear assistance to Syria, and he said, "soon." Can you tell us what the administration has in mind and how you're going to roll it out?

MS. PERINO: No, I think Secretary Gates said it well. "Soon" is a good, short answer. We are going to be -- continuing to talk to members of Congress. That action will be happening soon, and as soon as we have more from there --

Q That will, or won't?

MS. PERINO: Will.

Q Has it started yet?

MS. PERINO: Well, let me decline to comment until they decide to talk to members of Congress more -- in an additional fashion, and then we can provide more. I'm not going to be able to say much on it today, and I'm not confirming anything at this briefing in regards to the substance of the question.

Q Well, he's the one who said, "soon."

MS. PERINO: And he was right. (Laughter.)

Q Okay, the next question is, how does this, whatever North Korea has been doing, how does it affect the six-party talks?

MS. PERINO: I think that -- let's let the action of "soon" happen and then we'll be able to talk more fully about it.

Roger.

Q Can you just shed a little light on why you can't talk about it, or at least --

MS. PERINO: No. You know that we've been asked questions about this since last fall. We have declined to comment, and I'm not able to do so at this time.

Q Is it because of the briefing tomorrow on the Hill, and are you just waiting until that --

MS. PERINO: It's not appropriate for me at this point, at this moment, to talk about it from here, and so I'll decline to do so until I'm allowed to.

Q Does it raise -- whatever it is -- (laughter) -- does it raise U.S. concerns even more about North Korea and Syria?

MS. PERINO: I'd love to be able to answer your question, but if I did, then it would answer the other questions that I've already said I can't answer. And so let's just -- if you guys can just be a little bit patient and let some conversations happen on the Hill, then we'll be able to talk about it more at that time.

Helen.

Q The President has said publicly several times, in two consecutive news conferences a few months ago, and you have said over and over again, we do not torture. Now he has admitted that he did sign off on torture, he did know about it. So how do you reconcile this credibility gap?

MS. PERINO: Helen, you're taking liberties with the what the President said. The United States has not, is not torturing any detainees in the global war on terror. And General Hayden, amongst others, have spoken on Capitol Hill fully in this regard, and it is -- I'll leave it where it is. The President is accurate in saying what he said.

Q That's not my question. My question is, why did he state publicly, we do not torture --

MS. PERINO: Because we do not.

Q -- when he really did know that we do?

MS. PERINO: No, that's what I mean, Helen. We've talked about the legal authorities --

Q Are you saying that we did not?

MS. PERINO: I am saying we did not, yes.

Q How can you when you have photographs and everything else? I mean, how can you say that when he admits that he knew about it?

MS. PERINO: Helen, I think that you're -- again, I think you're conflating some issues and you're misconstruing what the President said.

Q I'm asking for the credibility of this country, not just this administration.

MS. PERINO: And what I'm telling you is we have -- torture has not occurred. And you can go back through all the public record. Just make sure -- I would just respectfully ask you not to misconstrue what the President said.

Q You're denying, in this room, that we torture and we have tortured?

MS. PERINO: Yes, I am denying that.

Elaine, did you have one?

Q I have one on Zimbabwe, actually.

Q Where is everybody?

Q British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has called for an arms embargo on Zimbabwe. I wondered if you have any reaction.

MS. PERINO: Sorry, an arms embargo?

Q On Zimbabwe. Do you have any reaction?

MS. PERINO: No, I'll have to refer you to State Department, but I'll see if I can get more for you later.

Q Okay. And one on Darfur. U.N. officials yesterday said that the conflict in Darfur is deteriorating and that full deployment of peacekeeping forces won't happen until 2009. Is that acceptable to the President? And is there anything that the U.S. plans to do to assist in that situation in the remaining time he has in office?

MS. PERINO: Although I'll say that I haven't seen a specific report, but what I can tell you is that I think it was just last week that the President met with his special envoy to Sudan, Rich Williamson, and they discussed at length these issues. And the President talked to him about, how do we get more peacekeepers into the area to help protect the population; what are the strategies to talk -- to do -- continue discussions so that we are facilitating conversations, but also at the same time, taking action to make sure that people are protected and that the killing can stop.

That's something the President is very concerned about, and he and Rich Williamson had a good conversation about it and the President asked him to continue his work. We remain very frustrated and we would like the rest of the world, and the United Nations, to fully back this effort, and to put more pressure on the Sudanese.

Q With the announcement today on General Petraeus and Odierno, who is going to make that assessment on the ground that you all said was going to happen after July if you're having this shuffle?

MS. PERINO: I didn't get to see the full press conference, I just saw a little bit at the top, but I understand that Secretary Gates believes that that will be General Petraeus. And that's one of the reasons he said that these changes wouldn't happen until late summer or early fall. And so that assessment will take -- will be done by General Petraeus. But I'm sure he'll be talking with Ray Odierno, as well -- General Odierno, who has spent a lot of time there and helped implement the strategy that has been seeing signs of success. So I think that we'll -- I'll let the Pentagon say for sure, but I believe that's what Secretary Gates was intending to say.

Q Dana, can you tell us what the President talked to the King about this morning, and whether he agrees with the King, as his spokesman -- spokespeople say, that the Israeli-Palestinian peace process should be based on clear grounds and fixed time frames?

MS. PERINO: I am not able to readout that meeting. The President believes that is a private discussion that he had, private breakfast that he had in the private dining room off of the Oval Office. So I will decline to comment specifically. What I can say is that the President enjoys good relations with many of the leaders in the Middle East. He's pleased that there is engagement and an effort to have input into advancing the peace process.

But as regards to fixed timetables, I don't know if that is -- was an accurate -- that it's accurate that they talked about that this morning or not. I know that there's a statement out there, but it was only the two of them in the room and I'm not going to be able to provide a readout.

Okay, Les.

Q Thank you, Dana. Two questions. The AP in Kuwait quotes Secretary of State Rice as saying, "The United States is not going to deal with Hamas. And we had certainly told President Carter that we did not think meeting with Hamas was going to help." And my question: Since the result of this telling was that Mr. Carter proceeded directly to violate this U.S. policy and meet with these terrorists, what is President Bush prepared to do to put an end to this one-man defiance of our policy which so gratified the terrorists?

MS. PERINO: Well, former President Carter is a private citizen, and he made a decision to not comply with what the State Department asked him to do. What I think the President would focus on is, if you go back to what reportedly Hamas said to former President Carter, that they were willing to take these steps for peace, that the very next day, that they went ahead and murdered many people at the Gaza crossing. And I think actions speak louder than words, and we remain very concerned about the situation. That's why Secretary Rice was in the region.

Q If the President, as our nation's chief law enforcer, fails to order Mr. Carter's passport revoked, how many more people like Carter may want to plot U.S. policy in this regard, do you imagine?

MS. PERINO: I don't know, you'll have to take a national survey.

Okay.

END 12:56 P.M. EDT. For Immediate Release April 23, 2008

Tags: President Bush and White House or Dana Perino and General David Petraeus

Secretary Robert Gates Air University VIDEO

Gates Urges Unconventional Thinkers to Address Unconventional Challenges By Donna Miles American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON, April 21, 2008 – Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates today challenged military officers to become forward thinkers with the courage to advance new approaches needed to confront current and emerging threats.

“An unconventional era of warfare requires unconventional thinkers,” Gates told Air War College students at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.

He challenged the officers to think outside the box to help the military adapt to a constantly changing strategic environment characterized by persistent conflict.

While addressing an Air Force audience, Gates’ challenge applies militarywide.

“For the kinds of challenges America will face, the armed forces will need principled, creative, reform-minded leaders,” he said.

Bucking convention isn’t easy, Gates conceded. “Virtually every institution is organized in a way to stifle out-of-the-box thinking,” he said.

Ideas that break with the status quo aren’t always met with open arms, he added.

Gates noted the example set by the late Air Force Col. John Boyd, a maverick reformer who turned traditional approaches to air-to-air conflict and principles of maneuver warfare on their head. To do so, Boyd had to overcome “a large measure of bureaucratic resistance and institutional hostility,” Gates said.

The way Boyd saw it, everyone faces a fork in the road in his military career. People choose to “be somebody,” Gates said, making compromises and turning their backs on their friends to get ahead. Or they choose to “do something” -- sticking their neck out for their country, their military and themselves -- while recognizing that it’s not likely to garner them favor or career advantage.

Pressing security challenges require people in the armed forces who “want to do something, not be somebody,” Gates said.

New challenges, realities and requirements have meant “a wrenching set of changes for our military establishment that, until recently, was almost completely oriented toward winning the big battles in the big wars,” Gates said.

He cited vast transformations within the military and the need for more. The Army is taking lessons learned and capabilities built from the Iraq and Afghanistan campaigns and institutionalizing them into its core doctrine, funding priorities and personnel policies.

Similarly, the Air Force has adopted recent lessons, setting the stage for the expeditionary culture and mindset to take root, Gates said. It has accepted new, nontraditional combat missions, new ways of doing things and new battlefield responses, including small-diameter munitions that can strike enemies with less chance of collateral damage.

Gates urged the officers to come up with more ways the Air Force can evolve to meet asymmetric threats.

“I would ask you to think through how we can build the kinds of air capabilities most likely to be needed while continuing to offer a strategic hedge against rising powers,” he said.

Gates also challenged to officers to:

-- Come up with better ways to address the air, space and cyberspace roles in counterinsurgency operations;

-- Enhance partners’ airpower capabilities;

-- Conduct civil-military or humanitarian missions with interagency, nongovernmental organizations and other partners;

-- Rethink the way the service is organized, manned and equipped;

-- Determine what new priorities should drive issues ranging from promotions to procurement; and

-- Come up with ways to accomplish future missions ranging from strike to surveillance in the most affordable, sensible way.

“I have raised difficult questions with perhaps difficult answers,” Gates said. “I am asking you to be part of the solution and part of the future.”

The secretary urged the officers to be willing to think beyond the status quo when they approach Boyd’s proverbial fork in the road. He also emphasized the need for senior leaders to recognize the value of out-of-the-box thinking and to support the people who do it.

“For the good of the Air Force, for the good of the armed services, and for the good of our country, I urge you to reject convention and careerism and to make decisions that will carry you closer toward -- rather than farther from -- the officer you want to be and the thinker who advances air-power strategy in meeting the complex challenges to our national security,” he said.

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• Robert M. Gates - Biographies
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Tags: Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Air Command and Staff College or Maxwell Air Force Base

State Department Daily Press Briefing, 04/21/08 VIDEO, PODCAST, TEXT

Daily Press Briefing Tom Casey, Deputy Spokesman FULL STREAMING VIDEO Washington, DC April 21, 2008 12:50 p.m. EDT. PODCAST OF THIS ARTICLE

MR. CASEY: Okay. Good afternoon and happy Monday, everyone. I don't have anything to start you out with, so Matt.

QUESTION: Yeah. Tom, can you expand at all on what you said this morning about President Carter and his talks with Hamas? And also, I don't know if you've seen these latest comments from Khaled Mashaal, but he's saying that they won't recognize Israel, but they are prepared -- apparently, prepared to be its neighbor in peace and they've offered a 10-year ceasefire.

MR. CASEY: Well, first of all, I think we'll let former President Carter speak for himself. But he made this trip on his own initiative. As you know, we counseled him against engaging with Hamas, in keeping with longstanding U.S. policy. But in terms of the nature of his discussions, I think I'll leave it to him and others to talk about.

What is clear to us, though, is that nothing has changed in terms of Hamas's basic views about Israel and about peace in the region. They still refuse to acknowledge or recognize any of the basic Quartet principles, including recognizing Israel's right to exist, renouncing terrorism and acknowledging all the previous agreements that have been made between the Palestinian Authority and Israel itself.

And I think if you look back at the history of the rhetoric from Hamas, you see all these language about truces and other kinds of issues. But the bottom line is, Hamas still believes in the destruction of the state of Israel. They don't believe Israel has a right to exist. And it's pretty hard to see how Hamas becomes any kind of legitimate partner for Israel or for President Abbas, for that matter, as long as its fundamental view is that the person that you would achieve a peace agreement with doesn't have a right to exist.

QUESTION: Tom, just to follow up quick.

MR. CASEY: Sure.

QUESTION: If Hamas changes its mind, let's say, against Israel, what they have been saying for the last -- so many years, when -- still U.S. recognize -- does not recognize Hamas, but if they change their mind, you think there will be a change of policy if they do everything -- what they have been saying about Israel?

MR. CASEY: Well, look, Goyal, I think the Quartet has made clear that for the international community to be able to engage in any meaningful way with Hamas, they need to adhere to the Quartet principles. And unfortunately, I don't think we've seen anything that indicates that they intend to do so. Obviously, you know, if Hamas got out of the terrorism business, recognized Israel, met all those criteria, that would be a different situation and potentially would mean a different kind of relationship between Hamas and the international community. But I think unfortunately, we're not likely to see that any time soon.

QUESTION: But you don't see Carter's visit or his talks with -- in Syria as having broken any ice?

MR. CASEY: Like I said, Matt, I don't have any kind of direct readout on those conversations. From what I've been able to gather, though, it doesn't fundamentally change anything.

Elise.

QUESTION: New topic?

QUESTION: Can I stay on this for a second?

MR. CASEY: Yeah, sure.

QUESTION: Tom, actually, Mr. Carter challenged this morning on NPR your assertion last week and the one you just repeated a few minutes ago, that you advised him against meeting with those Hamas leaders and said that he spoke to David Welch and David, in no way, discouraged him or urged him not to meet with these people. He didn't encourage him to do so, but -- so I'm just trying to figure out what exactly it was David said to him that made him believe that he was, you know, free to meet with those people.

MR. CASEY: Well, first of all, he is free to meet with those people in the sense that he's a private citizen and a former president and he'll make his own judgments about these things as he has done in this instance. However, again, Nicholas, I can't explain to you why he is saying that. All I know is that you heard from Sean and from the Secretary and from me that the advice we gave him was not to engage in those meetings. Why he didn't hear that message or why he didn't understand that message, I don't know. That's a question you'd have to leave to him.

QUESTION: Well, it may be that David Welch is such anccomplished diplomat that even when he says no, it sounds like yes.

MR. CASEY: I think our policies on this are pretty clear. But, you know, look, he's a former President of the United States. I'll leave it to him to describe his meetings and arrangements. I -- all I can say is you've heard from us as to what we conveyed to him.

Elise.

QUESTION: A new topic?

MR. CASEY: Sure.

QUESTION: Somalia. It's -- I'm sure you've heard abut the latest violence, 81 dead, a lot of people are fleeing Mogadishu. What is your take on the new intensified fightings and what do you think the implications will be for the war on terror?

MR. CASEY: Well, Elise, unfortunately, I can't really confirm any of the facts that we've seen in some of the press reporting there. Obviously, we continue to be concerned about the presence of extremists and those who are seeking to have their way in Somalia through violence rather than through participation in the political process. We are going to continue to work with the Transitional Federal Government, with the Ethiopians, with the AU and others who are interested in trying to help bring peace and stability to Somalia and improve the situation in that country and give the Somali people a better future. But obviously, there’s a lot of work to be done in terms of being able to finally put an end to the threat that’s posed by extremist violence there.

QUESTION: Well, what do you see as the threat to the United States in terms of, kind of, intensified violence on the ground?

MR. CASEY: Well, I don’t really have any – again, I can’t even confirm the facts of what’s happened in Somalia today, so I don’t think, at this point, I could offer you any new analysis. Obviously, for a long time, we’ve been concerned about instability in that region.

Any failed state or any state where there isn’t basic levels of security and basic levels of governance creates a potential place in which terrorists might have an opportunity to operate or find safe haven and certainly one of the considerations that we have in terms of trying to help bring about a more peaceful, stable situation in Somalia.

Yeah.

QUESTION: Do you have any details on the U.S. apparently building a new Marine barrack in Taiwan, which would, I guess, signal something – somewhat of a shift in Taipei?

MR. CASEY: Well, yeah. I did look into this and I think there’s a bit of confusion here. What is happening is there are discussions about having a new compound or new complex built to replace the existing AIT structure in Taipei. The notices that have gone out have included the broadest possible kinds of elements that might be included in there. But at this point, I’m not aware that there are any plans to station U.S. Marines at AIT in Taipei. And I don’t think anything that is in this notice is indicative of anything more than if you’re looking to have someone contract for a potential project, you want to give them the full range of possible options there. But I don’t think anyone should see this as a signal that we’re changing our policy or that we intend to place Marines, at this point, at AIT Taipei.

QUESTION: Will there be a Marine barrack within that or is that just a possibility in the plan?

MR. CASEY: It’s a possibility, but it’s not – again, this is a request for proposals on a range of options for a new building and for a new compound. And again, there certainly would be a security element to that. There is a security element in AIT there right now, though it isn’t U.S. Marines that are providing it.

QUESTION: Who is it?

MR. CASEY: I’m not sure who the contractor is, but it’s a contract authority.

Yeah.

QUESTION: Georgia’s president called Russia’s Putin to complain about aggressive acts, as he put it, after this drone was shot down – Georgian drone was shot down. What have you been able to find out about this? And who has State spoken to from the Russian Government or the Georgian Government about it?

MR. CASEY: Well, first of all, let me again just reiterate our support for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Georgia. No state should be taking actions that would violate that. In terms of this specific instance, we’re still seeking information from the Russian Government about this. We’ve been in close contact with the Government of Georgia. My understanding is we’ve sought information from the Russians, both from here in Washington as well as through our embassy. But we’re very concerned about this, and as you know, there have been a number of provocative incidents that have occurred in the past. We would hate to see a repeat of that or anything that would be increasing tensions between two neighbors who we would hope would be able to have good relations with one another.

QUESTION: Do you – from what you’ve learned so far, do you think the incident took place as the Georgians are describing it, that it was a Russian jet that shot down the drone?

MR. CASEY: Well, I think there are a lot of open questions about that. Again, we’ve been coordinating closely with the Georgian Government and we are seeking information from the Russians to try and give us a clearer assessment of whether that, in fact, is true or not.

QUESTION: How are you seeking the information from the Russians? Is it Dan Fried inviting the Ambassador to stop by?

MR. CASEY: Well, again, it’s both from here in Washington as well as through our Embassy there.

QUESTION: Yeah, but --

MR. CASEY: I don’t have the specifics on who was calling who.

QUESTION: I mean, a phone call or did someone get -- did you summon someone to (inaudible)?

MR. CASEY: Matt, I know we’ve been communicating with them. I assume it’s been both in person and on the phone, but I don’t have the specifics of who and where and at what time.

Yeah.

QUESTION: Tom, do you have any details about the meeting between Under Secretary Dobriansky with the Dalai Lama this morning?

MR. CASEY: Well, I haven’t had a chance to talk with Under Secretary Dobriansky yet, but she did meet this morning with the Dalai Lama in Ann Arbor. This is in her role as the Special Coordinator for Tibet Issues, a position that she’s held since May of 2001. And her meeting was part of our ongoing efforts to promote dialogue between the Dalai Lama and the Chinese Government. We’ve long held that that kind of dialogue is the best way to resolve the longstanding issues with respect to Tibet. And of course, that includes trying to help deal with the consequences of some of the recent violence there.

I think you all may have seen that Under Secretary Dobriansky had an op-ed in a major newspaper here in Washington today, and I think that outlines, again, the basic ideas behind our policies. She is looking to meet with him and to hear from him about what kinds of discussions have been going on between his representatives and the Government of China, and also to try and see what she might be able to do to help him in encouraging that dialogue and seeing that it move forward.

QUESTION: How would this process -- how would the meeting, in fact, take this process in bringing about some reconciliation between Beijing and Dalai Lama a step forward?

MR. CASEY: Well, of course, we want to hear from him about his ideas and what he believes might be the next appropriate steps in this. We are certainly going to, of course, also continue to have discussions with the Government of China about this. And you’ve heard both in our public statements as well as in our private discussions with Chinese officials we’ve strongly encouraged them to reach out to the Dalai Lama and to his representatives to be able to have the kind of dialogue that would reduce tensions and help lead to a resolution of some of these differences.

QUESTION: Any indications, Tom, whether the -- whether there’ll be any resumption of the Sino-Tibetan dialogue, (inaudible) which six rounds have been held? And there have been a lot of, I mean, calls from the White House, from the State Department and from many in the U.S. for such a resumption.

MR. CASEY: Well, we’d certainly like to see that dialogue resume. As you point out, it is something that has gone on in the past, and we think it’s the best way to be able to manage and deal with the problems in Tibet. But I’m not in a position at this point to tell you that there’s any commitments made that I’m aware of to resume that kind of high-level discussion.

Yeah, Elise.

QUESTION: New topic?

QUESTION: May I just follow one more quickly?

MR. CASEY: Sure, Goyal.

QUESTION: Since, Tom, France is calling for independent and also so are the people of Tibet, and -- but there’s a mixture of views and inside China because they don’t get everything about outside free world. And my question is that this is not the first time that you have been meeting Dalai Lama. It has been many times, including the President at the White House. What Dalai Lama has been saying, actually -- independent or more human rights, autonomy, or what?

MR. CASEY: Well, the Dalai Lama’s public statements mirror the private statements he’s made to us. He’s not calling for independence for Tibet. He’s calling for dialogue with Chinese authorities to be able to help resolve many of these outstanding questions, including peoples’ rights to practice their religion freely, to observe their cultural traditions freely, and to be able to otherwise enjoy some basic civil liberties.

Yeah, Elise.

QUESTION: On Pakistan, do you have anything on reports that a Taliban – pro-Taliban leader Sufi Muhammad, which helped lead Taliban forces in the uprising against the U.S. has been freed by the Pakistani Government as part of an effort to make peace with the militants?

MR. CASEY: Yeah. I saw that report right before I came out here. I’m afraid I haven’t been able to confirm it or get any kind of more details on it. We’ll try and get you something and post something for that later.

QUESTION: Thank you.

MR. CASEY: Yeah.

QUESTION: Tom, is the Bush Administration moving to take the Maoist insurgency movement in Nepal off the terrorism list, now that they’re – they’ve actually become part of the government?

MR. CASEY: Well, David, I’m not sure what, if any discussions, might be going on in that regard. As you know, there are legal criteria that are involved here. I’m sure to the extent that any movement ends its association with terrorism and can do so in a way that would match those or meet those legal hurdles, that we’d certainly take a look at it. But I can’t tell you at this point whether there is, in fact, an ongoing review related to Nepal.

QUESTION: It seems to – just a follow-up.

MR. CASEY: Yeah.

QUESTION: It seems to me that the U.S. may be in a Catch-22 because the Maoists are in the government. And are you saying that U.S. is not severing any ties with the government, now that they are in power, especially when you don’t negotiate with terrorists?

MR. CASEY: Well, again, you know, we have -- an organization being placed on the list of designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations has legal requirements that are placed on us. We have to honor those legal requirements and we’ll certainly do so in the case of Nepal.

To the broader question of what David raised, certainly, to the extent you have an organization that moves away from violence and terror, and participates in a political process and engages in those kinds of legitimate activities, you know, that would certainly, I think, give people an opportunity to at least look again at that situation and at that organization. But at this point, you know, there’s no change in their status, and we’ll follow the law as appropriate.

Yeah, Goyal.

QUESTION: Tom a quick question. As far as this report, or at least we are talking about this GAO report, I believe, what message do you have for the new government in Pakistan? Let’s say because of whatever happened while during General Musharraf. But of course, he is still in power. But billions of dollars had gone to this FATA area to combat terrorism and to bring Usama bin Ladin to justice and bring all these terrorists from that area. Are you doing anything as far as that particular area or lawlessness nation or a land in a nation is existing? So what are you going to do in the future about that area and terrorists -- terrorism?

MR. CASEY: Well, first of all, we have a series of ongoing efforts with the Government of Pakistan that deal with both concerns in Pakistan itself, as well as in the FATA. And you’ve heard from Assistant Secretary Boucher and others about our long-term development program for the FATA, which is geared at helping to give people opportunities, providing schools, providing

basic healthcare, hopefully also providing some economic opportunity and some employment that will help keep people from or give people some options that would keep them or help them to not turn towards some extremist ideas or ideologies.

We’re also, of course, continuing to cooperate with the Government of Pakistan, as it seeks to confront extremism not only in the FATA, but also in Pakistan itself. And I think you’ve heard from any number of officials in the new Pakistani Government about the fact that the fight against extremism is not an American fight, it’s a joint fight with the U.S. and Pakistan and the broader international community. So we continue to work with the new government as it develops its own policies and plans and I expect we are going to do so.

But I certainly think it’s clear that there is a commitment on the part of this government to engage and fight extremism. And I would think, certainly, those parties that are in this government that have been the victims of extremist violence, including, most obviously, the assassination of former Prime Minister Bhutto, don’t have any desire to participate in a dialogue with those who have actively sought to kill them.

QUESTION: But are you going to press for the change of status of this area, particular area, because – who rules that area? That’s what the Pakistanis are saying, that there is a autonomous, a kind of autonomous --

MR. CASEY: Well, it’s not for the United States to determine the political future of the FATA or of Pakistan. This is an issue that is of longstanding. The FATA has always been outside the control of Pakistan’s central government. It’s one of the things that makes it difficult to deal with some of the problems there -- the development problems, as well as those of extremism.

Certainly, the Pakistani Government has been working along with us to strengthen the Frontier Corps, to strengthen those security forces indigenous to the FATA, to be able to deal with some of the problems there. And again, we’re working with them on economic and political development as well. But these are concerns that are going to have to be addressed in terms of the long-term future of the FATA by the citizens of that area itself, as well as the Government of Pakistan.

What we want to see, though, is that the FATA be free of extremist violence, be free of al-Qaida-inspired terrorism, and be able to develop and prosper and provide a better life for the people there.

Nicholas.

QUESTION: Tom, on Iraq, quickly. The Secretary is asking the various countries in Kuwait tomorrow to forgive Iraq’s debt. A couple of months ago, there were reports about the Iraqis, instead of spending their – the oil revenues they’re getting now from the future – from the high price of oil, they’re investing in U.S. treasuries, making other sorts of investments, instead of spending the money on needs that the Iraqi people can benefit from. Have you, by any chance, sort of looked into that? It was a GAO report about this back in January, I think. But have you looked at what the Iraqi spending of those revenues from oil or how much it’s investing in other things?

MR. CASEY: Well, I certainly don’t have a review that I can offer you of that, Nicholas. I can tell you that Iraq is investing in its own people. It’s investing right now, most recently, to the tune of a hundred million dollars for development in job programs in Ramadi, for development in job programs in Najaf and several other key cities.

Certainly, though, one of the things that we have often talked about is the importance of the Iraqi people gaining benefits and seeing real services being provided to them by their government. The process that Iraq has gone through to help both create a capital budget and to begin spending that is an important one. Certainly, we do want to see them continue to do more.

And I think if you look at the transcripts of a couple of the remarks the Secretary made while in Iraq, she has pointed out that Iraq actually is now taking the lead from us in terms of spending on reconstruction and development projects, which is something that we’ve anticipated.

So I would certainly expect that the Iraqi Government is going to continue to be seen increasingly as taking the lead in terms of development projects and development issues, and expect that you’ll see more of these kinds of specific projects as well that are trying to help create jobs or provide greater economic opportunity for specific regions or cities, as well as the kind of broader efforts that are underway to improve some of the basic infrastructure, from electricity to water supplies and services, to all the other kinds of things that one would come to expect governments, both at a local level, as well as on a national level, to be able to provide for their people.

QUESTION: Thank you.

MR. CASEY: Yeah, one in the back.

QUESTION: Hi. Does the U.S. have any concerns about the Indian Government’s invitation to Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad to visit next week? And has there been any message sent to the Indian Government about those meetings?

MR. CASEY: Well, it’s up to every country to determine for itself how it’s going to organize its bilateral relations. Many countries, including some of our strong allies in Europe, have diplomatic relations with Iran. And it’s up to them to determine how best to manage them.

We would hope that the Indian Government or any government that was engaging with the Iranians, including with President Ahmadi-Nejad, would call on him to meet the requirements that the Security Council and the international community has placed on him in terms of suspending their uranium enrichment activities and complying with the other requirements regarding their nuclear program.

We’d also certainly encourage them to ask Iran to end its rather unhelpful activities with respect to Iraq, with respect to support for terrorism, including organizations like Hezbollah and Hamas, and to otherwise become a more responsible actor on the world stage.

Okay. Thanks, guys.

(The briefing was concluded at 1:13 p.m.) DPB # 71 Released on April 21, 2008

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"I'm listening" - Conversations with Computers

GRETA - an embodied conversational agent. Looking on are Prof Roddy Cowie of Queen's and Prof Maja Pantic from the University of Twente in Holland who is also a Reader in Imperial College London

A computer system that can carry on a discussion with a human being by reacting to signals such as tone of voice and facial expression, is being developed by an international team including Queen’s University Belfast. Known as SEMAINE, the project will build a Sensitive Artificial Listener (SAL) system, which will perceive a human user’s facial expression, gaze, and voice and then engage with the user. When engaging with a human, the SAL will be able to adapt its own performance and pursue different actions, depending on the non-verbal behaviour of the user.

SEMAINE is led by DFKI, the German centre for research on Artificial Intelligence: the other partners are Imperial College, London, the University of Paris 8, the University of Twente in Holland, and the Technical University of Munich. The European Commission awarded it a grant of €2.75 million after it was ranked first out of 143 bids for medium-sized projects in the area of cognitive systems and robotics.

Emotion-oriented computing is a broad research area involving many disciplines. The EU-funded network of excellence HUMAINE is currently making a co-ordinated effort to come to a shared understanding of the issues involved, and to propose exemplary research methods in the various areas. This overview page presents a proposed “map” of the research area, distinguishing core technologies from application-oriented and psychologically oriented work. Current research issues in the various areas are briefly outlined, and references for further reading are given.

Professor Roddy Cowie, from the School of Psychology, leads the team at Queen’s. He said: “A basic feature of human communication is that it is coloured by emotion. When we talk to another person, the words are carried on an undercurrent of signs that show them what attracts us, what bores us and so on. The fact that computers do not currently do this is one of the main reasons why communicating with them is so unlike interacting with a human. It is also one of the reasons we can find them so frustrating,” said Professor Cowie. “SEMAINE and projects like it will change the way people interact with technology. They mean that you will be talking to your computer in 20 years time.

When you do, pause for a minute, and remember that the human sciences at Queen’s helped to lay the groundwork.

“These new developments depend on connecting technology to the relevant understanding of people, and it is recognised worldwide that we have a distinctive strength in bringing psychology, linguistics and ethics to bear on the process of developing the new systems.”

SEMAINE follows on from another project, entitled HUMAINE, which was led by Professor Cowie. The HUMAINE Project (Human-Machine Interaction Network on Emotion) received €4.95 million to develop interfaces that let humans use computers in a more natural way. In 2006 it won the “Grand Prize” for the best Information Society Technology Project website. HUMAINE continues in the form of a world-wide organisation for emotion-oriented computing, the HUMAINE Association (emotion-research.net/ ), of which Professor Cowie is president.

Professor Cowie added: “Today when we use technology we adopt a style of communication that suits the machine. Through projects like HUMAINE, SEMAINE, and others linked to them, we will develop technology that will eventually communicate in ways that suit human beings.”

Ends

SEMAINE stands for Sustained Emotionally coloured Machine-human Interaction using
Nonverbal Expression.

Further information on the HUMAINE project, can be found by clicking on the following link which has been created to help provide background information for journalists: cordis.europa.eu/ictresults

For media enquiries please contact: Lisa Mitchell, Press Officer, +44 (0)28 9097 5384, Mob: 07814 422 572, lisa.mitchell@qub.ac.uk Web: Queen's University Belfast

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Freedom Calendar 04/19/08 - 04/26/08

April 19, 1866, Thousands assemble in Washington, DC to celebrate Republican Party’s abolition of slavery.

April 20, 1871, Republican Congress enacts the Ku Klux Klan Act, outlawing Democratic Party-affiliated terrorist groups which oppressed African-Americans.

April 21, 1926, Death of George Murray, former slave who served as U.S. Rep. (R-SC) from 1893-97.

April 22, 1981, President Ronald Reagan establishes first annual Days of Remembrance of Victims of the Holocaust.

April 23, 1971, Republican appointee Herbert Choy becomes first Asian-American federal judge, named by President Richard Nixon to U.S. Court of Appeals.

April 24, 1974, James M. Rogers, Jr. is first African-American selected National Teacher of the Year, by President Richard Nixon.

April 25, 1975, Appointed by President Gerald Ford, Dick Yin Wong becomes first Asian-American to serve as judge on a U.S. District Court.

April 26, 1999, Legislation authored by U.S. Senator Spencer Abraham (R-MI) awarding Congressional Gold Medal to civil rights pioneer Rosa Parks is transmitted to President.

"Much can be done by law towards putting women on a footing of complete and entire equal rights with man — including the right to vote, the right to hold and use property, and the right to enter any profession she desires on the same terms as the man...Women should have free access to every field of labor which they care to enter, and when their work is as valuable as that of a man it should be paid as highly.”

Theodore Roosevelt, 26th President of the United States

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Presidential Podcast 04/19/08

Presidential Podcast 04/19/08 . Subscribe to Our Podcast feed or online podnova Podcast Channel and receive the weekly Presidential Radio Address in English and Spanish with select State Department Briefings. Featuring full audio and text transcripts, More content Sources added often so stay tuned.

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