U.S. air base closing which is a key to
Posted By: to military operations in Afghan. on 2009-02-09
In Reply to:
This is not good. Just heard on the news that we need McCain, Romney, and Obama to talk to Russia about this special base closing. But of course, the senate and congress are too busy with this stimulus, stated the ex-FBI agent to fight terrorism.
Supposedly Russia prime minister stated he was FOR (not against) helping fight terrorists, but instead, Russia is actually working with Taliban. Basically, "Russia is bullying Obama." This needs to be worked out soon or terrorists are going to get stronger and attack when we are at our weakest, which I say is about now. We have already lost 150 vehicles for fighting because of base closing and do we seriously have 15,000 troops? Or are some of our young ones in high school and college going to be drafted soon.
MOSCOW — Kyrgyzstan's president said Tuesday his country is ending U.S. use of an air base key to military operations in Afghanistan_ a decision with potentially grave consequences for U.S. efforts to put down surging Taliban and al-Qaida violence.
A U.S. military official in Afghanistan called President Kurmanbek Bakiyev's statement "political positioning" and denied the U.S. presence at the Manas air base would end anytime soon.
The United States is preparing to deploy an additional 15,000 troops in Afghanistan and Manas is an important stopover for U.S. materiel and personnel.
Ending U.S. access would be a significant victory for Moscow in its efforts to squeeze the United States out of Central Asia, home to substantial oil and gas reserves and seen by Russia as part of its strategic sphere of influence.
Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev spoke on a visit to Moscow minutes after Russia announced it was providing the poor Central Asian nation with billions of dollars in aid.
Bakiyev said when the U.S. forces began using Manas after the September 2001 terrorist attacks, the expectation was that they would stay for two years at most.
"It should be said that during this time... we discussed not just once with our American partners the subject of economic compensation for the stationing (of US forces at the base)," he said on Russian state-run TV. "But unfortunately we have not found any understanding on the part of the United States.
"So literally just days ago, the Kyrgyz government made the decision on ending the term for the American base on the territory of Kyrgyzstan," he said.
Col. Greg Julian, the U.S. spokesman in Afghanistan, denied there was any change in U.S. use of the base and he noted that Gen. David Petraeus, commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan and Iraq, just recently traveled there.
"I think it's political positioning. Gen. Petraeus was just there and he talked with them. We have a standing contract and they're making millions off our presence there. There are no plans to shut down access to it anytime soon," he told The Associated Press.
As recently as Jan. 19, Petraeus said he had received Kyrgyz assurances that Russia was not pushing for the base to close.
In Washington, Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell said: "I have seen nothing to suggest, other than press reports, that the Russians are attempting to undermine our use of that facility."
The United States set up Manas and a base in neighboring Uzbekistan after the September 2001 attacks to back operations in Afghanistan. Uzbekistan expelled U.S. troops from the base on its territory in 2005 in a dispute over human rights issues, leaving Manas as the only U.S. military facility in the immediate region.
Moscow, which fought a 10-year war in Afghanistan during the Soviet era, was initially supportive of U.S. efforts to keep Afghanistan from collapsing into new anarchy and stem the spread of militancy northward through ex-Soviet Central Asia.
But as Kremlin suspicions about U.S. foreign policy have grown, so has Russian wariness about the U.S. presence in Central Asia. Russia also uses a military air base in the ex-Soviet nation.
During his visit last month, Petraeus said that Manas would be key to plans to boost the U.S. troop presence in Afghanistan. He also said the United States currently pumps a total of $150 million into Kyrgyzstan's economy annually, including $63 million in rent for Manas.
About 1,200 U.S. troops are based at Manas.
Russia, however, agreed Tuesday to provide Kyrgyzstan with $2 billion in loans plus another $150 million in financial aid.
Kyrgyzstan is one of Central Asia's poorest countries and has been buffeted by political turmoil for years. Its economy has been strained to the limit this winter after neighboring Uzbekistan significantly raised prices for natural gas.
Most Kyrgyz have been supportive, or at least accepting, of the U.S. presence, though in 2007, widespread anger erupted after a U.S. serviceman at Manas shot and killed a Kyrgyz man during a security check. Kyrgyz investigators had asked the serviceman face criminal prosecution in their country.
Petraeus said during a trip to the region last month that the investigation will be reopened.
Central Asia is key to U.S. efforts to secure an alternative supply line to forces in Afghanistan. The main route, through the Khyber Pass in Pakistan's northwest, has occasionally been closed in recent months due to rising attacks by bandits and Islamist militants, including one on Tuesday that destroyed a bridge.
During his visit, which included a stop in Kyrgyzstan, Petraeus said Washington had struck deals with Russia and several Central Asian states to allow the transhipment of supplies heading to Afghanistan.
NATO spokesman Eric Povel said the alliance could not comment because use of the base was an issue for the U.S. and Kyrgyzstan.
"It's not a NATO base," he said.
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Closing time.......... sm
Would the last one out, please turn out the lights. 
and I base mine on
available information .... don't just pull them out of my bellybutton.
I definitely don't base it JUST on morals
I guess I should have been more elaborate on that. And you are completely right, most presidents change their tune after they get into the white house. I feel like we are almost gambling when we vote, who will change less?
Honestly, if we could take the candidates and even the VPs and just mush them into one candidate, I think we would be flying pretty high.
I think my biggest fear right now is that myself and a lot of people I know are one step from losing our homes and standing in the breadline. I Get upset that my husband and I both work extremely hard to keep what we have (which isn't much) but that we can't seem to get any assistance whatsoever. Yet someone can have seven kids and never work a day in her life and be taken care of. Do I think this will change? No. I feel like the middle class in the economy is a lot like "the middle child" in a family - often forgotten about, but expected to behave anyways.
On religion, check out my reply to Kaydie. I've written a short summary of a part of the book I mentioned to her in response to you saying that Jesus was a highly evolved human being (I used to believe the same thing)
Josh Mcdowell puts it like this: either Jesus was a liar, a lunatic, or Lord.
If he spent his life telling everyone that he was the Son of God and getting people to believe and follow him and he knew that he wasn't, then he was a liar. But the question poses, can someone that evil hearted (remember a lot of his disciples left there homes, family, jobs, etc to follow Him and were even killed defending His name) never do wrong? See I believe that there were enough people that hated Jesus that after he died if someone tried to talk about how great he was they would have been writing about ANYTHING wrong he did if they knew that he did. We would have heard about it.
Lunatic - If he did all this not knowing that he was being deceptive, and he really believed that he was the Son of God, then he had to be crazy. But this is crazy to the tenth power. Most lunatics who believe they are something else believe they are something tangible, such as a dog or a butterfly or another human. To believe that your the Son of God (remember, there was no Son of God in history before him, so it's not like it was a term thrown around or an unoriginal idea) is very unlikely. Not to mention how eloquent of a speaker Jesus was and how he was so easily able to explain things.
Lord - If Jesus was neither a liar or a lunatic, then he must be who he says he is - Lord, the Son of God. And since the Son of God cannot sin, he cannot lie, which means when he says "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no one comes to the Father EXCEPT by me" then he must not be lying.
Josh Mcdowell explains this a lot better than I can (that's why he's a PhD and I'm an MT! :-D ) but in case you never get to check out his book, I just wanted to give a recap. It helped me make my decision that he is Lord, because for a long time I wanted to believe that he was just "a great man" or "a great teacher" but I feel now that it was so rude of me to say that of someone who personally died for me.
Just my ideas! Thanks for giving me yours! It's nice to be able to talk back and forth about this without anyone getting upset! :-D
Actually their leads are closing in - sm
Yes Obama is ahead but actually only by 5 points. This is according to the Rasmussen poll today, which is usually what everyone follows. I say their leads are closing in because last week Obama was ahead by 11 points, now he is ahead by only 5 points. Again, this is according to the Rasmussen report. I've said once and I'll say again, polls do not matter. The actual votes will count on November 4th. I'm at a point now that I don't care who wins. In honesty I hope McCain wins, but if Obama gets in that's the way it goes. But if you want to post a truly honest post, you should cite the poll that most everyone goes by and it is showing that their leads are narrowing. They've still got a couple weeks to go before the election and a lot can happen between now and then. Like I say I do hope McCain will win, but I am also realistic that Obama could win too, but to already project a winner could lead to devastating results in the end. Remember Tom Bradley? I would seriously think twice before stating false and misleading information as fact.
I'll tell you what I would like to see. I would like to see Obama drop out and Biden then become the nominee and Hillary as VP. Now that's a ticket I might vote for.
Deeni, please don't base all on one
I'm a Christian, but I see a lot of Christians who just are paranoid about anything and everything under the sun. They become paralyzed with "end times," the antichrist, etc. They become so entranced by this stuff that they lose their joy in their faith. I'm not like this. I feel Obama is there because he's supposed to be there, and I'm just working, paying bills, and enjoying my life and family. We're not all the "fire and brimstone" kind. :) I actually feel sorry for those Christians that feel this way because they're not acknowledging who is really in charge and these things are happening because they're supposed to. "Let it go!" I say to them. lol I'm sure you will agree. :)
Stores are already closing.....sm
This is probably not an up-to-date list.
Ann Taylor closing 117 stores nationwide. A company spokeswoman said the
company hasn't revealed which stores will be shuttered. It will let the
stores that will close this fiscal year know over the next month
Eddie Bauer to close more stores. Eddie Bauer has already closed 27 shops
in the first quarter and plans to close up to two more outlet stores by the
end of the year.
Cache closing stores. Women's retailer Cache announced that it is closing
20 to 23 stores this year.
Lane Bryant, Fashion Bug, Catherines closing 150 stores nationwide. The
owner of retailers Lane Bryant , Fashion Bug , Catherine's Plus Sizes will
close about 150 under performing stores this year. The company hasn't
provided a list of specific store closures and can't say when it will offer
that info, spokeswoman Brooke Perry said today.
Talbot's, J. Jill closing stores. About a month ago, Talbot's announced
that it will be shuttering all 78 of its kids and men's stores. Now the
company says it will close another 22 under performing stores.. The 22
stores will be a mix of Talbot's women's and J. Jill , another chain it owns
The closures will occur this fiscal year, according to a company press
release.
Gap Inc. closing 85 stores. In addition to its namesake chain, Gap also
owns Old Navy and Banana Republic . The company said the closures - all
planned for fiscal 2008 - will be weighted toward the Gap brand.
Foot Locker to close 140 stores. In the company press release and during
its conference call with analysts today, it did not specify where the future
store closures - all planned in fiscal 2008 - will be. The company could not
be immediately reached for comment
Wickes is going out of business. Wickes Furniture is going out of business
and closing all of its stores, Wickes, a 37-year-old retailer that targets
middle-income customers, filed for bankruptcy protection last month. They
have already closed the Minnesota stores.
Goodbye Levitz / BOMBAY - closed already. The furniture retailer, which is
going out of business. Levitz first announced it was going out of business
and closing all 76 of its stores in December. The retailer dates back to
1910 when Richard Levitz opened his first furniture store in Lebanon , PA.
In the 1960's, the warehouse/showroom concept brought Levitz to the
forefront of the furniture industry. The local Levitz closures will follow
the shutdown of Bombay ..
Zales, Piercing Pagoda closing stores. The owner of Zales and Piercing
Pagoda previously said it plans to close 82 stores by July 31. Today, it
announced that it is closing another 23 under performing stores. The company
said it's not providing a list of specific store closures. Of the 105
locations planned for closure, 50 are kiosks and 55 are stores.
Disney Store owner has the right to close 98 stores. The Walt Disney
Company announced it acquired about 220 Disney Stores from subsidiaries of
The Children's Place Retail Stores. The exact number of stores acquired will
depend on negotiations with landlords. Those subsidiaries of Children's
Place filed for bankruptcy protection in late March. Walt Disney, in the
news release, said it has also obtained the right to close about 98 Disney
Stores in the U.S. The press release didn't list those stores.
Home Depot store closings. (E. Brunswick, Rt 18 just put up their closing
sign) ATLANTA - Nearly 7+ months after its chief executive said there were
no plans to cut the number of its core retail stores, The Home Depot Inc.
announced Thursday that it is shuttering 15 of them amid a slumping U.S.
economy and housing market. The move will affect 1,300 employees. It is the
first time the world's largest home improvement store chain has ever closed
a flagship store for performance reasons. Its shares rose almost 5 percent.
The Atlanta-based company said the under performing U.S. stores being closed
represents less than 1 percent of its existing stores. They will be
shuttered within the next two months.
CompUSA (CLOSED) clarifies details on store closings. Any extended
warranties purchased for products through CompUSA will be honored by a
third-party provider, Assurant Solutions. Gift cards, rain checks, and
rebates purchased prior to December 12 can be redeemed at any time during
the final sale. For those who have a gadget currently in for service with
CompUSA, the repair will be completed and the gadget will be returned to
owners. http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9834177-7html < http://www.news
com/8301-10784_3-9834177-7.html
Macy's - 9 stores
Movie Gallery - 160 stores as part of reorganization plan to exit bankruptcy
The video rental company plans to close 400 of 3,500 Movie Gallery and
Hollywood Video stores in addition to the 520 locations the video rental
chain closed last fall.
Pacific Sunwear - 153 Demo stores
Pep Boys - 33 stores
Sprint Nextel - 125 retail locations. New Sprint Nextel CEO Dan Hesse
appears to have inherited a company bleeding subscribers by the thousands,
and will now officially be dropping the ax on 4,000 employees and 125 retail
locations. Amid the loss of 639,000 postpaid customers in the fourth quarter
Sprint will be cutting a total of 6.7% of its work force (following the 5
000 layoffs last year) and 8% of company-owned brick-and-mortar stores,
while remaining mute on other rumors that it will consolidate its
headquarters in Kansas . Sprint Nextel shares are down $2.89, or nearly 25%,
at the time of this writing.
J. C. Penney, Lowe's and Office Depot are scaling back
Ethan Allen Interiors: The company announced plans to close
12 of 300+ stores in an effort to cut costs.
Wilsons the Leather Experts - 158 stores
Pacific Sunwear will close its 154 Demo stores after a review of strategic
alternatives for the urban-apparel brand. Seventy-four under performing Demo
stores closed last May.
Sharper Image: The company recently filed for bankruptcy protection and
announced that 90 of its 184 stores are closing. The retailer will still
operate 94 stores to pay off debts, but 90 of these stores have performed
poorly and also may close..
Bombay Company: (Freehold Mall store closed) The company unveiled plans to
close all 384 U.S.-based Bombay Company stores. The company's online
storefront has discontinued operations.
KB Toys posted a list of 356 stores that it is closing around the United
States as part of its bankruptcy reorganization. To see the list of store
closings, go to the KB Toys Information web site, and click on Press
Information
Dillard's to Close More Stores. Dillard's Inc. said it will continue to
focus on closing under performing stores, reducing expenses and improving
its merchandise in 2008. At the company's annual shareholder meeting, CEO
William Dillard II said the company will close another six under performing
stores this year.
Bailing out the auto industry....or any other industry for that matter....would be like shutting the barn after the horses are already out. The damage has already begun and it's not going to go away or get better. The automakers are just one more domino in the row.
I want to know what facts you base this on.
Unless, you know her personally, that is.
The car dealerships are closing every day. SM
Mervyn's, a long-time, great dept. store, is gone. Soon Circuit City will be history, if it's not already. Construction work has dried up. With the drought, farm work has, too - even the Mexicans are leaving. Food prices skyrocketing. Lots of empty business offices from a few years back when the tech-bubble burst. Even Starbucks stores are closing. (Maybe putting one on EVERY street-corner wasn't such a great idea, after all.) People moving out of all the foreclosed homes have driven rent-prices sky-high. Animal shelters filled to overflowing by animals left behind in foreclosed homes. All we need now is another big 7.1 earthquake. That's probably next.
Other than that, things are great out here.
your way off base and don't know what your talking about
In my relationship with my partner we don't do sm, bondage, strange fetishes, and we certainly don't abuse each other. We don't do 3-ways or wife/husband swapping. We also don't do polygamy and certainly no domestic violence.
We have a normal sexual relationship and show tender loving care to each other. We respect each other, give each other privacy and never force the other into anything. We love each other unconditionally and when we're together we feel the love each of us shows the other. I trust my life with my partner. We have a totally natural and normal relationship with each other.
There are many couples (heterosexual) who do sm, bondage, strange fetishes, 3-ways, wife-swapping and polygamy and most domestic violence is commited by a heterosexual couple.
So I would say if anything heterosexual couples are not normal.
LOL, oh give it up, you are so off base it isn't funny! sm
You mean gt/Libby/deedee/DixieDew??? LOL!!! 
Once again, gt, you are not thinking from a base of fairness.
But I didn't expect you to. And when another poster actually did, you responded with HOW COULD YOU. I expected that, as well. So much for philosophical conversation, exploring intent, and misspeaking. I notice you never mentioned Maher, which, again, is typical. I drew a cogent correlation and you dismissed it completely. Again, expected. Thank you, Gadfly, for the conversation.
Permanent military base. sm
This has nothing to do with anything. We have permanent military bases in many European countries. That does not mean we are involved in the politics in those countries. It means, and I have said this three times but I will try again, that when the Iraqi Democratic government is finally in place, they will decide what happens with prisoners of war. Right now, we are involved in that. In the future, we won't be. I am not sure how much clearer I can make it. Very much to the contrary of what the poster Democrat has posted above, this is not a partisan brouhaha that the media has somehow missed. They miss very little. It is something you are misunderstanding. There is plenty out there on the internet that explains it. That might be your first step, or, if you are determined to be upset about it, then there is little anyone can do. Now, having said that, I am off to other boards. Have a nice day.
Seems like SP's speech energized O's base too.
su
Please don't base your decision on who you vote...sm
for on this or any other board. Look at the issues and make your decisions based on them, not personalities or rhetoric.
He even voted AGAINST closing tax loopholes
would give them loopholes to avoid paying taxes. HE VOTED "NAY". Yea, this guy is the real deal alright.
The closing argument that lifts us up
what it really means to be an American. No amount of harsh rhetoric or divisive tactics can touch the hope I hold nor the joy I take in knowing that the country I love, which has lost so much of late, is still there, is on the mend and that better and brighter days are just around the bend.
Closing Gitmo is also a priority.
It will reduce the cost to the taxpayer of holding these suspects indefinitely and, more importantly, be a significant step in restoring our international standing. The only question will be whether or not the creation of a new court system to process these suspects come to pass.
This may surprise you, but most presidents multitask and can work on more than one issue a day. His administration will address your concerns too. Our domestic and international dilemmas must all be addressed. Although this is not important to you, it is to many who voted for him.
If you base your perceptions of the entire
populace of our country from the postings on this forum, you need to get out more.
I'm sorry they said bad things about your candidate. It obviously hurt you deeply.
If they were born on a military base, they
are considered U.S. citizens. Military bases anywhere in the world are considered U.S. soil.
they were not born on a military base either
they have dual citizenship.
You base your impression of all liberals
He is a television personality. That would be like basing an impression of all conservatives on Rush Limbaugh or Bill O'Reilly. None of them are there to provide objective opinion, and in a lot of ways they are caricatures for infotainment.
I consider myself a liberal, but I would not base my impression of all conservatives on any one individual of that political persuasion.
I do think that Obama will listen to knowledgeable people no matter what their political affiliation is. No one person (or political party) has all the answers and it is going to take a cooperative effort to get us started on the road out of this mess. Good ideas are good ideas no matter what the source is.
P.S. I don't think much of Olbermann really. He doesn't even vote. He strikes me as a blowhard critic. It will be interesting to see how/if his program changes in the next few months. She is way more liberal, but I prefer Rachel Maddow's show. She seems much more genuine and personable.
I'm thrilled that he is closing Gitmo!
This is just the first step in undoing the damage that George Bush has done! Can't wait to see what President Obama will do next!
All of it. Hello. Closing Gitmo is not the end of the story.
This subject has been exercise all morning long below. Care to speculate on just why there is a review of operations of Gitmo and what the intent is behind that review? You cannot exercise a debate on a subject where policy on the issue is YET TO BE DETERMINED.
The Commander in Chimp's base is hopeless...sm
I saw one post on Alternet earlier today which stated that if 911 were an inside job, that Bush probably had to sacrifice for the greater good.
Has anyone seen this?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whhbPVrb5KM
CG, me, Hillary's angered base, feminists,
We'll all be pushing long and hard against having what's-her-name represent us and squash the Bimbos Unite! movement before it even takes off.
Chrysler closing all 30 plants for 1 month.
x
Yeah, and the closing of Gitmo could be disastrous.
nm
You are so off base. BE PATRIOTIC, s tand behind the NEW PRESIDENT OF THE USA !!!!
nm
Obama had every intention of closing Gitmo
I suppose he just didn't expect soldiers to speak up and out against the government. How dare they go up against the great and almighty Obama!
Now with all their voices speaking up, he has to figure out another way to get it done!
Pay close attention folks....quit closing
Hershey closing York Peppermint Patty plant in PA
And is moving their plant to MEXICO. It's situations like this where NAFTA should be renegotiated and remove any profit incentive for companies to take away American jobs like this.
Although I really like York Peppermint Patties, I don't think I'll continue to buy this product.
Hershey closing York Peppermint Patty plant in Pa.
By Associated Press
POSTED: 03:30 p.m. EST, Feb 20, 2009
READING, Pa.: Production of York Peppermint Patties and other candy brands is coming to an end at The Hershey Co. plant in Reading.
After 23 years in Reading, the chocolate maker is closing the plant today and moving production to a new factory it has built in Monterey, Mexico. Hershey says it will mean the loss of about 260 jobs in the southeastern Pennsylvania city.
The plant also makes 5th Avenue and Zagnut candy bars and Jolly Rancher hard candies.
The nation's largest candy manufacturer announced two years ago that the plant would close as part of a wider move by Hershey to eliminate 1,500 jobs and one-third of its existing production lines, shifting more manufacturing to contractors in the United States.
Some workers will stay on for a few more weeks to close the plant.
READING, Pa.: Production of York Peppermint Patties and other candy brands is coming to an end at The Hershey Co. plant in Reading.
After 23 years in Reading, the chocolate maker is closing the plant today and moving production to a new factory it has built in Monterey, Mexico. Hershey says it will mean the loss of about 260 jobs in the southeastern Pennsylvania city.
The plant also makes 5th Avenue and Zagnut candy bars and Jolly Rancher hard candies.
The nation's largest candy manufacturer announced two years ago that the plant would close as part of a wider move by Hershey to eliminate 1,500 jobs and one-third of its existing production lines, shifting more manufacturing to contractors in the United States.
Some workers will stay on for a few more weeks to close the plant.
http://www.ohio.com/news/break_news/39968037.html
Governors closing ranks on Bush for trying to Federalize the National Guard sm
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060805/ap_on_re_us/governors_guard
Rich or poor, cheaters are cheaters. And closing
I hope he not only makes the big rich companies FINALLY pay their fair share of the taxes, I also hope they have to pay through the nose for selling out American workers.
The President's speech made my day!
Closing Gitmo is not as simple as simple
nm
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