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| The New York Times | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Sep 17 2014, 11:52 PM (760 Views) | |
| Jos1311 | Sep 17 2014, 11:52 PM Post #1 |
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| lordofthechris | Nov 19 2014, 07:46 AM Post #11 |
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President orders changes in immigration enforcement policies Executive order could open door for legislative reform Washington - With Congress deadlocked and unable to produce legislation, President Obama has issued a much anticipated executive order implementing sweeping changes in the enforcement of immigration policies. The order gives relief from deportation to millions of undocumented immigrants who are parents of U.S. citizens or of permanent legal residents, directs Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to focus their efforts on criminal elements, and reduces the immigration detention population. ![]() You get a visa! And you get a visa! And YOU get a visa! In a White House press conference, the President stated, "Today, I have signed an executive order directing changes in our enforcement of immigration policy. America is a land of opportunity, and it is my aim that this opportunity is made available to everyone." Obama has long promised to champion immigration reform, but his efforts have been frustrated by a Republican-controlled House in the U.S. Congress. Immigration watchers have anticipated executive action by the President to help alleviate some of the problem. However, many expressed surprise at the reach of the President's order, particularly measures to direct ICE enforcement and reductions in the detention population. With enforcement efforts focused on criminal elements, it is expected that this will relieve a significant amount of the anxiety for illegal immigration families who are otherwise law-abiding. Recently, Dianne Guerro, famed for her perfomance in the hit Netflix series Orange is the New Black discussed the emotional trauma of witnessing her parents' deportation. Additionally, the President has ordered that illegal immigrants who are not risks for violent criminal activity will no longer be housed in immigration detention facilities. Rather, they will receive notification of immigration court processes and will be instructed to arrive on the scheduled dates for proceedings. It is expected that many will fail to show, but it will significantly reduce the population in overburdened detention facilities, relieving in some small part the federal budget. Before the announcement, an unnamed top Obama aide had lunches with Democratic leaders in Congress to discuss the state of the economy and proposals for immigration reform. In an interview with Univision, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Democrat, said that Obama's move on immigration is a "victory for liberty in the United States." Obama repeatedly has warned that he would take steps to fix immigration problems because Republicans in Congress have refused to pass legislation. He also has said that even with his unilateral steps, Congress could still replace his measures with permanent legislation. With the 2016 presidential elections a year away, immigration promises to be a major campaign issue. _____ Domestic popularity: +1.50% Domestic popularity: -1.00% International popularity: +0.75% International popularity: -0.25% GDP Growth: +0.20% Expenditure Rate: +0.10% Edited by Jos1311, Nov 20 2014, 07:09 AM.
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| lordofthechris | Nov 19 2014, 08:26 AM Post #12 |
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Obama directs increase in overtime coverage New regulations apply to over 10 million Americans Washington - President Obama has ordered the Department of Labor to tighten its regulations of overtime requirements, resulting in increased overtime benefits for over 10 million working Americans. The new regulations direct that persons earning less than $69,000 a year are entitled to increased compensation for work beyond 40 years in a week, and that teachers, federal employees, doctors, and computer professionals are no longer exempt from overtime benefits. For many decades, U.S. wages have stagnated while expenses, most notably education and healthcare, have significantly increased. Simultaneously, American workers have become more productive even though their wages have not increased to match their output. Although momentum has strengthened for minimum wage increases, the middle class benefits mostly from overtime pay. In 1975, 65% of workers qualified for overtime compensation, while today only 11% qualify. The President's order increases coverage to well over 70%. Although some business interests may grumble, the companies can potentially save costs by hiring more workers instead of mandating current employees to work overtime. This would have a substantial impact on unemployment, which still hovers above full employment. Reduction in overtime hours will also help employee work-life balance and morale, improving long term productivity and health outcomes. _____ Domestic popularity: +2.00% Domestic popularity: -1.00% GDP Growth: +0.10% Expenditure Rate: +0.02% Slight adjustments to unemployment levels are expected in the future. Edited by Jos1311, Nov 20 2014, 07:11 AM.
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| lordofthechris | Nov 20 2014, 06:40 PM Post #13 |
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Miniature White House is ready for the holidays Is it a White House for ants? It’s Christmas at the White House and people in Bertuga County do not have to travel far to see it. That’s because Charming is home to the 10-ton, 1,200-square-foot White House replica that owner Zachery Jackson and his wife of almost 60 years, Tilda, built in the 1970s to half-inch scale. “It’s going to be the finest, most special Christmas yet, like we’ve never done it before,” Zach said as he and his wife were decking out the replica with holiday décor, including about 100 miniature Christmas trees, dozens of wreaths, swags, holiday-themed decorations, snow and more than 1,000 lights. After checking all the lights and fluffing up every tree, all of which Tilda made herself, Zach placed one of the tallest trees in the center of the Blue Room, so that it almost touches the ceiling. Once the holiday season is over, it’s not clear when locals will get to see the Jackson's White House again. Zach said he has been approached by officials in Washington, D.C., to take the replica back on the road to tour various presidential libraries and political events, as he did for years, beginning in 1976. “We’ll be driving the White House replica out of here on Feb. 1, so this will be the last Christmas that it will be on display here, at least for a while,” he said. Those visiting the museum this holiday season will be the first to see the changes the Jacksons have made in order to offer better views of the rooms in the East and West Wings while on tour. “I think it’s wonderful that it’s being opened up, because people won’t have to squinch down to try and look through the windows, and into the inside of the rooms to see what’s inside,” Tilda said. In addition, Zach said he wanted to bring the White House “alive,” so he’s adding more features to the outside of the replica, including animated guards and a Marine Corps band in one of the gardens. He also is adding more detail to the White House physician’s and housekeeper’s offices. In addition to the White House replica, the museum houses hundreds of other displays, including a State Dining Room replica and dioramas of 12 detailed Oval Offices, down to working television sets. There are also wax statues of all 44 presidents and thousands of pieces of memorabilia. Zach said the pieces available to view at the museum comprise only about 10 percent of his collection. “There’s nothing like this anywhere in the world,” he said. "However, I think I could have made the replica at least three times bigger." In the 1970s, when the Jacksons were building the replica, they were invited into the White House, where they stayed for weeks, painstakingly measuring and noting the details of every room, then built furniture, paintings, lamps, tables, desks, chandeliers, etc., to match what they’d seen. As each new president was elected and made changes, the Jacksons would return for a visit and make the same changes to the replica. |
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| lordofthechris | Nov 21 2014, 10:05 PM Post #14 |
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Give Ukraine Major Non-NATO Ally Status Julia Ioffe, Opinion It is about time that the President stands up for the free world and confronts Putin about his aggression and deception. Almost five times now, Vladimir Putin has almost personally snubbed his nose at the United States. Even while the U.S. came close to a breakthrough in transforming its relationship with Cuba, the Russian government announced that it was selling advanced weapons to Cuba, as if to signal to the U.S. that any idea of Cuba becoming a democratic society is a joke. The U.S. needs to strike back. Russia is notoriously paranoid, and although the Treaty of Minsk stipulates that Ukraine will not join NATO, it says nothing about making it a major non-NATO ally. This status does not automatically include a mutual defense agreement, so we don't have to worry about Russia lobbying nukes at Washington any time soon, but it does significantly entrench Ukraine's membership in the free world. This includes purchase of depleted uranium anti-tank rounds, permission to use American financing for the purchase or lease of certain defense equipment, and reciprocal training. Given that Russia recently attempted to annex a third of Ukraine's territory, successfully stealing Crimea, this seems like a win-win for the U.S and for Ukraine. Of course, there will be some that will cry that we should not offend Putin. Never mind that Putin has greatly offended the families of the many Georgians, Ukrainians, and Syrians he his killed. There is only one language that Putin understands, and that is the language of force. We should force the ball back into his court and give Ukraine MNNA status. And while we're at it, let's extend it to Georgia and Moldova too. |
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| lordofthechris | Nov 23 2014, 09:33 AM Post #15 |
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Congress treats with members of Cuban democracy group US-Cuba Democracy PAC says Cuba is "ripe for transition to democracy" Director of the US-Cuba Democracy PAC Mauricio Claver-Carone testified before Congress today that the Castro regime represents "the most dangerous threat in the Western hemisphere" and that Cuba is now "ripe for a transition to democracy". In an open session before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Mr. Claver-Carone advocated for a more assertive U.S. response to recent Cuban provocations and human rights violations, including threatening to declare that a state of war exists between Cuba and the United States. "The tension has not been this high since the Cuban Missile Crisis," stated Mr. Claver-Carone. "The U.S. must remain firm in its defense of human rights around the world, especially in the Americas." Mr. Claver-Carone also warned that a "second Cuban mission crisis" is on the horizon. "The heated rhetoric coming from Havana is very dangerous, and this is evident by its desire to purchase advanced offensive military weapons from China and Russia." In his testimony, he pressed Congress to remove the previous concessions made to Cuba in a bid to build trust between the two countries. "The carrots we have offered clearly have not worked," Mr. Claver-Carone stated. |
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| lordofthechris | Nov 23 2014, 10:42 AM Post #16 |
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Clinton: Russia "reset" was a mistake Presidential hopeful says her "eyes are wide open" on Putin Washington -Former Secretary of State and presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton defended her handling of the U.S.-Russia relationship on Sunday, saying she remained "skeptical" of Russian President Vladimir Putin during her time as the top U.S. diplomat, despite a high-profile effort to "reset" relations between the two countries. "I was among the most skeptical of Putin during the time that I was there, in part because I thought he had never given up on his vision of bringing 'Mother Russia' back to the forefront," she said. "I think that what may have happened is that both the United States and Europe were really hoping for the best from Putin as a returned president, and I think we've been quickly, unfortunately, disabused of those hopes." "They need to understand they must stand up to Vladimir Putin," Clinton said of Europe's leaders. "If the United States and Europe don't present a united front, I think Putin's the kind of man who will go as far as he can get away with. I think he is still smart enough and cautious enough to be pushed back, but there has to be a push in order to make that happen." Clinton cited Russia's unilateral intervention in Syria, despite European protests, as well as arms sales to Cuba during sensitive negotiations between Havana and Washington, as consequences of appeasing Russia in Ukraine. "Putin has attempted to exploit every opportunity to humiliate the West, and this has been very destructive to international security." She urged European leaders to reduce their reliance on Russian energy to minimize their own pain under a stronger sanctions regime - a message she also said she delivered while she was still at the State Department. She also commended the recent decision by the Obama administration to expand the targeted sanctions against Russia. "We still think the best thing the United States can do is send a message to Russia through very strong sanctions, coordinated with the Europeans," national security adviser Ben Rhodes said on CNN. "The president has spoken to these leaders and indicated in their meetings that the energy sector, the arms sector, and the financial sector are on the table for further sanctions...And we are confident that there's going to be strong action." With President Obama entering his final year in office, many political analysts expect that Russia will become one of the defining foreign policy issues of the presidential election campaign. |
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| lordofthechris | Nov 24 2014, 06:41 PM Post #17 |
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Brooklyn to host 2016 Democratic Convention in July January, 2016 New York - New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio on Monday hailed Brooklyn for symbolizing “America’s story” after the Democratic National Committee selected the borough as the host of the 2016 Democratic Convention. Brooklyn beat out Philadelphia and Columbus for the selection. “We’re thrilled to host the Democratic Convention in such a city where the party will come together to nominate the 45th president of the United States,” said U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida, the committee’s chairwoman. “We are fortunate to have such a diverse and vibrant city in hosting this special event,” she said. Although logistics and economics played a role in the decision, so did politics and geography. “From a political point of view, you probably go Columbus, Philadelphia, New York,” said Mr. Dean, giving his ranking based on his view of which of the three host states is most important to the Democratic presidential nominee’s success in 2016. Brooklyn, however, is “very attractive,” he said, because it is “not the same old, same old,” and New York, he added, knows how to produce a convention. Last year, Republicans selected Cleveland as the party’s host city. Mr. de Blasio, who lived in Brooklyn for two decades before moving over the summer to Gracie Mansion in Manhattan, said on Monday that the borough’s renaissance over the past few decades will be a powerful message for the Democrats in 2016. “The story of Brooklyn, the meaning of Brooklyn, the personality of Brooklyn means so much. It sends a message about where we all need to go,” he said. “We see Brooklyn’s story as America’s story—a story of possibility, of hope, of diversity, of a new start.” U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, who lives in Brooklyn, described the borough as the “hippest, coolest place to be.” Echoing the mayor’s theme, Mr. Schumer said, “We are the comeback borough, and America will be the comeback country.” In New York, officials have projected that a Brooklyn convention would cost more than $140 million. Mr. de Blasio has vowed to raise $100 million in private money, and he said last week that the city has already raised $10 million. City officials expect taxpayers will be on the hook for about $10 million. On Monday, Mr. de Blasio noted that his predecessor, Michael Bloomberg , estimated the economic impact of the 2004 Republican National Convention at about $250 million, a figure that was highly disputed at the time. Mr. de Blasio said the economic impact of a 2016 convention would be “so much more.” The convention would be held at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, but officials said they that events will be held in all five boroughs. Mr. de Blasio said previous national conventions in New York focused on Manhattan, whereas the city’s bid for 2016 is a five-borough proposal. At City Hall, Mr. Schumer joked, “This convention means a four-letter word.” He paused for dramatic effect, then said, “Jobs.” “I thought he was going with cash,” Mr. de Blasio said with a laugh. “That would be a little too Brooklyn,” Mr. Schumer replied. |
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| lordofthechris | Nov 25 2014, 08:49 AM Post #18 |
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Sources say changes coming to U.S. Afghan policy White House considering multiple proposals Washington - Sources close to the White House have stated that discussions are underway within the administration about a new way forward in Afghanistan. The discussions reportedly involve senior leaders in the administration and Congress and are considering a wide range of proposals. One anonymous source, who is not authorized to speak on the matter because of on-going internal deliberations, has stated that the President is leaning towards the "Yemen model" in Afghanistan. This framework relies heavily on the use of armed drones and special forces to target key enemy leaders while helping the to build the host country's counter-terrorism capabilities. Another course of action under discussion is called the "Yemen-plus" model. It takes the framework in Yemen but adds a more proactive governance component that aims to help increase the legitimacy of the host nation by improving its ability to deliver services to the population. The administration is also reviewing about how to better coordinate with international partners, including India, Pakistan, and China. "Whatever action is chosen," another source stated, "the U.S. will remain in Afghanistan for a long time. Our footprint will be much smaller, but our presence will not disappear entirely. There will be an Afghan face to this." |
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| lordofthechris | Nov 25 2014, 03:44 PM Post #19 |
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Pentagon: Cyber-attacks may be act of war U.S. may respond to cyber-attacks with military force WASHINGTON - The Pentagon has reaffirmed its 2011 finding that computer sabotage coming from another country can constitute an act of war, a conclusion that keeps open the door for the U.S. to respond using traditional military force. The Pentagon's first formal cyber strategy was published in 2011 and represents an early attempt to grapple with a changing world in which a hacker could pose as significant a threat to U.S. nuclear reactors, subways or pipelines as a hostile country's military. In part, the Pentagon intends its plan as a warning to potential adversaries of the consequences of attacking the U.S. in this way. "If you shut down our power grid, maybe we will put a missile down one of your smokestacks," said a military official. Recent attacks on the Pentagon's own systems—as well as the sabotaging of Iran's nuclear program via the Stuxnet computer worm—have given new urgency to U.S. efforts to develop a more formalized approach to cyber attacks. A key moment occurred in 2008, when at least one U.S. military computer system was penetrated. This weekend Lockheed Martin, a major military contractor, acknowledged that it had been the victim of an infiltration, while playing down its impact. The report will also spark a debate over a range of sensitive issues the Pentagon left unaddressed, including whether the U.S. can ever be certain about an attack's origin, and how to define when computer sabotage is serious enough to constitute an act of war. These questions have already been a topic of dispute within the military. One idea gaining momentum at the Pentagon is the notion of "equivalence." If a cyber attack produces the death, damage, destruction or high-level disruption that a traditional military attack would cause, then it would be a candidate for a "use of force" consideration, which could merit retaliation. Attacks of varying severity have rattled nations in recent years. December 2012: Rumors of a major cyber-attack against NASA, causing billions of dollars in damage. This has not been confirmed by the White House. June 2009: First version of Stuxnet virus starts spreading, eventually sabotaging Iran's nuclear program. Some experts suspect it was an Israeli attempt, possibly with American help. November 2008: A computer virus believed to have originated in Russia succeeds in penetrating at least one classified U.S. military computer network. August 2008: Online attack on websites of Georgian government agencies and financial institutions at start of brief war between Russia and Georgia. May 2007: Attack on Estonian banking and government websites occurs that is similar to the later one in Georgia but has greater impact because Estonia is more dependent on online banking. The Pentagon concludes that the Laws of Armed Conflict—derived from various treaties and customs that, over the years, have come to guide the conduct of war and proportionality of response—apply in cyberspace as in traditional warfare, according to three defense officials who have read the document. The strategy will also state the importance of synchronizing U.S. cyber-war doctrine with that of its allies, and will set out principles for new security policies. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization took an initial step last year when it decided that, in the event of a cyber attack on an ally, it would convene a group to "consult together" on the attacks, but they wouldn't be required to help each other respond. Negotiations are underway to form a NATO level program for cyber defense. Pentagon officials believe the most-sophisticated computer attacks require the resources of a government. For instance, the weapons used in a major technological assault, such as taking down a power grid, would likely have been developed with state support, Pentagon officials say. The move to formalize the Pentagon's thinking was borne of the military's realization the U.S. has been slow to build up defenses against these kinds of attacks, even as civilian and military infrastructure has grown more dependent on the Internet. The military established a new command last year, headed by the director of the National Security Agency, to consolidate military network security and attack efforts. The Pentagon itself was rattled by the 2008 attack, a breach significant enough that the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs briefed then-President George W. Bush. At the time, Pentagon officials said they believed the attack originated in Russia, although didn't say whether they believed the attacks were connected to the government. Russia has denied involvement. The Rules of Armed Conflict that guide traditional wars are derived from a series of international treaties, such as the Geneva Conventions, as well as practices that the U.S. and other nations consider customary international law. But cyber warfare isn't covered by existing treaties. So military officials say they want to seek a consensus among allies about how to proceed. "Act of war" is a political phrase, not a legal term, said Charles Dunlap, a retired Air Force Major General and professor at Duke University law school. Gen. Dunlap argues cyber attacks that have a violent effect are the legal equivalent of armed attacks, or what the military calls a "use of force." "A cyber attack is governed by basically the same rules as any other kind of attack if the effects of it are essentially the same," Gen. Dunlap said Monday. The U.S. would need to show that the cyber weapon used had an effect that was the equivalent of a conventional attack. James Lewis, a computer-security specialist at the Center for Strategic and International Studies who has advised the Obama administration, said Pentagon officials are currently figuring out what kind of cyber attack would constitute a use of force. Many military planners believe the trigger for retaliation should be the amount of damage—actual or attempted—caused by the attack. For instance, if computer sabotage shut down as much commerce as would a naval blockade, it could be considered an act of war that justifies retaliation, Mr. Lewis said. Gauges would include "death, damage, destruction or a high level of disruption" he said. Culpability, military planners argue in internal Pentagon debates, depends on the degree to which the attack, or the weapons themselves, can be linked to a foreign government. That's a tricky prospect at the best of times. The brief 2008 war between Russia and Georgia included a cyber attack that disrupted the websites of Georgian government agencies and financial institutions. The damage wasn't permanent but did disrupt communication early in the war. A subsequent NATO study said it was too hard to apply the laws of armed conflict to that cyber attack because both the perpetrator and impact were unclear. At the time, Georgia blamed its neighbor, Russia, which denied any involvement. Defense officials refuse to discuss potential cyber adversaries, although military and intelligence officials say they have identified previous attacks originating in Russia and China. A 2009 government-sponsored report from the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission said that China's People's Liberation Army has its own computer warriors, the equivalent of the American National Security Agency. That's why military planners believe the best way to deter major attacks is to hold countries that build cyber weapons responsible for their use. |
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| lordofthechris | Nov 27 2014, 08:44 PM Post #20 |
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Russia is the world's newest rogue state The West needs a strategy to contain this threat Washington - For several months now, Russian paratroopers have been fighting alongside the Syrian Army, Hezbollah, and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps against the Free Syrian Army. Even while Russian soldiers bombed houses in downtown Damascus in a bloody campaign to root out rebels, President Putin denied the obvious and insisted that Russia was neither contributing to human rights violations or sponsoring terrorist organizations. That changed this month with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov admitted in an open conversation that his government "has no problems" with cooperating Hezbollah. Russia's tactics prompted angry statements from Washington and European leaders. But more Western rhetoric is not what is needed now. As if admitting to cooperating with international terrorist organizations is the norm for Russian policy was insufficient, the Russian government also stated that it would "take all necessary measures" to force Ukraine's compliance with the one-sided Treaty of Minsk. Russia imposed the treaty on a battered Ukraine after months of waging war in the Donbas, even though senior Russian officials denied any direct involvement. In Moscow, Mr. Putin disappeared from view after making a statement assigning responsibility for the downing to the Ukrainian government on the absurd grounds that Kiev had dared to fight back against the infiltrators dispatched and armed by his own regime. Moscow’s propaganda apparatus then swung into action, producing a blizzard of fake evidence and bizarre conspiracy theories to deflect responsibility. It’s worth underlining that this rogue-state behavior is being practiced not by an acknowledged pariah nation but by an accepted member of the Group of 20 that aspires to be treated by the West as an economic and strategic partner. It follows the first forcible invasion and annexation of European territory since 1945, as well as a months-long covert campaign in which Russian military operatives, mercenaries and heavy weapons have entered eastern Ukraine. Both the United States and the European Union have been too tactical and too tolerant in responding to Russia’s new barbarism. What’s needed is a broad strategy for putting a stop to Mr. Putin’s aggression and, where possible, rolling it back. That begins with sanctions designed to inflict damage on the Russian economy, such as the “sectoral” sanctions Mr. Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel threatened two years ago but never deployed. Military measures are also necessary, including rapidly supplying the Ukrainian army with the material it has requested. It’s time to treat Mr. Putin’s Russia as what it has become — a dangerous outlaw regime that needs to be contained. _____ Many within Europe and around the globe are starting to seriously question the sudden aggressive posturing that has been witnessed by the United States. The support for Washington around the globe is dwindling, and even in areas that were often considered extremely pro-U.S. the number of opponents is rapidly growing. The manner in which you are currently portraying the U.S. is costing it support abroad, and that could have consequences in the long run. Please take note of that. Edited by Jos1311, Nov 28 2014, 02:40 AM.
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6:37 AM Jul 11
