Nuclear inspectors visit newly revealed Iran plant

The United Nations with nuclear inspectors visited the disclosed Iranian nuclear facility near Qom on Sunday. IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) arrived Saturday night and will inspect the nuclear installaion site many times and will leave Tehran Tuesday, states the semi-official Mehr news agency. By revealing the existence of the nuclear enrichment facility in September, shock waves traveled through the international community. On Saturday the IAEA said that the inspectors were leaving for the inspection and gave no more details on Sunday. They will visit the site to see if it is being used for peaceful purposes, according to Ali Akbar Salehi-head of Atomic Energy Organization of Iran. Iran said that it needs time to decide to sign onto a deal that could help end the showdown over the nuclear activities. The proposal calls for low-enriched uranium to be sent abroad for more enrichment and return for use in medical research and treatment. Tehran will have an answer next week. Iran is considering the proposal in depth and a favorable light and needs til the middle of next week to respond. People from Iran, France, Russia, the U.S. and the IAEA met in Vienna to work out details. France, Russia, the U.S. have approved the arrangement. Director General hopes Iran will be equally positive. It will signal a new era of cooperation. Iranian officials are going to meet with the U.N. Security Council and Germany to discuss Tehran's nuclear program. Many in the West think Iran is pursuing nuclear weapons capabilities.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/10/25/iran.nuclear.inspection/index.html?eref=rss_topstories

I am glad that inspectors went to see what was happening with Tehran's nuclear program so that we have more information on whether they are using the program for peaceful purposes or for nuclear weapsons. With Iran saying they need more time to go over the proposal, I think that they don't want other nations to have a big say in what goes on in their country or they are trying to buy themselves some time to hide the nuclear activities that they don't want others to know about. I know that Iran is saying that they are using the nuclear program for peaceful purposes but until we go in there to investigate if it is peaceful or not we really can't be sure that they are using it peacefully. I think that it is a fantastic idea for Iran, France, Russia, the United States, and the IAEA to meet and work through all the details of the proposal together, that way each country has a say in the proposal and can talk through their differences in the proposal. It is also good for the U.N. Security Council and Germany to meet with Iranian officials to further discuss the nuclear program because that way more countries are involved in finding a solution to this nuclear program issue. We need to find a solution to this issue soon before Iran goes any further in the nuclear program that may not benefit the peaceful purpose.

Baby survives after falling under train

This article is written in response to Claire's Blog:
http://claireilliesblog.blogspot.com/
In this blog Claire states that it is a miracle that the baby survived and that parents should watch their children more. I agree.

For the baby to only come out with a cut on it's forehead after being pushed by a train 33 yards is truely a miracle. As for the mother, I think she needs to keep the baby stroller close to her and not let go of it. I pray that the mother, and other parents for that matter, will pay more attention to their children even the ones that aren't in a stroller. As Claire states, this kind of incident could happen anywhere and to anyone. I think that train stations need to have some kind of guard rail or system to provent this kind of thing to happen. Just a cut on the forehead it not that bad but it could have been much worse. Think if the baby fell out of the stroller and the train went over the baby or when the train finally stopped the baby could have been thrown from the stroller. This baby and the mother were very luck that not a lot of damage was done. I think to prevent this kind of thing from happening parents need to be more careful and watch their children. There is no other way to prevent it. It is simply that parent or adult authorities need to watch the children.

http://claireilliesblog.blogspot.com/

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/10/16/australia.baby.train.escape/index.html

At least 25,000 more troops needed

U.S. commander says less than 25,000 troops won't be enough to win. Opportunity to close war is turning, says David Kilcullen(advises U.S. commanders in Iraq). Obama met with top advisers to talk strategy and troops after being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Gen. Stanley McChrystal(commander in Afghanistan) is asking for up to 40,000 troops. Some say there is an option to send 60,000 troops, doubling U.S. force in the country. The Obama administration needs to finish strategy a.s.a.p. says Kilcullen. He named 3 problems in Afghanistan: lack of legitimacy for the government, existence of safe places for terrorists across the border, and lack fo military resources. Kilcullen thinks it won't be possible to protect Afghan population without input of additonal resources. Perceptions of Afghan people are critical to turning the war around. The people are angry because we are not providing security. It is critical to end the corruption. It creates anger and bad government, then creates space for Taliban, and leads to cultivation across the country. Kilcullen has never seen a better leadership team in International Security Assistance Force, U.S. military, and American Embassy. Afghan military has improved but still have problems with police. Biggest problem is the civilian leadership.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/10/09/amanpour.kilcullen/index.html?eref=rss_politics

In my opinion, I don't think we need to send more troops to Afganistan. If the oppurtunity to close the war is turning then why didn't we finish the war when it first opened. We could have had the entire war over with by now and we wouldn't need to send 25,000 to 60,000 troops over to Afganistan. I think that the commanders and President Obama should have talked and figured out the strategy to close the war a while ago. As for the problems in Afganistan, the U.S. should help them start to fix the problems and see if they can finish fixing them so we can remove the troops. If the people are angry at us for not providing security we need to start giving them the security they need and have them take over. I think that is all the corruption ends and the country is fine, after a while we can have all the troops come home. In the end, the Afgan people need to set aside their differences and come together to fix the problems that their country has.

Spending What We Can Afford

People are concerned about congressional spending and the budget deficit pay-as-you-go budgeting. Paygo requires tax cuts or increases in entitlement spending. There is debate if paygo is a good approach. Some say it is necessary so Congress understands that deficits matter. It responds to concerns about spending and national debt, which could lead to an economic catastrophe. Paygo holds Congress to spending only what they can pay for. By eliminates waste spending and collects unpaid taxes, Congress can raise most funds needed for new initiatives, without anymore debt. Paygo can also be suspended in case of recession or crisis. Others say the paygo is the wrong approach and rather than limiting spending it will result in tax hikes that will hurt Americans and the economy. Budget deficits should be eliminated by growth in the economy. People worry that constraints of paygo will prevent Congress from be able to reduce the Alternative Minimum Tax growth. Critics think paygo with restrict Congress’s ability to respond to national emergencies and fear that the program cuts or tax increases will anger voters.

I think that paygo (pay-as-you-go) is a good idea. I like the fact that it will hold Congress to spending only what they can pay for. Although it may increase taxes, if it gets rid of unnecessary spending we can get out of debt and raise funds for new things. The spending of government has been getting out of hand and we need to fix it so that future generations don’t have to deal with how to handle not only the present expenses but how to deal with the expenses that have been left over from past generations. According to Fox News, President Obama said that restoring the pay-as-you-go method would deal with politics and crises of the day along with the nation’s financial health.

Media Source: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/06/09/obama-calls-pay-approach-spending/

Social Insecurity: http://currenteventsbyhayley.blogspot.com/

War Dollars: http://backstroker321.blogspot.com/

DHS to hire up to 1,000 cybersecurity experts

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is planning on hiring up to 1,000 cybersecurity experts in the next three years to protect the United States computer network. Cybersecurity is an urgent priority, says Janet Napolitano. She showed the plans at the beginning of the National Cybersecurity Awareness Month. They are going to find the best Eyberanalysts to serve their county by leading against cyberthreats. Government and private secto computer sites have been targeted. The internet is a big part of our lives, society, and economy. Napolitano doesn't think that they will have to hire all 1,000 experts but focused on making a "world-class cyberorganization." The Obama administration set cybersecurity as a top priority. Chris Painter says the president is committed to find someone for the post of cyberczar to head up the efforts.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/10/02/dhs.cybersecurity.jobs/index.html?eref=rss_politics

I agree that our internet is a big part in our lives. We use it for many things like banking, talking with friends and family, working on homework, and for online classes for school, like this online senior social II that I am working on right now. I think it is a good idea to get people to help protect us from cyberthreats. I think that it is crazy that government and private computers have been targeted. I can see that some government computers have been targeted by someone who really wants hack into the government and try to get some valuable information. I can also see why private computers have been targeted too. It is probably because of revenge or someone else who really hates or dislikes the persons computer they hacked into. Our computer systems need cybersecurity experts to secury our internet and computers so these government and private computers are not targeted like the way they have been.