Revealed: inside story of US envoy’s assassination
Exclusive: America ‘was warned of embassy attack but did nothing’
KIM SENGUPTA FRIDAY 14 SEPTEMBER 2012
The killings of the US ambassador to Libya and three of his staff were likely to have been the result of a serious and continuing security breach, The Independent can reveal.
American officials believe the attack was planned, but Chris Stevens had been back in the country only a short while and the details of his visit to Benghazi, where he and his staff died, were meant to be confidential.
The US administration is now facing a crisis in Libya. Sensitive documents have gone missing from the consulate in Benghazi and the supposedly secret location of the “safe house” in the city, where the staff had retreated, came under sustained mortar attack. Other such refuges across the country are no longer deemed “safe”.
Lots of STUFF!!!!!! Saturday, Oct. 6th 9am to 4pm! Raindate Oct 13th (721 Upper Blvd Ridgewood HUGE garage sale!!! Assorted household items!!! Come and get your bargains here!!!!
MULTI FAMILY YARD SALE!!! Sat.9/22 (135 S. Van Dien Avenue Ridgewood, NJ)
Multi family yard sale selling baby joggers, pack n play, high chair, toddler bike seat, various pieces of furniture, lamps, electronics, assorted toys for all ages,books, luggage, entertaining accessories and decorations, misc. items for the kitchen, bikes, curtain rods, and many other treasures! See you Saturday 9/22 9am-3pm (Rain date: Sunday 9/23 12-4)
LAW ENFORCEMENT, FIREFIGHTER, AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIAN COULD WIN A NATIONAL CITATION/GOLD MEDAL IN VFW’S RECOGNITION PROGRAM
VFW Post Commander Stanley A. Kober of the Washington Elm Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post #192 (Ho-Ho-Kus—Ridgewood), announces the kick-off of this year’s National VFW and its Ladies Auxiliary “National Public Law Enforcement, Firefighter, and Emergency Medical Technician Citation and Gold Medal Award” program. One individual in each category will have the opportunity to be selected at the local Post level to compete in the VFW’s annual recognition program for forwarding to the District level and then the NJ State VFW level. The First, Second, and Third place NJ State VFW awardees will be recognized with awards at the VFW Department Convention in Wildwood, NJ in June 2013. The First place awardee at the NJ State VFW level will be forwarded to the National VFW for consideration as a “Gold Medal Award” recipient.
Previous state and national VFW winners are ineligible. Nominations may be submitted by colleagues, supervisors, or other interested individuals from the public at large. Deadline for the nominations to arrive at VFW Post #192 is November 1, 2012. Interested people from Ho-Ho-Kus, Ridgewood, Saddle River, or Upper Saddle River who want to recognize an individual for his/her continued contribution in the Law Enforcement, Fire, or EMS organization they belong to and their involvement/service to the community they serve, must contact the Commander, Washington Elm VFW Post #192 (Ho-Ho-Kus—Ridgewood) by telephone at 201-445-1121 or immediately write to the Washington Elm VFW Post #192 (Ho-Ho-Kus—Ridgewood) ATTN: Chairman, LEO, Firefighter, & EMT Program, at 620 Cliff Street, Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ 07423 for an application that has the specific requirements. Personnel to be recommended in organizations outside of the communities mentioned above should contact their local VFW Post.
Applications are also available on the Post 192 website at www.vfwpost192-nj.com ABOUT VFW>CONTESTS AND SCHOLARSHIPS.
May God continue to Bless America!
/s/ Stanley A. Kober
Stanley A. Kober
Commander,
Washington Elm VFW Post #192
Ho-Ho-Kus—Ridgewood
620 Cliff Street
Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ 07423
The Valley Heart and Vascular Institute announced today that it has completed its first robotic cardiac ablation procedure
September 12, 2012
Ridgewood NJ , The Valley Heart and Vascular Institute announced today that it has completed its first robotic cardiac ablation procedure with the Stereotaxis (NASDAQ:STXS) Epoch™ Platform for complex cardiac conditions. Epoch is a state-of-the-art computer controlled robotic navigation system that allows physicians to safely navigate in a patient’s heart to ablate diseased tissue causing cardiac arrhythmias or irregular heartbeats. The Valley Hospital was the first hospital in New Jersey to complete robotic ablations using the Stereotaxis system, and it recently upgraded its robotic ablation system (Niobe®) to the new Epoch™ platform.
The physician uses sophisticated software to draw a highly detailed 3D map of the diseased cardiac tissue, and drive powerful magnets positioned near the patient. Following the map, the magnets lead a soft catheter gently through the patient’s cardiac anatomy by guiding the catheter’s magnetic tip. As a result, the patient is exposed to up to 60% less damaging X-ray radiation. There’s also a 10x less chance of chance of major complications such as perforation of the heart.
The first procedure was completed by Suneet Mittal, M.D., the Director of the Electrophysiology Laboratory at The Valley Hospital. “This is one of many cutting edge technologies available at a comprehensive cardiac center like The Valley Hospital,” said Dr. Mittal. “We’ve been able to make tremendous advances, achieving unparalleled levels of success and safety for our patients.”
More than five million people in the United States currently suffer from abnormal heart rhythms, known as arrhythmias or irregular heartbeats. Those who suffer from these abnormal heart rhythms are five to seven times more likely to have a stroke or experience more permanent damage to the heart. Atrial fibrillation is one of the most common arrhythmias, affecting about 2.6 million people in the United States. People with this condition are five to seven times more likely to have a stroke, and also may suffer from permanent damage to the heart, such as congestive heart failure and dilated heart chambers.
“At The Valley Hospital we’re proud to be the first in New Jersey to offer this procedure and we have by far the largest experience in performing catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation,” said Jonathan Steinberg, M.D., Director of the Arrhythmia Institute of the Valley Health System. A
growing number of complex cardiac interventional procedures are driving the need for new technology that enables physicians to confidently treat areas of the heart previously unreachable or potentially unsafe with manual techniques.
Village of Ridgewood : Separate Recycling from Garbage
Ridgewood NJ, NJ State law requires that recycling and sanitation be separated in the disposal process. This will reduce the amount of garbage for disposal which currently costs the Village over half a million dollars annually.
We ask your cooperation in following the law. If recycling is included in your garbage, then THE GARBAGE WILL NOT BE PICKED UP. A yellow sticker will be placed on the bags/container, with collection instructions.
If you have any questions, please call 201/670-5585.
Representing the United States abroad has been a dangerous job since the beginning of the Republic, but that was never truer than during the Carter Administration. In the wake of a successful revolution by Islamic fundamentalists against the pro-American Shah of Iran, the United States became an object of virulent criticism and the U.S. Embassy in Tehran was a visible target. On November 4, 1979, Iranian students seized the embassy and detained more than 50 Americans, ranging from the Chargé d’Affaires to the most junior members of the staff, as hostages. The Iranians held the American diplomats hostage for 444 days. While the courage of the American hostages in Tehran and of their families at home reflected the best tradition of the Department of State, the Iran hostage crisis undermined Carter’s conduct of foreign policy. The crisis dominated the headlines and news broadcasts and made the Administration look weak and ineffectual. Although patient diplomacy conducted by Deputy Secretary Warren Christopher eventually resolved the crisis, Carter’s foreign policy team often seemed weak and vacillating.
U.S. hostage being paraded in front of the public
The Administration’s vitality was sapped, and the Soviet Union took advantage of America’s weakness to win strategic advantage for itself. In 1979, Soviet-supported Marxist rebels made strong gains in Ethiopia, Angola, and Mozambique. Vietnam fought a successful border war with China and took over Cambodia from the murderous Khmer Rouge. And, in late 1979, the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan to support its shaky Marxist government.
In light of these challenges to global stability, President Carter significantly altered his view of both the Soviet Union and the advice of his own advisers. Carter initially favored Secretary Vance’s policy of negotiation, but by 1980 was more receptive National Security Adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski’s more confrontational stance. Once again the National Security Council and the Department of State were in open conflict. The issue came to a head when Secretary Vance opposed a mission to rescue the hostages in Iran—a move championed by Brzezinski. Vance had been correct—the 1980 mission was a debacle. But Vance was frustrated and he resigned in protest in April 1980. Cyrus Vance was the first Secretary of State clearly and publicly to tie his resignation to a difference of opinion over policy since William Jennings Bryan in 1915. Carter chose Senator Edmund Muskie as his new Secretary.
Romney assails Obama on response to embassy attacks, death
By Justin Sink – 09/11/12 10:35 PM ET
After nearly a daylong campaign hiatus in commemoration of 9/11, the fight for the White House resumed as Republican hopeful Mitt Romney issued a strong condemnation of the Obama administration’s response to attacks on the American embassy in Egypt and the American consulate in Libya that left a staff member dead.
“I’m outraged by the attacks on American diplomatic missions in Libya and Egypt and by the death of an American consulate worker in Benghazi,” Romney said in a statement. “It’s disgraceful that the Obama Administration’s first response was not to condemn attacks on our diplomatic missions, but to sympathize with those who waged the attacks.”
The attacks were sparked by anger over an anti-Islam video posted to YouTube in July. The Wall Street Journal reported the film, titled “Innocence of Muslims,” was directed by an Israeli-American real estate developer and promoted by Terry Jones, the Florida pastor who had controversially burned copies of the Quaran, resulting in violent protests.
NJ schools prepare to implement new teacher evaluations
New Jersey’s plans for having a statewide teacher evaluation system in place by 2013-2014 goes full throttle this year, with every school district in the state being required to start putting the key pieces in place.
Much of the attention has been on the more than two dozen districts that have signed on to be pilots of the new program, 11 last year and another 10 this year. An additional 14 districts are also piloting a new principal evaluation system.
But the balance of the state’s nearly 600 districts are hardly off the hook, as the state has begun rolling out timelines and regulations that they will need to follow in preparation for having the statewide system ready by next year.
It will start with every district and school putting together the teams of administrators and teachers who will decide on the process for their districts, as well as the choice of the eventual evaluation models to be used to judge their teachers’ performances. (Mooney, NJ Spotlight)
Gov. Chris Christie paid a visit to the high school here – one of the ten districts in the state’s teacher evaluation pilot program – to highlight the ongoing education initiatives of his administration.
He pointed out that Haddonfield is an example of what he is trying to accomplish statewide. (Mooney, State Street Wire)
Agenda 21 : Angry critics call New Jersey’ blueprint for growth too radical
The Christie administration’s draft strategic investment plan is touted by officials as a blueprint for spurring economic development in New Jersey, a goal seemingly embraced by many.
But critics say it represents a much more radical plan, and a very unlikely GOP agenda at that. It’s a proposal they say redistributes wealth, usurps individual property rights, and reflects a decade-old United Nations resolution that aims to promote so-called sustainable environmental growth around the globe.
In the seventh public hearing on the draft plan in Toms River yesterday, more than 50 people showed up, mostly to denounce the proposal. Often they shouted down a Christie administration official who sought to answer questions, loudly applauded those who criticized the proposal, and frequently interrupted the official when he sought to address those concerns. (Johnson, NJ Spotlight)
The week that could make or break the eurozone Looming decisions could put the single currency back on track – or speed its ruin
TONY PATERSON
Europe stands on the threshold of a series of dramatic make-or-break decisions this week that will determine whether the eurozone can finally move towards resolving its long-running economic crisis or shift alarmingly towards the abyss of European disintegration.
Tomorrow judges at Germany’s constitutional court will decide if a hotly contested permanent rescue fund can be set up to help bail out ailing eurozone countries. A No verdict or even restrictive conditions could cause chaos on the markets and signal the beginning of a possible demise of the euro.
Their ruling will be followed by a general election in the Netherlands. The result could hand power to the Eurosceptic Labour party of Emile Roemer, which is riding on a wave of popular frustration over Europe. Such an outcome could sow disarray within Europe and seriously undermine the EU’s strategy for helping ailing eurozone countries.
Cairo protesters scale U.S. Embassy wall, remove flag
Egyptian demonstrators climbed the walls of the U.S. Embassy in Cairo today and pulled down the American flag to protest a film they say is insulting to the prophet Mohammad.
Update at 2:07 p.m. ET: CNN reports that U.S. security guards fired a volley of warning shots as the crowd gathered outside the embassy walls.
CNN adds that the embassy had been expecting a demonstration and cleared all diplomatic personnel earlier from the facility.
Original post: The Associated Press reports that embassy officials say there was no staff inside at the time.
Reuters reports that protesters tried to raise a black flag carrying the slogan: “There is no god but Allah and Mohammad is his messenger.”
The news agency says about 2,000 protesters have gathered outside the embassy and about 20 have scaled the walls.
The AP says the protesters were largely ultra-conservative Islamists.
Eleven years ago today, terrorists shattered America’s sense of safety. Generations who did not remember Pearl Harbor suddenly knew the shock of an attack on U.S. soil.
Brothers, fathers, cousins, wives, and daughters were lost. And more sisters, mothers, husbands and sons would give their lives in the years that followed as they fearlessly joined the fight against terrorism around the world.
Because of the sacrifices of our men and women in uniform—and the hours put in scanning intelligence documents and patrolling the streets by our servants here at home—America has thus far avoided another 9/11. Since that day, at least 51 terrorist plots against the country (that we know of) have been foiled. Terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden has been eliminated.
But as the U.S. withdraws from Iraq and Afghanistan, the world is not becoming a safer place.
Pakistan continues to serve as a safe haven for terrorist groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba, the Taliban, and the Haqqani network, threatening to jeopardize everything the U.S. has fought for in Afghanistan since 9/11.
In a new Issue Brief taking stock of the war on terrorism, Heritage security experts Michaela Bendikova, Lisa Curtis, and Jessica Zuckerman warn:
[T]he U.S. counter-terrorism strategy remains flawed. The U.S. needs to name its enemies, maintain the nation’s commitments abroad, fully fund the military, reach out to allies, and truly defend the home front.
The campaign has certainly seen its share of successes in addition to the bin Laden mission. Drone strikes have helped to disrupt al-Qaeda operations and planning. But the U.S. must concentrate simultaneously on “uprooting extremist ideologies that support terrorism, collecting information from captured terrorists, and convincing the Pakistanis to conduct joint operations that deal with the threat,” the authors write. Continued terrorist sanctuaries inside Pakistan’s borders remain a threat.
At home, we cannot combat terrorism under “a law enforcement paradigm that focuses on reactive policies and prosecuting terrorists rather than proactive efforts to enhance intelligence tools and thwart terrorist attempts long before the public is in danger,” they write. This strategy fails to recognize the true nature of the threat posed by terrorist groups (such as al-Qaeda and al-Shabaab) and state-sponsored terrorism, while thwarting terrorist travel and financing remain the most effective ways to protect the homeland.
Unfortunately, the reality is that terrorism—without the face of a particular nation—is not the only threat America faces. Iran and North Korea continue to invest in capabilities designed to kill Americans and our allies. Syria is wracked by civil war and has the potential to destabilize the entire Middle East.
If we are to meet this volatile world with a determination to protect U.S. citizens, our priorities must shift. The defense budget has already absorbed about half of all spending cuts even though it represents less than a fifth of the federal budget. If U.S. forces are weakened further, the country will be unable to maintain its superpower status.
Today, we remember those we have lost. Tomorrow, we must honor their memory by strengthening our defenses for those who do not yet know the horror of an attack at home—so that they never will.
GOP report on 9/11 anniversary eve: Make TSA ‘smarter, leaner’
By Keith Laing – 09/10/12 04:05 PM ET
Republicans are suggesting ways the Transportation Security Administration can be “rebuilt” into a “smarter, leaner organization” ahead of a hearing on the 11th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
The House Homeland Security Committee’s Transportation Security subcommittee released a report Monday finding that TSA could be more effective by reducing its number of employees. The report also suggest TSA should consider “enlisting the private sector to modernize and, to the extent possible, automate the passenger screening process to reduce pat-downs, implementing privacy software on all [Advanced Imaging Technology] machines, and sponsoring an independent analysis of the potential health impacts of AIT machines.”
The committee will hold a hearing on the report on on Tuesday, which will mark the 11th anniversary of the hijacking of four U.S. airliners by terrorists.
Vision for Ridgewood’s downtown viewed as key to future
MONDAY SEPTEMBER 10, 2012, 12:34 PM
BY LAURA HERZOG
STAFF WRITER
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
In the past three weeks, The Ridgewood News has analyzed several obstacles facing businesses trying to open, survive and thrive in the Central Business District (CBD).
Business owners say adjustments to certain aspects of the Village Code may help improve the Central Business District.
Partially because of an outdated Village Code, problems can begin for a business owner long before they set up shop in the village. Then, for some business owners already working in the CBD, the village’s operations can make business in an already tough economy more stressful.
However, perhaps most pressing of all is Ridgewood’s need to develop its “vision” for the future, according to members of the business community and village officials.
Besides the oft-cited concerns of parking and high rents, business owners hoping to do business in the village are often faced with a lengthy permit process during which they can lose money before even opening. Muscle Maker Grill owner Paul McManaman is still working to make up capital he lost while waiting to open.
Some village business owners have claimed that fines they received for non-compliance with ordinances have left them feeling the village is unwilling to work with them. And a large number of restaurants in the CBD has some retailers wondering whether Ridgewood, unlike some other municipalities, lacks a firm concept of its identity and aspirations.
