Clearly, Ike Barinholtz is a funny guy. He’s an alumnus of Chicago’s famed improv comedy scene; he’s had successful stints on MADtv and Eastbound & Down; he’s a writer as well as a performer, making him extra sensitive to what makes a good punchline. Last year, his talent even earned special notice from his boss: Mindy Kaling created nutty ex-con nurse Morgan Tookers especially for Barinholtz.
But who is Morgan, exactly? Well… he’s a nurse. And an ex-con; we know that for sure. (Though how this guy ever successfully committed a crime is anybody’s guess; then again, maybe that’s why he went to prison.) More than anything, though, Morgan’s a sort of all-purpose weirdo, a shaggy collection of random quirks (He’s keeping a stray dog in the office! He’s carrying an egg beater to a nightclub! He’s bringing a Spanish karaoke machine to a Christmas party!) and arbitrary one-liners (“They used to call me the Loch Ness Morgan, mostly because I would show up blurry in photographs”).
Leave Morgan alone.
He's a funny character. If they'd do anything with him, I'd like for it to be a storyline like his great MAD TV sketch where he and his friend are watching football, someone scores and the two start hand slapping, body thumping and . . . kissing!
Something outrageous like that would be great. (If you haven't seen the sketch, they then try to deny that they're gay.)
The only thing they really need to do is get a better look for Ike. (It's already better in the first episode of the season.) But Morgan's a great character and the second reason I watch the show. (Mindy is the first reason I watch.)
This is C.I.'s "Iraq snapshot:"
Tuesday, September 24, 2013. Chaos and violence continue, the UN and
the EU express concern, where are the 7 Ashraf hostages that Nouri
denies holding, Barack's illegal spying is called out at the UN General
Assembly, we drop back to Thursday to cover VA's inability to respond to
Congressional requests, and more.
As the world's press rush to and fro, Iraq only grows more desperate. Jane Arraf (Gulf News) examines the realities on the ground today:
Today's violence included a bit of everything. NINA notes a helicopter crashed "near a military camp northeast of Baquba." AFP reports the helicopter was fired upon (and pilot had gun wounds) and the Iraqi military is disputing whether or not the helicopter was "shot down." Press TV adds, "Eight people have been killed in attacks on two Iraqi police stations and a local official's house in the western province of al-Anbar. Seven officers and the brother of a local official were killed on Tuesday in two bombings and a shooting incident in the towns of Rawa and Aana." Xinhua explains, "In one of the attacks, a suicide bomber blew up his explosive- laden car at the entrance of the house of Waqass Adnan, mayor of the city of Aana, some 250 km west of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity." AFP reports the Aana assault was an attempt "to take over a small Sunni town."
In other violence, NINA notes a car carrying four Sunni Endowment staff was attacked to the northeast of Baghdad leaving all four injured, a Baghdad car bombing left five people injured, a Tikrit bombing left four people (including one police officer) injured, an attack on an Iraqi soldier's Baquba home left one child and a civilian adult injured, 1 farmer was shot dead in Baquba, an attack on a Jurf al-Sakar military headquarters left 1 Iraqi soldier dead, and a Jebela sticky bombing claimed 1 life and left another person injured.
Through yesterday, Iraq Body Count counts 909 violent deaths in Iraq so far this month. At the Palais de Nations in Geneva today, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) spokesperson Melissa Fleming addressed the violence in Iraq:
In Iraq, UNHCR is concerned as recent waves of sectarian violence threatens to spark a new internal displacement of Iraqis fleeing the recent horrific bombings and other attacks.
Since the beginning of the year, bombings and rising sectarian tensions have displaced some 5,000 Iraqis, with people mostly fleeing from Baghdad into Anbar and Salah Al Din governorates, as well as causing displacement within Diyala and Ninewa governorates.
Reports from the last two weeks suggest that up to 160 families from Basra and Thi Qar were displaced into Salah al Din and Anbar and 57 families from Baghdad arrived in Babylon. A smaller number of families have also fled from various governorates into Kerbala, Najaf and Wassit. Those displaced so far include Sunni Arabs, Kurds, Shia Shabak, Turkmen as well as Shia Arabs who are in minority situation.
UNHCR and its partners have conducted needs assessments of the newly displaced people and is advocating with the government of Iraq for their registration. In coordination with the government, UNHCR and our partners ensure that food, core relief items, education and adequate accommodation are provided and that relevant identity and residency cards are also supplied.
This recent displacement adds to the over 1.13 million internally displaced people inside Iraq that fled their homes amidst the 2006-2008 sectarian violence mostly residing in Baghdad, Diyala and Ninewa governorates.
Some 467,000 internally displaced people, returnees and squatters remain in more than 382 settlements on public land or in public buildings, enduring harsh living conditions and with limited access to electricity, adequate sanitation, schooling or sufficient job opportunities despite efforts from the governorates and others. Many may be at risk of eviction. UNHCR with the IDP working group has been working with the government, particularly with the Ministry of Displacement and Migration, on a comprehensive plan to end displacement. This incorporates the development of policies on integration as well as livelihood, employment opportunities and shelter programmes.
We'll come back to the statement in a moment. Yesterday evening, Catherine Ashton, European Union High Representative, issued the following statement on the violence:
"I condemn the attacks that took place in Iraq on Saturday and Sunday, killing more than one hundred mourners and injuring close to two hundred in different districts of Baghdad, and killing two policemen in the north of the country. My thoughts go out to the many victims, and I express my condolences in particular to the families touched by this tragedy at a time when they were already grieving over the loss of their loved ones.
I continue to be extremely concerned by the escalation of sectarian violence in Iraq and the threat it poses to the stability of the country.
I welcome the recent initiatives by Iraqi political leaders to address their differences and promote reconciliation as a means of achieving lasting peace. I encourage them to spare no effort in searching for ways to reduce tensions and ensure that all Iraqi citizens are protected from violence."
Yesterday we called out the US Embassy in Baghdad for condemning the bombing attack on a Shi'ite funeral in Baghdad but being silent about the Sunday Baghdad bombing of a Sunni funeral and the Monday Baghdad bombing of a Sunni funeral.
They issued this statement:
The U.S. Embassy in Iraq denounces yesterday’s attack on mourners at a funeral in Baghdad. This brutal attack, which killed and wounded dozens of innocent civilians, and Saturday’s similar attack at a funeral, remind us of the formidable security challenges that Iraq faces. We continue to work with the Government of Iraq to combat the terrorism threat and bring justice to those responsible for such despicable crimes. The U.S. Embassy extends its most sincere condolences to the families of the victims and wishes for a rapid recovery to those injured.
They say they issued it yesterday.
They lie.
I called a State Dept friend to say I was sorry for missing that statement yesterday and how I would do a correction in today's snapshot. My friend couldn't stop laughing. That was issued today. He said, "Google it and get the time stamp." I did. He was right.
Back to UNHCR spokesperson Melissa Fleming addressed the violence in Iraq:
Meanwhile, following the attack on Camp New Iraq on 1 September in which more than 50 residents died UNHCR remains gravely concerned for the safety of seven former residents of the site who remain unaccounted for. According to reports reaching UNHCR, the missing persons are reportedly being held somewhere in Iraq and may be at risk of being returned involuntarily to Iran, which would be a serious breach of international law. These seven are all known by UNHCR to be asylum-seekers, and UNHCR wants to have the opportunity to interview them.
In light of the numerous and persistent reports over the past week that these individuals may be at risk of forced return to Iran, UNHCR calls upon the Government of Iraq to locate them, to ensure their physical security and to safeguard them against return to Iran against their will. UNHCR furthermore urges the government to ensure the protection of the residents of Hurriya temporary transit location and calls on the international community to find solutions outside Iraq as a matter of urgency.
Iraq's prime minister and chief thug Nouri al-Maliki has denied having the seven hostages. Nouri's word doesn't mean anything on the world stage. Right about now, we usually do the background on the Camp Ashraf community but instead we'll let the United Nations News Centre cover it:
The United Nations human rights office today called on the Government of Iraq to do all it can to ascertain the whereabouts of seven former residents of Camp Ashraf, who have been missing since the facility, which housed Iranian exiles, was attacked on 1 September, leaving at least 52 residents dead.
“We are gravely concerned about allegations that seven former residents of Camp Ashraf, six of whom are reported to be women, were kidnapped during the events of 1 September,” Rupert Colville, spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), said at a briefing in Geneva.
“If they have indeed been kidnapped, all efforts should be made to secure their release unharmed,” Mr. Colville added, noting unconfirmed reports that suggest that they are being held at an unidentified location in Iraq and are at risk of being forcibly returned to Iran.
Camp Ashraf was comprised of Iranian exiles, many of them members of a group known as the People’s Mojahedeen of Iran.
More than 3,000 residents have been relocated to Camp Hurriya, previously known as Camp Liberty, while the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) carries out a process to determine their refugee status, and resettle them outside of the country, in line with an agreement signed in December 2011 between the UN and the Iraqi Government.
Camp Ashraf has been attacked several times, making relocation a priority for the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI). Following the latest attack, the remaining residents were transferred to Camp Hurriya, but the circumstances of the attack remain obscure.
“As three weeks have now passed, we reiterate our call on the Government to do its utmost to shed light on exactly what happened and to identify the perpetrators of these killings,” Mr. Colville said, while welcoming the transfer of the remaining residents to Hurriya.
He added that UNHCR and others shared the concern over the missing former residents and called on the Government to ensure their safety and prevent their involuntary return to Iran.
Twelve days ago, US Senator Robert Mendez's office released the following:
September 12, 2013
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released this statement condemning the attacks on Camp Ashraf residents, and called on the Iraqi government to protect the community and secure the release of seven hostages taken after the massacre at Camp Ashraf.
Menendez is the Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Again, Nouri stated last week he is not holding any hostages. If true, did he deport them or have them killed? Deportation isn't a joke. There are rumors swirling in social media that Nouri's going to deport the remaining Ashraf community members. James Morrison (Washington Times via Iran Focus) reports:
From Capitol Hill to Brussels, supporters of the Iranian opposition are urging Secretary of State John F. Kerry to take action against Iraq for the massacre of 52 Iranian exiles by Iraqi gunmen.
Thirty-four House members urged Mr. Kerry to cut funds for Iraq until Baghdad takes “clear and verifiable efforts” to protect more than 3,000 dissidents in a refugee camp near the international airport.
They called on Mr. Kerry to demand the release of seven hostages taken during a Sept. 1 raid on Camp Ashraf, a smaller camp north of the capital.
The House members and other lawmakers noted that most of the victims were shot in the head and many had their hands tied behind their backs.
Doesn't really sound like John Kerry has the time to threaten war on Syria. But when you crave destruction, when you lust for blood, you make the time.
Today Hamza Mustafa (Asharq Al-Awsat) writes, "One day after Moqtada Al-Sadr announced the end of his self-imposed exile from Iraqi politics, arguments erupted between the Sadr Movement and Qais Al Khazali’s Ahl Al-Haq group which broke away from Sadr’s Mahdi Army in 2007."
It's not home
And it's not Tara
In fact do I know you
Have I been here before
This is a dream, right
Deja Vu
Did I come here on my own
Oh I see
Welcome to the room Sara
For Scarlett
Welcome to the choir, sir
-- "Welcome to the Room . . . Sara," written by Stevie Nicks, first appears on Fleetwood Mac's Tango in the Night
Dropping back to the September 12th snapshot:
Turning to Iraqi politics, Kitabat reports cleric and movement Moqtada al-Sadr has finished trips to Lebanon and Jordan and paid his respects to his late father at the Najaf shrine and is now ready to re-enter political life. Moqtada has surprised many by announcing he was stepping away from politics. Iraqiya leader Ayad Allawi publicly called for Moqtada to return to politics. Allawi's sentiments were echoed by Iraqis of all sects, not just Shi'ite members of Moqtada's movement. In a statement issued today, Moqtada acknowledged those calls and announces he will heed them.
Welcome to the room, Hamza. Your twelve days late, but welcome. Sunday, Moqtada began his weekly face-to-face addresses on the country's problems. Still on Iraqi politics, Saturday the KRG held provincial elections. Exit polling places the Kurdistan Democratic Party (led by KRG President Massoud Barzani) in the lead. The surprise from the polling is that the other dominant political party, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, is no longer dominant. Second place, according to the exit polling, has gone to Gorran (Change). World Bulletin notes today, "KDP has stated that they would like to form the new government with their strategic ally, PUK. However, there are rumors of a possible split-up within PUK who lost most of its power in the absence of Jalal Talabani. If Barham Salih, deputy secretary general of PUK, happens to leave and form a new party, KDP may have to turn to Goran to form a coalition." Some of what's being said on Twitter about the elections:
The editorial board of the Tampa Tribune notes, "There is almost no hope for an early declaration of victory in the global war on terror, and the plight of the Iraqi people is grim evidence that even an infusion of a Western-style democracy offers no promise of security. It turns out that, quite often, religious affiliations are more important than political theories." What did war on Iraq bring? Mushreq Abbas (Al-Monitor) explains one 'gift':
It should be mentioned that today, Iraqi youth have lived through civil war. They carry more than one ID with different names, to prevent their sectarian affiliation from being identified. In addition, they have mastered more than one accent to persuade gunmen that they are not affiliated with the targeted sect. Yet, this is not enough, especially for those who take a neutral stance and do not care about sectarian affiliation. They are considered by gunmen of both sects as potential victims, for ignoring small religious details, as well as terms and behaviors that are interpreted as proof of sectarian affiliation in Iraq.
Moving to Jordan, Xinhua reports:
Three Syrian refugees living in the Zaatari camp in Jordan raped a 14-year-old girl, a top security official said on Tuesday.
One of the alleged rapists was arrested and referred to the Supreme Criminal Court while search is underway for the two others at the camp, which is home to more than 120,000 Syrian refugees, the official told Xinhua Tuesday.
This was the tenth reported rape or attempted rape in the camp. On the topic of Syria, John Kerry and US President Barack Obama still want war on Syria. Meanwhile, their chemical attack claims are under attack. Global Research devotes the latest GRTV to exposing problems with the video of the assault. For additional information or if streaming doesn't work for you, you can refer to Mahdi Darius Nazemroaya's text report:
Those who take the time to read the report by Mother Agnes and the International Support Team for Mussalaha in Syria (ISTEAMS) will realize that it disgraces the entire US Intelligence Community for endorsing video footage that is clearly dubious and not credible upon careful study by even a layperson.
No one denies that chemical weapons were used. The US federal government and the mainstream media in the US and countries allied to it have been playing a dirty game of equating the a) rejection of accusations that the Syrian government used chemical weapons with b) an outright denial that chemical weapons were used. The two are deliberately being mixed together to confuse the general public. The question is who used the chemical weapons?
[. . .]
Today, the Brazilian President, speaking to the United Nations General Assembly, noted there was no military solution to the Syrian crisis and what was needed was diplomacy. In addition, Dilma Rousseff called out Barack Obama's illegal spying:
Recent revelations concerning the activities of a global network of electronic espionage have caused indignation and repudiation in public opinion around the world. In Brazil, the situation was even more serious, as it emerged that we were targeted by this intrusion. Personal data of citizens was intercepted indiscriminately. Corporate information - often of high economic and even strategic value - was at the center of espionage activity. Also, Brazilian diplomatic missions, among them the Permanent Mission to the United Nations and the Office of the President of the Republic itself, had their communications intercepted. Tampering in such a manner in the affairs of other countries is a breach of International Law and is an affront to the principles that must guide the relations among them, especially among friendly nations. A sovereign nation can never establish itself to the detriment of another sovereign nation. The right to safety of citizens of one country can never be guaranteed by violating fundamental human rights of citizens of another country. The arguments that the illegal interception of information and data aims at protecting nations against terrorism cannot be sustained. Brazil, Mr. President, knows how to protect itself. We reject, fight and do not harbor terrorist groups. We are a democratic country surrounded by nations that are democratic, pacific and respectful of International Law. We have lived in peace with our neighbors for more than 140 years. As many other Latin Americans, I fought against authoritarianism and censorship, and I cannot but defend, in an uncompromising fashion, the right to privacy of individuals and the sovereignty of my country. In the absence of the right to privacy, there can be no true freedom of expression and opinion, and therefore no effective democracy. In the absence of the respect for sovereignty, there is no basis for the relationship among Nations. We face, Mr. President, a situation of grave violation of human rights and of civil liberties; of invasion and capture of confidential information concerning corporate activities, and especially of disrespect to national sovereignty. We expressed to the Government of the United States our disapproval, and demanded explanations, apologies and guarantees that such procedures will never be repeated. Friendly governments and societies that seek to build a true strategic partnership, as in our case, cannot allow recurring illegal actions to take place as if they were normal. They are unacceptable. Brazil, Mr. President, will redouble its efforts to adopt legislation, technologies and mechanisms to protect us from the illegal interception of communications and data. My Government will do everything within its reach to defend the human rights of all Brazilians and to protect the fruits borne from the ingenuity of our workers and our companies. The problem, however, goes beyond a bilateral relationship. It affects the international community itself and demands a response from it. Information and telecommunication technologies cannot be the new battlefield between States. Time is ripe to create the conditions to prevent cyberspace from being used as a weapon of war, through espionage, sabotage, and attacks against systems and infrastructure of other countries. The United Nations must play a leading role in the effort to regulate the conduct of States with regard to these technologies. For this reason, Brazil will present proposals for the establishment of a civilian multilateral framework for the governance and use of the Internet and to ensure the effective protection of data that travels through the web. We need to create multilateral mechanisms for the worldwide network that are capable of ensuring principles such as:
1 - Freedom of expression, privacy of the individual and respect for human rights.
2 - Open, multilateral and democratic governance, carried out with transparency by stimulating collective creativity and the participation of society, Governments and the private sector.
3 - Universality that ensures the social and human development and the construction of inclusive and non-discriminatory societies.
4 - Cultural diversity, without the imposition of beliefs, customs and values.
5 - Neutrality of the network, guided only by technical and ethical criteria, rendering it inadmissible to restrict it for political, commercial, religious or any other purposes.
Harnessing the full potential of the Internet requires, therefore, responsible regulation, which ensures at the same time freedom of expression, security and respect for human rights.
You can find her speech in full [PDF format warning] here.
"I called this hearing in response to a growing frustration among members of getting from your office what we need to do our work. Whether it's the timely receipt of hearing testimony, responses to request for information or the quality of the information provided, we have concerns all the way across the board." That's US House Rep Jeff Miller speaking last Thursday. We noted the hearing (that it started late due to a group photo) in Thursday's snapshot but this is the first chance we've had to address it.
Miller is the Chair of the House Veterans Affairs Committee. Appearing before the Committee was Joan Mooney, the VA's Assistant Secretary for Congressional and Legislative Affairs. US House Rep Michael Michaud is the Ranking Member. The VA has a very poor history in the last five years of providing information or even testimony.
Chair Jeff Miller: Let me start with hearing testimony. Prior to an oversight hearing being called, it has long been a standing practice to provide the administration with a minimum of two week's advance notice of the hearing topic and to request that [written] testimony [prepared opening remarks by the witness] be delivered no later than 48 hours prior to that hearing. Receiving testimony 48 hours in advance permits the members of this Committee and the staff to minimally look at that, gather the information that they need to carefully go through and read that testimony but also to craft thoughtful questions. But whether VA is provided two weeks notice or two months notice, it seems that timely receipt of testimony is completely arbitrary. For example, you knew more than a month in advance that we were having a joint hearing with the Armed Service Committee on service member transition issues back in July yet the testimony was received late in the afternoon on the day before the hearing. The fact is that your testimony was received in a timely fashion today -- two days ago -- is a good first step but, of course, it's not surprising given the topic of this hearing but from here we've got to have 100% track record on getting testimony in a timely fashion. That should be the standard.
This isn't just a House issue. For example, Senator Richard Burr, Ranking Member on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, has publicly called out VA witnesses who have refused to deliver their prepared remarks in a timely fashion. Senate Veterans Affairs Committee Chair Bernie Sanders has kindly pointed out that the testimony needs to be received by the Committee 48 hours in advance. This issue has been brewing for some time.
Chair Jeff Miller: Let me in turn now focus on information requests. We've grown so frustrated with the timely receipt of quality responses from VA that we've had to take extraordinary steps to ensure accountability. First, the Ranking Member and I launched a Trials in Transparency page on the Committee's website detailing the number of outstanding VA requests. Second, I send weekly letters to the department, namely the Secretary [of the VA Eric Shinseki] reminding them of all the pending requests. In total, we now have 70 -- some of which remain well over a year old. What is more troubling is that many of the pending requests relate directly to ongoing Committee investigations into life safety issues at VA facilities. For example, on January 18, 2013, I requested e-mails and documents pertaining to a deadly legionella bacteria outbreak at the Pittsburgh VA Medical Center. As of September 17th, no e-mails have been provided. Worse, I learned that the media was provided some of the same e-mails that I had requested in as few as 20 days. The days when the VA is more responsive to the media than a Congressional oversight committee has to end. And, if necessary, I will begin FOIA-ing [Freedom Of Information Act requests] that information instead of going through the normal channels and trying to get that information from the central office. Given that 5 veterans are dead as a result of the outbreak which VA's own Inspector General attributed to VA mismanagement, the Committee is engaged in an investigation into this matter to determine what went wrong and to ensure that it never happens again. Unfortunately, we haven't seen a similar sense of urgency from VA to help us with our investigative efforts. Rather, VA's reluctance to provide us with the information we have requested is actually impeding that process.
Ranking Member Michaud noted that the Committee members are "frustrated and unhappy with VA's approach." These delays, Miller noted, are coming at a time when the VA's Office of Congressional and Legislative Affairs has received a 41% budget increase and a 40% staff increase (increases are since 2009). But they're unable to do their basic tasks. US House Rep Jon Runyan pointed out to Mooney, "You have us waiting the same way you have a lot of veterans hanging out there. So it's something in the DNA of the VA."
If you're not getting how ridiculous the obstacles are, Ranking Member Michaud shared that one of his staff members, a veteran, had a positive experience and he tasked one of his staff members with contacting Dr. Robert Petzel's office to convey a thank you. Petzel is the Under Secretary for Health at the VA Office of Legislative Affairs. This should have been one phone call and a fairly easy one. Instead, it became a whole process of why are you calling and who cleared it and on and on.
The office a filter not a facilitator
Miller noted Mooney had been in her job "for over four years" and has had time to "put your stamp on that office." He then did a really smart thing that others should do.
People say a lot when they want the job
Lining up eager around the block
Promising, promising never to quit
Well it's a full time job to be a hypocrite
-- "People Say A Lot," written by Carly Simon, first appears on her This Kind Of Love
Chair Jeff Miller: So let me quote excerpts from your confirmation hearing in the Senate and then get your response to some of those statements. When asked what your office's role would be in the preparation of testimony for Congressional hearings, you responded that, "It is my understanding that OCLA staff responsibility is to ensure that testimony is delivered in advance and a timely fashion." Now after frustration has been brewing for months with this Committee, we began formally tracking the testimony that has come to this Committee since April. Testimony has been delivered on time only eleven times out of 21 hearings that we've held. So, first, I'd want to say, how would you rate OCLA's performance in this area?
Joan Mooney: I think the overall performance of the Department on this area needs great improvement.
Chair Jeff Miller: Who's responsible for the late testimony?
Joan Mooney: I take responsibility for testimony, sir.
Chair Jeff Miller: Before you were confirmed, Secretary Shinseki had established a goal to respond to Congressional inquires within two weeks. So when asked what you thought a reasonable timeline was, you indicated that "standard response goals should range from the same day to two weeks." How would you rank OCLA's performance in this area?
Joan Mooney: My-my office does not manage Congressional correspondence. We do, uh, have a 24 hour turn on our review of them.
Chair Jeff Miller: This is requests for information.
Joan Mooney: Oh. On requests for information? [Long pause.] Uuuhhh. I would say we provide, uh, a large amount as quickly as we can and --
Chair Jeff Miller: But how do you -- how do you respond to the fact that the Secretary set a goal of two weeks and we are far beyond that on many, many requests for information
Joan Mooney: Uh, on correspondence and items that require --
Chair Jeff Miller: These are requests for information that should be relatively easy to churn out and give to the Committee.
Joan Mooney: On easy requests for information, that's true, sir. On more complicated requests that require, uh, interdepartmental concurrences or, uhm, with our partners at Labor or Dept of Defense, some times responses can take longer --
Chair Jeff Miller: A year?
Joan Mooney: -- and that adds to the complexity.
Chair Jeff Miller: As long as a year?
Joan Mooney: Sometimes there are complex situations. If-if-if-if -- I can, uh, answer any specific questions or take them back, I'm happy to do that.
Chair Jeff Miller: You, I apologize, it's on our website and you get a copy of the letter I send to the Secretary every week. You know what the outstanding requests are. And is it acceptable? Would you -- would you allow an employee within your purview to go as long as a year to give you the necessary information that you need to do your job?
Joan Mooney: I understand and appreciate your frustration. And we will work as hard as we can to move those responses out of the program offices and administrations and to you.
Chair Jeff Miller: Okay, so you wouldn't take any action on an employee that went as long as a year to provide you the information you needed to do your job?
Joan Mooney: I understand your frustration, sir. I see it clearly.
Chair Jeff Miller: Okay. Your testimony doesn't mention any metrics for how you evaluate whether or not you are achieving the two week goal that you share with the Secretary -- nor does your budget submission for your office. And you mentioned at your confirmation hearing that one of the steps you would take is to establish a good tracking system of following up with people. So how long does it take on average to respond to requests for information according to your tracking system?
Joan Mooney: Our tracking system doesn't take -- doesn't track time to respond. It tracks where-where -- what items are outstanding at this point and time. And we work with the Committee as we can -- Committee staff -- to prioritize those requests. First priority is the Chairman and the Ranking Member and then other members of the Committee and then other members of the Congress.
It would be really great if these various heads who can't do their jobs were confronted regularly with the promises they made at their confirmation hearings. Earlier Cedric and Wally's posts went up:
And the following community posts went up last night:
"Buying music then and buying it now"
"A bad shopping experience "
"Barack The Destroyer"
"i hated joan van ark today"
"The ever present Cher"
"Cher"
"Congratulations to Cassidy Lynn Campbell"
"Cher's 10 best film performances"
"Syria"
"Still targeting Syria"
A number of posts noted that Cher's new album Closer To The Truth came out today. You can currently download it from Amazon for $9.99 and Kat reviewed it Sunday in "Kat's Korner: Cher's Closer To Perfection."
iraq
press tv
jane arraf
mushreq abbas
afp
iraq body count
asharq al-awsat
nsa
illegal spying
cher
As the world's press rush to and fro, Iraq only grows more desperate. Jane Arraf (Gulf News) examines the realities on the ground today:
Behind the numbing regularity of Iraq's car bombs is the much quieter
sound of a country slowly imploding. The targets these days are not
usually the fortress-like ministries or security installations -- they
are regular Iraqis. Last Friday, bombs exploded in a Sunni mosque near
Samarra, killing at least 15 people. The attack capped a week of
violence that also saw at least 30 people killed on September 17 in
coordinated bombings that targeted Shiite neighbourhoods in Baghdad,
still mourning the victims of previous attacks. The bombers intended to
cause the maximum number of casualties -- detonating their explosives at
the end of the day, when Iraqis crowd into markets and cafes.
More than 4,000 civilians have been killed so far this year, the
highest death toll since Iraq climbed out of civil war five years ago.
Any wreckage is now quickly hauled away, as the government in Baghdad
has little capacity for forensic investigations. In many neighbourhoods,
the black funeral banners draped over brick walls and concrete blast
barriers are the only lasting signs of repeated explosions. Apart from
civilians, hundreds of soldiers and police, as well as officials from
the Interior and Justice Ministries, have been killed. Many of these
attacks are the handiwork of Al Qaida, which has made clear that it
intends to foster a civil war in Iraq. The jihadist group’s targeting of
markets, cafes and mosques seems aimed at showing Iraqis that
government security forces cannot protect them -- potentially pushing
them into the arms of the Shiite militias and Sunni extremists who were
at the forefront of sectarian violence during the worst days of Iraq’s
civil war.Today's violence included a bit of everything. NINA notes a helicopter crashed "near a military camp northeast of Baquba." AFP reports the helicopter was fired upon (and pilot had gun wounds) and the Iraqi military is disputing whether or not the helicopter was "shot down." Press TV adds, "Eight people have been killed in attacks on two Iraqi police stations and a local official's house in the western province of al-Anbar. Seven officers and the brother of a local official were killed on Tuesday in two bombings and a shooting incident in the towns of Rawa and Aana." Xinhua explains, "In one of the attacks, a suicide bomber blew up his explosive- laden car at the entrance of the house of Waqass Adnan, mayor of the city of Aana, some 250 km west of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity." AFP reports the Aana assault was an attempt "to take over a small Sunni town."
In other violence, NINA notes a car carrying four Sunni Endowment staff was attacked to the northeast of Baghdad leaving all four injured, a Baghdad car bombing left five people injured, a Tikrit bombing left four people (including one police officer) injured, an attack on an Iraqi soldier's Baquba home left one child and a civilian adult injured, 1 farmer was shot dead in Baquba, an attack on a Jurf al-Sakar military headquarters left 1 Iraqi soldier dead, and a Jebela sticky bombing claimed 1 life and left another person injured.
Through yesterday, Iraq Body Count counts 909 violent deaths in Iraq so far this month. At the Palais de Nations in Geneva today, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) spokesperson Melissa Fleming addressed the violence in Iraq:
In Iraq, UNHCR is concerned as recent waves of sectarian violence threatens to spark a new internal displacement of Iraqis fleeing the recent horrific bombings and other attacks.
Since the beginning of the year, bombings and rising sectarian tensions have displaced some 5,000 Iraqis, with people mostly fleeing from Baghdad into Anbar and Salah Al Din governorates, as well as causing displacement within Diyala and Ninewa governorates.
Reports from the last two weeks suggest that up to 160 families from Basra and Thi Qar were displaced into Salah al Din and Anbar and 57 families from Baghdad arrived in Babylon. A smaller number of families have also fled from various governorates into Kerbala, Najaf and Wassit. Those displaced so far include Sunni Arabs, Kurds, Shia Shabak, Turkmen as well as Shia Arabs who are in minority situation.
UNHCR and its partners have conducted needs assessments of the newly displaced people and is advocating with the government of Iraq for their registration. In coordination with the government, UNHCR and our partners ensure that food, core relief items, education and adequate accommodation are provided and that relevant identity and residency cards are also supplied.
This recent displacement adds to the over 1.13 million internally displaced people inside Iraq that fled their homes amidst the 2006-2008 sectarian violence mostly residing in Baghdad, Diyala and Ninewa governorates.
Some 467,000 internally displaced people, returnees and squatters remain in more than 382 settlements on public land or in public buildings, enduring harsh living conditions and with limited access to electricity, adequate sanitation, schooling or sufficient job opportunities despite efforts from the governorates and others. Many may be at risk of eviction. UNHCR with the IDP working group has been working with the government, particularly with the Ministry of Displacement and Migration, on a comprehensive plan to end displacement. This incorporates the development of policies on integration as well as livelihood, employment opportunities and shelter programmes.
We'll come back to the statement in a moment. Yesterday evening, Catherine Ashton, European Union High Representative, issued the following statement on the violence:
"I condemn the attacks that took place in Iraq on Saturday and Sunday, killing more than one hundred mourners and injuring close to two hundred in different districts of Baghdad, and killing two policemen in the north of the country. My thoughts go out to the many victims, and I express my condolences in particular to the families touched by this tragedy at a time when they were already grieving over the loss of their loved ones.
I continue to be extremely concerned by the escalation of sectarian violence in Iraq and the threat it poses to the stability of the country.
I welcome the recent initiatives by Iraqi political leaders to address their differences and promote reconciliation as a means of achieving lasting peace. I encourage them to spare no effort in searching for ways to reduce tensions and ensure that all Iraqi citizens are protected from violence."
Yesterday we called out the US Embassy in Baghdad for condemning the bombing attack on a Shi'ite funeral in Baghdad but being silent about the Sunday Baghdad bombing of a Sunni funeral and the Monday Baghdad bombing of a Sunni funeral.
They issued this statement:
The U.S. Embassy in Iraq denounces yesterday’s attack on mourners at a funeral in Baghdad. This brutal attack, which killed and wounded dozens of innocent civilians, and Saturday’s similar attack at a funeral, remind us of the formidable security challenges that Iraq faces. We continue to work with the Government of Iraq to combat the terrorism threat and bring justice to those responsible for such despicable crimes. The U.S. Embassy extends its most sincere condolences to the families of the victims and wishes for a rapid recovery to those injured.
They say they issued it yesterday.
They lie.
I called a State Dept friend to say I was sorry for missing that statement yesterday and how I would do a correction in today's snapshot. My friend couldn't stop laughing. That was issued today. He said, "Google it and get the time stamp." I did. He was right.
The U.S. Denounces Recent Attacks on Mourners - Iraq
15 hours ago - ... and wounded dozens of innocent civilians, and Saturday's similar attack at a funeral, remind us of the formidable security challenges that Iraq faces. We continue to work with the Government of Iraq to combat the ... The U.S. Embassy extends its most sincere condolences to the families of the victims and ...
Back to UNHCR spokesperson Melissa Fleming addressed the violence in Iraq:
Meanwhile, following the attack on Camp New Iraq on 1 September in which more than 50 residents died UNHCR remains gravely concerned for the safety of seven former residents of the site who remain unaccounted for. According to reports reaching UNHCR, the missing persons are reportedly being held somewhere in Iraq and may be at risk of being returned involuntarily to Iran, which would be a serious breach of international law. These seven are all known by UNHCR to be asylum-seekers, and UNHCR wants to have the opportunity to interview them.
In light of the numerous and persistent reports over the past week that these individuals may be at risk of forced return to Iran, UNHCR calls upon the Government of Iraq to locate them, to ensure their physical security and to safeguard them against return to Iran against their will. UNHCR furthermore urges the government to ensure the protection of the residents of Hurriya temporary transit location and calls on the international community to find solutions outside Iraq as a matter of urgency.
Iraq's prime minister and chief thug Nouri al-Maliki has denied having the seven hostages. Nouri's word doesn't mean anything on the world stage. Right about now, we usually do the background on the Camp Ashraf community but instead we'll let the United Nations News Centre cover it:
The United Nations human rights office today called on the Government of Iraq to do all it can to ascertain the whereabouts of seven former residents of Camp Ashraf, who have been missing since the facility, which housed Iranian exiles, was attacked on 1 September, leaving at least 52 residents dead.
“We are gravely concerned about allegations that seven former residents of Camp Ashraf, six of whom are reported to be women, were kidnapped during the events of 1 September,” Rupert Colville, spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), said at a briefing in Geneva.
“If they have indeed been kidnapped, all efforts should be made to secure their release unharmed,” Mr. Colville added, noting unconfirmed reports that suggest that they are being held at an unidentified location in Iraq and are at risk of being forcibly returned to Iran.
Camp Ashraf was comprised of Iranian exiles, many of them members of a group known as the People’s Mojahedeen of Iran.
More than 3,000 residents have been relocated to Camp Hurriya, previously known as Camp Liberty, while the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) carries out a process to determine their refugee status, and resettle them outside of the country, in line with an agreement signed in December 2011 between the UN and the Iraqi Government.
Camp Ashraf has been attacked several times, making relocation a priority for the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI). Following the latest attack, the remaining residents were transferred to Camp Hurriya, but the circumstances of the attack remain obscure.
“As three weeks have now passed, we reiterate our call on the Government to do its utmost to shed light on exactly what happened and to identify the perpetrators of these killings,” Mr. Colville said, while welcoming the transfer of the remaining residents to Hurriya.
He added that UNHCR and others shared the concern over the missing former residents and called on the Government to ensure their safety and prevent their involuntary return to Iran.
Twelve days ago, US Senator Robert Mendez's office released the following:
September 12, 2013
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released this statement condemning the attacks on Camp Ashraf residents, and called on the Iraqi government to protect the community and secure the release of seven hostages taken after the massacre at Camp Ashraf.
“I
condemn the brutal violence targeting Camp Ashraf residents in the most
forceful of terms and personally offer my deepest sympathies to the
families of this horrific act of terror. The surviving residents have
been moved to Camp Liberty, but serious threats endure for the community
and they remain targets of future attacks even as they are relocated.
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq must proceed with their
independent investigation and thoroughly ensure the safety and wellbeing
of those residents now in Camp Liberty.
“I
hold the Iraqi government directly responsible to protect the
community, to investigate this matter thoroughly, and to prosecute the
perpetrators of this heinous act. I am deeply concerned for the seven
hostages who were taken during this attack. The Iraqi government should
act swiftly to determine their whereabouts and ensure their safety.
There is added urgency for the global community, as well as for the
United States, to help resettle this community outside of Iraq, and end
this cycle of ongoing terror attacks.”
###
Menendez is the Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Again, Nouri stated last week he is not holding any hostages. If true, did he deport them or have them killed? Deportation isn't a joke. There are rumors swirling in social media that Nouri's going to deport the remaining Ashraf community members. James Morrison (Washington Times via Iran Focus) reports:
From Capitol Hill to Brussels, supporters of the Iranian opposition are urging Secretary of State John F. Kerry to take action against Iraq for the massacre of 52 Iranian exiles by Iraqi gunmen.
Thirty-four House members urged Mr. Kerry to cut funds for Iraq until Baghdad takes “clear and verifiable efforts” to protect more than 3,000 dissidents in a refugee camp near the international airport.
They called on Mr. Kerry to demand the release of seven hostages taken during a Sept. 1 raid on Camp Ashraf, a smaller camp north of the capital.
The House members and other lawmakers noted that most of the victims were shot in the head and many had their hands tied behind their backs.
Doesn't really sound like John Kerry has the time to threaten war on Syria. But when you crave destruction, when you lust for blood, you make the time.
Today Hamza Mustafa (Asharq Al-Awsat) writes, "One day after Moqtada Al-Sadr announced the end of his self-imposed exile from Iraqi politics, arguments erupted between the Sadr Movement and Qais Al Khazali’s Ahl Al-Haq group which broke away from Sadr’s Mahdi Army in 2007."
It's not home
And it's not Tara
In fact do I know you
Have I been here before
This is a dream, right
Deja Vu
Did I come here on my own
Oh I see
Welcome to the room Sara
For Scarlett
Welcome to the choir, sir
-- "Welcome to the Room . . . Sara," written by Stevie Nicks, first appears on Fleetwood Mac's Tango in the Night
Dropping back to the September 12th snapshot:
Turning to Iraqi politics, Kitabat reports cleric and movement Moqtada al-Sadr has finished trips to Lebanon and Jordan and paid his respects to his late father at the Najaf shrine and is now ready to re-enter political life. Moqtada has surprised many by announcing he was stepping away from politics. Iraqiya leader Ayad Allawi publicly called for Moqtada to return to politics. Allawi's sentiments were echoed by Iraqis of all sects, not just Shi'ite members of Moqtada's movement. In a statement issued today, Moqtada acknowledged those calls and announces he will heed them.
Welcome to the room, Hamza. Your twelve days late, but welcome. Sunday, Moqtada began his weekly face-to-face addresses on the country's problems. Still on Iraqi politics, Saturday the KRG held provincial elections. Exit polling places the Kurdistan Democratic Party (led by KRG President Massoud Barzani) in the lead. The surprise from the polling is that the other dominant political party, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, is no longer dominant. Second place, according to the exit polling, has gone to Gorran (Change). World Bulletin notes today, "KDP has stated that they would like to form the new government with their strategic ally, PUK. However, there are rumors of a possible split-up within PUK who lost most of its power in the absence of Jalal Talabani. If Barham Salih, deputy secretary general of PUK, happens to leave and form a new party, KDP may have to turn to Goran to form a coalition." Some of what's being said on Twitter about the elections:
-
#GoranList was able to mobilize#Kurdish street against#PUK#KDP in#KRGElections in#Kurdistan#Iraq & win in 2nd place.#TwitterKurds -
Rumors that
@BarhamSalih is under house arrest after dispute with#PUK officials over big lost in#KRGElections. Any news if this is right? -
A
#KDP Iraqi MP from Mosul (can't vote in#KRGelections) raising his hand (purple ink = voted) in parliament is challenged by the speaker + -
-
special voting results in
#Duhok &#Hawler: KDP: 19400+18679 Gorran: 189+1200 PUK: 935+ 3249#TwitterKurds#KRGElections -
after KRG`s elections now its the right time to work withe no delay for the Kurdish national conference
#Rojava#Timeless2013 -
People
·
View all
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The democratically elected Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) exercises executive power according to the Kurdistan Region’s laws.
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Moe Garmyani
Helebje
گۆڕان Gorran
Baxtiyar Goran
T.C.K. bedir mustafa
KRG
Results of #KRGElections 21/9/2013 without special voting result. Results the authorities are so desperate to falsify pic.twitter.com/aPj1qZkwBr
Idrees Mohammed
PUK official believes that the party's agreement on the extension of pres. Barzani's term greatly affected PUK's votes. #KRGElections
Remziya
PUK & Gorran need to release immediate statements and calm their supporters. This nonsense in #slemani needs to stop. #KRGElections
The editorial board of the Tampa Tribune notes, "There is almost no hope for an early declaration of victory in the global war on terror, and the plight of the Iraqi people is grim evidence that even an infusion of a Western-style democracy offers no promise of security. It turns out that, quite often, religious affiliations are more important than political theories." What did war on Iraq bring? Mushreq Abbas (Al-Monitor) explains one 'gift':
It should be mentioned that today, Iraqi youth have lived through civil war. They carry more than one ID with different names, to prevent their sectarian affiliation from being identified. In addition, they have mastered more than one accent to persuade gunmen that they are not affiliated with the targeted sect. Yet, this is not enough, especially for those who take a neutral stance and do not care about sectarian affiliation. They are considered by gunmen of both sects as potential victims, for ignoring small religious details, as well as terms and behaviors that are interpreted as proof of sectarian affiliation in Iraq.
Moving to Jordan, Xinhua reports:
Three Syrian refugees living in the Zaatari camp in Jordan raped a 14-year-old girl, a top security official said on Tuesday.
One of the alleged rapists was arrested and referred to the Supreme Criminal Court while search is underway for the two others at the camp, which is home to more than 120,000 Syrian refugees, the official told Xinhua Tuesday.
This was the tenth reported rape or attempted rape in the camp. On the topic of Syria, John Kerry and US President Barack Obama still want war on Syria. Meanwhile, their chemical attack claims are under attack. Global Research devotes the latest GRTV to exposing problems with the video of the assault. For additional information or if streaming doesn't work for you, you can refer to Mahdi Darius Nazemroaya's text report:
Those who take the time to read the report by Mother Agnes and the International Support Team for Mussalaha in Syria (ISTEAMS) will realize that it disgraces the entire US Intelligence Community for endorsing video footage that is clearly dubious and not credible upon careful study by even a layperson.
No one denies that chemical weapons were used. The US federal government and the mainstream media in the US and countries allied to it have been playing a dirty game of equating the a) rejection of accusations that the Syrian government used chemical weapons with b) an outright denial that chemical weapons were used. The two are deliberately being mixed together to confuse the general public. The question is who used the chemical weapons?
[. . .]
Same footage is used in different videos with different scenarios,
according to the report. Photo from Mother Agnes report to UN.The
Pentagon’s intelligence agencies are the Air Force ISR Agency (AFISRA),
Army Intelligence and Security Command (INSCOM), Defense Intelligence
Agency (DIA), National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), Marine Corps IA
(MCIA), National Security Agency (NSA), National Geospatial Intelligence
Agency (NGA), and Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI).Aside from the
non-departmental CIA, the rest of the departmental agencies are the
Intelligence Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the
Intelligence Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI),
Coast Guard Intelligence (CGI), the Office of Intelligence and
Counterintelligence (OICI), the Office of Intelligence and Analysis
(I&A), the US State Department’s Bureau of Intelligence and Research
(INR), and the US Treasury’s Office of Terrorism and Financial
Intelligence (TFI).Nonetheless, this gargantuan body could not see what Mother Agnes Mariam has found and submitted to the United Nations.
It is the job of the agencies of the US Intelligence Community to
examine these videos and to authenticate them. But they failed either to
serve US foreign policy or to show professionalism or both.
Today, the Brazilian President, speaking to the United Nations General Assembly, noted there was no military solution to the Syrian crisis and what was needed was diplomacy. In addition, Dilma Rousseff called out Barack Obama's illegal spying:
Recent revelations concerning the activities of a global network of electronic espionage have caused indignation and repudiation in public opinion around the world. In Brazil, the situation was even more serious, as it emerged that we were targeted by this intrusion. Personal data of citizens was intercepted indiscriminately. Corporate information - often of high economic and even strategic value - was at the center of espionage activity. Also, Brazilian diplomatic missions, among them the Permanent Mission to the United Nations and the Office of the President of the Republic itself, had their communications intercepted. Tampering in such a manner in the affairs of other countries is a breach of International Law and is an affront to the principles that must guide the relations among them, especially among friendly nations. A sovereign nation can never establish itself to the detriment of another sovereign nation. The right to safety of citizens of one country can never be guaranteed by violating fundamental human rights of citizens of another country. The arguments that the illegal interception of information and data aims at protecting nations against terrorism cannot be sustained. Brazil, Mr. President, knows how to protect itself. We reject, fight and do not harbor terrorist groups. We are a democratic country surrounded by nations that are democratic, pacific and respectful of International Law. We have lived in peace with our neighbors for more than 140 years. As many other Latin Americans, I fought against authoritarianism and censorship, and I cannot but defend, in an uncompromising fashion, the right to privacy of individuals and the sovereignty of my country. In the absence of the right to privacy, there can be no true freedom of expression and opinion, and therefore no effective democracy. In the absence of the respect for sovereignty, there is no basis for the relationship among Nations. We face, Mr. President, a situation of grave violation of human rights and of civil liberties; of invasion and capture of confidential information concerning corporate activities, and especially of disrespect to national sovereignty. We expressed to the Government of the United States our disapproval, and demanded explanations, apologies and guarantees that such procedures will never be repeated. Friendly governments and societies that seek to build a true strategic partnership, as in our case, cannot allow recurring illegal actions to take place as if they were normal. They are unacceptable. Brazil, Mr. President, will redouble its efforts to adopt legislation, technologies and mechanisms to protect us from the illegal interception of communications and data. My Government will do everything within its reach to defend the human rights of all Brazilians and to protect the fruits borne from the ingenuity of our workers and our companies. The problem, however, goes beyond a bilateral relationship. It affects the international community itself and demands a response from it. Information and telecommunication technologies cannot be the new battlefield between States. Time is ripe to create the conditions to prevent cyberspace from being used as a weapon of war, through espionage, sabotage, and attacks against systems and infrastructure of other countries. The United Nations must play a leading role in the effort to regulate the conduct of States with regard to these technologies. For this reason, Brazil will present proposals for the establishment of a civilian multilateral framework for the governance and use of the Internet and to ensure the effective protection of data that travels through the web. We need to create multilateral mechanisms for the worldwide network that are capable of ensuring principles such as:
1 - Freedom of expression, privacy of the individual and respect for human rights.
2 - Open, multilateral and democratic governance, carried out with transparency by stimulating collective creativity and the participation of society, Governments and the private sector.
3 - Universality that ensures the social and human development and the construction of inclusive and non-discriminatory societies.
4 - Cultural diversity, without the imposition of beliefs, customs and values.
5 - Neutrality of the network, guided only by technical and ethical criteria, rendering it inadmissible to restrict it for political, commercial, religious or any other purposes.
Harnessing the full potential of the Internet requires, therefore, responsible regulation, which ensures at the same time freedom of expression, security and respect for human rights.
You can find her speech in full [PDF format warning] here.
"I called this hearing in response to a growing frustration among members of getting from your office what we need to do our work. Whether it's the timely receipt of hearing testimony, responses to request for information or the quality of the information provided, we have concerns all the way across the board." That's US House Rep Jeff Miller speaking last Thursday. We noted the hearing (that it started late due to a group photo) in Thursday's snapshot but this is the first chance we've had to address it.
Miller is the Chair of the House Veterans Affairs Committee. Appearing before the Committee was Joan Mooney, the VA's Assistant Secretary for Congressional and Legislative Affairs. US House Rep Michael Michaud is the Ranking Member. The VA has a very poor history in the last five years of providing information or even testimony.
Chair Jeff Miller: Let me start with hearing testimony. Prior to an oversight hearing being called, it has long been a standing practice to provide the administration with a minimum of two week's advance notice of the hearing topic and to request that [written] testimony [prepared opening remarks by the witness] be delivered no later than 48 hours prior to that hearing. Receiving testimony 48 hours in advance permits the members of this Committee and the staff to minimally look at that, gather the information that they need to carefully go through and read that testimony but also to craft thoughtful questions. But whether VA is provided two weeks notice or two months notice, it seems that timely receipt of testimony is completely arbitrary. For example, you knew more than a month in advance that we were having a joint hearing with the Armed Service Committee on service member transition issues back in July yet the testimony was received late in the afternoon on the day before the hearing. The fact is that your testimony was received in a timely fashion today -- two days ago -- is a good first step but, of course, it's not surprising given the topic of this hearing but from here we've got to have 100% track record on getting testimony in a timely fashion. That should be the standard.
This isn't just a House issue. For example, Senator Richard Burr, Ranking Member on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, has publicly called out VA witnesses who have refused to deliver their prepared remarks in a timely fashion. Senate Veterans Affairs Committee Chair Bernie Sanders has kindly pointed out that the testimony needs to be received by the Committee 48 hours in advance. This issue has been brewing for some time.
Chair Jeff Miller: Let me in turn now focus on information requests. We've grown so frustrated with the timely receipt of quality responses from VA that we've had to take extraordinary steps to ensure accountability. First, the Ranking Member and I launched a Trials in Transparency page on the Committee's website detailing the number of outstanding VA requests. Second, I send weekly letters to the department, namely the Secretary [of the VA Eric Shinseki] reminding them of all the pending requests. In total, we now have 70 -- some of which remain well over a year old. What is more troubling is that many of the pending requests relate directly to ongoing Committee investigations into life safety issues at VA facilities. For example, on January 18, 2013, I requested e-mails and documents pertaining to a deadly legionella bacteria outbreak at the Pittsburgh VA Medical Center. As of September 17th, no e-mails have been provided. Worse, I learned that the media was provided some of the same e-mails that I had requested in as few as 20 days. The days when the VA is more responsive to the media than a Congressional oversight committee has to end. And, if necessary, I will begin FOIA-ing [Freedom Of Information Act requests] that information instead of going through the normal channels and trying to get that information from the central office. Given that 5 veterans are dead as a result of the outbreak which VA's own Inspector General attributed to VA mismanagement, the Committee is engaged in an investigation into this matter to determine what went wrong and to ensure that it never happens again. Unfortunately, we haven't seen a similar sense of urgency from VA to help us with our investigative efforts. Rather, VA's reluctance to provide us with the information we have requested is actually impeding that process.
Ranking Member Michaud noted that the Committee members are "frustrated and unhappy with VA's approach." These delays, Miller noted, are coming at a time when the VA's Office of Congressional and Legislative Affairs has received a 41% budget increase and a 40% staff increase (increases are since 2009). But they're unable to do their basic tasks. US House Rep Jon Runyan pointed out to Mooney, "You have us waiting the same way you have a lot of veterans hanging out there. So it's something in the DNA of the VA."
If you're not getting how ridiculous the obstacles are, Ranking Member Michaud shared that one of his staff members, a veteran, had a positive experience and he tasked one of his staff members with contacting Dr. Robert Petzel's office to convey a thank you. Petzel is the Under Secretary for Health at the VA Office of Legislative Affairs. This should have been one phone call and a fairly easy one. Instead, it became a whole process of why are you calling and who cleared it and on and on.
The office a filter not a facilitator
Miller noted Mooney had been in her job "for over four years" and has had time to "put your stamp on that office." He then did a really smart thing that others should do.
People say a lot when they want the job
Lining up eager around the block
Promising, promising never to quit
Well it's a full time job to be a hypocrite
-- "People Say A Lot," written by Carly Simon, first appears on her This Kind Of Love
Chair Jeff Miller: So let me quote excerpts from your confirmation hearing in the Senate and then get your response to some of those statements. When asked what your office's role would be in the preparation of testimony for Congressional hearings, you responded that, "It is my understanding that OCLA staff responsibility is to ensure that testimony is delivered in advance and a timely fashion." Now after frustration has been brewing for months with this Committee, we began formally tracking the testimony that has come to this Committee since April. Testimony has been delivered on time only eleven times out of 21 hearings that we've held. So, first, I'd want to say, how would you rate OCLA's performance in this area?
Joan Mooney: I think the overall performance of the Department on this area needs great improvement.
Chair Jeff Miller: Who's responsible for the late testimony?
Joan Mooney: I take responsibility for testimony, sir.
Chair Jeff Miller: Before you were confirmed, Secretary Shinseki had established a goal to respond to Congressional inquires within two weeks. So when asked what you thought a reasonable timeline was, you indicated that "standard response goals should range from the same day to two weeks." How would you rank OCLA's performance in this area?
Joan Mooney: My-my office does not manage Congressional correspondence. We do, uh, have a 24 hour turn on our review of them.
Chair Jeff Miller: This is requests for information.
Joan Mooney: Oh. On requests for information? [Long pause.] Uuuhhh. I would say we provide, uh, a large amount as quickly as we can and --
Chair Jeff Miller: But how do you -- how do you respond to the fact that the Secretary set a goal of two weeks and we are far beyond that on many, many requests for information
Joan Mooney: Uh, on correspondence and items that require --
Chair Jeff Miller: These are requests for information that should be relatively easy to churn out and give to the Committee.
Joan Mooney: On easy requests for information, that's true, sir. On more complicated requests that require, uh, interdepartmental concurrences or, uhm, with our partners at Labor or Dept of Defense, some times responses can take longer --
Chair Jeff Miller: A year?
Joan Mooney: -- and that adds to the complexity.
Chair Jeff Miller: As long as a year?
Joan Mooney: Sometimes there are complex situations. If-if-if-if -- I can, uh, answer any specific questions or take them back, I'm happy to do that.
Chair Jeff Miller: You, I apologize, it's on our website and you get a copy of the letter I send to the Secretary every week. You know what the outstanding requests are. And is it acceptable? Would you -- would you allow an employee within your purview to go as long as a year to give you the necessary information that you need to do your job?
Joan Mooney: I understand and appreciate your frustration. And we will work as hard as we can to move those responses out of the program offices and administrations and to you.
Chair Jeff Miller: Okay, so you wouldn't take any action on an employee that went as long as a year to provide you the information you needed to do your job?
Joan Mooney: I understand your frustration, sir. I see it clearly.
Chair Jeff Miller: Okay. Your testimony doesn't mention any metrics for how you evaluate whether or not you are achieving the two week goal that you share with the Secretary -- nor does your budget submission for your office. And you mentioned at your confirmation hearing that one of the steps you would take is to establish a good tracking system of following up with people. So how long does it take on average to respond to requests for information according to your tracking system?
Joan Mooney: Our tracking system doesn't take -- doesn't track time to respond. It tracks where-where -- what items are outstanding at this point and time. And we work with the Committee as we can -- Committee staff -- to prioritize those requests. First priority is the Chairman and the Ranking Member and then other members of the Committee and then other members of the Congress.
It would be really great if these various heads who can't do their jobs were confronted regularly with the promises they made at their confirmation hearings. Earlier Cedric and Wally's posts went up:
And the following community posts went up last night:
"Buying music then and buying it now"
"A bad shopping experience "
"Barack The Destroyer"
"i hated joan van ark today"
"The ever present Cher"
"Cher"
"Congratulations to Cassidy Lynn Campbell"
"Cher's 10 best film performances"
"Syria"
"Still targeting Syria"
A number of posts noted that Cher's new album Closer To The Truth came out today. You can currently download it from Amazon for $9.99 and Kat reviewed it Sunday in "Kat's Korner: Cher's Closer To Perfection."
iraq
press tv
jane arraf
mushreq abbas
afp
iraq body count
asharq al-awsat
nsa
illegal spying
cher
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