CBS interview with Obama in 2008

Scene: interview between CBS and Obamas in 2008

steve (60 minutes CBS) : are you getting a dog for girls?

Obama: yes it is ongoing process. we are getting a lot of suggestions

steve: is your mother in law moving with you to WH?

Obama (while squeezing michelle's hand) : i dont tell my mother in law what to do

steve: so, a dog and your mother in law moving in with your family

Obama (with a pause and unknown smile): i also not compare my mother in law with a dog

(Obama and Michelle both smile)

steve : (silent with a smile) 

Korea Peninsula

38th parallel, popular name given to latitude 38° N that in East Asia roughly demarcates North Korea and
South Korea. The line was chosen by U.S. military planners at the Potsdam Conference (July 1945) near the end of World War II as an army boundary, north of which the U.S.S.R. was to accept the surrender of the Japanese forces in Korea and south of which the Americans were to accept the Japanese surrender. The line was intended as a temporary division of the country, but the onset of the Cold War led to the establishment of a separate U.S.-oriented regime in South Korea under Syngman Rhee and a communist regime in North Korea under Kim Il-sung.

After the outbreak of the Korean War between North and South Korea in June 1950, United Nations (UN) forces, which under U.S. Gen. Douglas MacArthur had come to the aid of the South, moved north of the 38th parallel in an attempt to occupy North Korea. With the intervention of Chinese troops in support of the North, the war came to a stalemate roughly along that parallel. The cease-fire line, fixed at the time of the armistice agreement, gave South Korea possession of an eastern mountainous area north of the parallel, which was the major battlefront when the demarcation line was fixed. Likewise, North Korea was given a roughly triangular portion of territory south of the 38th parallel and west of longitude 127° E that includes the city of Kaesŏng.

A demilitarized zone (DMZ) was created by pulling back the respective forces 1.2 miles (2 km) along each side of the boundary. It runs for about 150 miles (240 km) across the peninsula, from the mouth of the Han River on the west coast to a little south of the North Korean town of Kosŏng on the east coast. Located within the DMZ is the “truce village” of P’anmunjŏm, about 5 miles (8 km) east of Kaesŏng. It was the site of peace discussions during the Korean War and has since been the location of various conferences over issues related to North and South Korea, their allies, and the UN.

The areas north and south of the DMZ are heavily fortified, and both sides maintain large contingents of troops there. Over the years there have been occasional incidents and minor skirmishes but no significant conflicts. Since the end of the Korean War the DMZ, which was once farmland, has lain almost untouched and, to a large extent, has reverted to nature. In mid-2007 limited cargo-train service was resumed across the zone.

US 8th Army HQ
YONGSAN GARRISON, Seoul, Republic of Korea – 02-21-2013: Gen. James D. Thurman, commander of the Combined Forces Command, and Gen. Kwon Oh Sung, deputy commander, briefed President-Elect Park Geun-hye on the readiness and status of Combined Forces Command and provided her a tour of the key CFC facilities. President-Elect Park's visit reinforced the strong US-ROK Alliance that has been an enduring component of the security and stability of the Republic of Korea for nearly 60 years. President-Elect Park received a comprehensive command status report, outlining the high degree of readiness and strong capabilities of the military to defend the ROK. U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Korea Sung Kim also participated in the meeting.

The Combined Forces Command is commanded by a four-star U.S. general, with a four-star ROK Army general as deputy commander. Its mission is to deter, or defend if necessary, outside aggression against the ROK. The armed forces of the United States have been serving in Korea since the outbreak of the Korean War in June 1950. Since then, the ROK – US Alliance has evolved into one of the strongest, most effective alliances in the world.

Yongsan District (Yongsan-gu) is a district of Seoul, South Korea. Its name means "Dragon Hill". It sits to the North of the Han River under the shadow of Seoul Tower. Geographically, it is located right in the center of Seoul. It is home to roughly 250,000 people, and is divided into 20 dong, or neighborhoods. Notable locations in Yongsan District include Yongsan Station, the sprawling Yongsan Electronics Market, Haebangchon and the Itaewon commercial district. Itaewon which is a one and only redlight district of Korea

http://www.flickr.com/photos/2id/sets/72157632...

7th Air Force (Korea&Guam)
51st Fighter Wing
Osan Air Base, located just 48 miles south of the Korean DMZ, is home to the "Mustangs" of the 51st Fighter Wing and 24 tenant units, including 7th Air Force. As the most forward deployed permanently-based wing in the Air Force, the 51st Fighter Wing is charged with providing mission ready Airmen to execute combat operations and receive follow-on forces. Our wing with its 24 PAA, F-16 and A-10 squadrons, along with a C-12 airlift flight and a myriad of base support agencies conducts the full spectrum of missions providing for the defense of the Republic of Korea.

8th Fighter Wing
Kunsan AB is located on the western side of the South Korean peninsula bordered by the yellow sea. It is approximately 150 miles south of Seoul. The base is named after Gunsan City, a port town seven and a half miles east of the installation, with population of approximately 300,000 people. Kunsan AB is home to the 8th Fighter Wing made up of two F-16 fighter squadrons, the 35th Fighter Squadron, and the 80th Fighter Squadron. Many interesting sites, to include temples and historical landmarks are within an easy driving distance.

http://www.andersen.af.mil

http://www.andersen.af.mil/units/index.asp


The C-5 Galaxy -- one of the largest aircraft in the world -- provides the Air Mobility Command intertheater airlift in support of United States national defense. The aircraft carry fully equipped combat-ready military units to any point in the world on short notice then provide field support required to help sustain the fighting force. The C-5 can carry outsize and oversize cargo intercontinental ranges and can take off or land in relatively short distances. Ground crews can load and off load the C-5 simultaneously at the front and rear cargo openings.


Ospreys of US Marines


US Marines


US marines

__________________________________________________- __________________________________
SEOUL, Feb. 22 2013(Yonhap) -- North Korea may be able to develop nuclear-tipped long-range missiles capable of reaching the U.S. mainland in less than a decade if the country keeps up its nuclear ambitions, a former U.S. military commander in South Korea said

"If North Korea continues its military first policy and continues to put its full effort into nuclear missile development, it is my assessment that it could develop an operational ICBM capable of targeting the United States in the next five to seven years," Ret. Gen. Burwell Bell said in an email interview with Yonhap News Agency. 

He's been on my radar since 2010

"The good news is, President Obama was born in America. The bad news is, so was Donald Trump." —Jay Leno

"If Trump does become president, I hope he puts a wig on his plane and calls it Hair Force One." –Jimmy Kimmel

"Donald Trump has a great campaign slogan: 'A complex world demands complex hair.'" –David Letterman

"In an interview yesterday, Donald Trump said he has a good relationship with 'the blacks.' Well, not anymore." –Jimmy Kimmel

"Donald Trump showed his birth certificate to reporters. Who cares about his birth certificate? I want to know if that thing on his head has had its vaccinations." –Craig Ferguson

"Donald Trump might be running for president and he just released his birth certificate. It lists his eyes as 'blue' and his hair as 'ridiculous.'" –Conan O'Brien

"The White House is saying Donald Trump has 'zero percent chance' of being elected. Isn't that a little high?" –David Letterman

"If Donald Trump loves America so much, why does he keep outsourcing the job of his wife?" –Seth Meyers

"Trump is a little tone-deaf to the average American. He unveiled his slogan this week: 'Are you better off than you were four wives ago?'" —Bill Maher

"In an exclusive interview with the Christian Broadcasting Network Donald Trump said 'I believe in god.' But of course Donald thought he was talking about himself." –Jay Leno

"Maybe he should ease into this - by running for a lower office first, like President of the Hair Club for Men." –Jimmy Kimmel

"On Fox News, Donald Trump said Obama's birth certificate could indicate that he's a Muslim. Trump said he doesn't trust anyone with a foreign-sounding name, and neither does his daughter Ivanka." –Conan O'Brien

"Donald Trump called George W. Bush 'the worst president in the history of the United States.' Then he added, 'Until, of course, I'm elected.'" –Conan O'Brien

"Donald Trump is attacking President Obama's background. And I said, 'Wait a minute, Trump also is from a mixed background. He's half jack and half ass.'" –David Letterman

"Trump says that if he's elected, he won't let the presidency interfere with the Miss Universe pageant." –David Letterman

"How would Trump travel as president? Obviously, he'd use Hair Force One." –David Letterman

"It's starting to look like Donald Trump may be a serious presidential candidate. If you're in my line of work, Trump running for president for real is the greatest thing that has ever happened." –Conan O'Brien

Cost of War

The US war in Iraq has cost $1.7 trillion with $490 billion more owed in benefits to combat veterans, a recent study revealed. The report found that total expenses in the unavailing conflict could balloon to $6 trillion over the next 40 years. 

The study, conducted by the Costs of War Project by the Watson Institute for International Studies at Brown University, concluded that the accrued interest on the nearly $2.2 trillion in expenses would amount to some $4 trillion dollars during the coming decades, Reuters reports. 

At the time of the 2003 invasion, the Bush administration estimated the war would cost between $50-60 billion. 

Published in advance of the 10th anniversary of the March 19 US-led invasion of Iraq, the study also estimated the great human cost inflicted by the nearly decade long conflict. 

At least 134,000 Iraqi civilians died as a result of the Iraq War, though the Watson Institute says the death toll could be up to four times higher. The report stated that with the inclusion of slain journalists, aid workers and insurgents, the base level death toll reached an estimated 176,000- 189,000. 

A 2006 peer-reviewed Lancet study had found that 650,000 Iraqis – both combatants and civilians – had died up to that point. Other estimates had previously put total war deaths as high as 1 million.  

An estimated 36,000 American military personnel were also killed or injured during the war.

The Watson Institute study further found that US gains from the invasion were negligible, while Iraq was still reeling from the war.  

“Despite the US military withdrawal,” the report says, 

“Iraq’s health, infrastructure, and education systems remain war-devastated.” The war further galvanized radical Islamist militants in the region and set back women’s rights, while

“the $212 billion reconstruction effort was largely a failure with most of that money spent on security or lost to waste and fraud.” The study was an update of a 2011 report which estimated the costs of the US military engagements in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq at $3.7 trillion. The latest report puts that cost at some $4 trillion dollars 

In the run up to the war, the US and the UK claimed that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction which posed a threat to regional security. 

The U.S.‑led Iraq Survey Group would later conclude that Iraq had ended its nuclear, chemical and biological weapons programs in 1991 and had no active programs at the time of the invasion. 

Cost Comparism

Al Qaeda spent roughly half a million dollars to destroy the World Trade Center and cripple the Pentagon. What has been the cost to the United States?” 

The U.S. government says precious little about these new ways of fighting enemies. But the strategic volte-face is clear: America has decided that conventional wars of uncertain outcome in Iraq and Afghanistan that may, according to a Brown University study, end up costing at least $3.7 trillion are a bad way to fight terrorists and that far cheaper, more precise tools for eliminating enemies are preferable — even if the legality of those killings is debatable 

“Air Force officials calculate that it costs $5 billion to operate the service’s global airborne surveillance network, and that sum is growing. The Pentagon has asked for another $5 billion next year alone for remotely piloted drone systems. Yet even those costs are tiny compared with the price of the big wars 

Estimated total cost of health care and disability compensation to veterans of the current wars will be nearly $1 trillion over the next 40 years 

In human terms, 224,000 to 258,000 people have died directly from warfare, including 125,000 civilians in Iraq. Many more have died indirectly, from the loss of clean drinking water, healthcare, and nutrition. An additional 365,000 have been wounded and 7.8 million people—equal to the combined population of Connecticut and Kentucky – have been displaced 

“More than $800 billion dollars in Pentagon direct spending has gone towards the war in Iraq. … That’s a far cry from the Bush administration’s early estimate of between $50 and $60 billion dollars 

Brown University's Costs of War project estimates that the United States has spent between $3.2 trillion and $4 trillion on the ‘war on terror’…We cannot afford, literally, to focus exclusively on foreign affairs alone, as if the choices we make in relations to other nations don't have an impact on our ‘domestic affairs’ or our economy. “ 

American military personnel have served in Iraq or Afghanistan. More than 6,000 of them, as well as 2,300 U.S. contractors, have died in the two wars. Some 150,000 U.S. soldiers and contractors have been wounded. Another 20,000 soldiers from U.S. allies and Iraqi and Afghani security forces have died 

LASTLY “The astonishing amount of money taxpayers have spent on the Afghanistan and Iraq wars – an average of $130 billion annually – could have been better invested in efforts aligned with Americans' values, and in particular, job creation. The Eisenhower Research Project's ‘Costs of War’ project, sponsored by Brown University, estimates that a year of war funding could have sparked 936,000 education jobs, 780,000 health care jobs, or 364,000 constructions jobs.” – US Rep. Pete Stark 

“The Brown project puts the wars’ ultimate cost … at up to US$4 trillion – equivalent to the country’s cumulative budget deficits for the six years from 2005 to 2010. Think of how many people that money could feed and school.”