Gaddafi Will Prevail In Long Term, Says U.S. Intel Chief

By Kaeun Yu

The U.S.’ Director of National Intelligence told lawmakers on Thursday that Libyan despot Muammar Gaddafi will prevail in his struggle for power against thousands of rebel forces.

During testimony before the Senate Armes Services Committee, Gen. James Clapper Jr. said “the regime has more logistical resources in terms of the equipment they have, and there are two special brigades which are very loyal to Gaddafi.”

Due to the fact that the entire Middle East region is experiencing what he referred to as “tectonic change,” Clapper warned that the U.S. is in for a “bumpy time,” and advised the Obama administration to seek continued partnership with regional allies in order to deal with the crisis in Libya, Saudi Arabia and other nations.

Defense Intelligence Agency Director Lt. Gen. Ronald Burgess Jr., testifying on the war in Afghanistan, predicted that higher levels of violence against the U.S.-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) are likely to occur in the coming weeks and months.

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), the top Republican on the committee, told both witnesses that the security challenges facing the U.S. has provided a “window of opportunity” to assist the international community and mitigate the turmoil.

DoD Official Assures Skeptical McCain On START

By Rob Sanna - Talk Radio News Service

Multiple members of the Senate Armed Services Committee today expressed deep concerns over elements of the new START Treaty, saying they have doubts regarding the trustworthiness of Russia.   

Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.) cited a Russian unilateral statement, which said the nation would pull out of the treaty if there is any build up in U.S. missile defense. McCain also pointed to a statement issued by U.S. officials promising to deploy missile defense to protect against nuclear attack. 

“I still don’t know how you reconcile those two statements,” McCain told Dr. James N. Miller, Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense under Pentagon chief Robert Gates.

Miller replied that the current U.S. missile defense system is far from a threat to Russia.

“We have 30 ground to air interceptors, we have a long way to go before we have any capability that’s close to affecting the strategic stability of the balance. They will have over 1000 warheads with new START.”

Miller praised the treaty, arguing that it will promote stability and transparency within U.S-Russian strategic relations. He added that it would allow the U.S to deploy non-nuclear global strike capabilities.

New START would not affect the U.S.’ ability to renew and rebuild nuclear enterprise, nor would it affect the ability to improve ballistic missile defense capabilities, Miller added.

Leahy Lauds Passage Of Federal Anti-Hate Crimes Legislation

Travis Martinez - University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News Service

A decade of work done by the Senate culminated in the passing of Federal hate crimes legislation on Thursday. The legislation now heads to President Barack Obama’s desk where it will await his signature.

The fight, which began almost 11 years ago, was a long-time priority of the late Senator Edward Kennendy (D-Mass.), who worked closely with Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) to finally advance the bipartisan Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act as an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act.

Said Leahy, "This historic hate crimes provision will improve existing law by making it easier for Federal authorities to investigate and prosecute crimes of racial, ethnic, or religious violence.”

Senator Carl Levin (D-Mich.), Chairman of the Senate Armed Forces Committee, defended his reasoning for including the provision within the Defense bill.

“This is domestic terrorism... When you attack someone because of membership in a group, you are attacking this country itself. This belongs in the Defense Reauthorization Bill!” he exclaimed.

Both Senators also responded to recent actions by Senate Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) to include a public option in the Senate’s health care bill. The Senators argued that a public option was very important in that it would represent progress in the legislation, but noted that any such provision must include an op-out for states, which they said would promote competition.