Windows to Russia

Current Human Terrain System (HTS) program manager Colonel Sharon Hamilton will be retiring after 27 years in the US Army. She will be replaced by another active duty Army colonel according to sources.

One source wryly pointed out that “now we will find out if she [Hamilton] used US government funds in pursuit of her PhD.”

As the program undergoes yet another leadership change and budget reductions for 2013, personnel are trying to figure out how to make the most of a precarious employment situation. Apparently there are moves afoot by some within HTS to be reclassified from Human Terrain Analysts (all due to be fired by July) to Research Managers. As one source pointed out, all manner of schemes will be used to salvage employment, return favors and ensure that “comp time” gets paid.

There is even a glimmer of hope that the United States will continue its warring ways in Syria. Paraphrasing one enterprising HTS’er,”We would hate to lose that person’s skills with Syria on the horizon.”

Meanwhile, according to Colonel Hamilton, “This is a time of many transitions in HTS…Once we have the authority to enact the revised HTS support plan, we will conduct a responsible transition to the FY13 level of support while still providing all required HTS mission support to ISAF. Our teams redeployments and personnel transitions will occur in conjunction with ISAF mission transitions and priorities. Team redeployments and personnel transitions will occur prior to the end of FY 12in order to avoid spillover costs to the already reduced FY13 budget. The reduction of the number of deployed teams will also result in personnel reductions in the support provided by RRC, Training, and staff.

Due to the planned reduction of the overall number of HTS deployed teams in FY13, we are not able to bring new personnel on board in FY 12. As a result, on 8 June 2012 we informed the HTS support contractor CGI that we will not conduct a July HTS class. The current April cycle class will graduate on 2 July as scheduled, however their swear-in as DA civilians will not occur prior to FY 13 (OCT 12). The May training cycle was released back to CGI and will not continue training.

Organizationally, we are undergoing a leadership transition. As many of you know, last October, I submitted my retirement packet after 27 years of service. My retirement ceremony is 29 June and my official retirement date is 1 SEP. The HTS Director position is a priority for DA and TRADOC G2 and they have selected an active duty colonel to replace me; he is due to report in July. COL Steve Bentley, formerly AF2 Team Leader, is now on board and conducting his overlap with COL Mark Bartholf as the Deputy Director. Effective 29 June, COL Bartholf will be acting HTS Director until my replacement gets on board.

We expect that the impact of leadership transition will be minimal due to the solid HTS staff structure and processes we built over the last two years to ensure continuity of operations. We have professional and extremely effective staff directors in place and they ensure that OCONUS and CONUS HTS employees receive professional support. The staff Directors will ensure that during my transition, COL Bartholf’s transition in OCT, and the pending mission transitions in AFG there is no change in support to all deployed teams, CONUS HTS staff, and our mission.

I sincerely understand the personal effect that these changes will have on our employees. All of you as DA military and civilian supervisors have the professional responsibility to provide this information to our employees in the context of DA wide changes in funding and the overall ISAF missiontransition.”

At the end of the day, according to sources, Hamilton “is swimming away from the sinking ship, and will leave this mess for Bartholf to handle. Bartholf will play dumb and stall for time. The first wave of cuts must be completed prior to 1 October. The second wave, prior to 1 January 2013, and the third wave will automatically kick in on 1 January. They are already moving the pieces into place to shut down the program…Do not take any work or download anything that doesn’t belong to them. You may see a lot of that amongst the Social Scientists who will want to prove they did something of note.”

John Stanton is a Virginia based writer specializing in national security matters. Reach him at cioran123@yahoo.com

The views of the above author are not strictly the views of Windows to Russia. They are an independent view from an outside source and country that brings a better light on the world in general and Windows to Russia is pleased to have John Stanton’s article on its pages today. It is hoped that we will have many more of his writings in the future…

Windows to Russia!

Japan and China thumbed their noses at America and found a way to legally keep the Iran oil flowing. The Western media is downplaying the happening, but it really is a very important issue. Much more important than the media is giving it credit. This is huge in the real world situation and the East is become much more sufficient as you read this…

It is a sign of the future and as the West shoots itself in the foot time and time again…

As London insurance coverage of oil shipments from Iran is to come to an end on July 1st when the European Union’s embargo on Iranian oil takes effect. The Japanese Parliament has voted to extend $7.6bn worth of government guarantees to tanker companies shipping oil from Iran. Henceforth countered the embargo and effect on Japan, who needs this oil as it is some of the best grade oil in the world…

China it seems will get around the issue and supply tankers to Iran to ship their oil to China. That solves the issue as China is dealing with their own tankers. China has more than enough tankers and as China said, “A senior Chinese oil executive said last week that the European insurance ban would not pose a problem and that Iran delivering the crude on China’s own tankers would be one of the options!”

What this really does is to make Asian Insurance grow into the big time and they will start to cover the world in insurance as the Western insurance falters under governmental regulations…

We are talking about billions and billions in lost revenue for the West…

Is the West that rich they can forgo billions in capital?

Kinda like – cutting your nose off to spite your face…

Kyle Keeton
Windows to Russia…

I get to keep my shoes on. I get to keep my belt on. I can carry a bottle of water aboard the jet. I don’t have my liquid Nitro spray thrown away. I don’t get molested. Only one metal detector and about 10 minutes thru the line. No one thinks we are terrorists and no one treats us as such. Border patrols say thank you and how may I help you and have a nice day…

I feel human and free…

Love to travel on this side of the world…

Kyle

The War Drums are beating from Russia and I will be honest with you! The Russians are ready to take America on…

These drums may be in response to the years of war drums from America, but everyone has their limit and Russia is fast reaching her limit…

That should worry you…

Putin has made it clear and the West is downplaying it…

Don’t be stupid…

Kyle Keeton
Windows to Russia…

http://windowstorussia.com/three-more-adopted-children-from-russia-being-abused-in-america.html

The link above is to the article that I asked for some help. Go ahead and have a look at it first if you missed it…

Well today at 2:00pm Texas time in America an interview will happen over this situation. I found out this weekend that the little boy is still missing after over a week, but the two girls are under observation and are safe. I hope that the little boy is okay and I feel so helpless and sad for him…

A Washington DC organization has contacted the woman in social services that has been trying to save these kids. It took me to send a hundred e-mails and write a post to get this even this far. I am amazed that no news organization in America will touch it and I do know that a few Russian organizations are ready to deal with it, if the American media drags their feet farther…

We will see what happens the next few days after an interview is done. At least communication has finally been established and lets hope that this young boy is not in a ditch somewhere dead or dying…

This is not the first time that I have had to get involved in a situation like this and it seems that too many people look the other way as kids all over are being abused. In this case the local jurisdiction who has authority over this situation has let the ball drop and has actually turned on the woman who is trying to help the kids. I was amazed at this woman’s perseverance and I have come to find out that she has been in trouble and arrested for trying to help these children. She has been doing this since 2008 and no one in the local departments of justice cares what happens to these kids. I get the image of, “Hey they are just adopted Russian children and who cares?” 🙁

Last e-mail from this lady was this: Thank you Kyle. The two girls ran away last Sunday but were found on Thursday and returned to the home. The boy is still missing. I am not too worried about trouble for me. The truth is the truth and the focus needs to be on the kids. Prayers are needed. I’ll let you know how the interview goes Monday. Blessings…

Good lady and her needs are secondary to the kids. What a shame that these kids did not get a mother and father who care as much as this stranger for their well being…

Now you have a better understanding of why I have such issues with Americans adopting Russians, If you have dealt with that I have over the years, you would see that there are many many many more problems than what gets out in the news…

Enough of that though and It is time to thank the Washington DC groups that responded to my article and definitely to the Kremlin responses. It took a combination of Russian prodding America on this to get the American side to at least try to see what is happening…

I will say again: “I have a ton of information on these kids and I will pass it on to the correct people if I m contacted. ” I am not worried about myself also, but I am worried about this little boy who has been missing for a week and nothing in the news about his disappearance. That is what I mean about America and American news…

My mind is trying to tell me that this little boy has a protector in another family that sees the issues and I hope that is true because for over a week now he has been on the streets alone or worse…

Kyle Keeton
Windows to Russia…

PS: I will be out of town for a day or so, but as soon as I am back and hear something about this I will print what I can…

Russian President Vladimir Putin outlined Moscow’s vision of the main challenges facing the G20 in the era of growing economic and financial instability in an article published in Mexico’s El Universal daily on Monday.

Measures taken by the G20 to deal with the 2008 crisis have proven successful in many aspects but “the systemic problems are still far from all solved” and the effects of the past crisis “are still visible today,” Putin wrote in his article, entitled The G20 and Global Economic Challenges.

Negative market trends over the past few months have prompted analysts to make “very pessimistic forecasts,” the article, which was published on the first day of a G20 summit n Mexico’s Los Cabos, reads.

To survive a new wave of global crisis, Russia and its partner states should find a “reasonable balance” between fiscal consolidation and strict budget discipline on the one hand, and job creation, economic growth, and tackling social problems, on the other hand, Putin said.

In order to avoid “outbreaks of financial panic” due to growing market instability, it is important to ensure that the global financial architecture is “tied to real assets and values,” he said.

He called on partner states to agree to implement tougher regulation of derivatives trading, facilitate the emergence of new reserve currencies and expand their use in global trade and investment, and increase the role of developing countries and “new economic powers” in managing international financial institutions, including the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

He also warned against excessive trade protectionism as a means to deal with the crisis. He cited a 12-percent decrease in global trade in 2009, the biggest slide in the entire post-World War II period, as an example, which he said was largely due to some countries’ “extensive de-facto use of tough protectionist measures to protect their own markets.”

“It is time to recognize that governments are, on the one hand, declaring protectionism unacceptable, but, on the other hand, are devising ever more sophisticated ways to protect their own economies, disguising protectionist measures as environmental or technical restrictions, for example,” he said, adding that such practice must stop.

All those issues will be among Russia’s priorities when it takes over the G20 presidency next year, he added.

“It is equally important to ensure that the G20 does not become just another elite club that selfishly looks after its members’ interests alone,” but that it lays down “fair rules for sustainable development throughout the entire global economy.”

Russia’s Economy Stable, but Needs Quicker ‘Change’

Russia, the world’s sixth-biggest economy in terms of purchasing parity power, has strengthened its financial and budget system over recent years, being one of the fastest growing large economies in Europe with a growth rate of 4.3 percent, Putin wrote.

He admitted, however, that Russia’s budget stability was due to its high oil and gas revenues, and if those are deducted, the country would see “high budget deficit figures,” which Putin said have grown over the years of the crisis to the “maximum level which may be allowed.”

“We are very much aware that we need to speed up the pace of change” that would reduce Russia’s dependence on raw material exports, he added.

In order to achieve this, he said, the Russian government has been working to “radically” improve the investment climate, reduce infrastructure bottlenecks and build up human capital in order to make Russia a “globally competitive place to do business” while respecting the government’s social commitments.

Windows to Russia…

PETERSBURG, June 15 – RIA Novosti. Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev proposed to consider the possibility of introducing a single currency within the Eurasian Economic Union, which is planned to be established in full by January 1, 2015.

“We need to think further ahead, you have to think on the scale of the Eurasian Union, to which we are going and which should occur by 2015, including such matters which have, perhaps, not the subject of ongoing conversations, but you need to think about that, especially with Considering the volatility in global markets, bearing in mind the issues of the introduction of some units of account, and ultimately, perhaps, the output of the single currency, “- said Medvedev, speaking at a business forum” Single Economic Space: New Opportunities for industrial development. ”

Why just today the Belarus president made it clear that using the Russian ruble is not out of the question, as the replacement for the Belarus ruble…

Hmm…

Medvedev is still on the replace the dollar…

Windows to Russia!

PS: After how pissy America and Europe have been to Ukraine lately! Ukraine needs to get on the band wagon and join this group…

Very strong reactions are instigated when the subject of reburying Lenin is brought up here in Russia. The soul of Lenin lives on very powerfully in many many Russians. I am not sure what to say about this issue, except that I will say very little…

I am n0t Russian and I do not have feelings either way about his body being in a Mausoleum on the Red Square…

I will say that every time I have been on the Red Square and look at the Mausoleum, I get a funny feeling inside of me and it just seems strange to me that people put someone on display like that…

I don’t know…

Kyle Keeton
Windows to Russia!

The word is that the raids before the rally turned up huge sums of money that was intended for payment to rally employees. This money which topped over three million dollars and climbing, was just part of the lies and instigation’s that were discovered. Just before the rallies…

The rally which was proclaimed as being 200,000 people and called the million man march! Was interestingly about 25,000 people and no one got paid. Now that has caused an issue and my suggestion is that America get some more money over here quick, because if they do not get paid they will not keep protesting. Money is the key to protesting…

What with McFaul making it very clear that previous administrations in America were trying for a color revolution in Russia. The administration now has let the ball drop and is not pushing as hard for that to happen….

This just is part of the whole nasty tasty treat that Russia has been getting shafted by from America…

You know he (McFaul) really is that lacking on abilities. He has meaninglessly caused more upsets in a very few months than the last guy did in all his years here. I mean simply put: The other guy (John Beyrle) did his job and caused issues, but he did them like a sneaky ambassador is suppose to and kept it out of the dinner table conversations. There are rules you know? Now America is being talked about while dinner is being eaten in Russia (gossip) and all because McFaul has a piss poor way of doing business. He really thinks that telling a truth will cover up the lie, that he spouts right after the truth…

Now the American government has gone into coverup mode again over McFaul and now they are trying to say that he meant things as generally speaking and not just Russia… 🙂

McFaul’s favorite way of back pedaling is to Twitter his apology later on Twitter – Tweet Tweet…

Kyle Keeton
Windows to Russia

Wow, USA is really going for world domination isn’t it. I hope they are stopped. Every time I read or hear something of the latest spread of this poisonous cancer upon the world I feel like puking. It is just so sad & so disgusting: the constant genocides, lies & propaganda, destruction of amazing ancient cultures, wanton disrespect for all human lives, plundering, rape, torture & robotic death machines.

Worst of all is the tremendous pride brainwashed into their illiterate masses to dumbly defend these things as great accomplishments. Many of them think all nations wish to be like USA, as if we would want to copy their evil ways! Nothing good comes out of America anymore, it has simply become a vile filth.

What is wrong with this picture?

Manfredman from India

Remember Windows to Russia e-mail is windowstorussia@37.com and no other e-mail will be responded to, as per site relationship. I have had several in the past, but this e-mail has been there almost a year now and people sending e-mails to the wrong one will have them trashed. Unless I have approved you as they are my personal e-mails. The windowstorussia@37.com is a public e-mail and whatever is posted there can be posted in the website….

Kyle Keeton
Windows to Russia