United States Africa Command Public Affairs Office 19 October 2011 USAFRICOM - related news stories

Good morning. Please find attached news clips related to U.S. Africa Command and Africa, along with upcoming events of interest for October 19, 2011. Of interest in todays clips: In Washington: U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta talks about sending troops to Africa to help with the fight against the Lords Resistance Army. Op-Eds in the U.S. and some African nations speculate on the commitment and possible backlash of U.S. involvement in counter LRA operations. In Libya: Several press reports highlight Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton's visit to Tripoli, Libya where she announced that additional aid money would be provided to for Libya's Transitional National Council, including medical aid for wounded fighters. Other sources report on a rebel offensive against Qadhafis last remaining stronghold of Sirte. In Somalia: A suicide bomber strikes near a visiting Kenyan delegation. In Liberia: A former warlord announces his support of Johnson-Sirleaf in round two of elections. U.S. Africa Command Public Affairs Please send questions or comments to: africom-pao@africom.mil 421-2687 (+49-711-729-2687) -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Top News related to U.S. Africa Command and Africa Panetta: African terrorists a real concern (CBS) http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/10/17/eveningnews/main20121624.shtml 18 October 2011 Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta said recently that al Qaeda terrorists may regroup in Africa, and that is why the U.S. is sending 100 Special Forces troops to one of the most violent places on Earth.

Fanfare masks doubts on US anti-rebel push in Africa (Reuters) http://af.reuters.com/article/topNews/idAFJOE79H02Y20111018 18 October 2011 By Mark John U.S. President Barack Obama's deployment of 100 military advisers to help defeat Uganda's notorious Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) may yield him a popular foreign policy win but risks triggering more violence if it fails. US Troops Deploy to Fight Lord's Resistance Army (VOA) http://www.voanews.com/english/news/africa/US-Troops-Deploy-to-Fight-LordsResistance-Army-132070343.html 18 October 2011 By Luis Ramirez U.S. troops have been deploying in central Africa to help the forces of Uganda and other nations fight the Lords Resistance Army [L.R.A.]. The deployment is the largest U.S. attempt yet to eradicate the group known for its ruthless campaign of killing, rape, and its use of child soldiers over the past two decades. Goldberg: Obama wears a white hat (LA Times) http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-goldberg-uganda20111018,0,6224886.column 18 October 2011 By Jonah Goldberg President Obama is right to send troops to advise African forces going after the leader of the Lord's Resistance Army in Uganda. Uganda-US: Unintended consequences (Sudan Tribune) http://www.sudantribune.com/Uganda-US-Unintended-consequences,40451 17 October 2011 By Scott A Morgan Without a shadow of a doubt, Joseph Kony is a very dangerous individual. Recently in Washington DC, Carter Ham, the Commanding General of the United States Africa Command, described him as the personification of evil. Clinton in Libya to Meet Leaders and Offer Aid Package (New York Times) http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/19/world/africa/clinton-in-libya-to-meet-leaders-andoffer-aid-package.html 18 October 2011 By Steven Lee Myers Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton pledged political and economic support for Libyas new transitional government on Tuesday, even as a senior administration official warned that Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi and his loyalists remain a lethal nuisance that could stall the countrys transition. Hillary Rodham Clinton tells Libyans: Were on your side (Washington Post)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/clinton-arrives-in-libya-bearingaid-and-encouragement/2011/10/18/gIQAD5rmtL_story.html 18 October 2011 By Joby Warrick In a historic visit punctuated by celebratory gunfire and cries of God is great, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton toured the Libyan capital Tuesday to pledge continued U.S. support for a transitional government still struggling to consolidate control over the war-ravaged country. NATO says it is very close to decision to terminate Libya operation (Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle-east/nato-says-it-is-very-close-todecision-to-terminate-libya-operation/2011/10/18/gIQAGbRouL_story.html 18 October 2011 By Associated Press NATO said Tuesday it is considering ending its bombing campaign in Libya but the decision must consider the threat pro-Moammar Gadhafi fighters still pose to civilians. Breaking News: Libya's Fighters Launch Major Assault on Sirte (Tripoli Post) http://tripolipost.com/articledetail.asp?c=1&i=7120 18 October 2011 Fierce fighting has erupted in the last remaining stronghold of the former Libyan leader Muammar Al Qathafi, Sirte this morning, with AP reporting that about 1,000 Libyan revolutionary troops have launched a major assault on the fugitive leaders hometown, surging from the east to try to capture the last area under loyalist control. Somalia bomber hits as Kenya ministers visit Mogadishu (BBC) http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-15359294 18 October 2011 A car bomb has exploded outside the former foreign ministry in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, killing five people including the suicide bomber. Liberia vote: Prince Johnson backs President Sirleaf (BBC) http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-15347980 18 October 2011 Former rebel leader Prince Johnson, who came third in Liberia's election, says he will back Nobel Peace Prize-winner President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf in the second round. New vaccine 'to cut malaria risk by half' (Al Jazeera) http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/10/20111018182114279745.html 18 October 2011 Results at trial sites in sub-Saharan Africa suggest RTS,S reduces risk of developing deadly disease by 56 per cent. Army's housing budget busters include mansion renovation (Stars & Stripes)

http://www.stripes.com/news/army-s-housing-budget-busters-include-mansionrenovation-1.158082 18 October 2011 By John Vandiver With Defense Department spending under more scrutiny than ever, a $1.4 million Army funding request for renovations at a German mansion intended to house the senior U.S. officer in Stuttgart raised a few eyebrows on Capitol Hill. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------UN News Service Africa Briefs http://www.un.org/apps/news/region.asp?Region=AFRICA UN agency dismayed by Sudans deportation of Eritrean refugees 18 October The United Nations refugee agency today condemned the deportation of more than 300 Eritrean refugees and asylum-seekers by Sudan after weeks of detention and in spite of a previous agreement with the UN. DR Congo: Security Council calls for credible and peaceful elections 17 October The Security Council today reiterated its call for credible and peaceful elections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), stressing that the countrys Government bore the primary responsibility to ensure that the polls are above reproach. (Full Articles on UN Website) ### -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Upcoming Events of Interest: 19 Oct 2011 WHEN: 10:00- 11:30 a.m. WHAT: U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP) Discussion on " Libya in Transition: The Significance of U.N. Resolution 1973 and Democracy in the Middle East and North Africa." Speakers: Dean Pittman, panelist, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of International Organization Affairs; Laith Kubba, panelist, Senior Director, Middle East and North Africa, National Endowment for Democracy; Manal Omar, panelist, Director of Iraq, Iran, and North Africa Programs, United States Institute of Peace; Ted Piccone, panelist; Senior Fellow and Deputy Director, Foreign Policy, The Brookings Institution; Colette Rausch, moderator, Director, Rule of Law Center, United States Institute of Peace; Dick Rowson, introduction, Board Member, United Nations Association-National Capital Area. WHERE: USIP, 2301 Constitution Avenue, NW CONTACT: Allison Sturma at asturma@usip.org; web site: www.usip.org

SOURCE: USIP - event announcement at: http://www.usip.org/events/libya-in-transitionthe-significance-un-resolution-1973-and-democracy-in-the-middle-east-and### -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------New on www.africom.mil African Flag Officer Pins Former USARAF Soldier with Meritorious Service Medal http://www.africom.mil/getArticle.asp?art=7340&lang=0 U.S. Army Africa Public Affairs 18 October 2011 A staff sergeant who worked for U.S. Army Africa was presented the Meritorious Service Medal, presented by an official of the Ghanaian Army during a U.S. Africa Command engagement in the United States. ### -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------FULL TEXT Panetta: African terrorists a real concern (CBS) http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/10/17/eveningnews/main20121624.shtml 18 October 2011 Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta said recently that al Qaeda terrorists may regroup in Africa, and that is why the U.S. is sending 100 Special Forces troops to one of the most violent places on Earth. The first 40 Americans have arrived in the region that includes South Sudan, scene of a long running civil war, and the Congo, site of the deadliest conflict since World War II. CBS Evening News anchor Scott Pelley sat down with Panetta, who said the Americans will train local forces to fight terrorists, including al Qaeda. Pelley: You're sending a hundred troops in, roughly. Is that the beginning of many more? Penetta: We are all very careful about making sure that no mission like this expands beyond limits, and that we keep a tight reign. And for the moment this is more than adequate to meet the mission that we're assigned. Pelley: Why now?

Panetta: The longer you delay, the longer you avoid trying to assign some assistance there, the more dangerous these groups become and the greater the instability that develops there. Pelley: Did you have reason to believe that this part of Central Africa was becoming a haven for terrorism? Panetta: There are elements there that either have ties to al Qaeda or that represent the forces of terrorism on their own. And that's what's dangerous. Pelley: A lot of folks at home would be concerned after the experience in Afghanistan and Iraq to hear about more US forces going into an area that you consider to be unstable. Panetta: The American people should be concerned. I'm concerned. The Congress is concerned. And for that reason we have to exercise the greatest caution. Secretary Panetta also told CBS News he hopes to keep some U.S. forces in Iraq beyond the deadline for withdrawal at the end of the year. That is still under negotiation with the Iraqi government. ### Fanfare masks doubts on US anti-rebel push in Africa (Reuters) http://af.reuters.com/article/topNews/idAFJOE79H02Y20111018 18 October 2011 By Mark John U.S. President Barack Obama's deployment of 100 military advisers to help defeat Uganda's notorious Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) may yield him a popular foreign policy win but risks triggering more violence if it fails. In a letter to Congress on Friday, Obama said he authorised the mission to help local armies hunt LRA leader Joseph Kony, whose rebel sect is blamed for years of abductions, killings and acts of brutality in remote central Africa. While the United States has assisted unsuccessful local efforts to snare Kony since 2008, the announcement was seen as potentially significant if it heralds a renewed commitment to end a two-decade-long scourge to regional security. "If there were suitable special forces with the right equipment, it would be possible to take him out," said Tim Allen, professor at the London School of Economics. "I would hope that this statement indicates there is enough intelligence (on Kony) to do that," said Allen, co-author of "The Lord's Resistance Army: Myth and Reality".

Kony has long eluded efforts to snare him and obstacles could still hold the U.S. initiative back from a stated goal of removing him from the battlefield -- whether that means dead, or alive and bound for the International Criminal Court. Kony emerged in the late 1980s as a leader of a rebel group in northern Uganda's Acholiland opposed to President Yoweri Museveni, attracting supporters with a creed based on a mix of mysticism and apocalyptic Christianity. Over the years the LRA become known for chilling violence including what human rights groups say were the abductions of thousands for use as child soldiers or sex slaves, brutal club and machete attacks on victims. Ejected from Uganda in 2005, the LRA has since roamed the remote jungle regions straddling Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo and Central African Republic, terrorising local communities and mostly out of reach of over-stretched armies. "The end-result of attempts to capture him was that he would escape and the casualties were the children -- his tactic was to put them up front," said Heloise Ruaudel of Oxford University's Refugee Studies Centre, formerly Special Assistant to the UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Uganda from 2003-2005. While the number of LRA fighters has ebbed and flowed over the years, sometimes numbering hundreds and other times thousands, its impact can be disproportionately severe. Past attempts to defeat them militarily have tended to result in retaliation taken out against local villages, Ruaudel noted. Much will also depend on how the new U.S. forces choose to interpret the mandate for the new deployment. While the United States has for the past three years offered what Obama called "limited U.S. assistance" to regional military efforts, the new force puts 100 mostly special force troops out in the field in a close-up support and advisory role. Barred from taking on the LRA directly in anything but strict self-defence, the question remains as to what this will add on top of logistical support already being provided. While the deployment has invited comparisons with the surgical strike Obama successfully used to kill Osama bin Laden in Pakistan, even providing indirect support for a similar assault in Africa would be harder to explain if it backfired. "It will be very difficult for the U.S. to significantly change the way they engage," said Mareike Schomerus, Research Consortium Director of the Justice and Security Research Programme at the London School of Economics.

"A U.S. soldier getting killed in the Democratic Republic of Congo would not be conducive to Obama's re-election," said Schomerus of a scenario that would bring flooding back painful memories of U.S. personnel killed in the 1993 battle of Mogadishu in Somalia. Yet aside from the security gain to the region of catching Kony, the political pay-off to Obama would be significant. While violent rebellions abound in Africa, the LRA has caught special U.S. attention to the extent that a Hollywood movie, "Machine Gun Preacher", is currently treating audiences to the tale of ex-biker-gang member's efforts to take them on. Allen at the London School of Economics said lobbying by groups such as Christian advocacy group World Vision had kept the issue so much at the forefront of U.S. attention that he had packed out lecture halls when speaking on the LRA there. "It has become a cause of young people," he said. ### US Troops Deploy to Fight Lord's Resistance Army (VOA) http://www.voanews.com/english/news/africa/US-Troops-Deploy-to-Fight-LordsResistance-Army-132070343.html 18 October 2011 By Luis Ramirez U.S. troops have been deploying in central Africa to help the forces of Uganda and other nations fight the Lords Resistance Army [L.R.A.]. The deployment is the largest U.S. attempt yet to eradicate the group known for its ruthless campaign of killing, rape, and its use of child soldiers over the past two decades. U.S. troops are landing in Uganda and from there may deploy to the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and southern Sudan - areas were the L.R.A. - a scattered force whose numbers are estimated to be around 400 - are operating. The U.S. troops are combat-ready and have instructions to fight if attacked, but Pentagon spokesman Captain John Kirby said the U.S. troops mission is limited to helping Ugandan soldiers and the armies of other nations stamp out the L.R.A. The mission for these 100 or so special operations forces is really just advise and assist, and help train local forces to deal with that threat. That is the scope of what they are going to be doing. That is the limit to what they are going to be doing, said Kirby. The deployment culminates years of efforts by human-rights groups and others to raise awareness in the halls of the U.S. Congress and at the White House of the need for

Washington to step in and tackle one of the most violent and vicious militia groups, and its leader Joseph Kony. Jennifer Cooke, who directs the Africa program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies research group, said, The U.S. Congress has passed in 2009 legislation calling on the president to lay out a strategy to protect civilians, to apprehend or remove Joseph Kony, and to improve humanitarian access to the region. And I think this is a concerted effort once and for all to help the governments of that region to eliminate the threat, the threat from the L.R.A." That threat does not directly affect U.S. national security, but Washington sees Uganda as a solid partner in the region, most notably in peacekeeping efforts in Somalia. Brookings Institution defense analyst Michael OHanlon said deploying a small number of U.S. troops to help Uganda fight the L.R.A. is a small investment that could yield big returns for the United States. To the extent the United States has any interest in Somalia being stabilized, it has an interest in seeing the Ugandan government able to keep its own country together, and able to keep it its own forces partially deployed to Somalia in order to help with that country where there have been al-Qaida related groups in the past. Advocate John Bradshaw prefers not to speculate on possible U.S. motives. He directs the Enough Project, a U.S. group that works to eliminate genocide and crimes against humanity, primarily in Africas Great Lakes region. To Bradshaw, what is important is that Washington is taking action, providing support that he said could help protect civilians. A lot of that is information-sharing, having communities get timely alerts about possible L.R.A. action, improving communications equipment, putting up cell phone towers so that vulnerable populations are forewarned when attacks might happen, said Bradshaw. For two decades, Uganda and other nations have been unable to wipe out the L.R.A. The group has broken up into smaller units and dispersed across borders through the jungle terrain. OHanlon said the U.S. military will bring some of the capabilities developed in wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. In addition to training, which we are obviously pretty good at with some of our special forces, we also know how to do things like listen to cell phone communication and watch people with drones. Watching them with drones in the jungle is harder than watching them with drones in the desert, but we have gotten better at some of these things and we may be able to impart some of our lessons and best practices to the Ugandans. U.S. leaders hope that with this knowledge and technology, even 100 troops can make a difference.

### Goldberg: Obama wears a white hat (LA Times) http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-goldberg-uganda20111018,0,6224886.column 18 October 2011 By Jonah Goldberg President Obama is right to send troops to advise African forces going after the leader of the Lord's Resistance Army in Uganda. Weirdest Friday news dump ever. Very late in the day on Oct. 14, the Obama administration released a lot of politically problematic information, including the news that the deficit for 2011 hit $1.3 trillion (the second biggest ever, after 2009) and that it's abandoning the CLASS Act, one of the more expensive and unwieldy appendages of "Obamacare." One other thing: The White House announced we're putting boots on the ground in subSaharan Africa. President Obama notified Congress that he's sending about 100 combat-equipped troops to advise African forces on how best to kill or capture (but hopefully kill) one of the truly hideous villains breathing today, Joseph Kony, and destroy his militia cult, the Lord's Resistance Army. And Obama is absolutely right to do it. The news was so sudden, unexpected and just plain odd that the reaction from both left and right has been hurried and confused. Many claims are simply wrong. For instance, the LRA is not a "Christian" militia. The LRA routinely burns down churches and slaughters the congregants, but usually not before raping and mutilating them. Kony is a classic example of the charismatic terrorist cult leader. He blends indigenous witchcraft with bits of Christianity and Islam (soldiers pray the rosary and bow to Mecca) to brainwash his uneducated, terrified flock of hostages and child soldiers, many of whom were forced to murder their own parents. Here's a graphic passage from a 2006 report from Christianity Today on the LRA: "Under threat of death, LRA child soldiers attack villages, shooting and cutting off people's lips, ears, hands, feet, or breasts, at times force-feeding the severed body parts to victims' families. Some cut open the bellies of pregnant women and tear their babies out. Men and women are gang-raped. As a warning to those who might report them to Ugandan authorities, they bore holes in the lips of victims and padlock them shut.

Victims are burned alive or beaten to death with machetes and clubs. The murderous task is considered properly executed only when the victim is mutilated beyond recognition." It's also worth noting that Obama is acting in compliance with a bill unanimously passed by both houses of Congress in 2009, which called for "increased, comprehensive U.S. efforts to help mitigate and eliminate the threat posed by the LRA to civilians and regional stability." Obama says that he's sending troops to protect our national security. Yes, the LRA is a terrorist group, but it's not at war with us. One could argue that improving our standing in Africa, particularly given China's rising influence and jihadism's spread, is a worthy foreign policy goal. But that's all a stretch, given Obama's past skepticism toward interventionism (as a presidential candidate, he said it was worth risking a potential genocide in Iraq to pull our troops as quickly as possible) and his almost incomprehensibly incoherent principles for where we should intervene (Libya, Yemen) and where we should not (Iran, Syria). No, this is really just do-goodery, pure and simple. And for that reason, the only serious argument against the deployment is that our troops are spread too thin to be distracted by charity work. It's a fair argument, and one that will rightly come up again when Democrats lobby for debilitating defense cuts. Still, assuming the military can handle the load and the strategy's been properly vetted, the only reasons for the White House to be embarrassed have to do with its own convoluted rationales, precedents and political constituencies. Under President George W. Bush, critics might have called this sort of thing an instance of "cowboy foreign policy." I never understood why the term was an insult. Cowboys do good when they can and where they can. They may not go looking for trouble, but they don't hide from it either. Yes, in movies and books, cowboys usually only shoot when somebody else has shot at them first. But every now and then a villain comes along who is so vile, so repugnant, so contrary to decency that the cowboy does what he has to do on the grounds that some men just need killing. ### Uganda-US: Unintended consequences (Sudan Tribune) http://www.sudantribune.com/Uganda-US-Unintended-consequences,40451 17 October 2011 By Scott A Morgan Without a shadow of a doubt, Joseph Kony is a very dangerous individual. Recently in Washington DC, Carter Ham, the Commanding General of the United States Africa Command, described him as the personification of evil. He has been a threat to four

different governments in Central Africa since the days of the Reagan Administration. He needs to be brought to justice. However, the detractors that will oppose this effort for whatever agenda that they are promoting or are in fear of, are going to have a field day with this for three reasons. Firstly, it will appear that we are supporting another dictator. The current President of Uganda is Yoweri Museveni. Earlier this year he was re-elected under controversial and dubious circumstances. After the elections were concluded, opposition supporters suffered a crackdown that turned violent in some instances. Also at this time the LGBT Community has been the target of oppression with the proposed Bahati Bill and having the largest bar that caters to this community being forced to close by police action. The second area of concern is that it may give the impression that the Pentagon is behind the scenes. For several years since the formation of AFRICOM, this has been a fear among those who have been critical of the command. On the very day that the decision was made to send troops to Uganda, the Washington Times ran a story quoting Secretary of Defense; Leon Panetta, warning of a retreat from Africa if budget cuts were too severe. The timing of this will also be seen as flip-flopping yet again regarding an African crisis. The main concern will be that the US will be seen as hypocritical. The main rationale behind this will the fact that the US will attempting to enforce a warrant by the International Criminal Court when it has been the policy of the US since the Bush administration, to seek exemptions of US Citizens under the Article 98 Agreements. These agreements are also known as Bilateral Impunity Agreements (BIAs), and prohibit the surrender to the ICC of a broad spectrum of people including former government officials, those in the military and others working for the US Government. This also happens to include private security contractors. The original intent of these accords was to ensure that the SOFAs (Status of Forces Agreements) which govern the actions of US Forces and are based in several countries around the world, were not compromised. In fact, the Bush Administration cut vital military aid to dozens of countries that would not sign an Article 98 accord with the US. It has not been revealed yet whether or not the Obama Administration has deviated from this policy at all. Another reason for what will be considered to be US hypocrisy, is its position on the UN Security Council. That body has the power to refer specific nations to the ICC. Since the US has veto power as a permanent member, it could use its power to protect allies as well to burn perceived enemies. These are the perceivable concerns at a glimpse. The president stated that the US troops will not actively engage the LRA unless self-defense renders it mandatory and that all necessary precautions will be taken to ensure troop safety. So what happens when/if US casualties occur in combat with the LRA? Especially in a firefight where Kony is not captured?

If the latter question occurs then will we add Uganda to the list of poor foreign policy decisions akin to those made by Ivory Coast, Egypt and Tunisia? Or will the administration bank on luck as it did for Libya? Too many questions to be answered and the worrying thing is that some of them dont have to be asked yet. ### Clinton in Libya to Meet Leaders and Offer Aid Package (NY Times) http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/19/world/africa/clinton-in-libya-to-meet-leaders-andoffer-aid-package.html 18 October 2011 By Steven Lee Myers Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton pledged political and economic support for Libyas new transitional government on Tuesday, even as a senior administration official warned that Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi and his loyalists remain a lethal nuisance that could stall the countrys transition. Mrs. Clinton, the administrations most ardent champion of the NATO-led intervention, arrived here from Malta aboard an American military jet shortly after noon, and was greeted by a phalanx of uniformed fighters, part of an irregular militia that now controls Tripolis airport. They chanted, God is great, and raised their hands in signs of victory. I am proud to stand here on the soil of a free Libya, Mrs. Clinton said at an Islamic conference center in the capital after meeting with the countrys interim leaders, including the chairman of the Transitional National Council, Mustafa Abdel-Jalil. Mrs. Clinton raised a host of issues with Mr. Abdel-Jalil and other Libyan officials, including consolidation of political control over the country, prevention of violent retaliation against Colonel Qaddafis supporters, and integration of the myriad rebel militias into a new security structure. Not all of the militias have yet come on board, a senior official travelling with Mrs. Clinton said. More are. More still need to come. Mrs. Clinton is the highest-ranking American official to visit Libya since the fall of Tripoli two months ago, the climax of a conflict in which the Obama administration went to some lengths to play down American involvement. She is the first Secretary of State to visit Libya since Condoleezza Rice in 2008, during an ill-fated thaw in the Qaddafi governments international isolation. Now the hard part begins, Mrs. Clinton told Libyas interim prime minister, Mahmoud Jibril, when she greeted him on the steps of a conference hall.

The United States has contributed $135 million in assistance to Libyas new leaders since February, including humanitarian aid and military equipment though not weapons, which France, Qatar and other nations have supplied. Mrs. Clinton promised more help on Tuesday, including medical equipment and treatment in the United States for some of the most gravely wounded fighters; educational and cultural exchanges; and a project with Oberlin College in Ohio to help preserve ancient ruins at Cyrene. The relatively small dollar amount of the new assistance reflected not only fiscal austerity at home Mrs. Clinton told Mr. Jibril that such aid faced deep opposition in Congress but also, she said, the fact that oil-rich Libya needs expertise more than cash to rebuild its society and economy after four decades under Colonel Qaddafi. One of the largest components of the American aid $40 million involves an expanding effort to find mobile antiaircraft rockets that were looted from Libyas arsenals before they reach the hands of terrorists. The United States has already sent 14 civilian contractors to join the hunt for those weapons, which, along with sealed stockpiles of chemical weapons, are among the most worrisome potential consequences of Colonel Qaddafis fall. Mrs. Clinton arrived a day after the interim government claimed to have taken control of Bani Walid, a loyalist enclave in the desert south of Tripoli. The new government has yet to proclaim total victory, and in her public remarks Mrs. Clinton repeatedly noted that the fighting continued. That and Colonel Qaddafis success at eluding capture have created uncertainty and fear about a political transition only now gaining momentum in Libya, raising uncomfortable parallels to Saddam Husseins eight months in hiding after the fall of his government in Iraq in 2003. During that time an insurgency took root in Iraq that continues to simmer, years after his capture, trial and execution. I wouldnt underestimate Qaddafis ability to be a lethal nuisance, a senior administration official said. Mrs. Clinton privately urged the new government to keep its promises not to unleash retaliatory violence or tolerate abuses of the sort Human Rights Watch has already documented. It is going to be a challenge for them to make sure that in all cases they are able to have fair judicial procedures that meet international standards, just given the history of Libya over the past 42 years, the official said. The intentions certainly strike us as being sincere we have positive examples but theres definitely going to be challenges going forward. Mrs. Clinton also raised the case of Abdel Basset Ali al-Megrahi, the Libyan man convicted in a Scottish court for the bombing of a Pan Am jetliner over Lockerbie, Scotland, in 1988. He was released from prison on humanitarian grounds and returned to

Libya two years ago to a heros welcome. Despite claims that he was terminally ill and near death in 2009, he continues to live in Tripoli, prompting many in Congress to demand his arrest. Mrs. Clinton, for her part, reiterated her view that Mr. Megrahi should never have been released, and noted that the Justice Department still considered the bombing an open case. But she did not explicitly call on the new government to order his detention. They have assured us, she said of the Libyan officials, they understand how strongly the United States feel about this case. Mrs. Clinton spent six and a half hours on the ground in Libya before returning to Malta. She spoke to students at the University of Tripoli, who peppered her with broad questions about democracy, political parties, free speech, and the aspirations of the Palestinians for their own state, as well as specific requests for educational exchanges for dentists and librarians. She also visited Tripoli Medical Center, where she promised doctors to help untangle logistical challenges to transferring patients abroad for treatment. In one room, she met three fighters who were gravely wounded in combat near two loyalist strongholds in the south, Bani Walid and Sabha. One man had lost a leg; the others had injuries threatening theirs. We are on your side, she told one. ### Hillary Rodham Clinton tells Libyans: Were on your side (Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/clinton-arrives-in-libya-bearingaid 18 October 2011 By Joby Warrick TRIPOLI, Libya In a historic visit punctuated by celebratory gunfire and cries of God is great, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton toured the Libyan capital Tuesday to pledge continued U.S. support for a transitional government still struggling to consolidate control over the war-ravaged country. Clinton, the highest-ranking U.S. official to visit Libya since the ouster of autocratic leader Moammar Gaddafi in August, offered Libyan leaders practical and financial help on a wide range of fronts, from rebuilding the economy to caring for the countrys warwounded to rounding up thousands of anti-aircraft missiles that have gone missing amid the chaos of recent fighting

But she also warned of lingering dangers, including the risk of prolonged resistance by Gaddafi loyalists as well as the possibility that democracy could be usurped before it has time to take root. We are still at the point where liberation has not yet been claimed because of ongoing conflict, Clinton told reporters at a joint news conference with Mahmoud Jibril, the prime minister of Libyas interim national council. There has to be a resolution before many of these programs can be put into action. As she spoke, there were fresh reminders of the challenges facing the interim government as it seeks to bring normalcy and order to the battered country after decades of dictatorship. In the Gaddafi stronghold city of Sirte, pro-Gaddafi forces repelled new assaults by revolutionary militias seeking to eliminate one of the last remaining holdouts of the former government. In Tripoli, control over parts of the city remained divided among rival militia groups, some of whom have resisted the idea of disarming and returning to civilian life. Clinton said that the U.S. and Libyan governments remain focused on restoring security and pledged that NATO warplanes would continue to back the interim governments military while fighting continued. She acknowledged that U.S. officials were concerned that Gaddafi could cause significant problems as long as he is at large. We want to do everything we can to prevent him from causing trouble for the new Libya, said Clinton. We dont know where he is, but we hope he can be captured or killed soon so you dont have to fear him any longer. A senior State Department official said later that Clintons captured or killed phrase was not intended to signal a policy change. Clinton arrived in a capital city that has been cleared of the rubble and burned-out vehicles from weeks of street battles over the summer, yet still resembles an armed camp. Gun-toting men in mismatched camouflage guarded intersections and government buildings, and the staccato of small-arms fire greeted Clintons motorcade as she arrived under an overcast sky. At the airport, dozens of militiamen crowded around Americas top diplomat, some shouting God is great! in Arabic as Clinton stopped to shake hands and exchange greetings. The secretarys motorcade raced through the city with a motley escort of militia fighters in vans and pickup trucks, some with mounted machine guns and others adorned with camouflage netting and home-made flags. At Tripolis main hospital, Clinton spoke with wounded fighters, including a man injured during fighting just four days earlier. Doctors thanked Clinton for promised help with supplies and equipment but said more was needed. Were on your side, she told them.

At a town-hall meeting, Clinton was greeted enthusiastically by university students, who took turns quizzing her on topics from womens rights to U.S. internships. Everywhere, Clinton offered encouragement and a promise of continued U.S. backing for Libya during the transition to a new form of government. Libya is as well-positioned as any country in recent history to make this journey to democracy successfully, she told the town-hall gathering. But it will not be easy. You have to unify. Clintons six-hour visit started with private meetings with Jibril and with Mustafa Abdel Jalil, the chairman of the Transitional National Council. One aide said Clinton sought to create a foundation for a completely different partnership between the United States and Libya that is deep and broad. Unlike other Arab states that have overthrown dictatorships, Libya has vast resources, including one of the worlds largest petroleum reserves and billions of dollars in cash and assets locked away in Western accounts during Gaddafis rule. Citing those riches, Clinton offered only modest increases in U.S. financial and other aid. She announced millions of dollars in additional funds and dozens of specialists to help Libyan officials recover and destroy conventional weapons from Gaddafis arsenal. The relatively restrained pledges prompted questions about the depth of the Obama administrations commitment to Libyas uprising. At the town-hall meeting, one man asked why Washington had deferred to other countries over leadership of NATOs air campaign. Others have questioned why it took the Obama administration so long to send a high-level official to Tripoli, as France and Britain did weeks ago. Many people feel the United States has taken a back seat in helping the revolution. Will you now take the lead in helping us rebuild our country? the questioner asked. Clinton defended what she described as the unique leadership role played by Washington in organizing an international response to the Libyan uprising. The United States was actively involved, but we also thought it was important that there be a broad base of support for the Libyan revolution, she said. Even in the rebuilding phase, most of the ideas and energy will come from other sources, mostly the Libyans themselves, she said. But, she added, the United States will continue to stand with you. NATO says it is very close to decision to terminate Libya operation (Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle-east/nato-says-it-is-very-close-todecision-to-terminate-libya-operation/2011/10/18/gIQAGbRouL_story.html

18 October 2011 By Associated Press BRUSSELS NATO said Tuesday it is considering ending its bombing campaign in Libya but the decision must consider the threat pro-Moammar Gadhafi fighters still pose to civilians. Some have speculated that the North Atlantic Council, NATOs top decisionmaking body, will declare an end to the 7-month-old Libyan operation when it meets Wednesday. But a diplomat said France and Britain have insisted that the bombing campaign continue until Libyas new authorities are able to assume responsibility for security nationwide. The diplomat spoke on condition of anonymity, given the sensitivity of the matter. We are very close to the end, but there are still threats to the civilian population, NATO spokesman Carmen Romero said Tuesday. NATO warplanes have flown more than 9,500 strike sorties since the air attacks began March 19. They were initially conducted by a U.S.-led coalition, including France and Britain, but were taken over by the alliance at the end of March. Still, only eight of NATOs 28 states took part in the actual strikes. Some diplomats expressed frustration at what they saw as an unnecessary distraction from NATOs main mission the war in Afghanistan. Western leaders initially expected the Libyan air campaign to last just a few weeks. But despite being constantly pummeled from the air, Gadhafis forces demonstrated unexpected resilience, forcing the alliance to repeatedly extend the campaign. With armed opposition to the new Libyan authorities now limited to only a few towns, the alliance has scaled back the airstrikes, conducting an average of 15 a day in comparison to about 70 to 80 a day at the height of the campaign this summer. Romero said the decision on ending the operation will be taken after the North Atlantic Council conducts a careful and comprehensive political and military analysis of the security situation. ### Breaking News: Libya's Fighters Launch Major Assault on Sirte (Tripoli Post) http://tripolipost.com/articledetail.asp?c=1&i=7120 18 October 2011 Fierce fighting has erupted in the last remaining stronghold of the former Libyan leader Muammar Al Qathafi, Sirte this morning, with AP reporting that about 1,000 Libyan revolutionary troops have launched a major assault on the fugitive leaders hometown, surging from the east to try to capture the last area under loyalist control.

Tuesday's push to rout the remaining resistance from Sirte follows the announcement by NTC commanders that they had captured and are in almost complete control of the other Al Qathafi stronghold of Bani Walid. In its report, AP said that the Libyan fighters have squeezed the die-hard Al Qathafi supporters into an area comprising just a few blocks in Sirte but have been unable to gain full control of the city. It has been more than two months since the NTC fighters gained control of the capital, Libya and much of the rest of the country, but persistent fighting has prevented Libya's new leaders from declaring final victory and setting a timeline for elections. This announcement will only come when Sirte is captured. ### Somalia bomber hits as Kenya ministers visit Mogadishu (BBC) http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-15359294 18 October 2011 A car bomb has exploded outside the former foreign ministry in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, killing five people including the suicide bomber. The attack came as Kenya's defence and foreign ministers were holding talks nearby with the Somali government. Kenya sent troops to Somalia on Sunday to fight Islamist al-Shabab militants it blames for a spate of kidnappings. There have been contradictory statements from both countries about the presence of the Kenyan force. A Somali government general, Yusuf Dhumal, told the BBC Somali Service on Tuesday from the village of Taabto, that his troops were with the Kenyan force heading towards an al-Shabab-held town of Afmadow, 120km (75 miles) from the border. Al-Shabab, which controls much of southern Somalia, has denied carrying out any abductions and has warned of attacks in Kenya unless the troops withdraw. Kenya's defence and foreign ministers, Yusuf Haji and Moses Wetangula, were at the city's main airport for talks with Somali government officials, when the car bomb exploded on a busy street about 2km (more than one mile) away. The BBC's Mohamed Moalimu in Mogadishu says three civilians died at the scene and a fourth person died later at hospital. More than 10 people were wounded in the attack.

The UN-backed transitional government in Mogadishu has refused to admit that the Kenyan troops are inside Somalia. Mr Wetangula, who on Monday had said Kenya troops were in Somalia, said the talks with Somali officials had centred on bilateral relations and the fight against al-Shabab. But his colleague Mr Haji, in an interview in Somali at Mogadishu airport, categorically denied that Kenyan troops were in Somalia. "The Kenyan government did not declare anything of the sort... no Kenyan troops have been deployed to Somalia," he told the BBC. He said that Kenya had always refused to be part of the African Union force in Mogadishu in order to ensure good neighbourly relations. The BBC's Nairobi bureau editor David Okwembah says the defence minister may have given a contradictory message as he was addressing a Somali audience. Digging trenches Meanwhile, the BBC's East Africa correspondent Will Ross says as the Somali transitional government relies on foreign troops from the African Union, it is embarrassing for it to admit that it needs yet another country to intervene. The government controls very little territory, but does have several militant groups around the country it regards as allies, and it is backed by the international community. Previous foreign interventions in Somalia have ended in humiliating withdrawals - the US in 1992 and Ethiopia in 2006. Correspondents say many Kenyans will fear their country could be bogged down in a long, unwinnable conflict. Kenyan army spokesman Maj Emmannuel Chirchir has said the Kenyan army's advance is going well, despite troops' progress being slowed down by muddy terrain and heavy rain. He said they expected to soon reach Afmadow, about 90km north of the port city of Kismayo, al-Shabab's main economic power base. Eyewitnesses say al-Shabab officials have forced truck owners to hand over their vehicles so that fighters can be moved towards Afmadow. Afmadow resident Hussein Osman Roble told Reuters news agency most people in the town had fled towards the Kenyan border.

"Jets have flown low over Afmadow, terrifying the residents, while al-Shabab is digging trenches and tunnels for defence inside and around Afmadow," he said. Nairobi has been infuriated by a string of abductions of foreign nationals near the border. Most recently, two Spanish aid workers were seized from the Dadaab refugee camp. A Frenchwoman living in Lamu and a British woman tourist have also been kidnapped in recent weeks and a British man killed. Kenyan officials have said they want to ensure al-Shabab militants are not able to operate anywhere near the two countries' shared border. Al-Shabab, which has links with al-Qaeda, has threatened Kenya on several occasions in the past. But it has rarely acted outside Somalia - the only previous major attack it has said it carried out was a 2010 suicide bombing in Uganda's capital Kampala in which dozens of people died. ### Liberia vote: Prince Johnson backs President Sirleaf (BBC) http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-15347980 18 October 2011 Former rebel leader Prince Johnson, who came third in Liberia's election, says he will back Nobel Peace Prize-winner President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf in the second round. "She is the lesser of two evils," he told the BBC. Forces loyal to Mr Johnson infamously filmed the torture and murder of dictator Samuel Doe. Mrs Sirleaf's opponent will be former UN diplomat Winston Tubman This is Liberia's second election since the end of a 14-year civil war in 2003. With almost all the ballots counted, Mrs Sirleaf has 44% against 32% for Mr Tubman, with Mr Johnson on 12%. A candidate needs most than 50% for outright victory. Over the weekend, opposition parties - including those of Mr Tubman and Mr Johnson said they were pulling out of the election, accusing the National Elections Commission (NEC) of rigging it in favour of the incumbent. But Mr Tubman has since confirmed that he will take part in the run-off, provisionally set for 8 November.

Mrs Sirleaf, who was earlier this month awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, won the 2005 election to become Africa's first female elected head of state. She defeated former footballer George Weah, who is Mr Tubman's running mate this time. Mrs Sirleaf has not commented on Mr Johnson's endorsement but before the announcement told the BBC that she was "ready to work with all Liberians". She said that as a Nobel laureate, "I must continue to work for peace and reconciliation". Mr Johnson accused the Tubman-Weah camp of not being interested in reconciliation and only representing one part of the country. He also noted that they had previously called for him to be punished because of his role in the war, as recommended by Liberia's Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The TRC also said that Mrs Sirleaf should be barred from public office because of her backing for Charles Taylor - the former rebel leader and president currently on trial in The Hague. Mrs Sirleaf has ignored the recommendation and points out that she has apologised and did not back Mr Taylor for long before falling out with him. Mr Johnson said the price for his support would be a share of power and jobs for his former fighters. After the war, he became a born-again Christian pastor and was elected to the Senate in the 2005 poll. The election has been largely peaceful, however an office of Mrs Sirleaf's Unity Party was on Saturday morning burnt to the ground in an apparent arson attack in Monrovia. It is not clear who was responsible. The NEC, which is running its first poll, has rejected the accusations of fraud but Mr Tubman said the opposition threat to boycott the second round had prevented the NEC from declaring that Mrs Sirleaf had won in the first round. On Saturday, opposition parties said they could offer photographs and witnesses to back their claims that the NEC had manipulated vote-counting in favour of President Sirleaf. Her party said it was not surprised by the allegations, accusing the opposition of being bad losers. ###

New vaccine 'to cut malaria risk by half' (Al Jazeera) http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/10/20111018182114279745.html 18 October 2011 A new vaccine against malaria will help reduce African children's risk of acquiring the disease by about half, according to the first results of an ongoing phase III trial. The vaccine, whose trial results were made public on Tuesday, has been developed by the British pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline's lab in Belgium. Known as RTS,S the vaccine is the first of its kind to attempt to block a parasite, rather than bacteria or viruses. Trial results suggested the vaccine reduced the risk of developing clinical malaria by 56 per cent among children aged five to 17 months. They received three doses of the vaccine. Malaria, spread by mosquitoes, causes high fever and chills and often results in death in sub Saharan Africa and parts of Asia with woefully inadequate medical facilities. The trial is under way at 11 sites, including Burkina Faso, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania. At least 15,460 infants and young children are involved in what GSK described as "the largest malaria vaccine trial to date". When it came to severe malaria, the stage of the illness that can be fatal and reaches the blood, brain or kidneys, those who received the vaccine showed a 47 per cent lower risk. "This is remarkable when you consider that there has never been a successful vaccine against a human parasite," said Tsiri Agbenyega, who chairs the RTS,S Clinical Trials Partnership and heads malaria research at Komfo-Anokye Hospital in Kumasi, Ghana. "While these results are encouraging, we still have a ways to go." Efficacy concerns The analysis was done with data from 6,000 children in the trial over a 12-month followup after vaccination. More data is needed from the younger age group - infants aged six weeks to 12 weeks - to better assess how well it works, experts said. Additional results from the younger set are due next year. The results are published online in the New England Journal of Medicine, and were simultaneously announced at the Malaria Forum hosted by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in Seattle, Washington.

Asked by a reporter whether the Gates Foundation would get behind a vaccine with a success rate of only about half, Regina Rabinovich, director for infectious diseases at the foundation's global health programme, was circumspect. "This is a key question. The group will ultimately want to understand efficacy, duration and safety," she said. She said she was "enthusiastic" about the results so far and was awaiting further data. "Would I prefer to see a 100 per cent effective vaccine? Absolutely." Trial to continue The vaccine was administered to children who are in areas with other interventions against malaria, such as bed nets and spraying. The vaccine was created in 1987 in GlaxoSmithKline Bio's lab in Belgium. Testing began on healthy adults in Belgium and the US in 1992, before the first Africa study started in Gambia in 1998. The vaccine works by triggering the immune system to defend itself against Plasmodium falciparum, the deadliest type of malaria parasite. Several questions remain, including how long the vaccine may last, how well it works in small babies, and how much it will cost, said Seth Berkley, CEO of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI Alliance). The trial is set to continue for two more years. ### Army's housing budget busters include mansion renovation (Stars & Stripes) http://www.stripes.com/news/army-s-housing-budget-busters-include-mansionrenovation-1.158082 By John Vandiver 18 October 2011 STUTTGART, Germany With Defense Department spending under more scrutiny than ever, a $1.4 million Army funding request for renovations at a German mansion intended to house the senior U.S. officer in Stuttgart raised a few eyebrows on Capitol Hill. So did many other parts of the Armys 2012 budget request for general officer housing, which included 71 cases in which the service sought funds that far exceeded the amount allowed for housing maintenance and operating costs. More than half of the $10 million

the Army aimed to spend on those 71 homes was pegged to maintain 18 on-base homes of general and flag officers in Stuttgart, according to the Armys budget request. Renovations make up the bulk of these costs: new bathrooms, kitchens, plumbing, floors and windows, and, in the case of the off-base mansion, security. Now lawmakers want to curtail how the military allocates taxpayer dollars for general officer housing, which they say has gotten out of control. The Senate Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs has issued a Dec. 31 deadline for conducting a cost-benefit analysis. I think the Army had less control over its budget, and over time theres been a breakdown in budget common sense, said Sen. Mark Kirk, an Illinois Republican who co-chairs the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs. I think youve got to look at whats gone wrong within the Army staff. Of the 81 instances across the military in which the $35,000 statutory limit for annual maintenance costs was exceeded, 71 involved properties managed by the Army. The Navy went over the limit nine times and the Air Force once, the committee reported. The Armys expenditures in Stuttgart, home to U.S. European and Africa commands, also are getting extra scrutiny. Kirk has asked the secretary of the Army to review all costs associated with the housing of general and flag officers in Stuttgart. While the Army will spend about $5 million this fiscal year to maintain and operate the general officer homes in Stuttgart, that does not include $1.4 million that the Army initially requested for the Clay House, a historic German-owned property off-base that has traditionally housed the senior ranking officer in Stuttgart. The Army backed down on that, said Kirk, whose committee passed a $142 billion military construction bill in July that did not include funds to renovate the grounds at the Clay House. Since 2000, U.S. taxpayers have spent on average $47,000 per year to operate the 15,000square-foot mansion, according to Installation Management Command-Europe. That average excludes 2007, when the Army spent $1 million to renovate the interior of the mansion, IMCOM-E reported. An agreement with the host nation stipulates that while the military does not pay rent on the property, it is responsible for upkeep, the Army said. Over the years, the rent-free mansion has turned into a money pit, officials acknowledge. It remains unclear how the Army will free itself from the mounting costs to operate the nearly 100-year-old home. Were taking concrete steps to mitigate costs, said Ken White, spokesman for IMCOME. Weve been having discussions with the host nation since spring, and expect to conclude those discussions soon.

Gen. Carter Ham, head of U.S. AFRICOM, has yet to take up residence at the home, which was vacated earlier this year by his predecessor, retired Gen. William E. Ward. During a change of occupancy, the home is typically vacant while routine upgrades are made. Six months into his command, Ham still has not moved in. While acknowledging there are no immediate plans for Ham to make such a move, White stopped short of saying Hams current home on Kelley Barracks would be his permanent address. I would not disagree with divestiture [of the property] as the end state, White added when asked about the future of the Clay House. In the meantime, because the Stuttgart mansion has historic value, the U.S. is obligated to maintain it to a certain standard. Pete Sepp of the National Taxpayers Union, a grassroots watchdog group, said that while spending on housing for generals is but a tiny part of the Pentagon budget, plans for more congressional oversight are welcomed. It means that specific program excesses will fall under Congress ongoing scrutiny, he said. Taxpayers are doling out too much money for the living quarters owned by the German government, Kirk said. Still, housing costs remain high even on base. It will cost the Army about $5 million to renovate 18 homes on Patch Barracks in Stuttgart, White said. Those upgrades are for long overdue improvements such as new plumbing and heating systems, according to the Army. Those were constructed in 1957, White said. There have been no major renovations since then. Other expenditures questioned by the Senate subcommittee on military construction include $15,421 the Army pays monthly to house the militarys three-star NATO representative in Brussels and $66,000 it pays annually to lease a house for a general in Miami, home to U.S. Southern Command. Army officials say a plan is being developed to control such spending, particularly in Belgium, where the cost of living is among the highest in Europe. Instead of leasing, the Army wants to own homes, which would be more cost effective, according to an IMCOM spokesman based in the U.S. Lawmakers are also taking issue with spending that hasnt even made it into budget requests.

That was the case in a June 30 Senate report on the military construction budget. The Army was criticized for a plan to spend $300,000 to adequately size the official entertainment space within the home in Miami. At a time when agencies throughout the Federal Government are making sacrifices to save valuable tax dollars, the Committee is concerned that the Department of Defense is not scrutinizing its [general and flag officer] leasing program as carefully as it should, the report stated. While big spending on living quarters for generals might rub taxpayers the wrong way, the general public still struggles to scrutinize big-ticket defense budget items, according to Sepp. Ask everyday taxpayers if $10 billion is too much or too little to pay for an aircraft carrier, and youll likely get a lot of I dont knows, Sepp said. Ask them if $300,000 is too much or too little to provide entertainment space for a home the Army maintains in Florida, and youll likely get some much more definitive opinions. The Armys hunt for efficiencies in how it houses its generals began well before lawmakers began raising concerns earlier this summer, White said. Were looking for alternatives to cut costs everywhere, he said. We were already doing due diligence, but we can always do better. ### END REPORT