West warned over Afghan failure


Jaap de Hoop Scheffer on 4 Feb 08
Mr de Hoop Scheffer says Nato's Afghan mission is one of necessity

Nato chief's warning
Nato Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer has said the failure of Nato's mission in Afghanistan could result in terror attacks in Western countries.

The alliance's mission in Afghanistan is not failing, but big challenges remain, Mr de Hoop Scheffer added.

He was speaking ahead of a Nato defence ministers' meeting in Lithuania.

His warning was echoed by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who is visiting Afghanistan with UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband.


If terrorism is not dealt with in Afghanistan, the consequences will be felt not just in Afghanistan and the region, but also in London, Brussels and Amsterdam
Jaap de Hoop Scheffer
Nato Secretary General

Q&A: Isaf troops
World effort under threat
UK-Afghan ties hit a low

On the unannounced visit, Ms Rice told frontline troops in Kandahar that "winning here in Afghanistan so that there can not be the attacks against our cities and against our people that originated here - that's the core of the modern fight".

The visit comes amid tensions over the Nato mission in Afghanistan.

The US and UK have been urging other countries to share more of the combat burden in the south of the country.



Relations between the Afghan government and the Nato allies operating there were strained by President Hamid Karzai's assertion that despite British efforts, the situation had worsened in southern Helmand province where most UK forces are based, says the BBC's Alastair Leithead in Kabul.

President Karzai also blocked the appointment of the UK's Paddy Ashdown as a UN envoy.

Meanwhile, a string of studies has warned that Afghanistan risks becoming a failed state without more effective action.

'No choice'

Mr de Hoop Scheffer said he would be spelling out to the Nato ministers that member nations had to do more to train and equip the Afghan army.

Bar chart showing numbers of principal ISAF troop contributors in Afghanistan

The challenges that remain include the adequate training and equipping of the Afghan national army, but Nato's mission in the country was one of necessity, not choice, he added.

"This is the front line in the fight against terrorism, and what is happening in the Hindu Kush matters, because if terrorism is not dealt with in Afghanistan, the consequences will be felt not just in Afghanistan and the region, but also in London, Brussels and Amsterdam," he told the BBC.

It is unlikely, however, that more combat troops will be offered at the two-day Lithuanian meeting, although officials are hoping it will pave the way for further contributions to be made at Nato's summit in Bucharest in April, says the BBC's Caroline Wyatt in Vilnius.

The squabbling of recent days has again highlighted divisions within Nato over burden-sharing in Afghanistan, our correspondent adds.

'Two-tier alliance'

Ms Rice and Mr Miliband arrived in the Afghan capital, Kabul, on Thursday after visiting troops from a number of different nations fighting in Nato's International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) in Kandahar earlier in the day.

On Wednesday, Ms Rice and Mr Miliband held talks in London, where they discussed ways of getting Nato allies to share the burden of the fighting in the country's south.

HAVE YOUR SAY

The faster we send more troops to clear this mess up, the faster a tactical withdrawal can take place

Ben Lowen, Halifax, UK
Send us your comments

Earlier, US Defence Secretary Robert Gates said Nato's future was at risk due to the refusal of some members to participate to the alliance's mission.

Mr Gates said that without more, the willingness of those engaged in combat would disappear and Nato might become a "two-tier alliance".

However, he said he would be spelling out to Nato defence ministers in Vilnius that member nations must do more to train and equip the Afghan army.

On Tuesday, a London-based think-tank, the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), warned that Afghanistan faced becoming a "failed state" if operations by Nato were unsuccessful.

The IISS report echoed the tone of a number of other studies in the last week, including one from the influential US-based Afghanistan Study Group.

Rift

Most of the fighting in the volatile southern provinces is being done by troops from the US, UK, Canada and the Netherlands.

Canada has added to the pressure by threatening to remove its forces from Kandahar next year, unless other countries come up with more troops.

Last week, the US government sent letters to European states pressing them to send troops to southern Afghanistan.

Mr Gates reluctantly agreed recently to send an extra 3,200 US marines to the country, having previously suggested the extra troops should be provided by other countries.

All 26 Nato members have contributed troops to the International Security Assistance Force (Isaf), but many US allies, including Germany, France, Spain, Turkey and Italy, have refused to send significant numbers of combat forces to the south.

The decision has created a rift between them and the US, UK, Canada, the Netherlands, Denmark and Romania, whose troops have borne the brunt of the counter-insurgency fight in recent years.

ISAF REGIONAL COMMANDS AND RECONSTRUCTION TEAMS

Map showing command centres and lead nations in reconstruction areas in Afghanistan
Countries contributing more than 1,000 troops (6 February 2008):
Australia - 1,070
Canada 2,500
France 1,515
Germany - 3,210
Italy - 2,880

Netherlands - 1,650
Poland - 1,100
UK - 7,800
US - 15,000
Figures approximate
Source: ISAF

Back to India one more time.


A journal of India, starting NOW!
A collection of posts by IndiaMike.com member Wazen that serve as a good introduction of traveling in India for newbies.There is a number of pages to this post. So relax, grab a cuppa of coffee or tea and read

IndiaMike is the forum that answered all my numerous questions about traveling to India. It is a must for the newbie or seasoned India traveler. The amount and quality of information is staggering. Find all the answers. The store has great shirts. Note: I am not affiliated with IndiaMike but I visit it everyday to stay current on India.

Virgin will use biodiesel in test flight
Posted by Xeni Jardin, February 4, 2008 10:59 PM
A Virgin Atlantic Boeing 747-400 will become the first commercial aircraft to fly on biofuel, later this month, in an historic flight from London to Amsterdam.

Although no passengers will be on board, the contents of the plane's gas tank will have everyone in the airline industry watching. (...) Airline industry officials, environmentalists and energy companies all have a huge interest in the future of air travel as it pertains to fuel consumption, carbon emissions and global warming.

From the business perspective, the airlines are under great financial pressure because of soaring fuel costs; the price of crude oil is consistently flirting with $100 per barrel. On the environmental side of things, aircraft represent up to 12 percent of greenhouse gas emissions produced by the U.S. transportation sector, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

Additionally, according to the Federal Aviation Administration, greenhouse gas emissions from domestic aircraft are expected to increase 60 percent by 2025. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change estimates that increases in air transportation over the next 50 years will result in a threefold increase in aircraft CO{-2} emissions and a 13 percent increase in ozone.

And another view of same subject

A Virgin Atlantic Boeing 747-400 will make a historic flight later this month from London's Heathrow Airport to Amsterdam.

Although no passengers will be on board, the contents of the plane's fuel tanks will have everyone in the airline industry watching.

The trip will be the first time a commercial aircraft has flown on biofuel.

Airline industry officials, environmentalists and energy companies all have a huge interest in the future of air travel as it pertains to fuel consumption, carbon emissions and global warming.

From the business perspective, the airlines are under great financial pressure because of soaring fuel costs; the price of crude oil is consistently flirting with $100 per barrel. On the environmental side of things, aircraft represent up to 12 percent of greenhouse gas emissions produced by the U.S. transportation sector, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

Additionally, according to the Federal Aviation Administration, greenhouse gas emissions from domestic aircraft are expected to increase 60 percent by 2025. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change estimates that increases in air transportation over the next 50 years will result in a threefold increase in aircraft CO{-2} emissions and a 13 percent increase in ozone.

Environmental advocates say that the Virgin test flight has the potential to be a crucial benchmark in the industry's efforts to develop a biofuel that would help eliminate the industry's dependence on jet fuel and help reduce global carbon emissions.

Sir Richard Branson, the charismatic founder of Virgin Atlantic who also pioneered the discount carrier Virgin America based in Burlingame, announced the biofuel experiment in 2007, and analysts said it could be feasible by the end of 2008. Virgin said last week it is about 10 months ahead of the anticipated date.

"This breakthrough will help Virgin Atlantic fly its planes using clean fuel sooner than expected," Branson said in a statement. "The demonstration flight will give us crucial knowledge that we can use to dramatically reduce our carbon footprint."

To get it done, Virgin Atlantic is teaming with Boeing and GE Aviation, maker of the engines that power the airplane. The airline said the GE Aviation CF6 engines used during the flight will not require modifications to burn biofuel, nor will the biofuel have negative effects on the engines.

The fuel used in the flight will be a blend of 80 percent conventional jet fuel, which is essentially kerosene, and 20 percent biofuel. Although the exact type of biofuel to be used has not been disclosed, the airline said it is a form that does not compete with food and freshwater resources.

Branson did note that Virgin Atlantic's British parent company, Virgin Group, pledged to invest all profits from its transportation companies toward developing clean energy, "and with this breakthrough, we are well down the path to achieving our goals."

Jet aircraft use a petroleum-based fuel generally referred to as Jet A or Jet A-1. For the sake of safety, commercial jet fuel must meet technical and operational specifications.

In the United States, all aircraft engines must be certified by the Federal Aviation Administration for use, and FAA approval is specific to the fuel that is used with each particular aircraft engine and engine type. So, as it stands, no other type of fuel can currently be used in America, according to the Air Transport Association, the trade association for the nation's major airlines.

In other words, it will be years before alternative fuels can replace commercial jet fuel.

"There will be extensive testing before this reaches the commercial market," said former industry executive Henry Harteveldt, an airline industry analyst with Forrester Research in San Francisco.

Harteveldt added that, despite the fact that Virgin Atlantic, Boeing and GE "have lent a lot of credibility" to the matter, there is some cynicism afoot. "People are saying, 'How real is this?' "

In September, Boeing, Air New Zealand and Rolls-Royce announced an agreement to conduct a biofuel demonstration flight in the second half of 2008. That flight, too, will be of a Boeing 747-400 equipped with Rolls-Royce engines.

The search for an alternative to present-day jet fuel extends beyond the commercial airline industry.

On Dec. 17, the 104th anniversary of the Wright Brothers' first powered flight, the Air Force said it flew an aircraft for the first time ever coast to coast using a synthetic fuel blend.

A C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft took off from McChord Air Force Base in Washington State, with its four Pratt and Whitney F117-100 turbofan engines burning a mix of 50 percent traditional jet propulsion-8 aviation fuel and 50 percent Fischer-Tropsch Kerosene, a synthetic aviation fuel derived from natural gas. It is produced in a process called the Fischer-Tropsch method, which is named after the German chemists who invented it in the 1920s, Franz Fischer and Hans Tropsch.

Hours later, the aircraft touched down at McGuire Air Force Base in New Jersey. Officials said the flight was without incident.

Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne said, "I have established the goal of having the entire (Air Force) fleet certified to fly on a synthetic fuel blend by about 2011."

That would go a long way toward reducing U.S. dependence on foreign sources of energy, Wynne said, because the conversion process can convert many types of carbon-based materials, such as coal, of which the United States has an abundant supply, to synthetic aviation fuel.

Environmentalists object to that idea, said Deron Lovaas, transportation analyst with the Natural Resources Defense Council in Washington, D.C., because "it is the path of least resistance to make synthetic fuel from other fossil fuels."

Lovaas and others argue that liquid coal - coal that has been converted to liquid fuel - releases almost double the global warming emissions per gallon as regular gasoline. The preferred path is toward something sustainable, he said.

Lovaas said of the Virgin Atlantic test, "Here we are with this futuristic experiment with a source of biofuel. What Branson and the others are doing deserve our praise."

Meanwhile, California Attorney General Jerry Brown, four other states and three environmental groups filed petitions in December with the Environmental Protection Agency saying it should curb carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases emitted from airplanes, arguing it has a mandate under the Clean Air Act to set emission standards for aircraft.

"Global warming is such a big challenge that wherever we can reduce greenhouse gases, we must do so. The EPA has abdicated its responsibility in this area for years, and it won't do its job until it's legally required to do so," Brown said.

The agency has 180 days in which to respond to the petitions, dated Dec. 5.

Today we are looking a often overlooked problem WATER. Our supply is running out,Corbin Harney,Western Shoshone Spiritual Leader, who recently passed July 10th, 2007 said they day would come that water would not look or taste like water. That Time is coming, please View the National Geographic Society Flash Slide show (you need to click the arrow(>) ,at the top of the page. Get there by clicking here.

This will take you to a different page and you will need to use your Back Button to return to this blog.



One of the simplest ways to save water is to pay attention to how much you use. In one study, college students dribbled away 11 percent less when their dorm rooms were fitted with water monitors. Conventional water meters can be hard to read. One system, available soon, tracks water and energy use and displays gallons and dollars spent on a screen. A few simple lifestyle changes can drop consumption numbers. Turning off the tap while brushing teeth can save 50 gallons a week. A low-flow showerhead can reduce the annual shower budget by 2,600 gallons or more. Deeper savings might require higher technology:

In the tank
Dual-flush toilets let users opt for a full flush (1.6 gallons) or a half: Touch a button to choose. Household savings can top 10,500 gallons a year.

Water recycling
Gray-water plumbing systems treat wastewater from sinks and showers and route it back to flush toilets.

Launder with less
Front-loading washing machines only fill partway with water, drawing about 15 gallons less each use than top loaders.

Keep off the grass
Watering accounts for 30 percent of suburban family water use. Drip irrigators need half the water sprinklers do. Collect rainwater to water plants.

Beware of your use of water, conserve, so that our future generations will also have clean,pure water to use.