Panetta warns Afghan gains 'fragile'

Leon Panetta, head of the Central Intelligence Agency, will replace Defense Secretary Robert Gates if confirmed.The Senate Armed Services Committee questions the defense secretary nominee Panetta, 72, refuses to say how quickly the U.S. military should withdraw from AfghanistanPanetta says any military withdrawal should be "conditions-based"Panetta addresses a range of topics, including Libya, Iraq, and Pentagon fiscal constraints

Washington (CNN) -- Defense Secretary nominee Leon Panetta asserted Thursday that the United States and its allies have made "great progress" in the nearly decade-long war in Afghanistan, but warned that recent gains are "fragile and reversible."

He refused to indicate how fast the U.S. military should start any withdrawal from Afghanistan. The rate at which troops should be withdrawn should be "conditions-based," he said.

Greater progress needs to be made, particularly in terms of Afghan self-governance, so that ultimately officials in Kabul "can take responsibility for that country," he added.

The ultimate goal in Afghanistan, he stressed, is to ensure "sufficient stability" in that country so it can never again be a safe haven for al Qaeda or other extremist elements.

Panetta, currently head of the Central Intelligence Agency, made his remarks during his Pentagon confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Obama administration officials have said U.S. troops will start withdrawing from Afghanistan in July, and that a military handover should be completed in 2014. While the war remains largely unpopular within the United States, conservative critics have complained that a firm withdrawal timeline will undermine U.S. efforts.

Aside from the war in Afghanistan, Panetta's confirmation hearing touched on a wide range of topics, including NATO's engagement in Libya, the U.S. withdrawal from Iraq, the global fight against terrorism, and Pentagon budgets in an age of fiscal austerity.

Senators from both sides of the aisle offered effusive praise for the 72-year-old nominee, who pledged to be a "tireless advocate for our troops and their families."

"This is a time of historic change," Panetta said. "We are no longer in the Cold War. This is the Blizzard War -- a blizzard of challenges that draws speed and intensity from rapidly developing technologies and the rising number of powers on the world stage."

"Despite the times we live in, there is reason to be confident," Panetta told the committee. The recent operation that killed Osama bin Ladin "has given us the greatest chance since 9/11 to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat al Qaeda permanently. We must keep up the pressure."

Panetta called the U.S. relationship with Pakistan, the site of bin Laden's hideout, "difficult" but "critical." While Pakistan has proven to be a safe haven for extremists, a positive relationship with authorities in Islamabad is vital to the mission in Afghanistan, he warned.

Close ties with Pakistan are also critical due to the necessity of securing that country's nuclear arsenal, he noted.

On Libya, Panetta expressed optimism that, if NATO operations continue, strongman Moammar Gadhafi will be forced from power.

"We have seen the regime weaken significantly. We have seen the opposition make gains," he said. "I think there are some signs that that if we continue the pressure, if we stick with it, that ultimately Gadhafi will step down."

He agreed, in response to a question from the committee's chairman, Sen. Carl Levin, D-Michigan, that the use of controversial enhanced interrogation techniques such as waterboarding during President George W. Bush's administration "crossed the line."

Panetta also warned of a "strong likelihood" that "the next Pearl Harbor could be a cyber attack."

"We are now the target of increasing attacks that go after our (computer-based) systems," he said.

Panetta, virtually certain to be confirmed, has been described as the consummate Washington insider. He took over at the CIA in February 2009, and previously served as chief of staff to President Bill Clinton between 1994 and 1997. Prior to that, the California Democrat served as director of Clinton's Office of Management and Budget, a position requiring mastery of tricky fiscal situations and an understanding of the federal government's sprawling bureaucracies.

Panetta also served in the House of Representatives from 1977 to 1993, a period in which he established deep congressional ties. His friendships and institutional knowledge of Capitol Hill, observers believe, will be critical in terms of helping to mold congressional opinion and balance Pentagon priorities against growing deficit fears.

"I am very aware that we must be highly disciplined in how we spend the taxpayer's precious resources," Panetta said Thursday. "I do not believe that we have to choose between strong fiscal discipline and strong national defense. We owe it to our citizens to provide both."

If confirmed, Panetta would replace retiring Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who has led the Pentagon since December 2006. President Barack Obama has nominated Gen. David Petraeus, currently head of the NATO International Security Assistance Force and U.S. forces in Afghanistan, to replace Panetta at the CIA.

CNN

Gains of True Finn party point to 'Euroskeptic' surge in Finland (The Christian Science Monitor)

Helsinki, Finland – Some call it a political earthquake that, in a single election, reshaped the landscape of Finland and put the European Union on notice that its days may be numbered.

A country of 5.3 million people tucked into Europe's forested northeast corner, Finland has been thought of as a well-adjusted EU member. But leaders of the insurgent True Finn party, which rocketed out of obscurity to win third place in parliamentary polls last month, say 16 years of membership in the "United States of Europe" has allowed Brussels bureaucrats to usurp Finnish sovereignty.

"Finns have been tolerant for too long, and now they've had enough," says True Finn party secretary Ossi Sandvik. "Finns don't go into the streets; they express their frustrations at the ballot box. Now the people have spoken, and changes must follow."

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The True Finns blend nationalism and social conservatism with a left-wing populism that defies easy categorization. Tea party­ers might nod approvingly at some items in the True Finn charter, which identifies Christianity as a hallmark of Fin­nish­ness and rails against free immigration, easy abortion, same-sex marriage, and the "Islamization" of Europe.

One in 5 Finnish voters backed the True Finns and their charismatic leader, Timo Soini, reacting mainly against the rising cost of bailing out crisis-hit eurozone members like Greece and Portugal. But other resentments also emerged, including some Finns' anger over the influx of outsiders under the EU's open-border system and the consequent erosion of what True Finn leaders call "Finnish values." At the very least, the True Finns, which opted to go into opposition after other major parties backed the Portugal bailout, have brought "euroskepticism" roaring into the political mainstream.

Since Finland is the only EU country that requires parliamentary approval for participation in bailouts, and any such EU decision must be unanimous, the sudden surge of the True Finns is giving EU boosters a major headache and may have thrown Finland's support for future rescue packages into doubt.

"Greece and Port­ugal have been wasteful and dishonest, and Finns resent these demands to give them more money," says Simon Elo, head of the True Finns youth movement, which has been inundated with applications to join since the election success.

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He says the party, which made opposition to the Portugal bailout the centerpiece of its campaign, expects to be proved right in the long run. "We don't want people to say, 'Finland was to blame for bringing down the euro....' Anyway, we believe the [eurozone] system will collapse by itself, and our duty is to prepare Finland for life after the euro. Eventually, we want to take Finland out of the European Union."

Finland, once one of Europe's poorest countries, has fared well since the collapse of the USSR 20 years ago freed it from the tough strictures imposed on it by Moscow after World War II. After joining the EU in 1995, Finland's exports of electronics, forest products, and high tech took off. But the global economic crisis hit hard, punishing many small industrial towns and leaving lingering unemployment that's still more than 8 percent.

"The eurozone crisis came like a wake-up call for the populist movement," says Tapani Makinen, editor of the pro-European Helsinki newsweekly Nykypaiva. "We have an export-based economy, and the euro has provided stability. But our economy is small, and it's extremely vulnerable to shocks. Many structural changes are happening as a result of the crisis; people feel that normal life is threatened, that danger is just around the corner."

While US conservatives might find common cause with the True Finns, they would recoil at demands for a stronger social safety net and government regulation to equalize incomes of rich and poor.

"People have been divided into haves and have-nots, and we are the party of the have-nots," says Mr. Sandvik. "The right to a socially just life, determined by good values, belongs to every Finn."

The recipe combining left and right agendas is shared by a few other Nordic populist movements, including the Danish People's Party, which won nearly 14 percent of the vote in 2007 elections by tapping into an anti-immigrant backlash while backing the country's generous welfare system.

But across most of the Continent, rising euroskeptic parties generally combine a xenophobic message with contempt for the welfare state. There's Geert Wilders's Party of Freedom in The Netherlands, France's surging National Front led by Marine Le Pen, and Italy's regionalist Northern League.

The True Finns say they have little interest in the wider picture, only in restoring Finland's independence. "After all, empires always end badly, as did Rome and the USSR," says Mr. Elo. "That will happen to the EU as well, because it's a misguided piece of history."

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Missing cobra gains followers, even on Twitter

NEW YORK — Like a true New Yorker, the escaped Bronx Zoo cobra appears to be angling for fame.

The missing serpent is likely younger than this one. The 20-inch female is an adolescent.

File photo by Salah Malkawi, Getty Images

The missing serpent is likely younger than this one. The 20-inch female is an adolescent.

Missing since Friday, the slippery serpent has supposedly begun posting updates on Twitter about its adventures, under the name @BronxZoosCobra.

"Enjoying a cupcake at Magnolia Bakery," the cobra allegedly tweeted Tuesday afternoon. "This is going straight to my hips. Oh wait, I don't have hips. Yesss!"

The cobra seems to have headed from the Bronx straight to Manhattan. "Leaving Wall Street," read a tweet late Monday. "These guys make my skin crawl."

Overnight, the pseudo-snake picked up more than 50,000 followers for the parody Twitter feed. That's many more than the 40,000-plus followers attracted by Dan Sinker, the Chicago journalism professor whose @MayorEmanuel Twitter posts — supposedly from Rahm Emanuel, newly elected mayor of Chicago — earned him a book deal last week.

In reality, the 20-inch, pencil-thin Egyptian cobra, which zoo officials say is female and weighs less than three ounces, is likely hiding somewhere in the zoo's Reptile House after escaping from its enclosure Friday.

The venomous cobra is an adolescent and will likely come out of hiding when she is hungry.

The runaway cobra has inspired a sketch on The Daily Show, which showed a fake snake riding cabs around New York and vomiting in Times Square, and a Top Ten list on The Late Show of "Bronx Zoo Excuses: "No 2. We sent the snake to take out Qaddafi. You'll thank us later!"

Zoo officials did not respond to a request for comment on the Twitter parody. The zoo's Reptile House remains closed until the snake re-emerges.

"Right now, it's the snake's game. At this point, it's just like fishing; you put the hook in the water and wait. Our best strategy is patience, allowing her time to come out of hiding," Bronx Zoo director Jim Breheny said in a statement. "She will likely remain in hiding and not move until she feels completely secure."

Dangerous creatures on the loose aren't unknown in New York. Coyotes have been spotted in Central Park, and in 2003 a tiger named Ming was discovered living in an apartment in Harlem, with an alligator for a roommate.

For more information about reprints & permissions, visit our FAQ's. To report corrections and clarifications, contact Standards Editor Brent Jones. For publication consideration in the newspaper, send comments to letters@usatoday.com. Include name, phone number, city and state for verification. To view our corrections, go to corrections.usatoday.com.We've updated the Conversation Guidelines. Changes include a brief review of the moderation process and an explanation on how to use the "Report Abuse" button. Read more.

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This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Missing cobra gains followers, even on Twitter

NEW YORK — Like a true New Yorker, the escaped Bronx Zoo cobra appears to be angling for fame.

The missing serpent is likely younger than this one. The 20-inch female is an adolescent.

Missing since Friday, the slippery serpent has supposedly begun posting updates on Twitter about its adventures, under the name @BronxZoosCobra.

"Enjoying a cupcake at Magnolia Bakery," the cobra allegedly tweeted Tuesday afternoon. "This is going straight to my hips. Oh wait, I don't have hips. Yesss!"

The cobra seems to have headed from the Bronx straight to Manhattan. "Leaving Wall Street," read a tweet late Monday. "These guys make my skin crawl."

Overnight, the pseudo-snake picked up more than 50,000 followers for the parody Twitter feed. That's many more than the 40,000-plus followers attracted by Dan Sinker, the Chicago journalism professor whose @MayorEmanuel Twitter posts — supposedly from Rahm Emanuel, newly elected mayor of Chicago — earned him a book deal last week.

In reality, the 20-inch, pencil-thin Egyptian cobra, which zoo officials say is female and weighs less than three ounces, is likely hiding somewhere in the zoo's Reptile House after escaping from its enclosure Friday.

The venomous cobra is an adolescent and will likely come out of hiding when she is hungry.

The runaway cobra has inspired a sketch on The Daily Show, which showed a fake snake riding cabs around New York and vomiting in Times Square, and a Top Ten list on The Late Show of "Bronx Zoo Excuses: "No 2. We sent the snake to take out Qaddafi. You'll thank us later!"

Zoo officials did not respond to a request for comment on the Twitter parody. The zoo's Reptile House remains closed until the snake re-emerges.

"Right now, it's the snake's game. At this point, it's just like fishing; you put the hook in the water and wait. Our best strategy is patience, allowing her time to come out of hiding," Bronx Zoo director Jim Breheny said in a statement. "She will likely remain in hiding and not move until she feels completely secure."

Dangerous creatures on the loose aren't unknown in New York. Coyotes have been spotted in Central Park, and in 2003 a tiger named Ming was discovered living in an apartment in Harlem, with an alligator for a roommate.

For more information about reprints & permissions, visit our FAQ's. To report corrections and clarifications, contact Standards Editor Brent Jones. For publication consideration in the newspaper, send comments to letters@usatoday.com. Include name, phone number, city and state for verification. To view our corrections, go to corrections.usatoday.com.We've updated the Conversation Guidelines. Changes include a brief review of the moderation process and an explanation on how to use the "Report Abuse" button. Read more.

USATODAY.com

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