Tag Archives: National Security Advisor

News, Politics, Government

Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jay Carney, 4/17/2013

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By The White House

James S. Brady Press Briefing Room

12:16 P.M. EDT

MR. CARNEY: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for being here today. I know there are several matters that I'm sure you’ll be interested in discussing today, a couple of issues that are under investigation by the FBI — and I thought I would start with that and then take your questions.

As you saw from a statement from the FBI, as well as a statement from the United States Secret Service, there was a letter sent to, addressed to the President that at an offsite mail facility was noticed to have contained a suspicious substance in tests that were undertaken. The FBI has the lead in that investigation, of course, and has said in its statement that they will be conducting further tests to determine what the nature of the substance is.

Of course, there was another letter, as you know, sent — or detected by Capitol Police that was sent to a United States senator. That also has been — is a subject of the investigation by the FBI. And for more information about these matters I refer you to the FBI.

The President — I'm sure you’ll ask this — the President has, of course, been briefed on these letters. He was briefed last night and again this morning.

Secondly, there is obviously a lot of interest in the explosions in Boston, and I wanted to make clear, as you heard from the President yesterday, that our hearts and prayers go out to the victims and to their families who were injured — those who were injured as well as killed in this heinous and cowardly act. The full weight of the federal government is behind this investigation, which is being led by the FBI. And as the President said, we will find out who did this, we will find out why, and we will bring those responsible to justice.

That said, it is very important that we allow this investigation to run its full course and to ensure that we retain the integrity of that investigation. Therefore, on matters related to the investigation, I would direct you to the FBI. As you know, the FBI is giving the press briefings on the ground in Boston and I believe they will be holding another briefing today.

The President, as you know, has been briefed regularly on the incident in Boston, beginning almost immediately after it took place. This morning, the President again convened a meeting in the Oval Office with his national security team on the ongoing investigation. Participating in that briefing was the Attorney General, Eric Holder; the FBI Director, Robert Mueller; the President’s Chief of Staff, Denis McDonough; his National Security Advisor, Tom Donilon; his Homeland Security Advisor and Counterterrorism Advisor, Lisa Monaco; Deputy National Security Advisor Tony Blinken; White House Counsel Kathy Ruemmler; Deputy Chief of Staff Alyssa Mastromonaco; Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes; and the Vice

From: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/04/17/press-briefing-press-secretary-jay-carney-4172013

News, Politics, Government

Readout of the President’s Briefing on the Explosions in Boston

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By The White House

This morning the President, joined by Vice President Biden, convened a briefing in the Oval Office with his national security team on the ongoing investigation into the explosions in Boston. Participating in the briefing was Attorney General Eric Holder, FBI Director Robert Mueller, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, Chief of Staff Denis McDonough, National Security Advisor Tom Donilon, Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism Lisa Monaco, Deputy National Security Advisor Tony Blinken, White House Counsel Kathryn Ruemmler, Deputy Chief of Staff Alyssa Mastromonaco, Deputy National Security Advisor For Strategic Communications Ben Rhodes, and National Security Advisor to the Vice President Jake Sullivan.

In the briefing, which was led by Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism Lisa Monaco, the President received an update from Attorney General Holder and FBI Director Mueller on the collaborative efforts underway as part of the investigation, including the agency’s close coordination with state and local law enforcement in Boston. The President also received an update from Secretary Napolitano on coordination underway between DHS and state and local partners across the country to share information, including any additional security steps state and local law enforcement may take.

A photo of the briefing can be found HERE.

From: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/04/16/readout-president-s-briefing-explosions-boston

Articles of Interest

Congressman Challenges Colleagues To Press Obama On Benghazi

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By Congressman Steve Stockman (R-TX)

WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Stockman (R-Texas 36) released the following open letter to Congress Tuesday afternoon, encouraging members to support Congressman Frank Wolf’s bill creating a Select Committee to investigate the Obama administration’s response to the Sept. 11, 2012 killings of Americans in Benghazi, Libya.

Dear Colleague:

As a fellow member of this body, I feel that we should protect and honor the sacrifice of those who sacrifice their lives to provide us with the freedoms that make our nation great.

In that same spirit, we should investigate and seek the truth about what happened on that tragic day in Benghazi, Libya on September 11, 2012.

These four men served their nation with honor and character in the face of danger, and we likewise should honor their memory in seeking the truth about what actually took place that fateful day.

The purpose of this letter is to encourage colleagues of the House of Representatives to support Congressman Wolf’s H.Res. 36, which will create a House Select Committee on the Terrorist Attack in Benghazi.

It is essential that a full accounting of the events of September 11, 2012, be provided and that the American public be fully informed regarding this egregious terrorist attack on US diplomatic personnel and facilities.

We owe that truth to the American people and the families of the fallen.

It appears that many of the facts and details surrounding the terrorist attack which resulted in four American deaths and an undetermined number of American casualties have not yet been ascertained by previous hearings and inquiries.

Additional information is now slowly surfacing in the media, which makes a comprehensive bipartisan inquiry an imperative. Many questions have not been answered thus far.

The House Select Committee should address, at a minimum, the following questions:

1.      Why was there no military response to the events in Benghazi?

a.       Were military assets in the region available? If not, why not?

b.      If so, were they alerted?

c.       Were assets deployed to any location in preparation for a rescue or recovery attempt?

d.      Was military assistance requested by the Department of State? If so, what type?

e.       Were any US Army/Naval/USMC assets available to support the US diplomats in Benghazi during the attack?

f.        What, if any, recommendations for military action were made by DOD and the US Africa Command?

2.      What, if any, non-military assistance was provided during the attack?

3.      How many US personnel were injured in Benghazi?

4.      Why have the survivors of the attack not been questioned?

5.      Where are the survivors?

6.      Who was in the White House Situation Room (WHSR) during the entire 8-hour period of the attacks, and was a senior US military officer present?

7.      Where were Leon Panetta and General Martin Dempsey during the crisis, and what inputs and recommendations did they make?

8.      Where were Tom Donilon, the National Security Advisor, Denis McDonough, his deputy, Valerie Jarrett and John Brennan during the attacks, and what (if any) recommendations or decisions did any of them make?

9.      Why were F-16 fighter aircraft based in Aviano, Italy (less than two hours away) never considered a viable option for disruption (if not dispersal) of the attackers until “boots on the ground” (troop support–General Dempsey’s words) arrived?

10.  Were any

From: http://www.westernjournalism.com/congressman-challenges-colleagues-to-press-obama-on-benghazi/

Business, Finance, Occupation & Industry

U.S. Warning to China on Hacking Has No Teeth

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By 24/7 Wall St.

China

Filed under:

From unfair trade practices to charges of currency manipulation, the government of the People’s Republic has a long-time habit of ignoring U.S. warnings about its behavior. “Hacking” of American businesses is no exception because the Obama administration’s objections have no teeth. In other words, the hacking will continue.

Thomas Donilon, the National Security Advisor to President Obama, told a group at the Asia Society in New York that as he surveyed the relationship between the United States and China, particularly on electronic security:

From the President on down, this has become a key point of concern and discussion with China at all levels of our governments. And it will continue to be. The United States will do all it must to protect our national networks, critical infrastructure, and our valuable public and private sector property. But, specifically with respect to the issue of cyber-enabled theft, we seek three things from the Chinese side. First, we need a recognition of the urgency and scope of this problem and the risk it poses – to international trade, to the reputation of Chinese industry and to our overall relations. Second, Beijing should take serious steps to investigate and put a stop to these activities. Finally, we need China to engage with us in a constructive direct dialogue to establish acceptable norms of behavior in cyberspace.

The Chinese must have looked on in wonder that the American government said nothing about the real consequences of China‘s behavior. If the U.S. will do “all it must to protect our national networks,” what does the White House intent to do exactly?

Donilon’s admonition was tucked into the middle of a tremendously long discourse on America’s relationship with all of Asia, from North Korea to India. It was not given any special status, which means it has no particular status at all. America might as well drop all of the security measures it has against Chinese hacking and let the hackers dig right in.

Filed under: 24/7 Wall St. Wire, Politics

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Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

News, Politics, Government

Vice President Biden Announces Jake Sullivan as New National Security Advisor

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By The White House

WASHINGTON, DC – The Vice President announced today that Jake Sullivan will serve as his new National Security Advisor, starting this week. He succeeds Tony Blinken, who was appointed by the President to be his Principal Deputy National Security Advisor. Mr. Sullivan comes to the Vice President’s office from the State Department, where he served as the Director of Policy Planning and Deputy Chief of Staff to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

“Jake is the ideal person to serve as my National Security Advisor,” said Vice President Biden. “He is respected across the Administration for his intellect, his dedication to our country, and the perspective he brings to even the most complex issues. He has been part of some of the biggest foreign policy challenges our nation has faced, and he’s always handled himself with incredible skill. I’m glad to welcome Jake to my team, and I look forward to working with him.”

Mr. Sullivan joined the State Department in January 2009 as Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy. He also served as Deputy Policy Director on then-Senator Clinton’s presidential campaign, and was previously Chief Counsel to Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, his home state. Trained as a lawyer, he worked as an associate at the Minneapolis law firm of Faegre & Benson and as an adjunct professor at the University of St. Thomas Law School. Mr. Sullivan served as a clerk for Judge Guido Calabresi of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and for Justice Stephen Breyer of the U.S. Supreme Court.

Mr. Sullivan graduated from Yale College with a degree in Political Science and International Studies. He earned an M.Phil. in International Relations from Oxford on a Rhodes Scholarship, where he served as managing editor of the Oxford International Review. He earned a J.D. from Yale Law School, where he was an Articles Editor of the Yale Law Journal.

Mr. Sullivan’s formal title will be Deputy Assistant to the President and National Security Advisor to the Vice President.

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Source: FULL ARTICLE at The White House Press Office