Free Republic

REGINA — The provincial government is axing 82 agencies, boards and commissions, saying some had already completed their work and others hadn't met in years. And while some of the boards had still been operating and incurring costs, their work had become redundant, said Deputy Premier Ken Krawetz. The discontinuations will result in savings of about $500,000, said Krawetz. "It's a half a million dollars of committees that we no longer need because their functions have either been completed or their tasks are now a responsibility of someone else," he said. The announcement Wednesday isn't necessarily a symbolic gesture of...

BRUSSELS, Belgium, June 11, 2009 – With NATO defense ministers having agreed to reduce the alliance’s military presence in Kosovo from 14,000 to 10,000 troops by the year’s end, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates today urged that the reduction take place as an organized process. On the first day of an alliance defense ministers conference here, NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer announced the force reduction today, noting that Army Gen. Bantz J. Craddock, NATO’s supreme allied commander for Europe, has proposed moving toward a deterrent presence in Kosovo that will require fewer troops in the country. Gates said...

Russia and America pledge to slash nuclear stockpiles Tom Baldwin and Philip Webster Russia and America have pledged to slash their nuclear stockpiles in a groundbreaking agreement in London on the eve of the G20 summit. President Obama and President Medvedev issued a statement that promised a “fresh start” in relations that could include a legally binding arms reduction treaty by the end of the year. White House officials indicated that the number of nuclear warheads was likely to be reduced to no more than 1,500 each. It was the first time that the two leaders had met. Mr Obama...

BAGHDAD, March 8, 2009 – Two Army brigades leaving Iraq in the next six months won’t be replaced, Multinational Force Iraq officials announced today. Associated enabling forces -- such as logistics, engineers and intelligence soldiers -- will leave along with the brigades, and an Air Force F-16 squadron that recently returned to its home station also will not be replaced, officials said. The drawdown will reduce the total number of U.S. brigade combat teams in Iraq from 14 to 12. A British combat brigade also will return home without replacement. Officials said the increased level of security and stability that...

NAIROBI, Kenya – The new U.S. government abruptly reversed years of Bush administration policy Monday by calling for a legally binding international treaty to reduce mercury pollution, which a senior American diplomat called the most important chemical problem in the world today. Some 6,000 tons of mercury enter the environment each year, about a third generated by power stations and coal fires. Much settles into the oceans where it enters the food chain and is concentrated in predatory fish like tuna. Children and fetuses are particularly vulnerable to poisoning by the toxic metal, which can cause birth defects, brain damage...

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- In an idea that is more symbolism over substance, a leading Democratic Party activist says he's going to talk to Obama about adding language to the Democratic Party platform calling for the "reduction" of abortions. Yet the proposal wouldn't call for any actual bills or efforts to limit abortions. The proposed language includes no mention of the kinds of initiatives Obama has opposed -- limiting taxpayer funding of abortions, allowing parental involvement, or banning late-term abortions.

Romney to Downsize Post-Super Tuesday? ABC News' Matt Stuart Reports: Mitt Romney suggested Saturday that he might reduce his staff after Super Tuesday, saying he has "a much larger staff" than may be required "as you go on to these subsequent primaries." (...) http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2008/02/romney-to-downs.html

WASHINGTON, Jan. 27, 2008 – Plans to withdraw four Army brigade combat teams and two Marine battalions by July are “on track” as the military seeks to draw down the number of troops in Iraq as quickly as ground conditions allow, the top U.S. commander in Iraq said today. Appearing today on CNN’s “Late Edition with Wolf Blitzer,” Army Gen. David H. Petraeus said the scheduled withdrawal will reduce the number of troops at the height of the surge by one quarter, or roughly 42,500. Further reductions after July will be based on the state of Iraq’s security, he added....

WASHINGTON, Nov. 15, 2007 – Surge-supplied U.S. and Iraqi security forces have contributed to a marked decrease of insurgent-committed violence in eastern Baghdad, a senior U.S. military officer said here today. “We have been effective, and we have seen violence significantly reduced as Iraqi security forces have taken a larger role in all aspects of operations,” Army Col. Jeffrey Bannister, commander of 2nd Infantry Division’s 2nd Brigade Combat Team, told Pentagon reporters from Camp Liberty in Baghdad during a satellite-carried news conference. In addition, Bannister said, he has observed increasing harmony among Sunni and Shiite residents in his sector. During...

The Mackinac Center for Public Policy has regularly recommended specific state spending reductions to balance the state’s budget and improve Michigan’s public policy. The following list shows how the state could reduce spending immediately to help balance the state budget if policymakers chose to forgo the projected $1.358 billion in fiscal 2008 revenue from the recent state income tax hike and the new sales tax on certain services.

SACRAMENTO -- The skids seemed greased for one of environmentalists' top priorities this year: legislation forcing the construction industry to reduce pollution, which enjoyed strong support among environment-friendly Democrats. But the measure died suddenly last week when another frequent ally -- labor unions -- weighed in against it. The bill would have required construction firms bidding for certain public contracts to retrofit pollution-spewing diesel equipment. Unions, which spend millions on Democratic campaigns ... said they feared the regulations would make construction work too costly and result in lost jobs. The Democrats, who dominate the Legislature, need labor's help on an...

WASHINGTON, Feb. 21, 2007 – British forces will begin to withdraw from Iraq, particularly in the southern city of Basra, where Iraqi security forces have taken primary responsibility for operations, British Prime Minister Tony Blair announced today. In an address to the House of Commons, Blair said that 1,600 British troops will come out of Iraq “in the coming months,” as Iraqi security forces take on more responsibility. The United Kingdom’s combat capability in Iraq will not be diminished, he said, and the remaining British forces will focus on training Iraqi forces and securing the Iranian border and supply...

BASRA, Iraq, Jan. 19, 2007 – Positive developments in southeastern Iraq may enable British leaders to reduce their troop strength in that region, a spokesman for Multinational Division Southeast said here today. “Our political leaders are saying that if the conditions here continue to improve, we will have a reduction in force in the spring,” said British army Maj. Chris Ormond-King. British officials were among the coalition military leaders who briefed Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates here today. Army Gen. George W. Casey Jr., commander of Multinational Force Iraq, met the secretary at the airport here, and British army...

WASHINGTON, March 16, 2006 – The U.S. government has announced plans to remove its forces from Naval Air Station Keflavik, in Iceland, this fall, but reaffirmed its ongoing commitment to the island nation's security. U.S. Ambassador Carol van Voorst and U.S. Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns notified Icelandic Prime Minister Halldor Asgrimsson and Foreign Minister Geir H. Haarde of the decision yesterday, Terry Davidson, a State Department spokesman, confirmed. The State Department officials assured the Icelandic leaders the United States will continue to honor its agreement to provide Iceland's defense under the auspices of NATO and will work with the...

WASHINGTON, Feb. 2, 2006 – Some Beltway pundits have opined that U.S. force levels in Iraq could fall to 100,000 by the end of this year, but the Defense Department's top official said he won't play the speculation game. The Iraqi security forces, now at about 227,000 soldiers and police, are "doing a good job," Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld told attendees at the National Press Club here today. "They're increasingly experienced. They're increasingly well-equipped," Rumsfeld said, noting U.S. military members are embedded in Iraqi units to provide mentoring, if needed. "We have near instantaneous visibility into what their weaknesses...

FORT BELVOIR, Va., Jan. 26, 2006 – The agency charged with reducing threats against American forces celebrated the opening of its new headquarters building, the Defense Threat Reduction Center, here today. The new center consolidates five separate locations and more than 1,400 people assigned to the Defense Threat Reduction Agency in the Washington metropolitan area into a single, secure facility. James A. Tegnelia, agency director and host of the ceremony, introduced Marine Gen. James E. Cartwright, chief of U.S. Strategic Command, as "part-owner" of the facility in his position as the operational commander responsible for combating weapons of mass destruction....

WASHINGTON, Dec. 23, 2005 – The U.S. ambassador to Iraq and the commander of coalition forces there issued a joint statement in the wake of today's announcement of a reduction in U.S. forces in Iraq. Zalmay Khalilzad and Army Gen. George W. Casey Jr. issued the following statement: In a move we regard as a demonstration of the real progress in Iraq, the Iraqi Prime Minister, the Minister of Defense, the Minister of the Interior, the U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld today announced a reduction of U.S. forces by two brigades. That will bring down the total level from...

BAGHDAD, Dec. 23, 2005 – Two U.S. brigades will not deploy to Iraq as originally planned, the commander of coalition forces in Iraq said here today. Army Gen. George W. Casey Jr., commander of Multinational Force Iraq, said President Bush has accepted his recommendation that the number of American forces in Iraq drop over the coming months. Progress with the Iraqi security forces means the number of American brigades in Iraq can drop from 17 to 15. The 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, will remain at Fort Riley, Kan., and the 2nd Brigade, 1st Armored Division, will deploy to Kuwait...

CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq, Dec. 23, 2005 – The United States will have two fewer brigades in Iraq in 2006, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said here today. Rumsfeld announced before a cheering group of Marines that the United States will drop from 17 to 15 brigades in the coming year. The change will drop the number of Americans in the country under the 138,000-level baseline, officials said. The decision reflects the proper balance between coalition and Iraqi forces, the secretary said. The coalition footprint must be large enough to help maintain security and allow the Iraq forces to train up,...

CAMP VICTORY, Iraq, Dec. 22, 2005 – Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld hinted at an announcement on troops levels in Iraq during a flight here today. The secretary said there has not been an official U.S. government announcement, but said one will be forthcoming soon. "It's possibly the worst-kept secret in Baghdad," said a senior defense official. News reports have said that there will be a two-brigade cut in the number of troops needed in Iraq. Senior defense officials said the increasing size and capabilities of Iraqi forces are primarily responsible for the possible cut. Iraqi soldiers and police handled...

WASHINGTON, Dec. 9, 2005 – The United States expects to reduce its troop numbers in Iraq by more than 17,000 following the Dec. 15 national elections, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said Dec. 8. Rumsfeld, speaking on PBS' "News Hour With Jim Lehrer," said he expects to reduce the force, which surged to about 155,000 to ensure adequate security for the elections, to the previous baseline of 137,000 or 138,000. "I'm sure of that," he said, noting that violence is expected to drop following the upcoming election, as it did following the Oct. 15 referendum on the constitution and the...

MCRD/ ERR PARRIS ISLAND, SC (March 4, 2005) -- As the children were dropped off at the All-Weather Training Facility to begin their training endeavors as Young Marine recruits, volunteer "drill instructors" stood waiting to train them. "That initial shock from the drill instructors is what is going to make them believe they are actually going through recruit training," said Gunnery Sgt. Joseph Curran, the Parris Island Young Marines Program volunteer coordinator. Similar to Marine recruit training, the children will be referred to as recruits until the day they graduate and complete the training. The young recruits met Saturday from...

Until the 18th century, there was basically only one kind of Judaism, that which is now called Orthodox. It meant living by the religion's 613 laws, and doing so suffused Jews' lives with their faith. Then, starting with the thinker Baruch Spinoza (1632-77) and moving briskly during the Haskala, or "enlightenment," from the late 18th century, Jews developed a wide variety of alternate interpretations of their religion, most of which diminished the role of faith in their lives and led to a concomitant reduction in Jewish affiliation.These alternatives and other developments, in particular the Holocaust, caused the ranks of the...

Readiness measures the ability of a military unit.to accomplish its assigned missions. Logistics, available spare parts, training, equipment, and morale all contribute to readiness. The Facts About Readiness. In the early 1990s, the Bush Administration began to reduce the size of the U.S. military so that it would be consistent with post-Cold War threats. Under the Clinton Administration, however, these reductions in forces escalated rapidly, with too little defense spending, while U.S. forces were deployed more often. Because the security of the United States is at stake, it is imperative to present the facts about military readiness: T #1. The...

ELLSWORTH — The bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland has a proposal to address the shortage of priests that could bring about the reduction of Maine’s 135 parishes to 35. Around the state, the change could mean longer commutes for priests and parishioners to attend Mass. How the proposal would affect the parishes and satellite worship sites in Hancock County is unknown. “They’re talking about merging smaller parishes together into larger canonical parishes,” said Diocese Communications Director Sue Bernard. “We’re looking at how the church can best do its mission over five to 10 years,” Bernard said. “What...

Scientists agree that coral reefs are in an alarming global state of decline. However, determining the main cause or causes of this decline has proven a much more contentious issue. In the current edition of the Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology (JEMBE), Harbor Branch marine scientist Dr.Brian Lapointe and colleagues present new evidence they hope will help settle one major debate: whether pollution or overfishing is the main cause of the coral-smothering spread of seaweed on many reefs. The research suggests that pollution from such sources as sewage and agricultural runoff is the main culprit, a conclusion that...

<p>ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Eastman Kodak Co., struggling to find its footing in new digital photography markets as its signature film business fades, said today it will cut 12,000 to 15,000 jobs, or up to 23 percent of its global work force, over the next three years.</p>

Regulations Cut U.S. Carbon Monoxide Emissions WASHINGTON, DC, April 25, 2003 (ENS) - The U.S. regulation of carbon monoxide is "one of the great success stories in air pollution control," an independent panel of scientists reported this week. According to the National Academy of Sciences committee, tighter vehicle emissions standards and federal air quality standards have combined to dramatically lower levels of the colorless, odorless but potentially deadly gas across much of the United States. The panel found that there are a few areas in the Western United States still susceptible to accumulating high levels of the pollutant, but...

caption in black: U.S. News, "DoD confirmed". reduction of Army, defense with precision weapon using Navy/Air Force. caption in blue: American troop withdrawal, reduction seriously considered Rethinking South Korea's defense: The Bush administration may reduce the number of U.S. troops in South Korea BY MARK MAZZETTI Even as it is locked in an uneasy standoff over nuclear weapons with North Korea, the Bush administration is weighing whether to make a fundamental shift in both the U.S. military's peacetime presence in South Korea and its plans for war should North Korea attack across the 38th parallel, U.S. News has learned. The...

Press and Policy > Events and Speeches Address to the Commonwealth on Additional Budget Reductions (Oct. 15, 2002) View Summary Report on Budget Reductions (pdf, 208 Kb) View archived Webcast of this speech Speech sections: IntroductionBudget IntroductionEarly Budget CutsMore Reductions NeededDecisions on Spending Cuts Start at the TopImprove EfficiencyPreserving Services to PeopleEffect on Vital ServicesMore Targeted ReductionsConclusion Introduction    back to top Good Evening.Before I begin my remarks about our budget, I must address a more immediate reality. For the past thirteen days, the series of random sniper attacks in and around Virginia has made us all concerned about...