Hi, all. Today's report features:
• The President at the Arizona memorial: " ... let us remember it is not because a simple lack of civility caused this tragedy -- it did not -- but rather because only a more civil and honest public discourse can help us face up to the challenges of our nation in a way that would make them proud."
• VPOTUS in Pakistan: The Vice President is in Islamabad for discussions on US-Pakistan efforts toward regional peace and stability.
• Admiral Mullen‘s national security strategy update: Focusing on the way forward in Afghanistan.
• Secretary Gates in Asia: The Defense Secretary arrives in Japan for meetings on regional security; reports the US relationship with China will move to a new level.
• Working for online security: Commerce Secretary Locke speaks at forum on trusted identities in cyberspace.
• President and Lebanese Prime Minister: The President condemned the actions of Hezbollah, which Wednesday collapsed the government of Lebanon.
• THE PRESIDENT AT THE ARIZONA MEMORIAL •
White House, Jan. 12, 2011:
President Obama: Memorial in Arizona
The President speaks at a memorial event for the victims of the tragic shooting in Arizona, "Together We Thrive: Tucson and America."
Office of the Press Secretary, Jan. 12, 2011:
Remarks by the President at a Memorial Service for the Victims of the Shooting in Tucson, Arizona
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. (Applause.) Thank you very much. Please, please be seated. (Applause.)
To the families of those we’ve lost; to all who called them friends; to the students of this university, the public servants who are gathered here, the people of Tucson and the people of Arizona: I have come here tonight as an American who, like all Americans, kneels to pray with you today and will stand by you tomorrow. (Applause.)
There is nothing I can say that will fill the sudden hole torn in your hearts. But know this: The hopes of a nation are here tonight. We mourn with you for the fallen. We join you in your grief. And we add our faith to yours that Representative Gabrielle Giffords and the other living victims of this tragedy will pull through. (Applause.)
Scripture tells us:
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.
On Saturday morning, Gabby, her staff and many of her constituents gathered outside a supermarket to exercise their right to peaceful assembly and free speech. (Applause.) They were fulfilling a central tenet of the democracy envisioned by our founders –- representatives of the people answering questions to their constituents, so as to carry their concerns back to our nation’s capital. Gabby called it "Congress on Your Corner" -– just an updated version of government of and by and for the people. (Applause.)
And that quintessentially American scene, that was the scene that was shattered by a gunman’s bullets. And the six people who lost their lives on Saturday –- they, too, represented what is best in us, what is best in America. (Applause.)
Judge John Roll served our legal system for nearly 40 years. (Applause.) A graduate of this university and a graduate of this law school -- (applause) -- Judge Roll was recommended for the federal bench by John McCain 20 years ago -- (applause) -- appointed by President George H.W. Bush and rose to become Arizona’s chief federal judge. (Applause.)
His colleagues described him as the hardest-working judge within the Ninth Circuit. He was on his way back from attending Mass, as he did every day, when he decided to stop by and say hi to his representative. John is survived by his loving wife, Maureen, his three sons and his five beautiful grandchildren. (Applause.)
George and Dorothy Morris -– "Dot" to her friends -– were high school sweethearts who got married and had two daughters. They did everything together -- traveling the open road in their RV, enjoying what their friends called a 50-year honeymoon. Saturday morning, they went by the Safeway to hear what their congresswoman had to say. When gunfire rang out, George, a former Marine, instinctively tried to shield his wife. (Applause.) Both were shot. Dot passed away.
A New Jersey native, Phyllis Schneck retired to Tucson to beat the snow. But in the summer, she would return East, where her world revolved around her three children, her seven grandchildren and 2-year-old great-granddaughter. A gifted quilter, she’d often work under a favorite tree, or sometimes she'd sew aprons with the logos of the Jets and the Giants -- (laughter) -- to give out at the church where she volunteered. A Republican, she took a liking to Gabby, and wanted to get to know her better. (Applause.)
Dorwan and Mavy Stoddard grew up in Tucson together -– about 70 years ago. They moved apart and started their own respective families. But after both were widowed they found their way back here, to, as one of Mavy’s daughters put it, "be boyfriend and girlfriend again." (Laughter.)
When they weren’t out on the road in their motor home, you could find them just up the road, helping folks in need at the Mountain Avenue Church of Christ. A retired construction worker, Dorwan spent his spare time fixing up the church along with his dog, Tux. His final act of selflessness was to dive on top of his wife, sacrificing his life for hers. (Applause.)
Everything -- everything -- Gabe Zimmerman did, he did with passion. (Applause.) But his true passion was helping people. As Gabby’s outreach director, he made the cares of thousands of her constituents his own, seeing to it that seniors got the Medicare benefits that they had earned, that veterans got the medals and the care that they deserved, that government was working for ordinary folks. He died doing what he loved -– talking with people and seeing how he could help. And Gabe is survived by his parents, Ross and Emily, his brother, Ben, and his fiancée, Kelly, who he planned to marry next year. (Applause.)
And then there is nine-year-old Christina Taylor Green. Christina was an A student; she was a dancer; she was a gymnast; she was a swimmer. She decided that she wanted to be the first woman to play in the Major Leagues, and as the only girl on her Little League team, no one put it past her. (Applause.)
She showed an appreciation for life uncommon for a girl her age. She’d remind her mother, "We are so blessed. We have the best life." And she’d pay those blessings back by participating in a charity that helped children who were less fortunate.
Our hearts are broken by their sudden passing. Our hearts are broken -– and yet, our hearts also have reason for fullness.
Our hearts are full of hope and thanks for the 13 Americans who survived the shooting, including the congresswoman many of them went to see on Saturday.
I have just come from the University Medical Center, just a mile from here, where our friend Gabby courageously fights to recover even as we speak. And I want to tell you -- her husband Mark is here and he allows me to share this with you -- right after we went to visit, a few minutes after we left her room and some of her colleagues in Congress were in the room, Gabby opened her eyes for the first time. (Applause.) Gabby opened her eyes for the first time. (Applause.)
Gabby opened her eyes. Gabby opened her eyes, so I can tell you she knows we are here. She knows we love her. And she knows that we are rooting for her through what is undoubtedly going to be a difficult journey. We are there for her. (Applause.)
Our hearts are full of thanks for that good news, and our hearts are full of gratitude for those who saved others. We are grateful to Daniel Hernandez -- (applause) -- a volunteer in Gabby’s office. (Applause.)
And, Daniel, I’m sorry, you may deny it, but we’ve decided you are a hero because -- (applause) -- you ran through the chaos to minister to your boss, and tended to her wounds and helped keep her alive. (Applause.)
We are grateful to the men who tackled the gunman as he stopped to reload. (Applause.) Right over there. (Applause.) We are grateful for petite Patricia Maisch, who wrestled away the killer’s ammunition, and undoubtedly saved some lives. (Applause.) And we are grateful for the doctors and nurses and first responders who worked wonders to heal those who’d been hurt. We are grateful to them. (Applause.)
These men and women remind us that heroism is found not only on the fields of battle. They remind us that heroism does not require special training or physical strength. Heroism is here, in the hearts of so many of our fellow citizens, all around us, just waiting to be summoned -– as it was on Saturday morning. Their actions, their selflessness poses a challenge to each of us. It raises a question of what, beyond prayers and expressions of concern, is required of us going forward. How can we honor the fallen? How can we be true to their memory?
You see, when a tragedy like this strikes, it is part of our nature to demand explanations –- to try and pose some order on the chaos and make sense out of that which seems senseless. Already we’ve seen a national conversation commence, not only about the motivations behind these killings, but about everything from the merits of gun safety laws to the adequacy of our mental health system. And much of this process, of debating what might be done to prevent such tragedies in the future, is an essential ingredient in our exercise of self-government.
But at a time when our discourse has become so sharply polarized -– at a time when we are far too eager to lay the blame for all that ails the world at the feet of those who happen to think differently than we do -– it’s important for us to pause for a moment and make sure that we’re talking with each other in a way that heals, not in a way that wounds. (Applause.)
Scripture tells us that there is evil in the world, and that terrible things happen for reasons that defy human understanding. In the words of Job, "When I looked for light, then came darkness." Bad things happen, and we have to guard against simple explanations in the aftermath.
For the truth is none of us can know exactly what triggered this vicious attack. None of us can know with any certainty what might have stopped these shots from being fired, or what thoughts lurked in the inner recesses of a violent man’s mind. Yes, we have to examine all the facts behind this tragedy. We cannot and will not be passive in the face of such violence. We should be willing to challenge old assumptions in order to lessen the prospects of such violence in the future. (Applause.) But what we cannot do is use this tragedy as one more occasion to turn on each other. (Applause.) That we cannot do. (Applause.) That we cannot do.
As we discuss these issues, let each of us do so with a good dose of humility. Rather than pointing fingers or assigning blame, let’s use this occasion to expand our moral imaginations, to listen to each other more carefully, to sharpen our instincts for empathy and remind ourselves of all the ways that our hopes and dreams are bound together. (Applause.)
After all, that’s what most of us do when we lose somebody in our family -– especially if the loss is unexpected. We’re shaken out of our routines. We’re forced to look inward. We reflect on the past: Did we spend enough time with an aging parent, we wonder. Did we express our gratitude for all the sacrifices that they made for us? Did we tell a spouse just how desperately we loved them, not just once in a while but every single day?
So sudden loss causes us to look backward -– but it also forces us to look forward; to reflect on the present and the future, on the manner in which we live our lives and nurture our relationships with those who are still with us. (Applause.)
We may ask ourselves if we’ve shown enough kindness and generosity and compassion to the people in our lives. Perhaps we question whether we're doing right by our children, or our community, whether our priorities are in order.
We recognize our own mortality, and we are reminded that in the fleeting time we have on this Earth, what matters is not wealth, or status, or power, or fame -– but rather, how well we have loved -- (applause)-- and what small part we have played in making the lives of other people better. (Applause.)
And that process -- that process of reflection, of making sure we align our values with our actions –- that, I believe, is what a tragedy like this requires.
For those who were harmed, those who were killed –- they are part of our family, an American family 300 million strong. (Applause.) We may not have known them personally, but surely we see ourselves in them. In George and Dot, in Dorwan and Mavy, we sense the abiding love we have for our own husbands, our own wives, our own life partners. Phyllis –- she’s our mom or our grandma; Gabe our brother or son. (Applause.) In Judge Roll, we recognize not only a man who prized his family and doing his job well, but also a man who embodied America’s fidelity to the law. (Applause.)
And in Gabby -- in Gabby, we see a reflection of our public-spiritedness; that desire to participate in that sometimes frustrating, sometimes contentious, but always necessary and never-ending process to form a more perfect union. (Applause.)
And in Christina -- in Christina we see all of our children. So curious, so trusting, so energetic, so full of magic. So deserving of our love. And so deserving of our good example.
If this tragedy prompts reflection and debate -- as it should -- let’s make sure it’s worthy of those we have lost. (Applause.) Let’s make sure it’s not on the usual plane of politics and point-scoring and pettiness that drifts away in the next news cycle.
The loss of these wonderful people should make every one of us strive to be better. To be better in our private lives, to be better friends and neighbors and coworkers and parents. And if, as has been discussed in recent days, their death helps usher in more civility in our public discourse, let us remember it is not because a simple lack of civility caused this tragedy -- it did not -- but rather because only a more civil and honest public discourse can help us face up to the challenges of our nation in a way that would make them proud. (Applause.)
We should be civil because we want to live up to the example of public servants like John Roll and Gabby Giffords, who knew first and foremost that we are all Americans, and that we can question each other’s ideas without questioning each other’s love of country and that our task, working together, is to constantly widen the circle of our concern so that we bequeath the American Dream to future generations. (Applause.)
They believed -- they believed, and I believe that we can be better. Those who died here, those who saved life here –- they help me believe. We may not be able to stop all evil in the world, but I know that how we treat one another, that’s entirely up to us. (Applause.)
And I believe that for all our imperfections, we are full of decency and goodness, and that the forces that divide us are not as strong as those that unite us. (Applause.)
That’s what I believe, in part because that’s what a child like Christina Taylor Green believed. (Applause.)
Imagine -- imagine for a moment, here was a young girl who was just becoming aware of our democracy; just beginning to understand the obligations of citizenship; just starting to glimpse the fact that some day she, too, might play a part in shaping her nation’s future. She had been elected to her student council. She saw public service as something exciting and hopeful. She was off to meet her congresswoman, someone she was sure was good and important and might be a role model. She saw all this through the eyes of a child, undimmed by the cynicism or vitriol that we adults all too often just take for granted.
I want to live up to her expectations. (Applause.) I want our democracy to be as good as Christina imagined it. I want America to be as good as she imagined it. (Applause.) All of us -– we should do everything we can to make sure this country lives up to our children’s expectations. (Applause.)
As has already been mentioned, Christina was given to us on September 11th, 2001, one of 50 babies born that day to be pictured in a book called "Faces of Hope." On either side of her photo in that book were simple wishes for a child’s life. "I hope you help those in need," read one. "I hope you know all the words to the National Anthem and sing it with your hand over your heart." (Applause.) "I hope you jump in rain puddles."
If there are rain puddles in Heaven, Christina is jumping in them today. (Applause.) And here on this Earth -- here on this Earth, we place our hands over our hearts, and we commit ourselves as Americans to forging a country that is forever worthy of her gentle, happy spirit.
May God bless and keep those we’ve lost in restful and eternal peace. May He love and watch over the survivors. And may He bless the United States of America. (Applause.)
• VPOTUS IN PAKISTAN •
Theexpresstribune, Jan. 12, 2011:
America is not the enemy of Islam: US Vice President Joe Biden
In Islamabad, the Vice President references the partnership the U.S. and Pakistan have forged against extreme ideologies.
Biden Focuses on Regional Peace, Stability in Pakistan Visit
By Karen Parrish, American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Jan. 12, 2011 – Vice President Joe Biden arrived in Islamabad, Pakistan, today for discussions White House officials said are focused on U.S. relations with that country and joint efforts toward regional peace and stability.
"Vice President Biden will also meet with members of Pakistan’s military leadership to discuss our shared efforts to fight terrorism and extremism," a White House official said.
Biden already has met with Pakistani President Asif ali Zardari, Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, and Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, army chief of staff, maintaining the rapid pace he set during his visit to Afghanistan over the last two days.
In a joint news conference with Biden, Gilani said Pakistan’s friendship and partnership with the United States "is based on shared values," and he added that he looks forward to a mutually beneficial relationship with the United States.
Biden said the U.S.-Pakistani relationship is vital to the interests of both countries and that he hopes to clear up misconceptions about U.S. intentions toward Pakistan.
America is not undertaking a "war on Pakistan" in fighting al-Qaida, he said, stressing that violent extremists pose a threat to both nations, noting that terrorists have found refuge in some of the most-remote parts of Pakistan.
While some critics accuse the United States of violating Pakistan's sovereignty in its pursuit of al-Qaida, Biden said, it is the extremists who violate Pakistan's sovereignty and corrupt its good name.
"Our goal is to work with your leaders and restore and strengthen sovereignty in those areas of your country where extremists have violated it," he said.
Biden said no country offers greater freedom of worship than the United States, which is home to some of the world's largest mosques.
"We are not enemies of Islam, and we embrace those who practice that great religion in our country," Biden said.
Reiterating that a close partnership is in both countries’ vital interests, Biden said he wants to dispel fears the United States ultimately would abandon Pakistan. He condemned what he called the "cold-blooded" Jan. 4 assassination of Punjab Gov. Salmaan Taseer, offering condolences on behalf of President Barack Obama and the American people.
"There is no justification for such senseless acts," Biden said. At the U.S. embassy earlier in the day, officials said, the vice president called Amna Taseer, the widow of the slain governor, to express condolences on behalf of himself, the president and the American people.
Department of Defense, Jan. 12, 2011:
VPOTUS overseas
Vice President Joe Biden met Pakistani leaders January 12 after a stop in Afghanistan to meet with U.S. troops.
• ADMIRAL MULLEN'S NATIONAL SECURIOTY STRATEGY UPDATE •
Department of State, Jan. 12, 2011:
Admiral Mike Mullen Delivers Briefing on "U.S. National Security Strategy Update"
Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff conducts foreign press center briefing on "U.S. National Security Strategy Update" at the Foreign Press Center in Washington, D.C., January 12, 2011.
Office of the Secretary of Defense Public Affairs, Jan. 12, 2011:
Mullen: Afghanistan Remains Focus of US Security Strategy
By Karen Parrish, American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON - America's national security strategy remains focused on countering terrorism in Afghanistan and the region, the nation's senior military officer said today.
"What I really want to talk about today is our way forward in Afghanistan," Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters at the Foreign Press Center here.
The recent Afghanistan-Pakistan review provided a clear picture of how well U.S. strategy in the region is working, the chairman said.
"Implementation [of the strategy], particularly on the security side, is on track," Mullen said.
In 2010, numbers of U.S. troops and civilians, allied trainers and combat forces, Afghan army and police trainees all increased, he said, while the Taliban lost momentum in parts of the south and in the east.
"I'm particularly delighted to report that the National Military Academy of Afghanistan just completed its selection process for the class of 2015," Mullen said, "accepting more than 600 cadets from a record 4,600 applicants –- all through a process that was fair, merit-based and completely transparent."
Afghan forces are joining coalition troops in "ever-more-challenging, ever-more-partnered operations that continue to weaken the insurgency," the chairman added.
Mullen told the group that a visit to Kandahar and Helmand provinces in recent weeks demonstrated to him that insurgents are being pushed from population centers and denied sanctuary while losing leaders "by the score." Afghan residents are taking back their villages, building schools and roads and harvesting alternative crops, all of which contribute to "a growing sense of safety" in those regions, he added.
The chairman admitted to some surprise at seeing increased security take root around Kandahar, where "the enemy is not accustomed to losing." He said he is confident such gains will continue "so long as coalition and Afghan forces increase their presence and their pressure on [insurgent] operations, and improve their own capacity."
Now is the time to press the advantages gained in Afghanistan and to redouble efforts there, he said.
"We know the gains we have made are tenuous and fragile, and can be lost," Mullen said. "We know the enemy is resilient. And we know that things are likely to get harder before they get any easier."
A relatively mild winter that has encouraged continued insurgent fighting will give way to spring, Mullen said, and with 100,000 more coalition and Afghan forces on the ground than last year, "we will expand our presence into areas the enemy still wishes to control."
"As difficult as it may be to accept, we must prepare ourselves for more violence and more casualties in coming months," the chairman said. "The violence will be worse in 2011 than it was in 2010 in many parts of Afghanistan. There is much, much yet to do."
Over the long term, he said, the United States and coalition nations must work to support an Afghan political process that includes reconciliation with those Taliban members who break with al-Qaida, renounce violence and accept the Afghan constitution.
With U.S. troop levels in Afghanistan set to start decreasing in July and given the goal of fully transferring security to Afghan forces by 2014, the United States must continue to build a strategic partnership with Afghanistan, the chairman said.
"Our military presence will diminish, as it should," he said. "But the partnership between our two nations will endure."
Mullen said Pakistan's role in ensuring regional security remains critical. The recent assassination of Punjab Gov. Salmaan Taseer and the departure and return of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement to Pakistan's ruling coalition government highlight some of the political challenges that country faces, he said.
"That political aspect is something I keep an eye on all the time," the chairman said.
Pakistan is crucial to eliminating terrorist safe havens in the region, he said.
"We cannot succeed in Afghanistan without that," said Mullen, noting he has had "many meetings" with Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, Pakistan's army chief of staff, on the topic.
"He has evolved his military against this threat, and this threat is evolving as well," Mullen said of Kayani's anti-terrorism strategy. "It's not just Haqqani any more, or al-Qaida, or ... the Afghan Taliban or [Lashkar-e-Tayyiba], it's all of them working together, in ways that two years ago they absolutely did not."
The reconciliation process, Mullen said, is focused on "getting to a point where Afghanistan is peaceful and stable, and can take control of its own life and move forward, in every respect."
Safe havens in Pakistan now form the epicenter of terrorism in the world, the chairman said.
"It deserves the attention of everybody to do as much as we can to eliminate that threat," Mullen said. "We cannot succeed in Afghanistan without ... shutting down those safe havens."
• SECRETARY GATES IN ASIA •
Department of Defense, Jan. 12, 2011:
Gates in Japan
Defense Secretary Robert Gates spoke about his thoughts on Japan and the U.S. issuing a Joint Vision Statement.
Gates Arrives in Japan for Military Talks
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Jan. 12, 2011 – Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates arrived in Tokyo today, the second leg of a three-country tour that started with a four-day visit to China.
Gates is scheduled to meet with Japanese Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa and other senior leaders of the Japanese government, including Prime Minister Naoto Kan.
"We will use the trip to discuss how best to address recent security developments in the region - including North Korean provocations - and to further develop our long-term agenda for strengthening and deepening the bilateral alliance," said Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell. "The visit will underscore the centrality of the U.S.-Japan relationship for addressing regional and global challenges, now and in the years to come."
Gates is scheduled to visit South Korea Jan. 14 on the last leg of his trip to East Asia.
More coverage of Gates' visit to Japan to follow.
Department of Defense, Jan. 12, 2011:
Gates Says China Relations Ready for Next Level
By Jim Garamone, American Forces Press Service
MUTIANYU, China, Jan. 12, 2011 – Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates ended his meetings in China today, saying the discussions he had with Chinese officials will take the military-to-military relationship between the two countries to the next level.
Gates ended his trip with a visit to the Great Wall. Perhaps the largest defense project in the world, the wall snakes along ridgelines north of Beijing.
In the morning, Gates visited the headquarters of the Peoples’ Liberation Army’s 2nd Artillery Corps. The corps has control of China’s nuclear weapons and the means to control them.
Gates spoke to reporters traveling with him atop the Great Wall. He praised the visit and his Chinese hosts. During his visit, he met with Chinese President Hu Jintao, Vice President Xi Jinping, Gen. Xu Caihou, the vice chairman of the Central Military Committee, National Defense Minister Gen. Liang Guanglie and Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi.
"The discussions were productive and set the stage for taking the military-to-military relationship to the next level," the secretary said.
Gates said he had "very candid" conversations with Gen. Jing Zhiyuan, commander of the 2nd Artillery Corps, and that Jing accepted his invitation to visit the U.S. Strategic Command at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., later this year.
"This is part of the step-by-step process of building this relationship," the secretary said.
Gates stressed repeatedly during his visit to Beijing that enhancing the military-to-military relationship will take time and will require commitment on both sides to maintain it regardless of which way the political winds blow.
During the discussions at the 2nd Artillery Corps, Gates said, U.S. and Chinese leaders discussed Chinese nuclear policy and its overall approach to nuclear conflict. "We talked about their no-first-use policy, about command and control and several other subjects," the secretary said. "I felt that it was a wide-ranging and a pretty open conversation."
Overall, the secretary said, he was pleased with the reception he received from Chinese officials.
"What came across to me is both the military and civilian leadership seemed determined to carry this relationship further and build upon it," he said. "Are there those who have issues with it? Possibly, but I didn’t meet them on my trip, and I’m very encouraged going forward."
• WORKING FOR ONLINE SECURITY •
Department of Commerce, Jan 10, 2011:
Forum on National Strategy for Trusted Identities in Cyberspace
U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke and White House Cybersecurity Coordinator Howard A. Schmidt (spoke at) the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research to discuss the Obama administration’s efforts to enhance online security and privacy and next steps in meeting the challenges of a growing cyber world, with local industry and academic leaders in Silicon Valley.
The public and private sectors have critical roles to play in creating a system that allows people to complete online transactions with greater confidence that their personal information is safe. Through its forthcoming National Strategy for Trusted Identities in Cyberspace (NSTIC), the administration aims to support private-sector cybersecurity innovations by focusing on establishing identity solutions and privacy-enhancing technologies that will make the online environment more secure and convenient for users and consumers. E-commerce worldwide is estimated at $10 trillion of business online annually.
This forum also featured a panel discussion moderated by Patrick Gallagher, the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology. The panelists were Dave DeWalt, CEO, McAfee, Phillip J. Bond, President & CEO, TechAmerica, Philip Kaplan, President & Founder, Blippy, and James Dempsey, Vice President for Public Policy, Center for Democracy and Technology. The forum was co-hosted by TechAmerica, TechNet, Stanford University, the Churchill Club, TRUST, and the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research (SIEPR).
Department of Commerce, Jan. 7, 2011:
Commerce Secretary Gary Locke: Remarks at Cybersecurity Event with White House Cybersecurity Coordinator Howard Schmidt, Stanford, California
(As prepared for delivery.)
I want to thank our hosts today, TechAmerica, TechNet, the Churchill Club, Stanford University, and the TRUST Center.
And I want to thank all of you for joining us this morning.
There may be some other people here, who, like me, can remember when Time’s "Man of the Year" was a personal computer, and, according to reports, most of that story was composed on a typewriter.
That was in 1982, well before terms like "cyberspace" and "virtual reality" and "social networking" would enter the popular lexicon.
There were precious few cell phones and certainly nothing called a blog. The Internet was the private preserve of the Defense Department, federal researchers and certain universities.
Fifteen years ago, we saw the dawn of the commercial Internet.
Flash forward to 2011.
Nowadays, the world does an estimated $10 trillion of business online. Nearly every transaction you can think of is being done over the Internet:
• Consumers pay their utility bills from their smart phones;
• People download movies, music and books online; and
• Companies, from the smallest local store to the largest multinational corporation, order goods, pay vendors and sell to customers via the Internet.
E-commerce sales for the third quarter of 2010 were estimated at over $41 billion; up 13.6 percent over the same period last year. And early reports indicate that the recent holiday buying season saw similar growth, with year-over-year sales up by over 13 percent.
Despite these ongoing successes, the reality is that the Internet still faces something of a "trust" issue. And it will not reach its full potential until users and consumers feel more secure than they do today when they go online.
The threats on the Internet seem to be proliferating just as fast as the opportunities. Data breaches, malware, ID theft and spam are just some of the most commonly known invasions of a user’s privacy and security. People are worried about their personal information going out, and parents are worried about unwanted explicit material coming in to their children.
And the landscape is getting more complex as dedicated hackers undertake persistent, targeted attacks and develop ever-more sophisticated frauds.
Dealing with these evolving threats has been an issue of high priority for President Obama since the earliest days of his administration. It was back in May 2009 when he said, "America’s economic prosperity in the 21st century will depend on cybersecurity."
And he went on to declare that "This cyber threat is one of the most serious economic and national security challenges we face as a nation."
To help meet these challenges, the Obama administration released a comprehensive Cyberspace Policy Review outlining a series of necessary actions by the public and private sector including: improving identity solutions, identity management services, and privacy-enhancing technologies.
This review has helped to lay the groundwork for the administration’s forthcoming National Strategy for Trusted Identities in Cyberspace.
The final version of this strategy will be signed by the president in the coming months, and Howard will be talking about this in a few minutes.
Many of you participated in the open public process to comment on the strategy and are familiar with the public draft released this past summer. And we want to thank you for your thoughts and recommendations.
The end game, of course, is to create an Identity Ecosystem where individuals and organizations can complete online transactions with greater confidence. . . putting greater trust in the online identities of each other. . . and greater trust in the infrastructure that the transactions run across.
Let’s be clear. We are not talking about a national ID card. We are not talking about a government-controlled system. What we are talking about is enhancing online security and privacy and reducing and perhaps even eliminating the need to memorize a dozen passwords, through creation and use of more trusted digital identities.
To accomplish this, industry leadership is essential. We need the private sector’s expertise and its involvement in designing, building and implementing this Identity Ecosystem.
To succeed, we will also need a National Program Office at the Department of Commerce that is focused on implementing the Trusted Identities Strategy.
The Commerce Department already has extensive experience in this realm. Last April for instance, we launched an Internet Policy Task Force to address the most pressing Internet issues of the day.
The Task Force is made up of experts from across the department – experts in trade policy, intellectual property, information policy, cybersecurity, and standards.
The Task Force is working on developing cybersecurity policy recommendations for the commercial sector, as well as policy recommendations on other critical Internet issues like privacy, copyright protection and international e-commerce.
We have reached out extensively for public comments on all of these topics. And the Task Force just last month released initial recommendations on strengthening online privacy protection.
The Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology also has significant, long-standing investments in cybersecurity R&D and in standardization programs.
All of this experience can help a new our program office be effective facilitators for both government and private sector engagement and indeed private sector leadership.
In the end, we want to:
• Build consensus on legal and policy frameworks necessary to make the Trusted Identities Strategy successful, including ways to enhance privacy, free expression and open markets;
• We want to work with industry to identify where new standards or collaborative efforts may be needed;
• Support inter-governmental collaboration; and
• Promote important pilot projects.
These are important undertakings, and today’s meeting is just one part of a much longer journey.
Of course, we all know that these pilot projects, any follow-on commercial deployments, and the emergence of an Identity Ecosystem itself will be no panacea. There is no magic bullet to solve all cybersecurity issues.
However, in this room we also know that robust identity solutions can substantially enhance the trustworthiness of online transactions. They can not only improve security, but, if done properly, can enhance privacy as well.
That’s why Howard and I, along with Pat Gallagher, director of NIST, have come to Silicon Valley to announce our plans to move our Trusted Identities Strategy forward.
And Pat’s going to be here for the rest of today to talk more about our efforts and to gather input from all of you.
The president’s goal is to enable an Identity Ecosystem where Internet users can use strong, interoperable credentials from public and private service providers to authenticate themselves online for various transactions.
But the solutions allowing us to actually achieve that goal are very likely to emanate from your firms here in the Valley.
We know that you understand the basic equation: the greater the trust, the more often people will rely on the Internet for more sophisticated applications and services.
We look forward to working with you to build that trust. Thank you.
• PRESIDENT AND LEBANESE PRIME MINISTER •
White House Blog, Jan 12, 2011:
The President Meets with Prime Minister Hariri on Stability and Justice in Lebanon
Posted by Jesse Lee
This morning the President met with Prime Minister Hariri of Lebanon. The official readout is below:
President Obama met today with Prime Minister Saad Hariri of Lebanon. The President commended the Prime Minister for his steadfast leadership and efforts to reach peace, stability, and consensus in Lebanon under difficult circumstances. The efforts by the Hizballah-led coalition to collapse the Lebanese government only demonstrate their own fear and determination to block the government’s ability to conduct its business and advance the aspirations of all of the Lebanese people. The President and Prime Minister reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening Lebanon’s sovereignty and independence, implementing all relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions, and continuing a wide-ranging and long-term partnership between the United States and Lebanon.
During their meeting, the President stressed the importance of the work of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon as a means to help end the era of political assassinations with impunity in Lebanon. The President and Prime Minister specifically discussed united efforts with France, Saudi Arabia, and other key international and regional actors to maintain calm in Lebanon and ensure that the work of the Tribunal continues unimpeded by third parties. The President and Prime Minister expressed their determination to achieve both stability and justice in Lebanon during this challenging period of government volatility, and agreed that all parties should avoid threats or actions that could cause instability.
(Photo at link.)