** Now I have never been a fan of the theory of global warming, and how its all the fault of the nasty west and in particular the US because they never signed the Kyoto treaty. (Besides I am someone who has a distrust of lefty professors who possess beards and strange pebble glasses and try to force unproven theorys onto the political stage) I have always thought that it needs a lot more research and the climate has had many drastic changes in the past, and there were no Americans driving SUV's back then.
Pollution may be slowing global warming, researchers are reporting today, and a cleaner environment may soon speed it up.
Writing in the journal Nature, an international scientific team provides evidence suggesting that a reduction in haze from human causes may accelerate warming of the earth's atmosphere. The researchers said pollutants had held down the rate of global warming by absorbing and scattering sunlight.
"If people clean up the air, more warming will come blazing through," Jim Coakley, a professor of atmospheric sciences at Oregon State University in Corvallis, said yesterday in a telephone interview. Nature selected Dr. Coakley to write a commentary on the study.
The scientists, who work for government agencies in Britain and the United States, made the finding after adding satellite-based measurements of haze to computer models estimating the consequences of industrial emissions of aerosols, or airborne particles.
Haze scatters and absorbs some sunlight, keeping it from reaching the ground, and this cooling effect is stronger than many scientists had believed, the study says. The cooling offsets about one-third of the warming from the use of fossil fuels and other manmade causes, the study says.
"Consequently, continued aerosol emission controls may lead to a stronger warming than current model predictions," the researchers wrote.
Global temperatures are already about seven-tenths of a degree Fahrenheit higher than they were in the 1880's, Dr. Coakley said, and expected further warming may mean that within decades, summers will be about a month longer than they are now.
The new estimate of the cooling effect of haze is at the high end of ranges cited by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a study group created by the United Nations Environment Program and the World Meteorological Organization.
But Dr. Coakley noted that the science was still complicated and that other factors remained to be measured, including the cooling effect of sunlight reflections from water droplets associated with haze, as distinct from the haze itself. Reducing haze would eliminate the droplets and remove yet another source of cooling, he said.
"This is a brave effort," he said of the new report. "But let's see what others come up with now."
In 1995, Paul Crutzen, Mario Molina and F. Sherwood Rowland received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for explaining how the ozone shield, which screens out harmful radiation, is damaged by industrial gases.
Bits from Iraq....
Mosul media emir and administrator captured
BAGHDAD, Iraq – An Ansar al-Sunna of Mosul Media Emir and Administrator were captured by Coalition Forces during raids on suspected terrorist safe houses near Mosul.
Muhammad ‘Amir Husayn Mar’I al-Sufi, known as Abu Naba, was an Ansar al-Sunna media emir in Mosul and ‘Adnan ‘Abd-al-Wahab ‘Abdallah Mahmud al-Badrani, known as Abu Hudayfah, an Ansar al-Sunna administrator, were captured Nov. 23 and Dec. 5, 2005 respectively.
Abu Naba was responsible for disseminating propaganda - in this capacity, he produced propaganda fliers and compact disks focusing on military operations, anti-voting messages, Jihad messages and prayers.
He also facilitated videos of attacks on Iraqi and Coalition Forces to be posted to the Internet. He purchased cameras for terrorists to film violent acts including bombings, kidnappings and executions. Abu Naba helped produce the final video products and delivered the videos to other Ansar al-Sunna leaders for posting on the Internet.
Based on information Abu Naba and other detained terrorists provided to Coalition Forces, Abu Hudayfah, allegedly in charge of logistics and support for Ansar al-Sunna of Mosul was also identified and captured.
Three terrorists caught emplacing bomb
BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Three terrorists were captured as they were caught emplacing a hoax roadside bomb in east Baghdad Dec. 21.
At about 6 p.m., a patrol from 3rd Squadron, 7th Cavalry observed a civilian vehicle dropping cement blocks in the median of a major thoroughfare. The patrol intercepted the suspicious vehicle and detained three suspected terrorists.
Additional elements of 3-7 CAV secured the site surrounding the suspicious items and an explosive ordnance disposal team investigated the objects and found them to be hoax roadside bombs.
“These suspected terrorists were not placing cement blocks in the road for any other reason then to terrorize and intimidate the population. They are currently being detained at a military detention facility,” said Maj. Paul Reese, operations officer for 2nd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division.
“Anyone found guilty of emplacing a hoax roadside bomb is a terrorist – make no mistake about it; the good people of Iraq are disgusted by these types of games.”
Hoax roadside bombs are commonly used by terrorists to check how Iraqi Security and Coalition Forces will react.
Roadside bombs are a deadly threat, anyone found planting roadside bombs, either real or hoax, will be treated as a terrorist.
Iraqi citizen helps Coalition Forces
BAGHDAD, Iraq - A local national identified a home in east Baghdad that was being used as a factory to make improvised rocket-launchers.
At about 6:30 p.m. elements of 3rd squadron, 7th Cavalry, raided the home and discovered 15 rocket-launchers were in the process of being built and one 57 millimeter rocket was competed and ready to be fired. No one was present in the home at the time of the raid.
“It is encouraging that the Iraqi citizens are continuing to choose the side of the new government over the terrorists. The Iraqi citizens know that providing information against the terrorists to Coalition or Iraqi Security Forces will help to improve the security situation in their neighborhoods,” said Col. Joseph DiSalvo, commander of Coalition Forces in east Baghdad.
All equipment in the home was seized and will be used as evidence against the homeowners when they are caught. Iraqi Security Forces are continuing the search.
SECDEF visits Camp Fallujah, announces U.S. troop reductions
CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq – Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld met with Marines, Sailors, Soldiers and Airmen here today to remind them of the support they have back home. He also used the occasion to announce the U.S. government’s decision not to deploy the 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and to keep a second Army brigade in Kuwait as a “call forward” force.
The 2nd Brigade, 1st Armored Division, originally scheduled to deploy to Iraq, will remain in Kuwait to support forces in Iraq if required. Approximately 3,500 soldiers are assigned to each of these two brigades.
After conducting a brief meeting with MNF-W Commanding General Maj. Gen. Stephen T. Johnson, he addressed the crowd of approximately 500 service members.
“I wanted to be here today to personally recognize the superb job you folks are doing. It is noticed across the world. It’s appreciated and certainly I want to tell you each how grateful we are for your service, your sacrifice and for your commitment to a truly historic cause. And to tell you how grateful your country is to you and also your families and loved ones.” Rumsfeld said.
After thanking the troops for their sacrifice and dedication to the mission in Iraq, Mr. Rumsfeld took some time to personally greet service members and pose for photos before returning to Baghdad.
Joint Statement by Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad and General George Casey
December 23, 2005
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 17 brigades to 15.
We celebrate this force adjustment decision, made together by the Iraqi and United States governments, and it should be welcomed by the Iraqi people. This adjustment is an indication of the remarkable progress Iraq is making. It clearly demonstrates the dramatic increase in capabilities of the Iraqi Security Forces. This move would not have been possible without the dedication, bravery and sacrifice of your Iraqi Security Forces.
Although we are adjusting our posture, we remain committed to the establishment of a free and stable Iraq. Coalition Force advisory teams embedded with the ISF continue to work hand-in-hand in training and operations. We will remain as long as requested to do so by the Iraqi government.
The ISF today exceed 200,000, and continue to grow, improve and conduct more and more independent operations each day. They proved themselves to the Iraqi people and the world during the October referendum, and again on December 15. And now, we ask the Iraqi people to stand by them, have confidence in them and think about what they will do in the future. An Iraqi people, united behind their security forces and rejecting terror and violence will find peace and prosperity in the new Iraq.
As we said last week after the historic elections: We will stand by the Iraqi people until the Iraqis can stand on their own feet. We will work with the new Iraqi government to increase its capacity and achieve self-reliance. We will stand with our Iraqi allies in the fight for security through focused operations. We need to ensure that the Iraqi people have confidence and trust in their security institutions.
We continue to assess the security situation and conditions on the ground and will adjust the size composition of our mission and forces as necessary.
May God bless the people of Iraq.
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