Gates backs continued funding for U.S. military operation in Libya

Outgoing Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Thursday it would be a mistake for Congress to cut funding for U.S. military operations in Libya.

"I think, once we have our forces engaged, to deny them funding would be a mistake," Gates told PBS News. U.S. allies -- particularly the British, the French and the Italians -- consider Libya a vital interest, and "our alliance with them is a vital interest for us," he said, citing their efforts in Afghanistan.

Progress has been made toward the U.S. goal of ousting Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi from power, Gates said. "Based on everything we see, the government gets shakier by the day. His forces have been significantly diminished. The opposition is expanding the areas under their control."

But, he acknowledged, "I don't think anybody can predict when he will and/or leave."

Gates was appointed to the job 4-1/2 years ago by President George W. Bush, and continued to serve in the role under President Barack Obama. He is slated to retire June 30.

But Congress has expressed impatience with the pace of the NATO military effort, which got under way three months ago to protect peaceful anti-government demonstrators in Libya. Republicans have accused Obama of having violated the War Powers Act by not having sought congressional authorization for the military intervention within 60 days -- a deadline that has passed.

Obama said last week that he did not believe he needed the approval because the U.S. military role is limited. But that didn't placate some House Republicans.

"I believe -- and I think most of my colleagues believe -- that the president has failed to make his case as to why we have engaged in Libya," House Speaker John Boehner told reporters Thursday. "I think the strategy was flawed from the beginning. As I said then, I understand the humanitarian mission, but the idea that the rest of the strategy was to hope that Gadhafi would leave begged the question of well how long are we going to be there?"

But, the Ohio Republican added, "I don't want to do anything that would undermine NATO or to send the signal to our allies around the world that we are not going to be engaged. This is primarily a fight between the Congress and the president over his unwillingness to consult with us before making this decision."

During a trip to Jamaica on Wednesday, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton dismissed fears of a quagmire and said the mission should not be abandoned now.

Clinton said the Libyan opposition has made "very clear progress" in its political organization, as well as in its fight against forces loyal to Gadhafi.

"But the bottom line is, whose side are you on?" she said to reporters. "Are you on Gadhafi's side or are you on the side of the aspirations of the Libyan people and the international coalition that has been created to support them?"

"For the Obama administration, the answer to that question is very easy."

Boehner said Wednesday that the GOP-controlled House will not back a resolution sponsored by Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, expressing congressional support for limited American involvement in the NATO-led military campaign in Libya.

McCain's resolution, introduced Tuesday with Sen. John Kerry, D-Massachusetts, authorizes the commitment of U.S. forces for a year, while stressing the lack of support for any use of American ground troops.

McCain, the GOP's 2008 presidential nominee and a decorated veteran of the Vietnam War, said he believes Obama "did the right thing by intervening (in Libya) to stop a looming humanitarian disaster."

House leaders are preparing to hold a vote on the McCain-Kerry measure, but are also considering another resolution that would strictly limit U.S. involvement in Libya to a noncombat role.

Clinton testified Thursday on the matter in private session before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Top Obama economic adviser to leave

Austan Goolsbee, a longtime adviser to President Barack Obama, will resign his post as the chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers this summer to return to teaching at the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business, the White House announced Monday.

Obama called him "one of America's great economic thinkers."

Goolsbee has been the face of the White House on economic news, and is a regular every first Friday of the month explaining the administration's take on the latest jobless numbers.

He brought a mix of levity and a teacher's sensibility to the job, using the White House blog, Facebook or YouTube to illustrate tax cuts, trade, or the auto industry resurgence on a dry-erase board with a dry wit and a gravel voice. He has been at Obama's side for years. He advised Obama during his 2004 Senate race and was senior economic policy adviser during the 2008 presidential campaign and has served on the three-member economic council since the start of the administration.

"Since I first ran for the U.S. Senate, Austan has been a close friend and one of my most trusted advisers," Obama said. "Over the past several years, he has helped steer our country out of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, and although there is still much work ahead, his insights and counsel have helped lead us toward an economy that is growing and creating millions of jobs."

Goolsbee took over last September as council chairman, replacing Christina Romer, who left to return to a teaching position at the University of California, Berkley.

He had taught at the University of Chicago for 14 years. His university biography once described him as "insanely committed to his work," noting that Goolsbee was seen in the classroom, wearing a tuxedo, on the day of his wedding.

Japan's Envoy: ASEAN is Our True Friend

Disaster management efforts will enhance the level of cooperation between ASEAN and Japan

"A friend in need is a friend indeed," said Ambassador Takio Yamada as he described the massive supports and encouragement from the people and the governments of ASEAN to their fellows in Japan in the aftermath of the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami.

Police to Intensify Firearm Raids

“In the near future there will surely be firearm raids for civilians”

 Firearm use by civilians is now flaring up. The police plan to set up firearm raids.

National Police (Polri) HQ Public Relations Head Ins. Gen. Anton Bachrul Alam said that the incidents in Palu and Bekasi were due to the course of wide-spreading firearms amid the public. “In the near future there will surely be firearm raids for civilians,” said Anton at Polri HQ, Jakarta, on Wednesday.

The raids, said Anton, are aimed to minimize the crime of shooting at police officers, so that they feel safe in doing their job. The raids will be conducted in areas that are prone to violence and crime.

As regards the technicalities in the raids, Anton did not explain in details. “It will be developed according to certain circumstances,” he said.

Earlier, there were two shootings at police officers by unknown culprits. The first incident that took place recently was in Palu. Two police officers died in the scene when four unidentified people fired at them, Wednesday, May 25, 2011 in front of Bank Central Asia building, Jalan Emi Saelan, Palu. Another officer, Second Police Brigadier Dedy Edwar, was severely injured.

Then Bekasi Municipal Police officers Adj. Second Inspector Sugiyantoro died during gun shots against alleged robbers while he was on duty patrol on Jalan Raya Mess AL, Raden village, Jatiranggon, Jatisampurna, Bekasi, June 1.

Headlines Central Bank Doubts over Govt's Target

If the growth is forced, inflation would go up faster

Bank Indonesia deemed the targeted economic growth for 2012 of between 6.5 and 6.9 percent is difficult to achieve. This is because the economic supply has been maximum.

“It doesn’t mean that BI is more pessimistic than the government. It's just that the perspective is different,” said BI Governor Darmin Nasution on Wednesday, June 1.

He explained that the superlative economic supply caused investment apart from infrastructure difficult to raise the growth. The growth can only be pushed by investment in infrastructure, other factors come next.

“That's the difference. BI sees that the capacity has been used up, so it’s not easy to raise the growth by the remaining capacity,” he went on.

BI warned that if there is no significant infrastructural development, high economic growth would be difficult to reach. Growth can be achieved only at a small scale. If the growth is forced, inflation would go up faster.

However, Darmin emphasized that infrastructure cannot be engaged in briefly. “Infrastructure cannot be realized within a year. It takes time to rearrange it,” said Darmin.

When asked what the government must do to meet its economic growth target, Darmin is of the opinion that breakthroughs in the middle of this year are necessary. The government can fix the strategic infrastructure such as smoothen the transportation to Tanjung Priok and Tanjung Perak harbors. “Those can still be done,” he said.

It is estimated that Indonesia will obtain investment grade from the world rating institution, which will attract investors.