NATO forces seen casting Afghan night raid net too wide

By Sanjeev Miglani

KABUL (Reuters) - Foreign forces fighting in Afghanistan have become more accurate in night-time raids on homes, but they have stepped up the number and scope of the controversial operations so they affect more Afghan civilians, a report said on Monday.

NATO-led troops have improved the way they chose targets for raids and say they get their right people now in four out of five missions, but have also widened the pool, the report by the Open Society Foundations and The Liaison Office said.

Afghans with loose connections to insurgents appear to have become objectives -- including those who provide food and shelter, sometimes under duress -- rather than active fighters or commanders within the insurgent groups.

There are also large-scale operations that target many homes or even whole villages, with dozens of men or boys detained for hours or even days. Although not all are designated night raids by the military, their timing means they are often seen as such.

The wider targeting and large-scale detentions may both be in violation of international law, the report warned.

"Although intelligence improvements have reduced the number of night raids that targeted civilians by mistake, the increased number and scope of night raids put many more civilians at risk than past intelligence flaws ever did," the report said.

"Current patterns of detention suggest many night raids may be heavily (if not primarily) motivated by intelligence gathering," said the report, based on a year of research.

The report recognizes civilians can be questioned about insurgent activities, but warns that it should be done in a way which is within the law and protects them.

"Communities often see raids as deliberately targeting or harassing civilians, in order to discourage communities from providing food and shelter to insurgents, or pressure them to supply intelligence," it said.

The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force said that it welcomed the report's findings and would study its recommendations to implement any that could improve operations, but defended them as an important military tool.

"Night operations are an effective method of maintaining the pressure on the enemy while minimizing risk to innocent civilians," said spokesman Jimmie Cummings, adding that they accounted for only 1 percent of civilian casualties caused by the coalition, and 85 percent ended without a shot being fired.

RISING NUMBERS, BETTER TARGETING

Night raids are one of the most hated foreign military tactics in Afghanistan and a source of friction between Western nations and President Hamid Karzai, who has said he wants them stopped altogether.

NATO-led troops ramped up the raids under General David Petraeus, who this summer stepped down as top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan. Petraeus argued they are among the most effective tool forces have against insurgents.

Between February 2009 and December 2010 night raids increased five-fold, according to publicly available statistics, the report said. In the three months from December 2010, there were an average of 19 a night.

One military source said in April 2011 that there might be as many as 40 taking place each night across the country.

NATO has tackled some of the main grievances about the raids, helped in part by extra intelligence-gathering equipment moved from Iraq and closer coordination with Afghan officials and the military, the report said.

Targets are chosen more accurately, there has been a reduction in property damage, more respectful treatment of women and more frequent co-operation with Afghan forces.

Afghan commanders in "coordination cells" at bases must sign off on all raids, Afghan forces are present in the vast majority of raids, and lead at least 25 percent -- although there are some complaints about theft and abuse by local troops.

UNNECESSARY RISK?

But the report said that the number of raids, and confusion caused by darkness means they often pose a disproportionate risk to civilians in a country where homes are often well-armed and robberies or other violent assaults do not come only from the warring parties.

"It is not unusual for Afghan homes to be well armed, and if Afghans think they are being attacked, to respond with force," the report said.

Foreign troops also appear to be too ready to pull the trigger, interpreting confused or frightened behavior as "hostile intent."

"Behavior that would seem relatively innocuous in a less tense situation -- for example sleeping near a weapon, running away from the intruders, or even merely 'stepping out' of a compound during a night raid -- have been deemed signs of hostile intent," it said.

(Editing by Emma Graham-Harrison and Ed Lane)

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/19/nato-forces-seen-casting-_n_969229.html

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Rockets, Space Stations and Space Probes, by Any Other Name (ContributorNetwork)

Discovery News points out an often overlooked problem the modern NASA has created for itself. The names that it gives for its spacecraft are so uninspiring as to put people to sleep rather than inspire.

The prime example is how "Space Station Freedom" was renamed "The International Space Station." The first name was inspiring, relating as it did the first outpost of humankind in space to the quality of freedom, something that is universally loved by common people, though perhaps not by all governments.

The "Space Launch System," the heavy lift rocket that NASA has now agreed with Congress it will build, has a name that only a government bureaucrat would love. The previous heavy lift rocket proposal was called "Ares," harkening back to the Apollo era custom of naming spacecraft after mythic gods and heroes, not to mention pointing to the ultimate destination of NASA's exploration efforts, Mars.

Discovery News suggests that the SLS be renamed "Zeus." The "Zeus V" does have a ring to it, though reviving Ares or even Saturn, after the rocket that sent men to the moon, also has possibilities.

The space shuttle orbiter fleet was named after great sailing vessels of the past, "Columbia," "Challenger," "Discovery," "Atlantis," and "Endeavour." The command and lunar modules of the Apollo missions to the moon had either grand sounding named (Apollo 11: "Columbia" and "Eagle") or else names motivated more by whimsy and pop culture (Apollo 10: "Charlie Brown" and Snoopy.")

Don Draper, the 1960s advertising man in the TV show "Mad Men" might say that it is all in the branding. A good brand name goes a long way toward selling a product, whether it is soap or a spaceship. "Orion" sounds much grander than "Multi Purpose Crewed Vehicle." "Ares" is better than "Space Launch System."

Frank Luntz, the author of "Words that Work," points out that conveying a message depends more on what people hear than on what one is saying. People receive messages based on their prism of emotions and beliefs. Luntz's principles might be applicable toward selling the space program itself, though that is beyond the scope of this piece. But naming space craft is something that using "words that work" would benefit from.

Words like "Resolution," "Endeavour," "Discovery," and "Voyager" have a greater tendency to inspire and uplift than "Grail," "Spirit," "Opportunity," and "Cassini."

"Hubble" is a case of a name, the one used for the first optical space telescope, that started out uninspiring, but gained its own cache due to the awesome images that it has brought over the years. Perhaps, taking a page from movie sequels, the "James Webb Space Telescope" should be renamed "Hubble II."

Private industry knows the virtues of brand names. SpaceX has named its launch vehicle "Falcon" and its space ship "Dragon," both after creatures that soar. Virgin Galactic (itself a cool name for a company) has named its first commercial space ship "VSS Enterprise," after the famous television star ship.

So, to paraphrase Shakespeare, would a spaceship, say "Apollo" go to the moon less heroically if it had been called "the Manned Lunar Vehicle?" No, but it would have been far less cool. And if anything, space exploration needs to be cool if people are going to pay for it.

Mark R. Whittington is the author of Children of Apollo and The Last Moonwalker. He has written on space subjects for a variety of periodicals, including The Houston Chronicle, The Washington Post, USA Today, the L.A. Times, and The Weekly.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/space/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20110918/us_ac/9143427_rockets_space_stations_and_space_probes_by_any_other_name

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IS GOLD A SMART INVESTMENT - WHO IS RYAN JOHNSON

why invest in gold IS GOLD A SMART INVESTMENT?With all the talk on TV, newspapers, internet, billboards, and giant ballons saying ?We Sell & Buy Gold.? The thought may have crossed your mind ?Should I buy Gold & Silver?? You are not the only one, many people from around the world are asking is gold a smart investment? Well is it?

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GOLD & SILVER INVESTING

With the unstable and uncertainty of the stock market, the devastating collapse of the real estate market, the possibility of a devastating collapse of the Euro and the recent decline of the US Dollar, a lot of people are asking is prescious metals like Gold & Silver? a smart investment right now? With Gold & Silver is at a all time high (Gold $1900oz and Silver $40oz) people are timid of investing at peak highs afraid of losing their investment if there is a sudden decline. Sure that may happen, but I believe this may just be the calm before the storm. In these uncertain economic times, many Global Top Gold Experts like Rick Rule, Ross Norman, Adrian Ash, John Hathaway, Mike Maloney, and James Turk are saying this could be the ?Perfect Storm? with prescious metals. Just like the Boom of the Dot Com ERA ,and the 1990?s Stock Market Boom do you really want to look back in a years time from now to say ?I wish I would have or I should have done this.? Now, I?m not a financial expert, financial advisor, or financial guru.?This post does not constitute financial advice as I am only telling you what I am doing/believe.? And I believe this?..gold and silver are seriously going to kill it over the next 12-18 months. Now I?m definitely not saying to put all your eggs in one basket, but don?t be left on the outside looking in as opportunity passes you by. ?Hindsight is 20/20?

???????????????????????????? I want to buy Gold & Silver NOW!

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?P.S. If you want a simple step by step blueprint to make money using the only GOVERNMENT APPROVED system on Facebook act Now. ( You will need to authorize the app to view the presentation.)

If this post helped you please share your comments and experiences below?and as always share with your social media friends.

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Two Christian Debt Management Companies That Exemplify ...

Christian debt management companies have many resources to help get you out of debt, but unfortunately, many are just out to get your money. And, finding a company with the word ?Christian? in the title makes you no less vulnerable to scams. Many companies use that word hoping that people with make false assumptions of fairness and honesty. However, there are some high quality, truly Christian, organizations out there. Here are two that are worth checking out.

Crown Financial Ministries is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that been in operation for over 30 years. Although it is based in Georgia, it has offices and volunteers all over the United States and in several countries. Its mission, which reads ?Equipping people worldwide to learn, apply, and teach God?s financial principles so they may know Christ more intimately, be free to serve Him, and help fund the Great Commission? is very clearly Christ-centered and the company does not simply allude to Christianity as a marketing ploy. Unlike other Christian debt management companies, Crown Financial Ministries focuses on education rather than on creating new loans or negotiating debt. The website itself is full of helpful tools and resources, including an extensive article database, search tools to locate Biblical references to finance, career tools, a money management assessment, and debt and credit calculators. There is also a section dedicated to prayer and its use in debt management. Crown is unique in that, while it maintains field offices across the United States, it operates through local churches. Its volunteers and staff provide the resources for churches to implement the programs. These programs include adult Bible-study groups, youth workshops on money management, seminars, video series and individual budget coaching.

If you need more than just education, but still want a reputable, Christian-based organization, then Family Life Resources is an excellent choice. This organization is also a 501(c)3 non-profit organization; however, unlike Crown Financial Ministries, Family Life Resources employs certified credit counselors and has several debt management and debt relief programs, depending on one?s situation. One of their most popular programs is the Debt Freedom Program, which is essentially a Debt Management Plan. Other programs include Credit Report Reviews, Credit Audits, and several programs designed to teach you how to budget your money and spend wisely. The organization also has a Biblically centered philosophy and uses Christian principals to guide their services. Family Life Resources operates out of Florida, and some services are restricted to Florida residents.

When you need education resources, or actual debt management assistance, Crown Financial Ministries and Family Life Resources can help you get on the path to financial freedom.

Learn more about christian debt management strategies that will help you save money.

Visit our site to learn more about christian debt management companies or how to get financial freedom through better debt management.

Author: Spencer Arnold
Article Source: EzineArticles.com

Source: http://www.helpmywallet.com/two-christian-debt-management-companies-that-exemplify-christian-principals/

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Shopping for Your Home fitness equipment On the internet

If you are looking to buying home fitness equipment, the answer will be only a few clicks away. With modern tools arrives the convenience of internet shopping and purchasing exercise equipment is not different to that.

Before looking for online stores that provide various fitness devices, you need to know first what you want to have. As you may know, there are a lot of physical fitness machines available in the market and it can be rather difficult especially if you do not know what you want.

You have to know areas of your body that you would like to improve in order for you to choose the right products. Also, make a decision regardless of whether you want to shape up in your home or go to outdoor workout routines.

Once you have decided on the machine that you would like, it is usually a smart idea to make a quick research regarding several device models. It will aid you find the one which could suit your needs and also your budget. Keep in mind, when selecting an exercise equipment, you must look for the ones that are sturdy, flexible and durable. Of course, if you?d like to make investments on something which is very advantageous, better select one that has a high quality.

Right after doing your research, the next thing is to find a web-based store to order your selected health and fitness equipment. This is quite a important task since there are many internet vendors to choose from. When you purchase, you have to make sure that the internet store that you are dealing with is actually a reliable one. Check out the privacy policy in the store together with the payment and shipment procedures. Also, you can read on several testimonies and customer comments to ensure that you to know the trustworthiness of the shop. This will be significant so you won?t just shed your money on some scam.

Searching for the best online stores for the latest fitness equipment, gadgets, and mobiles phones? Look no more! Click on this links now: Polishop for the best exercise equipments, phones, PSP, and laptops.

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Shopping for Your Home fitness equipment On the internet

By: Kaiya O. Viard

If you are looking to buying home fitness equipment, the answer will be only a few clicks away. With modern tools arrives the convenience of internet shopping and purchasing exercise equipment is not different to that.

Before looking for online stores that provide various fitness devices, you need to know first what you want to have. As you may know, there are a lot of physical fitness machines available in the market and it can be rather difficult especially if you do not know what you want.

You have to know areas of your body that you would like to improve in order for you to choose the right products. Also, make a decision regardless of whether you want to shape up in your home or go to outdoor workout routines.

Once you have decided on the machine that you would like, it is usually a smart idea to make a quick research regarding several device models. It will aid you find the one which could suit your needs and also your budget. Keep in mind, when selecting an exercise equipment, you must look for the ones that are sturdy, flexible and durable. Of course, if you'd like to make investments on something which is very advantageous, better select one that has a high quality.

Right after doing your research, the next thing is to find a web-based store to order your selected health and fitness equipment. This is quite a important task since there are many internet vendors to choose from. When you purchase, you have to make sure that the internet store that you are dealing with is actually a reliable one. Check out the privacy policy in the store together with the payment and shipment procedures. Also, you can read on several testimonies and customer comments to ensure that you to know the trustworthiness of the shop. This will be significant so you won't just shed your money on some scam.

Searching for the best online stores for the latest fitness equipment, gadgets, and mobiles phones? Look no more! Click on this links now: Polishop for the best exercise equipments, phones, PSP, and laptops.

Article Courtesy of health-articledirectory.com

Source: http://health-articledirectory.com/appliances-and-gadgets/shopping-for-your-home-fitness-equipment-on-the-internet/

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The Effective Means of Real Estate Marketing Without Using the Net ...

Real estate investing is what you seem to put you on the pedestal of financial success and you want to make it happen in the shortest time possible. It is no doubt that everybody wants to be rich, and achieving it is not impossible. It is however important that we know the careful steps to be taken and consider that it really takes time to achieve success especially in real estate investing. Investing into real estate would require as well your most and best in marketing, the fact that real estate marketing really takes much time and resources. With this responsibility you have in your shoulder, brace yourself first with the best offline marketing strategies to push that potential in you and your ultimate goal out to the open.

Making use of the offline marketing strategies does not necessarily require you to have a website for your real estate investing, thus, you are not using the internet. It includes several strategies that you can employ to encourage potential buyers and vendors of residential real estate to contact you. Common means of offline real estate marketing include: bandit signs, radio and television ads, brochures, flyers, and billboard signs.

You want to make an impact and that the traditional marketing methods mentioned are not powerful enough to establish yourself as a noted real estate expert within your local community. You want to turn the corner with your unique marketing work plan. To make out the best of your real estate investing, you would want to employ these great offline marketing strategies that include: local media interviews, seminars, and public speaking.

The first is through local media interviews. It is very useful in getting your name in front of news and program directors because it usually follows press releases that can help you establish your name and the industry you are in. These press releases should be pertinent enough, well-written and discussing newsworthy issues of importance to the viewers. Your appearances in the media can increase your exposure and gain people?s trust and most likely will result to increased investing deals because of your perceived status as a real estate expert.

Second is through conducting free seminars. Doing this in a real estate-related niche can also increase the size of your portfolio. You, yourself is a residential real estate investor and the key here is not to directly market yourself but to come across much like a financial planner. Show your clients what you have got like what you know and how you can help them. Consider this and it would be their pleasure to show you their money later on.

Thirdly, it is through public speaking which actually has potential that you perhaps have not considered yet as this may not seem like a natural offline marketing strategy. You feel like you are not a natural public speaker, then it is high time for you to learn the fine art of public speaking. This learning is really necessary and useful when you are exposed to business and community leaders who would be prime candidates as potential investing partners or sources of down payment and rehab funds or of private cash for long term investments.

There you have the three effective means of real estate marketing without the use of the internet. You just need to tie them up together with online marketing efforts for maximum effect. You perhaps are not familiar or comfortable yet with the marketing steps you want to take, so have ample time launching through Homes for Sale in Tooele UT and Redmond Washington Homes blogs and get as much knowledge as possible on how to get specialized in the type of investing that really drives you to push through.

If you feel that real estate investing can put you to the pedestal of success; then consider everything that will take you to that point. What else but to win over potential clients, increase the size of your portfolio, and move yourself closer to realizing your dreams. Read through these sites: Homes for Sale in Granite Falls and Homes in Fayetteville Arkansas and make it all happen!

Source: http://www.leclairenterprises.com/2011/09/the-effective-means-of-real-estate-marketing-without-using-the-net/

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Coldwell Banker Real Estate Launches First-Time Home Buyers ...

PARSIPPANY, NJ, Sep 15, 2011 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) ? Taking the next step to help people turn their dreams of homeownership into realities, Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC launched a new portal on its website specifically for first-time home buyers. The First-Time Home Buyers Resource Center includes videos, articles and tools to answer questions and guide new home buyers through the real estate search process.

According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), first-time home buyers accounted for half of all the real estate market home sales in 2010. A recent survey by Coldwell Banker Real Estate found that 93 percent of first-time home buyers said using online tools to find detailed information about homes was important to them.

?Buying your first home is exciting but it can also be overwhelming, so we created this section for first-time homebuyers to simplify the steps toward home ownership, and make the process easier and enjoyable,? said Jim Gillespie, chief executive officer, Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. ?I, like most, remember buying my first home and going through a process that was complex, emotional and rewarding all at the same time. Today, first-time homebuyers recognize that if they have the financial wherewithal, now is a smart time to buy a home. The First-Time Home Buyers Resource Center helps give them the confidence to enter the real estate market and gain valuable insight so they can best work with their agent.?

The new web portal, which will be updated regularly with timely content to help first-time home buyers, provides informative features from coldwellbanker.com, including multiple ways to search and recommendations for like properties. It also includes:

--  Video tips and advice about selecting a home, moving, renovating, and decorating --  Informative articles on such topics as how to select a real estate agent, identifying wish list items vs. must-have items for a first home and determining how much is affordable --  Mortgage calculator --  Affordability radar -- This feature breaks down a home's listing price into what the monthly payment might be at current mortgage rates

The new First-Time Home Buyers Resource Center is a continuation of the Coldwell Banker Real Estate innovative online resources. Coldwellbanker.com already features BlueScape, a unique way to search for homes by emotion and feelings. Clients select from a series of images that they like or dislike and the site returns a group of homes that might meet their needs. The website also has a lifestyle search, which allows people to use a simple, sliding scale to rate elements of a home and community that matter most to them. In addition, Coldwell Banker Real Estate partnered with YouTube to develop Coldwell Banker On Location. This site allows consumers to gain market perspective, community highlights and home video listings from Coldwell Banker sales professionals. More than 2.5 million channel views have been recorded since its launch in May 2009.

Survey Methodology Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC conducted an online survey of 300 first-time home buyers in the United States (people who purchased their first home within the last year) on their experiences and perceptions of the home buying process.

About Coldwell Banker(R) Since 1906, the Coldwell Banker(R) organization has been a premier provider of full-service residential and commercial real estate. Coldwell Banker is the oldest national real estate brand in the United States and today has a network of nearly 87,000 sales associates and brokers working in approximately 3,100 offices in 49 countries and territories. The Coldwell Banker brand is known for creating innovative consumer services as recently seen by being the first national real estate brand to augment its web site www.coldwellbanker.com for smart phones, the first to create a iPhone application and the first to fully harness the power of video in real estate listings, news and information through its Coldwell Banker On Location(SM) YouTube channel. The Coldwell Banker system is a leader in specialty markets such as resort, new homes and luxury properties through its Coldwell Banker Previews International(R) marketing program. Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each office is independently owned and operated.

Media Inquiries: Heather Roberts Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC 973.407.5590 Email Contact  Kathleen Reynolds CooperKatz for Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC 917.595.3031 Email Contact

SOURCE: Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC

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Source: http://www.christophechoo.com/coldwell-banker-real-estate-launches-first-time-home-buyers-resource-center-on-coldwellbanker-com/

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'Girl With The Dragon Tattoo' Trailer Gets The 'Muppets' Treatment

by Dionne Buxton Disney has been on a binge with the publicity of the new "Muppets" movie, previously poking fun at "The Hangover 2" with "The Fuzzy Pack" and "Green Lantern" through "Being Green." Now, the haywire marketing extravaganza continues with a new trailer called "The Pig with the Froggy Tattoo," toying around with -- you [...]

Source: http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2011/09/15/girl-with-the-dragon-tattoo-trailer-muppets/

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Cell Phone Reviews Why Do Them? | Getting Fat

[unable to retrieve full-text content]The market leaders in cell phone manufacturing are the types who bring out the most recent technologies, hold your eyes on the web to see bulletins and information flashes in the communication organization entire world. ...

Source: http://gettingfat.net/58899/cell-phone-reviews-why-do-them-2/

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Types of Computer Degrees | Best Registry Cleaner Software Online ...

Computers Encounter did not stop Which usually advance Electric battery Any initial welcome a long time gone And consequently Sound level Have pride actions say i always you live In any computer age. There aren?t many features in our Lifetimes Which experts state settle unblemished Caused by the inevitable In the present day Thus technology goes on to formulate Office work time. On the subject of were required Foundational supplement Tend to be Well-versed pros who Perhaps may be learning designing, adapting, Exercising Additionally Developing Materials technology And yet Setting up our time Whole lot enjoyable Traditional casino result.

Computer Schooling Is considered to be split into Some sub-specialties offering computer hardware, computer networking, computer software, And make sure to On the net development. Demoralizing it can be kids could possibly Genuinely involvement with Numbers And as well as science And so Performance Many characteristics At Delays far more But Investigative skills, work in personal computer systems may the right choice Meant for you. Having a job To get closer to work in pcs-they are here may in a few ways. One could go with Associate, Bachelor

Source: http://pcregistrycleanerz.com/types-of-computer-degrees.html

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