Business analytics delivers value throughout economic downturn
SAS, the leader in business analytics, achieved global revenue of US$2.31 billion in 2009, up 2.2 percent over 2008 results. Despite poor economic conditions, SAS maintained its unbroken chain of growth and profitability for 34 years since the company was founded.
“Our continued growth in 2009 is further proof that investing in long-term relationships with customers and employees and maintaining a deep commitment to R&D pays,” said CEO Jim Goodnight. “We not only weathered the downturn, we came out ahead.”
Revenue from software sales alone jumped 3.3 percent at a time when software revenue of major vendors has been declining. SAS reinvested 23 percent of 2009 revenue in R&D and, as Goodnight promised a year ago, ended the year with no layoffs due to economic pressures, underscoring the company’s commitment to innovation and employees.
“In January I told employees there would be no layoffs,” Goodnight said. “I wanted them to stay focused on customer needs and not be distracted by issues related to corporate viability. The result is that we continued to grow in the downturn and we are ready to launch exciting new products in 2010. The momentum is greater than it’s ever been for this company.”
Tough times drive sales of recession-fighting solutions
2009 results mirrored 2008 in that customers sought SAS solutions to grow revenue via maximizing effective customer relations and better managing operations and costs through risk management. Analytics, customer intelligence, data integration and risk management solutions grew the most.
Among industry-based solutions, growth rates were highest in banking, government, health care, insurance and retail. Of note are increased sales to financial services, which account for 42 percent of total revenue. These companies turned to SAS to help them navigate changes in customer needs, business models, and government and central bank oversight. “To show growth in this sector is a real achievement,” Goodnight said,“ and shows the confidence financial services companies have in our ability to partner with them to solve complex business issues.”
In the government sector, which accounts for 15 percent of SAS revenue, key concerns include declining tax revenue, managing service levels and transparency. “We are seeing growing interest in using data as a strategic asset to combat fraud, make sure taxes are collected most effectively, and ensure that citizens are getting the most for their tax dollar,” Goodnight said.
Sales to retail saw a 12 percent spike despite a very challenging environment for that sector. “Double-digit growth in retail is particularly noteworthy,” Goodnight said. “We’re helping retailers price products and stock stores, taking into account regional, local and even store-level buying preferences of their customers. Retailers have very tight margins and we continue to help them find ways to improve them.”
Global Results
SAS revenue was distributed around the globe: The Americas accounted for 44 percent of total revenue; Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) 45 percent; and Asia Pacific 11 percent.
Eighty-three percent of the 120 countries where SAS does business saw growth in software sales. Among mature markets, growth rates for software sales were highest in the U.S., the UK, Canada, Germany and the Netherlands, ranging from 6 percent to 17 percent in constant currency. In developing markets, double-digit percentage gains were achieved in most of Eastern Europe, the Middle East, South Africa, and pockets of Asia and Latin America.
SAS’ global footprint grows
SAS gained 1,389 new customers from around the world in 2009. Customers new to SAS include: Anglopharma, Bombay Stock Exchange, the Clorox Company of Canada Ltd., Efficiency Unit, Fiat Automóveis, Lego Systems Inc., Loyalty New Zealand, Niagara Health System, RH Donnelly Inc., Telefonica, TV 2 AS (Norway), WestJet, Wet Seal Inc., Wistron Corp. and Vattenfall.
Deploying powerful business analytics has been commonly associated with large corporations; of the top 100 companies on the 2009 FORTUNE Global 500 list, 93 are current SAS customers. In the US, 80 percent of new commercial accounts are small and midsized businesses (SMBs), showing that organizations with annual sales under $500 million recognize the value of business analytics from SAS.
Effective partnering yields results
SAS' growing network of alliance and channel partners played an integral role in 25 percent of new sales and half of the top 50 global deals. Of note are strategic initiatives including partnerships with leading business consultancies and systems integrators, expansion of in-database activities across multiple partner platforms, and a continued focus on building third-party channels.
Partnerships with global systems integrators such as Accenture, Capgemini, Deloitte, and Wipro Technologies offer customers the specialized resources and expertise to leverage SAS® Business Analytics throughout the enterprise. As the enterprise software business landscape continues to change, SAS will continue to work with such companies to create innovative analytics-driven solutions and new delivery methods to meet our clients’ needs.
In addition, SAS continues to drive the momentum of in-database analytic innovation with technology partners such as Teradata and Netezza. SAS understands the importance of this computing shift and will continue to lead industry efforts in this area.
SAS ranks No. 1 on FORTUNE ‘Best Companies to Work For’ list in America
SAS, the leader in business analytics, is No.1 on FORTUNE magazine’s annual “100 Best Companies to Work For” list. SAS was listed as one of the best for health care, child care and work-life balance. SAS has made the list all 13 years since it was first established in 1998. This is the seventh time SAS has been in the top 10 and the fifth time in the top five.
“We also put emphasis on making our employees working with happiness in Thailand. Because if they are happy with their works and have good welfare, then quality and attention that they contribute to customers as well as the society would be multiplied. We aims to be one of the best companies to work for in Thailand as well”, said Taveesak Saengthong, Managing Director of SAS Software (Thailand) Co., Ltd.
Outlook
With economic recovery in many parts of the world off to a slow start, organizations will continue to focus on improving customer-centricity, enhancing top-line revenue growth, and optimizing their businesses in 2010. SAS will help by providing a business analytics framework that grows over time and enables quick, meaningful decisions, risk analysis and optimization solutions to save money, customer intelligence and marketing automation to grow revenue, and social network analysis to sniff out fraud and uncover terrorist threats as well as business opportunities.
“We live in a global economy,” said SAS Senior Vice President Jim Davis. “Not everyone is turning the corner at the same time. In 2010, we need to realize where the opportunities lie and how to approach those opportunities based on whether that particular region is seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.”
Taveesak also added that “Social Network Analysis shall be used and utilized as one indicator to identify business leadership. Moreover, Customer Intelligence, Risk Intelligence and Business Analytics Framework shall also be used to differentiate business. SAS Thailand will more focus and invest those solutions this year in 2010.”
About SAS
SAS is the leader in business analytics software and services, and the largest independent vendor in the business intelligence market. Through innovative solutions delivered within an integrated framework, SAS helps customers at more than 45,000 sites improve performance and deliver value by making better decisions faster. Since 1976 SAS has been giving customers around the world THE POWER TO KNOW.
SAS and all other SAS Institute Inc. product or service names are registered trademarks or trademarks of SAS Institute Inc. in the USA and other countries. indicates USA registration. Other brand and product names are trademarks of their respective companies. Copyright 2010 SAS Institute Inc. All rights reserved.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Saturday, January 30, 2010
SGI President Calls for Accelerated Action toward Nuclear Abolition
In a proposal released on Jan. 26, "Toward a New Era of Value Creation," Soka Gakkai International (SGI) President Daisaku Ikeda calls for accelerated moves toward the realization of a world without nuclear weapons. He also urges concrete steps toward generating meaningful employment opportunities in the current economic downturn, and making investment in education for girls a priority development objective.
Noting that the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference to be held in May provides a vital opportunity for progress, Ikeda outlines three imperatives:
1) To establish nuclear weapon non-use zones, particularly in Northeast Asia, South Asia and the Middle East, as a step toward complete denuclearization.
2) To revise the statutes of the International Criminal Court to classify the use of nuclear weapons as a war crime.
3) To create a multilateral system by which the United Nations General Assembly and the Security Council work together toward the complete elimination of nuclear weapons, as provided for by Article 26 of the UN Charter which gives the Security Council responsibility to formulate plans for the regulation of armaments.
Ikeda urges intensive efforts over the next five years to achieve these goals, culminating in a nuclear abolition summit to be held in Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 2015, which would symbolically mark the end of the era of nuclear weapons within the lifetimes of survivors of the nuclear bombings of those cities.
He notes that in the case of chemical and biological weapons, prohibitions against their use preceded treaties comprehensively banning their production and stockpiling. He urges that the same strategy be used to strengthen and expand constraints against the use of nuclear weapons as a concrete step toward their abolition.
By creating "expanding circles of physical and psychological security," such efforts could draw in countries whose nuclear intentions are unclear or which stand outside of existing nonproliferation regimes.
Ikeda cites nihilism as an underlying factor in the crises facing the world today. He notes that both nuclear weapons and the current economic crisis are the products of technological competence propelled by the deepest, most primitive forms of human desire decoupled from a sense of constructive purpose. Religion has traditionally provided the frameworks moderating human desire and has a particular responsibility to generate positive values which can contribute to counteracting these trends.
In response to the deepening inequalities of the global economic system, the SGI President calls for a renewed focus on ensuring opportunities for what the International Labour Organization has called "decent work" - work that enables people to meet their needs with dignity. He proposes the creation of a G20 taskforce dedicated to this goal.
Noting that 2010 is the tenth anniversary of UN Security Council Resolution 1325, which focuses on women as active agents in creating peace, Ikeda urges a renewal of efforts to ensure gender equality in education and calls for women’s concerns and perspectives to be put at the center of human development initiatives. He also calls for schools to function as centers for fostering among young people a vibrant culture of peace.
This is the 28th annual peace proposal issued by Daisaku Ikeda to commemorate the founding of the Soka Gakkai International Buddhist association on January 26, 1975. SGI has 12 million members around the world, and its activities to promote peace, education and culture are based on the longstanding traditions of socially-engaged Buddhism.
Noting that the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference to be held in May provides a vital opportunity for progress, Ikeda outlines three imperatives:
1) To establish nuclear weapon non-use zones, particularly in Northeast Asia, South Asia and the Middle East, as a step toward complete denuclearization.
2) To revise the statutes of the International Criminal Court to classify the use of nuclear weapons as a war crime.
3) To create a multilateral system by which the United Nations General Assembly and the Security Council work together toward the complete elimination of nuclear weapons, as provided for by Article 26 of the UN Charter which gives the Security Council responsibility to formulate plans for the regulation of armaments.
Ikeda urges intensive efforts over the next five years to achieve these goals, culminating in a nuclear abolition summit to be held in Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 2015, which would symbolically mark the end of the era of nuclear weapons within the lifetimes of survivors of the nuclear bombings of those cities.
He notes that in the case of chemical and biological weapons, prohibitions against their use preceded treaties comprehensively banning their production and stockpiling. He urges that the same strategy be used to strengthen and expand constraints against the use of nuclear weapons as a concrete step toward their abolition.
By creating "expanding circles of physical and psychological security," such efforts could draw in countries whose nuclear intentions are unclear or which stand outside of existing nonproliferation regimes.
Ikeda cites nihilism as an underlying factor in the crises facing the world today. He notes that both nuclear weapons and the current economic crisis are the products of technological competence propelled by the deepest, most primitive forms of human desire decoupled from a sense of constructive purpose. Religion has traditionally provided the frameworks moderating human desire and has a particular responsibility to generate positive values which can contribute to counteracting these trends.
In response to the deepening inequalities of the global economic system, the SGI President calls for a renewed focus on ensuring opportunities for what the International Labour Organization has called "decent work" - work that enables people to meet their needs with dignity. He proposes the creation of a G20 taskforce dedicated to this goal.
Noting that 2010 is the tenth anniversary of UN Security Council Resolution 1325, which focuses on women as active agents in creating peace, Ikeda urges a renewal of efforts to ensure gender equality in education and calls for women’s concerns and perspectives to be put at the center of human development initiatives. He also calls for schools to function as centers for fostering among young people a vibrant culture of peace.
This is the 28th annual peace proposal issued by Daisaku Ikeda to commemorate the founding of the Soka Gakkai International Buddhist association on January 26, 1975. SGI has 12 million members around the world, and its activities to promote peace, education and culture are based on the longstanding traditions of socially-engaged Buddhism.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
New book ‘Chronicle of Thailand’ first to present major events in Thailand since 1946 through headline news
“It’s the first book of its kind to present developments in Thailand in the format of a collation of news stories, which makes it easy for readers to gain knowledge enjoyably” – Dr. Wissanu Krea-Ngam
Over 1,800 photographs, illustrations and cartoons, as well as 2,300 headline stories
Editions Didier Millet and Post Publishing, today (9 November), announced the publication of a landmark book that presents major events in Thailand since 1946 as it was reported through headline news, and which will be in bookstores by 18th November 2009.
Called “Chronicle of Thailand: Headline News Since 1946”, the publication presents dramatic happenings during the reign of HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej through 1,800 photographs, illustrations and cartoons, as well as 2,300 headline stories in a handsome 444-page book.
“It’s the first of its kind and highly readable,” said Dr. Wissanu Krea-Ngam, Chairman of the Editorial Advisory Board of the book and former Deputy Prime Minister. “We wanted to help people get a quick feel for key developments in Thailand since 1946 in a way that remained factual and neutral. Presenting information in the format of a collation of news stories makes it easy for readers to gain knowledge enjoyably, while still allowing them to interpret events for themselves,” he said.
“The book offers, in a visually exciting format, a view of events as they unfolded, including the coronation of His Majesty, the Vietnam War era, the October 1973 uprising, economic booms, great sporting moments, unforgettable tragedies, as well as quirky aspects of daily life that just happened to make the headlines,” said Dr. Wissanu.
“The book offers, in a visually exciting format, a view of events as they unfolded, including the coronation of His Majesty, the Vietnam War era, the October 1973 uprising, economic booms, great sporting moments, unforgettable tragedies, as well as quirky aspects of daily life that just happened to make the headlines,” said Dr. Wissanu.
Noted historian Associate Professor Tongthong Chandransu, who is also a member of the Editorial Advisory Board of the book, said, “By presenting Thailand’s modern history through a collection of news stories that are organized by year, ‘Chronicle of Thailand’ puts key political developments into the context of other events happening at the time – whether it be social, or cultural or sporting. It helps one better understand the mood of the times, through words and pictures, and brings to life key developments in our country’s history in a way that is fun to read.”
“For example, as you flip through the years, you can quickly get a feel for the sweep of developments and see how similar incidents around key issues like communism, terrorism or coups lead to differing outcomes, reflecting the progress that our country is making. You can easily trace the roots of longstanding issues, as with, for example, Khao Phra Viharn,” he said.
“It’s also entertaining because we have included amusing tidbits that made the headlines, even though they may not have been of great historical significance,” said Assoc. Prof. Tongthong.
He said that, “The strong visual layout and dramatic photographs should help make ‘Chronicle of Thailand’ a useful companion for people from all walks of life, including those with a casual interest in Thailand, as well as academics, journalists, and students.”
Kingdom in 2007. Editions Didier Millet has also produced ‘Chronicle of Singapore’ and ‘Chronicle of Malaysia’.
“The book’s international distribution and availability on Amazon.com will help non-Thais understand Thailand better, too,” he said.
The co-publisher, Editions Didier Millet, has produced a string of successful books on Thailand, including ‘The King of Thailand in World Focus’, and ‘Thailand: 9 Days in the Kingdom’. The latter was produced on the occasion of the 80th birthday anniversary of HM the King, and gathered 55 world class photographers to record daily life in the ‘Chronicle of Thailand’’s Editorial Advisory Board also includes Dr. Borwornsak Uwanno, Secretary-General of the King Prajadhipok Institute, and Mr. Vitthaya Vejjajiva, former Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Gold Sponsors of the book are Bangkok Bank and Central Group of Companies. Other sponsors include the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Bureau of the Crown Property, PTT plc, CH. Karnchang pcl, Bangkok Expressway pcl and Thai Tap Water Supply pcl, as well as Jim Thompson, James HW Thompson Foundation, Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok, and Bangkok Public Relations Ltd.
The official launch of the book is scheduled for 18th November 2009 and will be presided over by Mr. Anand Panyarachun at a reception at the Four Seasons Hotel.
‘Chronicle of Thailand’ is available from 18 November 2009 at leading bookstores in Thailand, priced at Bht 1,450.
Over 1,800 photographs, illustrations and cartoons, as well as 2,300 headline stories
Editions Didier Millet and Post Publishing, today (9 November), announced the publication of a landmark book that presents major events in Thailand since 1946 as it was reported through headline news, and which will be in bookstores by 18th November 2009.
Called “Chronicle of Thailand: Headline News Since 1946”, the publication presents dramatic happenings during the reign of HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej through 1,800 photographs, illustrations and cartoons, as well as 2,300 headline stories in a handsome 444-page book.
“It’s the first of its kind and highly readable,” said Dr. Wissanu Krea-Ngam, Chairman of the Editorial Advisory Board of the book and former Deputy Prime Minister. “We wanted to help people get a quick feel for key developments in Thailand since 1946 in a way that remained factual and neutral. Presenting information in the format of a collation of news stories makes it easy for readers to gain knowledge enjoyably, while still allowing them to interpret events for themselves,” he said.
“The book offers, in a visually exciting format, a view of events as they unfolded, including the coronation of His Majesty, the Vietnam War era, the October 1973 uprising, economic booms, great sporting moments, unforgettable tragedies, as well as quirky aspects of daily life that just happened to make the headlines,” said Dr. Wissanu.
“The book offers, in a visually exciting format, a view of events as they unfolded, including the coronation of His Majesty, the Vietnam War era, the October 1973 uprising, economic booms, great sporting moments, unforgettable tragedies, as well as quirky aspects of daily life that just happened to make the headlines,” said Dr. Wissanu.
Noted historian Associate Professor Tongthong Chandransu, who is also a member of the Editorial Advisory Board of the book, said, “By presenting Thailand’s modern history through a collection of news stories that are organized by year, ‘Chronicle of Thailand’ puts key political developments into the context of other events happening at the time – whether it be social, or cultural or sporting. It helps one better understand the mood of the times, through words and pictures, and brings to life key developments in our country’s history in a way that is fun to read.”
“For example, as you flip through the years, you can quickly get a feel for the sweep of developments and see how similar incidents around key issues like communism, terrorism or coups lead to differing outcomes, reflecting the progress that our country is making. You can easily trace the roots of longstanding issues, as with, for example, Khao Phra Viharn,” he said.
“It’s also entertaining because we have included amusing tidbits that made the headlines, even though they may not have been of great historical significance,” said Assoc. Prof. Tongthong.
He said that, “The strong visual layout and dramatic photographs should help make ‘Chronicle of Thailand’ a useful companion for people from all walks of life, including those with a casual interest in Thailand, as well as academics, journalists, and students.”
Kingdom in 2007. Editions Didier Millet has also produced ‘Chronicle of Singapore’ and ‘Chronicle of Malaysia’.
“The book’s international distribution and availability on Amazon.com will help non-Thais understand Thailand better, too,” he said.
The co-publisher, Editions Didier Millet, has produced a string of successful books on Thailand, including ‘The King of Thailand in World Focus’, and ‘Thailand: 9 Days in the Kingdom’. The latter was produced on the occasion of the 80th birthday anniversary of HM the King, and gathered 55 world class photographers to record daily life in the ‘Chronicle of Thailand’’s Editorial Advisory Board also includes Dr. Borwornsak Uwanno, Secretary-General of the King Prajadhipok Institute, and Mr. Vitthaya Vejjajiva, former Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Gold Sponsors of the book are Bangkok Bank and Central Group of Companies. Other sponsors include the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Bureau of the Crown Property, PTT plc, CH. Karnchang pcl, Bangkok Expressway pcl and Thai Tap Water Supply pcl, as well as Jim Thompson, James HW Thompson Foundation, Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok, and Bangkok Public Relations Ltd.
The official launch of the book is scheduled for 18th November 2009 and will be presided over by Mr. Anand Panyarachun at a reception at the Four Seasons Hotel.
‘Chronicle of Thailand’ is available from 18 November 2009 at leading bookstores in Thailand, priced at Bht 1,450.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
US arms sales hit record of $38bn in 2009
US government-togovernment arms sales rose 4.7% to a record $38.1 billion this year, and are expected to total almost as much in 2010, the Pentagon agency that administers them said on Friday.
Arms deals, often sensitive because of regional politics, may become even more so for the administration of President Barack Obama, who won the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize last month.
Some critics say Mr Obama should rein in arms transfers, partly to avoid regional arms races. But overseas sales are increasingly important to US contractors seeking to offset Pentagon belttightening at home.
Many if not most of the sales pacts signed in fiscal 2009, which ended on Sept 30, are part of a boom in conventional weapons sales that started under former president George W. Bush.
The 2009 figures represent over a quadrupling from a sales low point in fiscal 1998, according to Vice Admiral Jeffrey Wieringa, head of the Defence Security Cooperation Agency.
The sales are indicative of a drive to strengthen US partners and thus boost US national security, Vice Adm Wieringa said in an Oct 22 blog posting on his agencys website.
The 2009 tally, revised after that posting, was up from $36.4 billion in fiscal 2008 and $23.3 billion in 2007, said the security agency. It administers the Pentagons Foreign Military Sales Programme, a key part of US alliancebuilding.
Sales are expected to top $37.9 billion in fiscal 2010, which began on Oct 1,Vanessa Murray, an agency spokeswoman, said in a written reply to Reuters.
The top buyers in fiscal 2009 were United Arab Emirates ($7.9 billion),Afghanistan ($5.4 billion) and Saudi Arabia ($3.3 billion), followed by Taiwan ($3.2 billion), Egypt ($2.1 billion), Iraq ($1.6 billion), Nato ($924.5 million), Australia ($818.7 million) and South Korea ($716.6 million).
Rachel Stohl, co-author of a new book,The International Arms Trade , said Mr Obama, who took office on Jan 20, seems to be sticking with the Bush administration mantra of sell, sell, sell, rather than a more cautious approach.
William Hartung of the New America Foundation,aWashington-based research group focused on US defence and foreign policy issues, said Mr Obama should pay more attention to regional arms-race dangers, human-rights records and shun sales to countries that can illafford them.
Top US arms makers such as Lockheed Martin Corp, Boeing Co, Northrop Grumman Corp, General Dynamics Corp and Raytheon Co are hoping to boost foreign sales to hedge against US budget pressures that could slow big-ticket Pentagon arms purchases.
Overseas sales lower the unit price of US armed forces weapons and keep components available that would be otherwise hard to find, said Remy Nathan of the Aerospace Industries Association,which lobbies on behalf of US arms makers.
Demand is booming, fed in part by regional tensions fanned by nuclear and ballistic missile programmes in Iran and North Korea.
In September, for instance, the Pentagon told Congress of a possible sale to Turkey of the most modern model of its Patriot anti-missile missile in a package valued at up to $7.8 billion.
The Gulf states and Saudi Arabia are extremely worried about Irans pursuit of a nuclear weapons capability,Alexander Vershbow, US assistant secretary of defence for international security affairs, said last month.They want to buy Patriots or other systems over the coming years. So right now,demand exceeds supply because of the real sense of threat they feel, he said.
Other big sales could come from the best market in decades for fighter aircraft,with multi-billion-dollar competitions under way or planned in India, Brazil, South Korea, Japan, Greece and elsewhere, said Richard Aboulafia of the Teal Group, an aerospace consultancy.
Arms deals, often sensitive because of regional politics, may become even more so for the administration of President Barack Obama, who won the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize last month.
Some critics say Mr Obama should rein in arms transfers, partly to avoid regional arms races. But overseas sales are increasingly important to US contractors seeking to offset Pentagon belttightening at home.
Many if not most of the sales pacts signed in fiscal 2009, which ended on Sept 30, are part of a boom in conventional weapons sales that started under former president George W. Bush.
The 2009 figures represent over a quadrupling from a sales low point in fiscal 1998, according to Vice Admiral Jeffrey Wieringa, head of the Defence Security Cooperation Agency.
The sales are indicative of a drive to strengthen US partners and thus boost US national security, Vice Adm Wieringa said in an Oct 22 blog posting on his agencys website.
The 2009 tally, revised after that posting, was up from $36.4 billion in fiscal 2008 and $23.3 billion in 2007, said the security agency. It administers the Pentagons Foreign Military Sales Programme, a key part of US alliancebuilding.
Sales are expected to top $37.9 billion in fiscal 2010, which began on Oct 1,Vanessa Murray, an agency spokeswoman, said in a written reply to Reuters.
The top buyers in fiscal 2009 were United Arab Emirates ($7.9 billion),Afghanistan ($5.4 billion) and Saudi Arabia ($3.3 billion), followed by Taiwan ($3.2 billion), Egypt ($2.1 billion), Iraq ($1.6 billion), Nato ($924.5 million), Australia ($818.7 million) and South Korea ($716.6 million).
Rachel Stohl, co-author of a new book,The International Arms Trade , said Mr Obama, who took office on Jan 20, seems to be sticking with the Bush administration mantra of sell, sell, sell, rather than a more cautious approach.
William Hartung of the New America Foundation,aWashington-based research group focused on US defence and foreign policy issues, said Mr Obama should pay more attention to regional arms-race dangers, human-rights records and shun sales to countries that can illafford them.
Top US arms makers such as Lockheed Martin Corp, Boeing Co, Northrop Grumman Corp, General Dynamics Corp and Raytheon Co are hoping to boost foreign sales to hedge against US budget pressures that could slow big-ticket Pentagon arms purchases.
Overseas sales lower the unit price of US armed forces weapons and keep components available that would be otherwise hard to find, said Remy Nathan of the Aerospace Industries Association,which lobbies on behalf of US arms makers.
Demand is booming, fed in part by regional tensions fanned by nuclear and ballistic missile programmes in Iran and North Korea.
In September, for instance, the Pentagon told Congress of a possible sale to Turkey of the most modern model of its Patriot anti-missile missile in a package valued at up to $7.8 billion.
The Gulf states and Saudi Arabia are extremely worried about Irans pursuit of a nuclear weapons capability,Alexander Vershbow, US assistant secretary of defence for international security affairs, said last month.They want to buy Patriots or other systems over the coming years. So right now,demand exceeds supply because of the real sense of threat they feel, he said.
Other big sales could come from the best market in decades for fighter aircraft,with multi-billion-dollar competitions under way or planned in India, Brazil, South Korea, Japan, Greece and elsewhere, said Richard Aboulafia of the Teal Group, an aerospace consultancy.
Magnificent seven
In the most important, most revered event since the invention of the brontosaurus trap,Microsoft shipped the most incredibly fabulous operating system ever made; the release of Windows 7 also spurred a new generation of personal computers of all sizes at prices well below last month's offers.The top reason Windows 7 does not suck: There is no registered website called Windows7Sucks.com
Kindle e-book reader maker Amazon.com and new Nook e-book reader vendor Barnes and Noble got it on; B&N got great reviews for the "Kindle killer"Nook, with dual screens and touch controls so you can "turn" pages, plays MP3s and allows many non-B&N book formats, although not the Kindle one;Amazon then killed the US version of its Kindle in favour of the international one, reduced its price to $260(8,700 baht), same as the Nook; it's not yet clear what you can get in Thailand with a Nook, but you sure can't (yet) get much, relatively speaking, with a Kindle;but here's the biggest difference so far,which Amazon.com has ignored: the Nook lets you lend e-books to any other Nook owner, just as if they were paper books; the borrowed books expire on the borrower's Nook in two weeks.
Phone maker Nokia of Finland announced it is suing iPhone maker Apple of America for being a copycat; lawyers said they figure Nokia can get at least one, probably two per cent (retail) for every iPhone sold by Steve "President for Life" Jobs and crew via the lawsuit,which sure beats working for it -$6 (200 baht) to $12(400 baht) on 30 million phones sold so far, works out to $400 million or 25 percent of the whole Apple empire profits during the last quarter;there were 10 patent thefts, the Finnish executives said, on everything from moving data to security and encryption.
Nokia of Finland announced that it is one month behind on shipping its new flagship N900 phone, the first to run on Linux software; delay of the $750(25,000 baht) phone had absolutely no part in making Nokia so short that it had to sue Apple, slap yourself for such a thought.
Tim Berners-Lee, who created the World Wide Web, said he had one regret:the double slash that follows the "http:"in standard web addresses; he estimated that 14.2 gazillion users have wasted 48.72 bazillion hours typing those two keystrokes, and he's sorry; of course there's no reason to ever type that, since your browser does it for you when you type "www.bangkokpost.com" but Tim needs to admit he made one error in his lifetime.
The International Telecommunication Union of the United Nations, which doesn't sell any phones or services, announced that there should be a mobile phone charger that will work with any phone; now who would ever have thought of that, without a UN body to wind up a major study on the subject?;the GSM Association estimates that 51,000 tonnes of chargers are made each year in order to keep companies able to have their own unique ones.
The Well, Doh Award of the Week was presented at arm's length to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development; the group's deputy secretary-general Petko Draganov said that developing countries will miss some of the stuff available on the Internet if they don't install more broadband infrastructure; a report that used your tax baht to compile said that quite a few people use mobile phones but companies are more likely to invest in countries with excellent broadband connections; no one ever had thought of this before, right?
Sun Microsystems , as a result of the Oracle takeover, said it will allow 3,000 current workers never to bother coming to work again; Sun referred to the losses as "jobs," not people; now the fourth largest server maker in the world, Sun said it lost $2.2 billion in its last fiscal year; European regulators are holding up approval of the Oracle purchase in the hope of getting some money in exchange for not involving Oracle in court cases.
The multi-gazillionaire and very annoying investor Carl Icahn resigned from the board at Yahoo ; he spun it as a vote of confidence, saying current directors are taking the formerly threatened company seriously; Yahoo reported increased profits but smaller revenues in the third quarter.
The US House of Representatives voted to censure Vietnam for jailing bloggers; the non-binding resolution sponsored by southern California congresswoman Loretta Sanchez said the Internet is "a crucial tool for the citizens of Vietnam to be able to exercise their freedom of expression and association;"Hanoi has recently jailed at least nine activists for up to six years apiece for holding pro-democracy banners. Iran jailed blogger Hossein "Hoder" Derakshan for 10 months - in solitary confinement.
Kindle e-book reader maker Amazon.com and new Nook e-book reader vendor Barnes and Noble got it on; B&N got great reviews for the "Kindle killer"Nook, with dual screens and touch controls so you can "turn" pages, plays MP3s and allows many non-B&N book formats, although not the Kindle one;Amazon then killed the US version of its Kindle in favour of the international one, reduced its price to $260(8,700 baht), same as the Nook; it's not yet clear what you can get in Thailand with a Nook, but you sure can't (yet) get much, relatively speaking, with a Kindle;but here's the biggest difference so far,which Amazon.com has ignored: the Nook lets you lend e-books to any other Nook owner, just as if they were paper books; the borrowed books expire on the borrower's Nook in two weeks.
Phone maker Nokia of Finland announced it is suing iPhone maker Apple of America for being a copycat; lawyers said they figure Nokia can get at least one, probably two per cent (retail) for every iPhone sold by Steve "President for Life" Jobs and crew via the lawsuit,which sure beats working for it -$6 (200 baht) to $12(400 baht) on 30 million phones sold so far, works out to $400 million or 25 percent of the whole Apple empire profits during the last quarter;there were 10 patent thefts, the Finnish executives said, on everything from moving data to security and encryption.
Nokia of Finland announced that it is one month behind on shipping its new flagship N900 phone, the first to run on Linux software; delay of the $750(25,000 baht) phone had absolutely no part in making Nokia so short that it had to sue Apple, slap yourself for such a thought.
Tim Berners-Lee, who created the World Wide Web, said he had one regret:the double slash that follows the "http:"in standard web addresses; he estimated that 14.2 gazillion users have wasted 48.72 bazillion hours typing those two keystrokes, and he's sorry; of course there's no reason to ever type that, since your browser does it for you when you type "www.bangkokpost.com" but Tim needs to admit he made one error in his lifetime.
The International Telecommunication Union of the United Nations, which doesn't sell any phones or services, announced that there should be a mobile phone charger that will work with any phone; now who would ever have thought of that, without a UN body to wind up a major study on the subject?;the GSM Association estimates that 51,000 tonnes of chargers are made each year in order to keep companies able to have their own unique ones.
The Well, Doh Award of the Week was presented at arm's length to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development; the group's deputy secretary-general Petko Draganov said that developing countries will miss some of the stuff available on the Internet if they don't install more broadband infrastructure; a report that used your tax baht to compile said that quite a few people use mobile phones but companies are more likely to invest in countries with excellent broadband connections; no one ever had thought of this before, right?
Sun Microsystems , as a result of the Oracle takeover, said it will allow 3,000 current workers never to bother coming to work again; Sun referred to the losses as "jobs," not people; now the fourth largest server maker in the world, Sun said it lost $2.2 billion in its last fiscal year; European regulators are holding up approval of the Oracle purchase in the hope of getting some money in exchange for not involving Oracle in court cases.
The multi-gazillionaire and very annoying investor Carl Icahn resigned from the board at Yahoo ; he spun it as a vote of confidence, saying current directors are taking the formerly threatened company seriously; Yahoo reported increased profits but smaller revenues in the third quarter.
The US House of Representatives voted to censure Vietnam for jailing bloggers; the non-binding resolution sponsored by southern California congresswoman Loretta Sanchez said the Internet is "a crucial tool for the citizens of Vietnam to be able to exercise their freedom of expression and association;"Hanoi has recently jailed at least nine activists for up to six years apiece for holding pro-democracy banners. Iran jailed blogger Hossein "Hoder" Derakshan for 10 months - in solitary confinement.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Pakistan begins major ground offensive
More than 30,000 Pakistani soldiers launched a major ground offensive in the main al-Qaeda and Taliban stronghold along the Afghan border early yesterday, which was the toughest test yet against militants aiming to topple the state, officials said.
The offensive in South Waziristan follows months of air strikes intended to soften up militant defences that have also forced tens of thousands of civilians to flee. The full-scale operation also comes after two weeks of militant attacks that have killed more than 175 people across Pakistan and ramped up the pressure on the army to take on the insurgents.
It is the army's fourth attempt since 2001 to dislodge Taliban fighters from the lawless tribal region of South Waziristan, and an intelligence official said the latest effort could take up to two months. The three previous attempts ended in negotiated truces that left the Taliban in control.
The offensive is expected to focus on ridding the region of the Pakistani Taliban, a network opposed to the USbacked Pakistani government. The group's influential leader, Baitullah Mehsud, died in a US missile strike in August. But South Waziristan also is home to foreign and local jihadis suspected of planning attacks on US and Nato troops in Afghanistan and targets throughout the West.
The US is racing to send night-vision goggles and other equipment to aid the operation.
Local resident Ajmal Khan said people in his town, Makeen, heard the sounds of battle and were terrified but could not leave their homes due to a curfew.Makeen is a key hideout for Taliban militants.
"We heard sounds of planes and helicopters early Saturday. Then we heard blasts. We are also hearing gunshots and it seems the army is exchanging fire with Taliban," Mr Khan said via telephone.
South Waziristan is remote and mountainous. It has a porous border with Afghanistan and fiercely independent tribes who have long resisted government interference. With winter snows just weeks away, the army has limited time to pursue ground attacks. Even if it does manage to wipe out its intended targets,it's unclear whether troops will try to occupy the area to prevent the militants from returning. Even if the operation is successful, many could escape to Afghanistan or other parts of Pakistan's semiautonomous tribal belt.
The officials - two with intelligence,three with the government and one senior army official - yesterday gave few details but said the troops were pursuing militants holed up in the region, including in major trouble spots such as Makeen and Ladha towns.
The army has sent more than 30,000 troops to the region to participate in the combat, said one of the intelligence officials. He said the ground forces were attacking from different directions while helicopter gunships and other aircraft also were bombing various sites.
The military already has said it has sealed off many supply and escape routes.
It is nearly impossible to verify information from the region independently.Foreigners require special permission to enter the tribal areas and it is risky for Pakistani journalists from other parts of the country to operate there.
Mindful of its previous, half-hearted interventions in South Waziristan, this time the military has said there will be no deals, partly to avoid jeopardising gains won earlier this year when Pakistani soldiers overpowered the Taliban in the Swat Valley, another northwest region.
In an attempt to show national unity,top political leaders, including the prime minister, met with army commanders on Friday to discuss security strategy and voiced their support for operations against militant strongholds.
Despite sometimes rocky relations with the Pakistani military, the US is trying to rush in equipment that would help with mobility, night fighting and precision bombing, a US embassy official said. In addition to night-vision devices,the Pakistan military has said it is seeking additional Cobra helicopter gunships,heliborne lift capability, laser-guided munitions and intelligence equipment to monitor cell and satellite telephones.
The army has considered the weather in the timing of the offensive.
Snows in the region could block major roads. At the same time, a harsh winter could work to the army's advantage by driving fighters out of their unheated mountain hideouts.
Although the military has been hitting targets in South Waziristan for the past three months, it waited until two weeks ago to say it would definitely go ahead with a major ground offensive.
The offensive in South Waziristan follows months of air strikes intended to soften up militant defences that have also forced tens of thousands of civilians to flee. The full-scale operation also comes after two weeks of militant attacks that have killed more than 175 people across Pakistan and ramped up the pressure on the army to take on the insurgents.
It is the army's fourth attempt since 2001 to dislodge Taliban fighters from the lawless tribal region of South Waziristan, and an intelligence official said the latest effort could take up to two months. The three previous attempts ended in negotiated truces that left the Taliban in control.
The offensive is expected to focus on ridding the region of the Pakistani Taliban, a network opposed to the USbacked Pakistani government. The group's influential leader, Baitullah Mehsud, died in a US missile strike in August. But South Waziristan also is home to foreign and local jihadis suspected of planning attacks on US and Nato troops in Afghanistan and targets throughout the West.
The US is racing to send night-vision goggles and other equipment to aid the operation.
Local resident Ajmal Khan said people in his town, Makeen, heard the sounds of battle and were terrified but could not leave their homes due to a curfew.Makeen is a key hideout for Taliban militants.
"We heard sounds of planes and helicopters early Saturday. Then we heard blasts. We are also hearing gunshots and it seems the army is exchanging fire with Taliban," Mr Khan said via telephone.
South Waziristan is remote and mountainous. It has a porous border with Afghanistan and fiercely independent tribes who have long resisted government interference. With winter snows just weeks away, the army has limited time to pursue ground attacks. Even if it does manage to wipe out its intended targets,it's unclear whether troops will try to occupy the area to prevent the militants from returning. Even if the operation is successful, many could escape to Afghanistan or other parts of Pakistan's semiautonomous tribal belt.
The officials - two with intelligence,three with the government and one senior army official - yesterday gave few details but said the troops were pursuing militants holed up in the region, including in major trouble spots such as Makeen and Ladha towns.
The army has sent more than 30,000 troops to the region to participate in the combat, said one of the intelligence officials. He said the ground forces were attacking from different directions while helicopter gunships and other aircraft also were bombing various sites.
The military already has said it has sealed off many supply and escape routes.
It is nearly impossible to verify information from the region independently.Foreigners require special permission to enter the tribal areas and it is risky for Pakistani journalists from other parts of the country to operate there.
Mindful of its previous, half-hearted interventions in South Waziristan, this time the military has said there will be no deals, partly to avoid jeopardising gains won earlier this year when Pakistani soldiers overpowered the Taliban in the Swat Valley, another northwest region.
In an attempt to show national unity,top political leaders, including the prime minister, met with army commanders on Friday to discuss security strategy and voiced their support for operations against militant strongholds.
Despite sometimes rocky relations with the Pakistani military, the US is trying to rush in equipment that would help with mobility, night fighting and precision bombing, a US embassy official said. In addition to night-vision devices,the Pakistan military has said it is seeking additional Cobra helicopter gunships,heliborne lift capability, laser-guided munitions and intelligence equipment to monitor cell and satellite telephones.
The army has considered the weather in the timing of the offensive.
Snows in the region could block major roads. At the same time, a harsh winter could work to the army's advantage by driving fighters out of their unheated mountain hideouts.
Although the military has been hitting targets in South Waziristan for the past three months, it waited until two weeks ago to say it would definitely go ahead with a major ground offensive.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
"'PAKISTAN FIRST" MAY NOT PLEASE
One of the ideas the Obama administration is considering in response to the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan reportedly is called "Pakistan First". Championed by Vice President Joe Biden, the idea is to focus US efforts on attacking al-Qaeda targets in Pakistan's tribal areas with drones or special forces, while backing the government's efforts to pacify and develop the lawless areas where al-Qaeda and the Taleban are based. The battle against the Taleban, meanwhile, would be put on the back burner.
"Pakistan First" would excuse President Obama from having to anger his political base by dispatching the additional US troops that his military commanders say are needed to stop the Taleban's resurgence in Afghanistan. It would nominally focus US efforts on a nuclear-armed country that is of far greater strategic importance.
Funny, then, that Pakistan's government doesn't think much of the idea. Last Tuesdsay, Pakistani foreign Minister shah Mahmood Qureshi said withour reservation that Taleban
advances in Afghanistan were a mortal threat to his country. "We see Mullah Omar," the leader of the Afghan Taeban, "as a serious threat. If the likes of Omar take over in Afghanistan, it will have serious inplllications for Pakistan," Qureshi said. "They have a larger agenda, and the first to be affected by that agenda is Pakistan... it will have implications on Pakistan and it will have implications on the region."
Like a couple 's senior European leaders who visited Washingto last week, Qureshi expressed a diplomatic version of dismay at Obama's public wavering on fighting the Taleban, "If that is going to happen, why have we stuck our necks out?" he said. "Why did Benazir die? Benazir Bahtto, the former leader of the ruling Pakistan People's Party, was assassinated after she campaigned in favour of a decisiver moved by Pakistan to take on the Taleban- something the government and armay declined to do until this year. Elements of the military or its intelligence service may still quietly support some Taleban groups; if the US appears to retreat, those forces will be strengthened - at the expense of the pro-Western civilian government.
Quareshi declined to express an opinion about the deployment of more US troops to southern Afghanistan, saying he was not a military expert. But he drew a contrast between Nato's operations in the south and Pakistan's operations against the Taleban this year. "Your troops went in and cleared the area. But once you came out, the Taleban came back in," he said. "What we do is, we go in, and we clear and we hold. When you do that, it requires more contact. It requires more resources. And it means more casualties."
Qureshi was talking about Pakistan, but he was also describing the "counter-insurgency" strategy for Afghanistan that Obama embraced last March and backed until the general he appointed determined it would require more troops. It seems pretty clear that if Obama decides to abandon counter-insurgency in the name of something called "Pakistan First", America's best allies in Pakistan won't be happy.
"Pakistan First" would excuse President Obama from having to anger his political base by dispatching the additional US troops that his military commanders say are needed to stop the Taleban's resurgence in Afghanistan. It would nominally focus US efforts on a nuclear-armed country that is of far greater strategic importance.
Funny, then, that Pakistan's government doesn't think much of the idea. Last Tuesdsay, Pakistani foreign Minister shah Mahmood Qureshi said withour reservation that Taleban
advances in Afghanistan were a mortal threat to his country. "We see Mullah Omar," the leader of the Afghan Taeban, "as a serious threat. If the likes of Omar take over in Afghanistan, it will have serious inplllications for Pakistan," Qureshi said. "They have a larger agenda, and the first to be affected by that agenda is Pakistan... it will have implications on Pakistan and it will have implications on the region."
Like a couple 's senior European leaders who visited Washingto last week, Qureshi expressed a diplomatic version of dismay at Obama's public wavering on fighting the Taleban, "If that is going to happen, why have we stuck our necks out?" he said. "Why did Benazir die? Benazir Bahtto, the former leader of the ruling Pakistan People's Party, was assassinated after she campaigned in favour of a decisiver moved by Pakistan to take on the Taleban- something the government and armay declined to do until this year. Elements of the military or its intelligence service may still quietly support some Taleban groups; if the US appears to retreat, those forces will be strengthened - at the expense of the pro-Western civilian government.
Quareshi declined to express an opinion about the deployment of more US troops to southern Afghanistan, saying he was not a military expert. But he drew a contrast between Nato's operations in the south and Pakistan's operations against the Taleban this year. "Your troops went in and cleared the area. But once you came out, the Taleban came back in," he said. "What we do is, we go in, and we clear and we hold. When you do that, it requires more contact. It requires more resources. And it means more casualties."
Qureshi was talking about Pakistan, but he was also describing the "counter-insurgency" strategy for Afghanistan that Obama embraced last March and backed until the general he appointed determined it would require more troops. It seems pretty clear that if Obama decides to abandon counter-insurgency in the name of something called "Pakistan First", America's best allies in Pakistan won't be happy.
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