Nhìn cảnh này, người Việt nào còn dám dùng tăm xỉa răng?

Khi đọc xong và xem những hình ảnh này chắc hẳn các Gia Đình Việt Nam đã không tránh khỏi mua tăm của Việt Nam, răng cộ hư hết còn mang bệnh Ung Thư mà Bác Sĩ bó tay…!!!

29/08/2011 // No Comment // Categories: Tin Việt Nam.

Tăm là thói quen với mỗi người Việt Nam sau những bữa ăn, ít ai biết rằng, phía sau đó là công đoạn sản xuất đáng giật mình, đặc biệt là công đoạn tẩy trắng tăm bằng đủ các loại hóa chất, đến người làm cũng phải đeo găng tay, khẩu trang mới dám “xông” vào.

Xung quanh các bể ngâm tăm là ngổn ngang các can nhựa đựng hóa chất

Có dịp đến thăm các xưởng làm tăm tại xã Quảng Phú Cầu (Ứng Hòa – Hà Nội), điều dễ khiến du khách nhận ra là công nghệ sản xuất mặt hàng tăm tre ở đây đã khác xưa rất nhiều. Từ một xã chuyên sản xuất tăm bằng lao động thủ công cách đây vài năm thì nay, việc sản xuất gần như phụ thuộc vào máy móc. Tuy nhiên, có một công đoạn mà không máy móc nào có thể thay thế được và cũng là công đoạn khiến nhiều người dùng tăm lo sợ nhất từ trước tới nay chính là khâu tẩy trắng tăm.

Nhiều hộ làm tăm ở Quảng Phú Cầu vẫn đinh ninh, việc dùng các loại hóa chất để tẩy trắng tăm là đương nhiên nếu muốn ra thành phẩm bắt mắt. Hơn nữa, việc này lại không tốn điện, không… độc hại.

Khu vực dành cho việc tẩy trắng tăm rất đơn giản nhưng kín đáo

Ông T, chủ một xưởng sản xuất tăm tại xã Quảng Phú Cầu cho biết: Cả xã này trước đây rất nhiều người sử dụng các hóa chất để tẩy trắng tăm nhưng giờ chỉ còn một số hộ gia đình vẫn giữ công thức cũ, trong đó có xưởng nhà ông. Theo ông T, việc tẩy trắng và chống mốc cho tăm bằng hóa chất… không ảnh hưởng đến sức khỏe con người. Để minh chứng, ông dẫn chúng tôi vào khu vực ngâm, ủ tăm để “mục kích”. Tuy nhiên, đến nơi, khái niệm “không độc hại” của ông T dường như không “ăn nhập” gì với những hình ảnh chúng tôi chứng kiến.

Trong các bể ngâm tăm được xây bằng bê tông dày là thứ nước màu vàng đục đang sủi bọt. Các nhân viên phải bịt kín khẩu trang, đeo găng tay rất cẩn thận trong khi đảo các bó tăm. Xung quanh bể là ngổn ngang các can đựng hóa chất.

Tăm được ngâm trong hóa chất để tẩy trắng và chống mốc

Mùi hôi từ các hóa chất trong bể xộc lên khiến chúng tôi cảm thấy xốn xang, tức ngực. Khi chúng tôi muốn nhấc đầu một bó tăm lên để xem tác dụng của chất tẩy trắng, một nhân viên cảnh báo: không đeo găng tay thì đừng sờ vào, kẻo bỏng rộp tay.

Lúc này, ông T mới cho biết: các hóa chất này ông vẫn nhập tại các kho ở phường Đức Giang (Long Biên – Hà Nội). Do quen biết nên mỗi khi mua, chỉ cần bảo lấy chất để ngâm tẩy tăm là họ xuất hàng. Cứ thế mang về, sử dụng theo công thức cố định mà không cần biết đó là… chất gì. “Nông dân như chúng tôi thì không cần phải biết các thành phần của nó đâu”, ông T nói.

Sau khi tẩy trắng bằng nước hóa chất, tăm được đưa vào bể khô để ủ trong vòng 10h đồng hồ. Sau đó, theo yêu cầu  của khách, tăm sẽ được tiện tròn, và ủ hương quế hoặc các mùi hương vị thơm khác.

Tuy nhiên, theo anh B.Đ – chủ một xưởng sản xuất tăm hương lâu năm trong xã, thì các chất tẩy trắng phần lớn là NAHSO₃, H₂O₂ (oxi đậm đặc). Theo đó, những bó tăm sau khi được tiện tròn ở xưởng sẽ được tẩy trắng và chống mốc rồi cho vào bể ủ khoảng 4 giờ, sau đó tiếp tục cho vào dung dịch xút ngâm thêm 2-3 giờ nữa trước khi vớt ra, phơi khô rồi đóng bó. Nhiều gia đình chỉ gia công đến giai đoạn này là xuất hàng. Nhưng nếu khách có nhu cầu, các xưởng ở đây sẽ tiếp tục thao tác cho ra tăm thành phẩm ở công đoạn cắt, làm trơn bóng tăm và ủ hương liệu quế.

Khi được hỏi các hóa chất đó có gây độc hại cho sức khỏe không, anh B.Đ thừa nhận: ”Dung dịch này nếu bắn vào da sẽ làm rát và phồng đỏ, đặc biệt là xút. Mùi của xút cũng khiến người làm choáng váng mỗi khi mang tăm đi phơi dưới trời nắng gắt”. Nhưng chốt lại, anh BĐ khẳng định: “Tăm không ngâm hóa chất thì không thể trắng được và rất mau mốc”.

ông Nguyễn Duy Thịnh – Viện Công nghệ thực phẩm, đại học Bách Khoa Hà Nội – cho biết: Bất cứ một loại hóa chất nào khi dùng để tẩy trắng tăm đều có thể gây độc hại, và mức độ độc hại tùy theo nồng độ của các hóa chất. Hiện nay, một số hóa chất như Na₂SO₃, K₂SO₃, H₂O₂ được cho phép sử dụng trong việc tẩy trắng thực phẩm, nhưng theo tôi, dù ở góc độ nào thì cũng không nên sử dụng vì các loại hóa chất này khó bảo quản, trong quá trình vận chuyển có thể “biến chất” thành các hóa chất khác. Mặt khác, khi ngâm hóa chất để tẩy trắng tăm trong thời gian dài, các hóa chất này ngấm sâu vào trong, người tiêu dùng sử dụng sản phẩm vẫn rất nguy hiểm.

Thỉnh Nguyện Thư gửi Chính phủ Hoa Kỳ

đã đến Bộ Ngoại Giao HK hôm nay 30/08/2011,

Thỉnh Nguyện Thư sẽ đến Toà Bạch Ốc và ngày mai 31/08/2011

link: http://www.saigonfilms.com/images/tnt_tuchinhtri_tracking.jpg

Tổng thống Nga và Mỹ tham gia Hội nghị Cấp cao Đông Á (EAS) kể từ năm 2011

http://www.mofa.gov.vn/vi/nr040807104143/ns101029081756/view#WV1qZFTs0yaL

Về quan hệ đối ngoại của ASEAN, các nhà Lãnh đạo đánh giá cao những phát triển tốt đẹp thời gian vừa qua,  nhất trí cần thúc đẩy quan hệ giữa ASEAN với các Đối tác đi vào chiều sâu, hiệu quả hơn, thiết thực hỗ trợ mục tiêu xây dựng Cộng đồng ASEAN và huy động sự tham gia đóng góp tích cực của các Đối tác vào việc xử lý các vấn đề khu vực. Theo đó, các vị Lãnh đạo nhất trí tiếp tục quan hệ giữa ASEAN với các Đối tác lên tầm cao mới, cũng như đề ra nhiều biện pháp hợp tác mới cho giai đoạn tiếp theo. Các vị Lãnh đạo khẳng định lại quan điểm của ASEAN rằng một cấu trúc hợp tác hiệu quả ở khu vực cần phải bảo đảm vai trò trung tâm của ASEAN và dựa trên các tiến trình hiện có, đan xen, bổ trợ cho nhau. Trên cơ sở quyết định của Hội nghị Cấp cao 16 về mở rộng Cấp cao Đông Á (EAS), Lãnh đạo các nước ASEAN hoan nghênh đóng góp xây dựng của các đối tác vào việc xử lý các ván đề khu vực và nhất trí sẽ thống nhất với các Đối tác EAS chính thức mời Tổng thống Nga và Mỹ tham gia Hội nghị Cấp cao Đông Á (EAS) kể từ năm 2011.

Thỉnh Nguyện Thư gửi Chính phủ Hoa Kỳ đã được gửi đi từ thành phố Mountain View

Kính Thông Báo:

Hôm nay 25/08/2011, hai bản Thỉnh Nguyện Thư gửi Chính phủ Hoa Kỳ đã được gửi đi từ thành phố Mountain View, CA USA lúc 11:48:05 giờ sáng giờ California:

Hai thư đăng ký mang số: RE713585375US và RE713585384US

Theo dự trù hai TNT sẽ đến Tòa Bạch Ốc và Bộ Ngoại Giao Hoa Kỳ vào Thứ Hai 29/08/2011.

Nội dung được gửi:

VAC-NORCAL Petition to the US Government concerning to the request the Vietnamese rulers to release all political prisoners in Vietnam

Table of Contents:

1.      A Petition to President Barack Obama

2.      An Introductory Letter and a Petition to Secretary of State Hillary R. Clinton

3.      Annexes:

-          Annex A: List 1, List 2, List 3 of 1,104 signatures, names, states (countries) and email addresses.

-          Annex B: The Communist Vietnamese rulers murdered more than 4,000 unarmed Vietnamese including women and children in their Tet Offensive in Hue 1968. Text and photos.

-          Annex C: The Flight of the Vietnamese Refugees after 30 April 1975

-          Reference: Major Web site and blog http://www.newsforce1.com/, www.quandiemvietnam.blogspot.com

-          A VAC-NORCAL Petition 2011/08/24 on a CD with all documents listed above

Hoàng Hoa

Kính thưa quý độc giả và thân hữu

Chúng tôi sẽ không thu nhận chữ ký trên Thỉnh Nguyện Thư gửi Chính phủ Hoa Kỳ vào 19 giờ (7 giờ tối) chiều hôm nay Thứ Tư 24/08/2011 miền Tây HK, California, tức 9 giờ sáng giờ Việt Nam ngày Thứ Năm 25/08/2011. Chỉ còn vài giờ thì chúng tôi sẽ ngừng lại thu nhận chữ ký. Xin quý vị hãy ký tên trên TNT trước thời hạn chấm dứt.

Trân trọng,

Hoàng Hoa

The U.S. embassy in Vietnam voiced concern on Tuesday about the detention ...

http://news.yahoo.com/u-concerned-vietnam-detention-protesters-033234851.html;_ylt=Au7Q_WDGDo6n30.QwaaDlBiwag8F;_ylu=X3oDMTNhbDI5N2liBHBrZwNiYmIzMjQyNS1iNDFmLTM2YWQtYjM4Ni1iYmUxNmIwMzg2ZjgEcG9zAzQEc2VjA3RvcF9zdG9yeV9jb2tlBHZlcgNlODg1Y2I2MC1jZDM4LTExZTAtYmRkOS0zZDY4MDk1Y2RmZDk-;_ylg=X3oDMTMzOW45czM0BGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDMjJjMTFkYmMtMWJmMC0zZDczLTgwNGYtZDFkMDRkMTVlYjgzBHBzdGNhdAN3b3JsZHxhc2lhBHB0A3N0b3J5cGFnZQR0ZXN0Aw--;_ylv=3

Related Content

• 
  Plainclothes policemen push a protester (L, in red) into a police bus during an anti-China …

HANOI (Reuters) - The U.S. embassy in Vietnam voiced concern on Tuesday about the detention of dozens of people who held an anti-China protest on Sunday, saying the action breached Vietnam's treaty obligations.

Fifty people were rounded up in connection with the peaceful demonstration, the eleventh such protest in Hanoi since early June. The demonstrators are angry about what they see as infringements on Vietnam's sovereignty in the South China Sea by China.

"We are concerned by the detention of several individuals for what appears to be the peaceful expression of their views. No individual should be detained for exercising the right to peacefully assemble," an embassy spokesman said.

"This contradicts Vietnam's obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. We call on the Vietnamese government to release all individuals detained for exercising their human rights and fundamental freedoms."

Police quickly forced the demonstrators onto buses in rainy central Hanoi on Sunday morning after they ignored a government order to stop the rallies. The Hanoi government said the demonstrations were complicating Vietnam's diplomatic efforts, and marring the city's image.

The newspaper Hanoi Moi reported on Monday that 50 people had been detained in connection with the protests and that all but eight had been released.

Vietnam, China, the Philippines, Brunei, Taiwan and Malaysia all have claims of sovereignty over portions of the South China Sea that have sparked naval clashes in the past.

(Reporting by John Ruwitch; Editing by Daniel Magnowski)

Remarks on the Situation in Syria
Message: 7
From: U.S. Department of State <usstatebpa@subscriptions.fcg.gov>
Date: Thu, 18 Aug 2011 10:35:37 -0500 (CDT)
Subject: Democracy, Human Rights, Refugees: Remarks on the Situation in Syria

Democracy, Human Rights, Refugees: Remarks on the Situation in Syria
Thu, 18 Aug 2011 10:13:59 -0500

Remarks on the Situation in Syria

Remarks

Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State

Treaty Room

Washington, DC

August 18, 2011

---

SECRETARY CLINTON: Good morning. For months, the world has borne witness to the Asad regime’s contempt for its own people. In peaceful demonstrations across the nation, Syrians are demanding their universal human rights. The regime has answered their demands with empty promises and horrific violence, torturing opposition leaders, laying siege to cities, slaughtering thousands of unarmed civilians, including children.
The Asad government has now been condemned by countries in all parts of the world and can look only to Iran for support for its brutal and unjust crackdown.

This morning, President Obama called on Asad to step aside and announced the strongest set of sanctions to date targeting the Syrian Government. These sanctions include the energy sector to increase pressure on the regime. The transition to democracy in Syria has begun, and it’s time for Asad to get out of the way.

As President Obama said this morning, no outside power can or should impose on this transition. It is up to the Syrian people to choose their own leaders in a democratic system based on the rule of law and dedicated to protecting the rights of all citizens, regardless of ethnicity, religion, sect, or gender.
We understand the strong desire of the Syrian people that no foreign country should intervene in their struggle, and we respect their wishes. At the same time, we will do our part to support their aspirations for a Syria that is democratic, just, and inclusive. And we will stand up for their universal rights and dignity by pressuring the regime and Asad personally to get out of the way of this transition.
All along, as we have worked to expand the circle of global condemnation, we have backed up our words with actions. As I’ve repeatedly said, it does take both words and actions to produce results. Since the unrest began, we have imposed strong financial sanctions on Asad and dozens of his cronies. We have sanctioned the Commercial Bank of Syria for supporting the regime’s illicit nuclear proliferation activities. And we have led multilateral efforts to isolate the regime, from keeping them off the Human Rights Council, to achieving a strong presidential statement of condemnation at the UN Security Council.
The steps that President Obama announced this morning will further tighten the circle of isolation around the regime. His executive order immediately freezes all assets of the Government of Syria that are subject to American jurisdiction and prohibits American citizens from engaging in any transactions with the Government of Syria or investing in that country. These actions strike at the heart of the regime by banning American imports of Syrian petroleum and petroleum products and prohibiting Americans from dealing in these products.
And as we increase pressure on the Asad regime to disrupt its ability to finance its campaign of violence, we will take steps to mitigate any unintended effects of the sanctions on the Syrian people. We will also continue to work with the international community, because if the Syrian people are to achieve their goals, other nations will have to provide support and take actions as well.
In just the past two weeks, many of Syria’s own neighbors and partners in the region have joined the chorus of condemnation. We expect that they and other members of the international community will amplify the steps we are taking both through their words and their actions.

We are heartened that, later today, the UN Security Council will meet again to discuss this ongoing threat to international peace and stability. We are also working to schedule a special session of the United Nations Human Rights Council that will examine the regime’s widespread abuses. Earlier this week, I explained how the United States has been engaged in a relentless and systematic effort with the international community, pursuing a set of actions and statements that make crystal clear where we all stand, and generating broader and deeper pressure on the Asad regime.

The people of Syria deserve a government that respects their dignity, protects their rights, and lives up to their aspirations. Asad is standing in their way. For the sake of the Syrian people, the time has come for him to step aside and leave this transition to the Syrians themselves, and that is what we will continue to work to achieve.
Thank you all very much.

PRN: 2011/1342

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Thư gửi Ngoại Trưởng Hoa Kỳ Hillary R. Clinton

The Vietnamese American Community of Northern California (VAC-NORCAL)

PO Box 391063

Mountain View, CA 94039

(408) 242-4056

Nguyenngoctien_6@yahoo.com

24 August 2011

The U.S. Department of State

Secretary of State Hillary R. Clinton

2201 C Street NW

Washington, DC 20520

Dear Secretary:

On behalf of the Vietnamese American community of Northern California, all Vietnamese people whose signatures are hereby attached in Annex A, all political prisoners being held in many prisons in Vietnam and all the Vietnamese people who do not have an opportunity to raise their voice to the world community, we would like to say many thanks to the Secretary for sparing your precious time reading this letter and the Petition we send to the President asking him to support the Vietnamese people for the democracy, freedom and human rights in Vietnam.

Dear Secretary,

Our country has been undergoing so many tragedies from inside to outside. Inside our country the lands and mountains in the northern border land were lost to the hands of the North after the Sino-Vietnamese war in 1979. In 2002, the Gulf of Tonkin was delimited unfairly, inappropriate to the UNCLOS international law of the sea, and without the consent of our people causing the loss of tens of thousands of sea mileage and damages to the Vietnamese people living conditions. To the East Sea, the Chinese navy attacked and seized the Paracels on 19 January 1974 and built up their navy and air support base in the Woodland Island. After that the Chinese navy moved further to the South and massacred more than 70 Vietnamese people on the reef of Garma of the Spratlys archipelago on 14 March 1988. Since 2005 the Chinese navy became the ruler in the East Sea, they themselves banned the Vietnamese fishermen to fish in the East Sea from 15 June to mid August every year; as a result, they killed, shot at the Vietnamese fishermen, beat them, tortured them and kidnapped them for ransom. Today, the situation is more critical because the Chinese navy comes close to our internal sea and requests their unreasonable and unlawful nine-lined sea border, their so called cow-tongued sea limit in the East Sea. Inside Indochina, China built dams on upper Mekong River in Xayaburi province of Laos in order to hold water from the upper stream of Mekong river causing loss of water to irrigate the paddy fields. In central highland of Vietnam the communist Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung allowed tens of thousands of unidentified laborers to reside to work for bauxite factories that contaminate the ecological system as the red silt can cause unpredictable dangers to more than twenty million Vietnamese living in the delta of the Mekong River. The number of the unidentified strangers residing inside Vietnam now may be about 1.3 million, and they can enter Vietnam freely by the trails along the corridor of the Indochinese countries.

We know that the Secretary is so busy with the important national issues as well as the global problems and the family that are weighing on your shoulders, but we want to describe the broken-heart pains of our country so that you understand that more than 80 million Vietnamese people desire the freedom, the democracy and the human rights for their self determining the fate of our country before it totally collapses and becomes a second Tibet in Asia. Certainly, nobody will expect that worst situation happen; however, if that becomes true, not only will our Vietnamese people feel pains, but also will the US regret as they did not predict the impending tragedy and did not fulfill the responsibility of a pioneer country who used to build the democracy for countries all over the world. The road to the democracy, the freedom and the human rights is the only policy that helps the Vietnamese people be independent from China, each Vietnamese individual - not the corruption ridden communist regime with the police security force to oppress the people and compromise with the strangers - will be a reliable ally to the US, a fore front, a never-sunk bridgehead to protect the US national benefits in the East Sea. It is also the best measure that the US can save money to protect their national benefits in the East Sea because the Vietnamese people has a very long history of brave struggles to defend their country from being assimilated by the North while the far-reaching influence of the US is being limited because of the shrunk defense budget.

By the way, we enclose our Petition to President Obama in which we petition him to support the democracy, freedom and human rights for the Vietnamese people. Thank you for your time reading our letter and consideration.

May God bless you and your family.

Sincerely,

Ngoc Tien Nguyen

Chairman of the Committee of the Representatives of VAC-NORCAL

Enclosure: 1. The Petition to the President calling for the US support for the democracy, freedom and human rights in for the Vietnamese people. 2. Annex A (The lists of the signatures.) 3. The Vietnamese communists are responsible for the massacre of more than 6,000 civilians in Hue in 1968.

Obama: Libya slipping from grasp of tyrant

http://news.yahoo.com/obama-libya-slipping-grasp-tyrant-024052914.html
VINEYARD HAVEN, Masschusetts (AP) — President Barack Obama said Sunday night following a day of dramatic developments in Libya that the situation there has reached a "tipping point" and that control of the capital was "slipping from the grasp of a tyrant." He called on Moammar Gadhafi to accept reality and relinquish power.

Obama issued the statement after conducting a conference call with members of his national security team, who had provided him with updates throughout the day.

"The surest way for the bloodshed to end is simple: Moammar Gadhafi and his regime need to recognize that their rule has come to an end," Obama said in a statement issued while on vacation in Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts. "Gadhafi needs to acknowledge the reality that he no longer controls Libya. He needs to relinquish power once and for all."

He had told reporters earlier Sunday that he would not make a statement "until we have full confirmation of what has happened."

Libyan rebels who raced into Tripoli on Sunday met little resistance as Gadhafi's defenders melted away and his 42-year authoritarian rule quickly crumbled. Euphoric fighters celebrated with residents of the capital in Green Square, the symbolic heart of the fading regime. Gadhafi's whereabouts were unknown, though state TV broadcast his bitter pleas for Libyans to defend his regime.

Opposition fighters captured his son and one-time heir apparent, Seif al-Islam, who along with his father faces charges of crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court in the Netherlands. Another son was in contact with rebels about surrendering, the opposition said.

"Tonight, the momentum against the Gadhafi regime has reached a tipping point. Tripoli is slipping from the grasp of a tyrant," Obama said in the statement. "The Gadhafi regime is showing signs of collapsing. The people of Libya are showing that the universal pursuit of dignity and freedom is far stronger than the iron fist of a dictator."

The United States has joined other countries in recognizing the rebel forces, the Transitional National Council, as the legitimate government in Libya.

Obama called on the rebels "at this pivotal and historic time" to demonstrate the leadership needed to steer the country through a transition by respecting the rights of the Libyan people, avoiding civilian casualties, protecting state institutions and pursuing a transition to democracy that is "just and inclusive" for all of the country's people.

"A season of conflict must lead to one of peace," the president said.
Obama said the U.S. would remain in close contact with the TNC and work with its allies and partners around the world to protect the Libyan people and support a peaceful shift to democracy.
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta were also kept updated throughout the day, officials said.

For the past two days, senior U.S. diplomats have had intensive discussions with the Libyan opposition, and with European and NATO allies, about the evolving situation. Ivo Daalder, the U.S. ambassador to NATO, and Philip Gordon, the top American diplomat for Europe, have been consulting with their counterparts.

Assistant Secretary of State Jeffrey Feltman, the top American diplomat for the Mideast, returned to Cairo on Sunday after two days in Benghazi, the de facto rebel capital. On Saturday, while in Benghazi, Feltman warned that "the best-case scenario is for Gadhafi to step down now ... that's the best protection for civilians."

State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said Feltman's trip underscored continuing U.S. efforts to encourage the rebels "to maintain broad outreach across all segments of Libyan society and to plan for post-Gadhafi Libya."

Some U.S. lawmakers rushed to claim a rebel victory in the 6-month-old civil war. Minnesota Rep. Keith Ellison, the first Muslim elected to Congress, wrote on Twitter: "Great wishes of hope for people of Libya. You won the civil war; all the best on winning the peace! Bless Libya's patriots."

Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., issued a joint statement calling the end of Gadhafi's rule "a victory for the Libyan people and for the broader cause of freedom in the Middle East and throughout the world."

But the GOP senators also criticized Obama's handling of the uprising. For one thing, Obama had limited U.S. military involvement to carrying out the early rounds of airstrikes before pulling back to a support role and refused to send in U.S. ground troops. McCain has said a stronger showing of U.S. air power could have dramatically shortened the conflict.

"Americans can be proud of the role our country has played ... but we regret that this success was so long in coming due to the failure of the United States to employ the full weight of our airpower," McCain and Graham said.

Obama says Gaddafi rule collapsing, supports rebels

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http://news.yahoo.com/obama-says-gaddafi-regime-collapsing-libya-024152996.html
OAK BLUFFS, Massachusetts (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama said on Sunday Muammar Gaddafi's rule was showing signs of collapse and called on the Libyan leader to relinquish power to avoid further casualties.
"The surest way for the bloodshed to end is simple: Muammar Gaddafi and his regime need to recognize that their rule has come to an end," Obama said in a statement. "Gaddafi needs to acknowledge the reality that he no longer controls Libya. He needs to relinquish power once and for all."
The United States has played a supporting role in the NATO campaign that started in March to protect rebels, protesters
and civilians from attacks by Gaddafi's forces, providing technical support and intelligence to help air strikes.
Obama has said the United States got involved to shield the Libyan people from humanitarian crisis, and pledged in his Sunday evening statement to stay involved after Gaddafi goes.
He called for the Transitional National Council rebels in Libya to take control upon Gaddafi's exit and do everything possible to avoid further casualties, preserve the remaining government institutions and commit to pursuing real democracy after decades of rule by the often erratic Libyan strongman.
"At this pivotal and historic time, the TNC should continue to demonstrate the leadership that is necessary to steer the country through a transition by respecting the rights of the people of Libya," Obama said in the statement issued during his annual holiday in Martha's Vineyard, an island near Boston.

"The United States will continue to stay in close coordination with the TNC. We will continue to insist that the basic rights of the Libyan people are respected. And we will continue to work with our allies and partners in the international community to protect the people of Libya, and to support a peaceful transition to democracy," he said.

POST-GADDAFI PLANNING

Earlier on Sunday, on his way into a seaside restaurant in the well-heeled town of Oak Bluffs, Obama told reporters he was waiting for a full picture of the upheaval in Libya to emerge before commenting on conditions there.

His written statement came shortly after TNC rebel forces streamed through the Libyan capital of Tripoli, waving flags and firing into the air.

The rebels said the city was under their control except Gaddafi's Bab Al-Aziziyah stronghold, according to al-Jazeera Television. Two of Gaddafi's sons were captured.

Western powers have been intensifying planning for post-Gaddafi Libya in recent days in response to a rapid succession of rebel victories around Tripoli, according to officials involved in the talks.
The NATO alliance on Friday authorized formal planning for post-Gaddafi Libya and TNC members were due to meet officials from the United States, Britain, Jordan and United Arab Emirates to discuss "day-after" planning in Dubai this week.
The White House believes that unless transition plans are firmed up quickly, post-Gaddafi Libya may be chaotic and it may be impossible to fulfill the West's promise to protect Libya's people from humanitarian crisis.
Some U.S. and European officials fear Libya's opposition movement is not fully ready to govern. Their hope is that enough of Gaddafi's institutions will remain intact to enable the formation of a transitional government that can maintain a measure of civil order.
On Sunday, the U.S. State Department repeated a call for Gaddafi to step aside.

"We continue efforts to encourage the TNC to maintain broad outreach across all segments of Libyan society and to plan for post-Gaddafi Libya," said State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland. "Gaddafi's days are numbered. If Gaddafi cared about the welfare of the