Pentagon Records from “North American Forum” Meetings

[cvangel]

For those following the SPP/NAU:

http://www.judicialwatch.org/6123.shtml

Judicial Watch Releases Pentagon Records from “North American Forum” Meetings

Defense Secretary, Senior Military and Staff Met with Mexican & Canadian Officials over “Continental Prosperity in the New Security Environment”


(Washington, DC) Judicial Watch, the public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, today released documents obtained November 2006 under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) from U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM). The documents concern the participation of NORTHCOM Commander, Admiral Timothy Keating, NORTHCOM Political Advisor Deborah Bolton, and Plans, Policy & Strategy Director Major General Mark Volcheff in a meeting of the “North American Forum” at the Banff Springs Hotel in Banff, Canada on September 12-14, 2006. A similar request for records concerning forum participation by then-Defense Secretary Rumsfeld and his entourage is still pending with the Pentagon.

The records include: 1) Proposed comments for Admiral Keating’s speech to the North American Forum; 2) Presentation outlines with handwritten marginal notes and comments from Ms. Bolton; 3) Policy papers; 4) Biographic sketches of participants; and, 5) Notes from Major General Volcheff.

The North American Forum presentations discussed immigration and border enforcement; full economic and energy integration including infrastructure and transportation; a North American investment fund; and common customs and duties. The idea of a carbon tax was raised as a means to combat so-called global warming. References to the Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) occur throughout the documents.

The notes for the presentations document the need to overcome popular opposition to North American integration: “To what degree does a concept of North America help/hinder solving problems between the three countries?…While a vision is appealing working on the infrastructure might yield more benefit and bring more people on board (‘evolution by stealth’).”

“It is not encouraging to see the phrase ‘evolution by stealth’ in reference to important policy debates such as North American integration and cooperation,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. “These documents provide more information to Americans concerned about the Security and Prosperity Partnership. The more transparency, the better.”

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Click here to read NORTHCOM Cover Letter

Click here to read Forum Opening Remarks

Click here to read Bolton Agenda and Notes

Click here to read Volcheff Agenda and Notes

Click here to read more about the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America (SPP)

The documents open as PDF files when you go to the website and click the links at the bottom of the page

[Jean]

http://www.cnsnews.com/news/viewstory.a ... 0206a.html

Beware of the 'Security and Prosperity Partnership'
By Tom Fitton
CNSNews.com Commentary
February 06, 2007

Judicial Watch continues to push for transparency regarding high-level meetings between officials from the U.S., Canada and Mexico under the auspices of the "Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP)."

The partnership was launched on March 23, 2005, by President Bush, former Mexican President Vincente Fox and former Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin during a meeting in Waco, Texas, with the expressed goal of producing "a safer, more prosperous North America."

Since that time, high-level meetings have taken place between officials from all three nations, making some people very anxious. Congress and many in the media don't seem much interested in figuring out what the SPP is all about, so Judicial Watch has launched an investigation to get the facts.

Last week, Judicial Watch released documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Act from U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM) that don't exactly calm the nerves. The documents concern the participation of NORTHCOM Commander Admiral Timothy Keating, NORTHCOM Political Advisor Deborah Bolton, and Plans, Policy & Strategy Director Major General Mark Volcheff in a meeting of the "North American Forum" at the Banff Springs Hotel in Banff, Canada on September 12-14, 2006.

(A similar request for records concerning forum participation by then-Defense Secretary Rumsfeld and his entourage is still pending with the Pentagon.)

The records we obtained include: 1) Proposed comments for Admiral Keating's speech to the North American Forum; 2) Presentation outlines with handwritten marginal notes and comments from Ms. Bolton; 3) Policy papers; 4) Biographic sketches of participants; and 5) Notes from Major General Volcheff.

Presentations during the meeting focused on immigration and border enforcement; full economic and energy integration, including infrastructure and transportation; a North American investment fund; and common customs and duties. The idea of a carbon tax was raised as a means to combat so-called global warming. References to the "Security and Prosperity Partnership" occur throughout the documents.

Notes of the presentations state that at least one speaker was concerned about the need to overcome popular opposition to North American integration: "To what degree does a concept of North America help/hinder solving problems between the three countries?...While a vision is appealing, working on the infrastructure might yield more benefit and bring more people on-board ('evolution by stealth')."

I've said all along there's nothing wrong with neighboring nations working together to address areas of common interest.

But when I see phrases such as "evolution by stealth" used in association with the development of international policies and agreements, it is off-putting. All the more reason why Judicial Watch will continue to bring transparency to the Security and Prosperity Partnership discussions.

(Tom Fitton is president of Judicial Watch, Inc., a conservative, non-partisan educational foundation that promotes transparency, accountability and integrity in government, politics and the law.)