G.O.P. Expresses Hope as Obama Praises Syria Deal

G.O.P. Expresses Hope as Obama Praises Syria Deal

By MICHAEL D. SHEAR Published: September 15, 2013

WASHINGTON - President Obama's Congressional critics expressed guarded optimism about an agreement reached with Russia over the weekend to seize and destroy Syria's chemical weapons, even as Mr. Obama hailed the diplomatic effort as a "foundation" that could lead to a political settlement in that country's civil war.

Mr. Obama said in an interview that was broadcast on Sunday that the United States was in a "better position" to prevent President Bashar al-Assad of Syria from using poison gas again because of the deal produced by Secretary of State John Kerry and Sergey V. Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister.

"Look, we're not there yet," Mr. Obama said in the interview, taped Friday, with George Stephanopoulos for the ABC News program "This Week." "We don't have an actual, verifiable deal that will begin that process. But the distance that we've traveled over these couple of weeks is remarkable."

In interviews on Sunday, lawmakers in Washington described the agreement as a risky one, with potential benefits for stability in the Middle East if it succeeds and huge risks for Mr. Obama - both abroad and at home - if it fails. Several senators said Mr. Obama would deserve credit for avoiding a military strike if the chemical weapons could be eliminated in the midst of a civil war.

Senator Bob Corker of Tennessee, who just days earlier had described Mr. Obama as seeming "uncomfortable" in the role of commander in chief, said the president may have turned a "muddled" and "clunky" foreign policy response into a tentative diplomatic win.

"It's hard for anybody to pooh-pooh the idea that we may be on the way to a diplomatic solution," said Mr. Corker, the ranking Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Another Republican, Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, said the United States now had the opportunity to "parlay" the negotiations over chemical weapons into broader talks to find a political end to Syria's civil war and the removal of Mr. Assad from power.

"If the framework can actually be implemented, obviously it will be a big step in the right direction," Mr. Johnson said. Of Mr. Obama and his strategy, he said: "I hope it works out. I truly do. If he succeeds with this framework, people have to give him credit."

But senators from both parties also expressed deep concern about the possibility that the diplomacy could fail, perhaps spectacularly, and that Mr. Obama's actions over the past two weeks had strengthened the credibility of President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia at the expense of America's reputation around the world.

"I have to be honest with you, it's also fraught with danger," said Senator Robert Menendez, Democrat of New Jersey. "The president will reap whatever achievements can be gleaned from this agreement - if it is successful."

In the ABC interview, Mr. Obama said his critics had been judging him on the style but not the substance of his policies during the past several weeks. He said he was not concerned with earning "style points" in the conduct of foreign policy, and he pointed to President George W. Bush's decision to go to war in Iraq as an example of making the wrong call.

"Had we rolled out something that was very smooth and disciplined and linear, they would have graded it well, even if it was a disastrous policy," Mr. Obama said, adding, "We know that, because that's exactly how they graded the Iraq war."

After watching the interview, Mr. Johnson said Mr. Obama's international credibility would be repaired somewhat if the chemical weapons were neutralized through the diplomatic process. But he said that did not excuse some of the choices the president had made.

"This process has not been particularly stylish. It hasn't been pretty," Mr. Johnson said. "Unfortunately, President Obama's credibility hasn't been strengthened."

Lawmakers expressed concern and appreciation of Mr. Putin's role. Some, like Senator Tim Kaine, Democrat of Virginia, said Russia's willingness to be at the center of negotiations over the chemical weapons may foreshadow a willingness to be part of talks aimed at ending the Syrian civil war.

"If the parties are at the table negotiating over this chemical weapons issue," Mr. Kaine said in an interview, such talks might eventually "roll right over to a negotiated resolution to the overall civil war."

But others said they were dismayed that Mr. Putin, as Mr. Corker put it, now had his "hands firmly on the steering wheel of this policy." And Representative Mike Rogers, a Michigan Republican and the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said Mr. Obama had been badly outmaneuvered by a cannier opponent who, he said, had gotten everything he wanted.

"Right now, we are being led by the nose by Putin through this horrible morass that is the United Nations," Mr. Rogers said on the CNN program "State of the Union." "He wanted Assad there. He gets to keep his warm-water port, he gets to keep his military contracts, and he gives breathing space to both Hezbollah, which is fighting on behalf of Assad, and Assad."

Mr. Obama, in the television interview, responded to criticism that by seizing control of the diplomatic efforts, Mr. Putin has been "playing" his American counterpart. He said the Russian president did not have the same "values" as the United States, but still played an important role in the Syrian conflict.

"I welcome him being involved," Mr. Obama said. "I welcome him saying, 'I will take responsibility for pushing my client, the Assad regime, to deal with these chemical weapons.' "

Mr. Obama added that despite the recent disagreements between the United States and Russia over a variety of issues - including the granting of temporary asylum to Edward J. Snowden, who is wanted by the United States government for leaking classified documents - the two presidents were still able to work together on issues like the chemical weapons in Syria.

"I know that sometimes this gets framed or looked at through the lens of the U.S. versus Russia, but that's not what this is about," he said.

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Taking care of your laptop's battery

Taking care of your laptop's battery
Via: microsoft.com
Does it seem like no matter what you do, your computer is always out of battery power? It might be time to replace the battery. Every battery has a designed capacity-basically the amount of charge that it's designed to hold. Over time batteries lose their ability to hold a charge. This means that even though you're fully charging your battery, the actual amount of power that the battery can hold is going down.
Some of the telltale signs that your battery is going bad are shorter use times, and subsequently, shorter times to recharge. If you notice the amount of time you can spend unplugged is going down, then chances are your battery has lost much of its ability to hold a charge. Another sign that your battery might be on the wane is that it takes less time to recharge. A battery that's going bad might also cause your computer to turn off or hibernate unexpectedly, even if the battery meter displays ample capacity remaining (70 or 80 percent).
Fortunately, Windows can help you know when your battery is unable to hold a full charge. When your battery gets down to 40 percent of its original capacity (that is, it can only hold 40 percent or less of its designed capacity after it has been charged), you'll see a notification via the battery meter icon that your battery might be going bad. This notification is new in Windows 7-earlier versions of Windows can't notify you when your battery is going bad. If you don't want to receive this notification, you can turn it off by clearing the check box on the battery meter.

Battery meter showing a notification that a battery might be going bad
Many batteries will show signs of problems well before reaching 40 percent of their original capacity. Also, many computer manufacturers have programs that you can use to measure the performance of your battery. These programs might be more sensitive to battery problems and should be used first to check the condition of your computer's battery. For more information about solutions to this problem, see Solutions to common battery problems.

Note
Some computer manufacturers report the designed capacity of their batteries to be the level of the last full charge, so it's possible that your battery might be below the warning threshold without giving you any warning. If your computer continues to run out of battery too quickly, but your battery meter shows that it's fully charging, it might be time to consider replacing your battery. Check with your computer manufacturer for information about replacing your battery.

Using the battery meter to monitor power consumption

• The battery meter is a handy tool located in the notification area of the Windows taskbar that makes it easy for you to keep an eye your computer's power consumption. The battery meter icon indicates whether your laptop is plugged in or whether it's running on battery power . When you point to the battery meter, you can see the percentage of battery charge remaining as well as an estimate of how much time you have until you'll need to plug your computer in.
• When you click the battery meter icon, you can get more information-like which power plan you're using and, if you have more than one battery, how much charge is left in your second battery. You can also change power plans and access additional settings for managing more power options. For more information, see Battery meter: frequently asked questions.

Battery meter showing power plans
Using power plans to save your battery
One of the easiest ways to save your battery without affecting the performance of your computer is to use one of the built-in power plans that come with Windows. Power plans are basically collections of hardware and software settings that control how your computer uses power. There are two power plans that come with Windows that are useful for laptops:
Balanced. This is the plan that most laptops use by default. It offers full performance and display brightness when you need it and saves power during periods of inactivity.
Power saver. This plan can help you get the most from a single battery charge. It saves power by reducing system performance and screen brightness.
In addition to the power plans that come with Windows, your computer manufacturer might offer additional plans. You can also create your own power plan, or customize the settings for one of the existing plans. For more information, see Change, create, or delete a power plan (scheme).
Getting the most out of your battery
In addition to using power plans to get the most mileage out of a battery charge, it's also important to take care of your battery to make sure you get the most life out of it.

• Make sure you're following the manufacturer's instructions for charging and maintaining your battery. Only use a charger and power cord supplied by the manufacturer.
• Don't let your battery get too hot (or too cold). A hot battery is a sign of trouble and usually means that your battery isn't working properly. You should stop using it right away. Also, make sure that your battery isn't exposed to extreme temperatures. Batteries are designed to work best at room temperatures. Avoid using (or even storing) batteries in extreme temperature conditions.
• Use your battery to keep it fresh. Don't keep your computer plugged in all the time. It's a good idea to discharge and then recharge your laptop battery about once a month. Also, you should let your battery run down before you recharge it.
  

End:VGP-BPS13/Q, Laptop Battery, Compaq Presario CQ60 Battery, etc.

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