kscarbel2

Freightliner unveils brand new Cascadia Today’s Trucking / September 1, 2016 Freightliner may have drawn on a familiar name when unveiling the 2018 Cascadia, but the company’s newest truck promises to boost fuel economy, improve driver comfort, and leverage electronic tools like never before. “We have changed almost everything on this truck,” says Richard Howard, senior vice president – sales and marketing for Daimler Trucks North America, referring to the 2018 Model Year designs that begin production in early 2017. “Starting with the best truck is the best place to start.” It has already attracted some of North America’s biggest truck buyers, too. The first 2018 Cascadias have been purchased by 12 fleets that collectively operate one out of every four of the previous Cascadia models. Canada’s Bison Transport is among those buyers. “This is a great-looking truck,” said Don Streuber, Bison’s executive chairman and CEO, as fleet executives crawled over the first of the new models. “We’re excited to bring it into our fleet and we’re excited for the fuel economy it will bring.” Daimler has not expressed the potential fuel economy in miles per gallon, since everything from weather to loads and roads can play a role in that. But a test run between Detroit, Michigan and Portland, Oregon showed that the new Cascadia betters the Cascadia Evolution’s fuel economy by a full 8% thanks to spec’s including a new AeroX aerodynamic package with long flex extenders, drive wheel fairings, air dam below the front bumper, and a 2.16 ratio, the company says. The boosted fuel economy is no small feat. The original target was to better the fuel economy by 5%, and the Cascadia Evolution had already been recognized as Freightliner’s most fuel-efficient model. The most fuel-efficient versions of them all will be identified with a blue “I” in the Cascadia name badge. That will mean the truck combines an integrated Detroit powertrain and an Aero package or upgraded AeroX package. Underneath, the integrated Detroit powertrain combines downsped 400-horsepower/1,750 lb-ft Detroit DD15 or Detroit DD13 engines with the Detroit DT12 Automated Manual Transmission, and Detroit steer and rear tandem axles. Direct Drive ratios of 2.28 and 2.16 are available, while an overdrive comes in 2.85. Optional axle lubrication management systems will help to further improve fuel economy by reducing parasitic losses. Compared to the base model Cascadia on the road today, a 2018 Cascadia that leverages all available aerodynamic and powertrain enhancements will cost another $15,000 but boost fuel economy by 19%, says Martin Daum, president and CEO of Daimler Trucks North America. Beyond fuel economy The changes have not been limited to fuel economy alone. A new front suspension has been included for a smoother ride, and the steering gear has been moved forward to improve turns. Inside the cab, an enlarged driver information display can be controlled with simple buttons on the steering wheel, and offers information using plain English rather than speaking in codes. If a driver drifts over pavement markings, the display will show a corresponding red line next to a truck icon, and that will be combined with an audible rumble. Yellow and red trailer icons appear when following distances are too close for comfort. And even those vary by conditions. At 45 miles per hour, for example, the warning will sound if the truck is within 2.7 seconds of a vehicle ahead of it for longer than 10 seconds. Slower speeds allow closer distances. “The reason we have a 10-second lag is because we all know of cars coming in and out,” says Scott Kuebler, general manager – component sales. The information on following distances comes from Detroit Assurance 4.0 radar, which boasts a 250-meter range compared to its predecessor’s 200 meters. Active Brake Assist will now fully apply the brakes to help avoid collisions with stationary objects, while warnings will be sounded about nearby pedestrians. That’s just one generation behind a Daimler system in Europe that also actively brakes when identifying pedestrians. The warnings are not for drivers alone. The same information on the dash display can be shared through telematics systems, and fleets will be able to alter the parameters they want included in the reports. Anyone who wants Detroit Assurance, however, will have to have a Detroit powertrain,” Kuebler adds. “If you want [Meritor Wabco] OnGuard, in the new Cascadia, it’s with a Cummins engine.” Enhancements to the truck’s visibility extend beyond electronic tools as well. The windshield is 12% bigger than that found on the current Cascadia, and the headlights are LEDs. Options are also available to heat the hood mirrors, to keep them clear of ice and snow. Driver comfort Truck features involve more than performance alone. Many specifically focus on the driving experience. And that makes the 2018 Cascadia a powerful recruiting and retaining tool, says Kary Schaefer, general manager – product marketing and strategy. The new truck will come with three trim packages, including a standard Professional level, and optional Elite exterior and interior packages. Unwanted buss, squeaks and rattles – including those that some drivers have noticed in existing Cascadia sleepers – have been tackled by incorporating everything from a third door seal to an optional layer of 3M Thinsulate insulation. Engine mounts have also been enhanced, while the cover of the engine tunnel is made with something known as Quiet Steel technology. Additional storage space and the layout inside the cab emerged through a partnership with Teague, which is known for designing Boeing aircraft interiors. There are bigger spaces to accommodate larger microwaves and fridges, and the interior is lit with dimmable LED bulbs. There are even three cup holders up front, compared to the previous Cascadia’s two. Back in the sleeper, an optional dinette area can be transformed into a murphy bed in about 10 seconds. Two seats flip down, the table lowers, and a bunk that otherwise sits against the back wall drops into place over it all. When the dinette is assembled, one of the two seats is also positioned at an angle, ensuring that legs don’t tangle under the table. It all betters an earlier attempt to provide such an option in the existing Cascadia. “It was kind of a pain to put down and put away, and the mattress wasn’t very comfortable,” Schaefer admits. The seats in the updated version can also lift to reveal storage down below. For those who don’t need a top bunk there is the option of dedicated storage shelves with a lip. When an upper bunk is spec’d, it can be accessed with a sturdy telescopic ladder. And a swivel bracket has been installed to support up to a 26-inch flat panel TV. Mechanical fitness Other features were designed specifically with mechanics in mind. “At the end of the day it’s still a machine, and we get that, and every machine has to be serviced,” said Toby Faulkner, director – new Cascadia development. Those features include splayed frame rails to improve access around the engine compartment. And most Electronic Control Units are now stored in a new eVault, behind the fuse and relay box that can be accessed without hand tools. Inside the cab, HVAC blower motors can be accessed by simply removing a top panel on the dash. The new two-piece bumper can even be removed by a single person, and that feature came from a focus group of technicians. “This is one we [initially] got wrong, and the technicians were very clear we had to go back to the drawing board,” he said. Connectivity for the masses Matt Pfaffenbach, director of connectivity, refers to the truck’s new Detroit Connect Analytics system as “connectivity for the masses”, which will deliver vehicle data through a portal for maintenance managers, fuel managers, safety officers, and fleet managers alike. That will be launched this fall. And every 2018 Cascadia owner will receive the service for five years, effectively covering the first life of the vehicle. The system will focus both on fuel economy and safety. If a truck is performing better or worse than a counterpart with similar spec’s, fleets will receive a warning and the data to understand why. “That gives a good analysis of apples to apples,” he says, referring to the way fleets can compare common spec’s and similar operating conditions. “We can then identify the vehicles that are outliers.” Remote diagnostics will be available through the Virtual Technician system. Also coming next year will be the ability to remotely update engine, transmission and aftertreatment firmware, and fleet parameters governing road and cruise speeds, cruise power and speeds, idle shut down, and temperatures. No wires required. It all adds up to a product that plays an important role in Freightliner’s future. The Cascadia that is on the road today was recognized as playing a key role in giving Daimler Trucks North America a 42.6% Class 8 market share. Think of it as an important evolution for the Evolution.

‘True connectivity’ a key feature of new Cascadia Fleet Owner / September 1, 2016 Detroit Connect Analytics offers operational insights to fleet customers Along with all of the hardware innovations designed to position the new Freightliner Cascadia as the best fleet truck on the market, a new connectivity platform will provide customers with important insights about their vehicles and help them make critical business decisions. Detroit Connect Analytics, introduced Thursday, is part of the Detroit Connect suite of connected vehicle services and accessible via a dedicated section of the new Detroit Connect portal, Daimler Trucks North America representatives explained in a media briefing here. “There is a very noticeable tension between technology as it exists today and where it can possibly go tomorrow,” said Matt Pfaffenbach, DTNA director, connectivity, who likened the evolution of vehicle connectivity to the early days of the graphical user interface in personal computers, where a computer mouse went unused until the applications were available to take full advantage. “There’s a tremendous potential here, and we can see a certain direction as to where connectivity goes—but our customers have needs today. So how do we balance that? How do we drive toward towards a certain direction, yet deliver something that the customer needs?” Whereas the new Cascadia is designed around the drivers needs in the cab, connectivity is a tool for other key members of the fleet: executives, operations, safety, and maintenance. “We want to provide them a trusted source of data,” Pfaffenbach said. “With the new Cascadia, I’d like to say ‘Welcome to true connectivity.’ It is both the hardware in the truck as well as the user experience in the back office.” With five years of service included in with every new Cascadia, Analytics provides users with on-demand, automated fuel efficiency and safety analysis and reports featuring key insights from Detroit and Daimler Trucks North America engineers. Analytics uses that expertise to quickly identify behaviors, trends, root causes and key insights on fuel consumption and safety performance data across the fleet. The data provides easy-to-read analysis and recommendations for improving vehicle and fleet performance, including the identification of “outliers,” or vehicles whose performance doesn’t match up with similar vehicles in the fleet. Fleet managers can view the data for a single trip, single vehicle or their entire fleet over different periods of time. Fuel efficiency performance data analyzed includes engine speed, idle time, cruise control, engine power, integrated powertrain performance and driver interaction. The safety data is collected from all available safety systems, including the Detroit Assurance suite of safety systems, and includes collision mitigation braking, lane departure warning, distance violations and speed violations. Pfaffenbach characterized the data delivery method of the original Virtual Technician as “a good first step, but somewhat cumbersome.” “As you can imagine, with a large fleet those email messages going back and forth [from the Detroit Customer Support Center] become a very difficult means of communication. With the new Detroit Connect portal, we put the most critical information directly in front of the customer,” he said. “Customers can spend less time crunching data and more time optimizing vehicle performance. The ability to unlock and understand what’s happening with the truck and use that knowledge to make adjustments is a significant time and performance advantage.” Detroit Connect Analytics will be included within different service option packages with the new Cascadia that will deliver the fuel efficiency features only or both fuel efficiency and safety features. Detroit Connect Analytics will be available for use with the new Cascadia beginning Q1 2017. It will be available with other Freightliner and Western Star models later in 2017. For more information, go to www.DemandDetroit.com/Connect.

Freightliner debuts all-new 2018 Cascadia Fleet Owner / September 1, 2016 DTNA says it will deliver up to 8% improvement in fuel economy, offer fulltime connectivity Daimler Trucks North America introduced its all-new 2018 Freightliner Cascadia by delivering 12 tractors carrying the colors and logos of its largest fleet customers during a kick-off event staged at the World Arena here. Officially dubbed the “New Cascadia,” it combines state-of-the-art electronics, advanced powertrain integration, new technologies and refined aerodynamics to deliver up to an 8% improvement in fuel economy compared to the current Cascadia Evolution, according to Martin Daum, DTNA president and CEO. “That’s not just a marketing number, it’s been scientifically proven in rigorous testing to be measurable and repeatable,” Daum said. “Our initial goal [in developing the New Cascadia] was 5%, so the 8% we saw in testing was a mind boggling number.” In addition to the fuel efficiency gains, the new truck features full-time connectivity tied into the company’s Detroit suite of remote diagnostic and data monitoring systems, making it “the largest mobile device on the road,” Daum said. It will also come to market with the next generation of Detroit advanced safety systems. Initial production will begin in DTNA’s Cleveland, NC, and Saltillo, Mexico, plants early next year, slowing building to full production by mid 2017. The current Cascadia Evolution, which will now be called the “Classic Cascadia” will also remain in production for at least two years, according to Daum. There is a 19% spread in fuel efficiency between the base Classic Cascadia and the most efficiently speced New Cascadia, offering customers a choice in cost and performance that meets their particular operations, he said, adding that the cost spread between the basic and most advanced trucks would be $15,000. Highlights for the new truck’s integrated Detroit powertrain start with 400-hp ratings of the Detroit DD15 or DD13 diesel engines mated to the Detroit DT12 automated mechanical transmission and new Detroit rear axles with ratios as low as 2.16. The DT12 receives a number of internal changes to reduce friction for better fuel efficiency as well as a new generation of Detroit’s intelligent powertrain management software that incorporates GPS-enabled predictive cruise control. New gear coatings and an electronic lubrication management system are among the fuel-efficiency features of the new Detroit tandem axle, which will initially be available with a 2.28 final drive ratio followed by the 2.16 ratio later in 2017. Using the company’s dedicated wind tunnel and computer fluid design, the New Cascadia’s cab has been fine-tuned for optimal aerodynamics, according to Kary Schaefer, general manager of product marketing and strategy. It will be offered with two aerodynamic packages, one similar to the current Cascadia Evolution but with lower clearances for front and side air dams and redesigned mirror mounts, and the other an extensive AeroX package with longer side extenders, lower chassis fairings, a new front air dam design and proprietary wheel covers and fairings. A completely redesigned interior features a wraparound dash with integral 5-in display screen, new steering wheel controls, and extensive use of soft automotive-like finishes, as well as added storage space, dimmable LED lighting and new door seals that improve cab noise levels. Options include a murphy bed bunk over a dinette area and 3M Thinsulate insulation for added noise and temperature isolation. Drawing on an advisory panel of top technicians from its dealership network, the new model incorporated a number of their suggestions to ease maintenance and increase vehicle uptime. “You can’t beat physics – every machine has to be serviced, but you can design for quicker, better servicing,“ said Toby Faulkner, dir. of New Cascadia development. Those design elements include a single centralized compartment for all electricals including all ECUs that can be accessed from within the cab by removing a single panel without any hand tools. Frame rails have been splayed in the engine compartment for easier access to accessories, the entire HVAC system can be reached though a panel on top of the dash, and a new front bumper can be removed by one person in two minutes, according to Faulkner. Use of LEDs for all exterior lighting including headlights also reduces maintenance requirements. Advanced safety systems available in the New Cascadia include the next generation of the Detroit Assurance suite that now offers full emergency braking on stationary objects, adaptive cruise control and lane departure warning all using a new version of a proprietary Daimler radar sensor. While the improved fuel efficiency, driver comfort features and advanced safety systems are impressive, the new truck’s connectivity features are so extensive they require an article of their own. But in outline, DTNA is moving away from a subscription model and will instead provide five years of full-time connectivity as standard on the New Cascadia. That package will include its Virtual Technician remote diagnostics, a new Detroit Portal that will allow fleets to integrate data more easily into their own systems, and remote updating of firmware and vehicle performance parameters. An optional Detroit Connect Analytics will also be launched next year, offering fleets insights into vehicle, driver and fleet performance. “This is a completely brand new truck, “said Richard Howard, DTNA sr. VP of sales and marketing. “With the new Cascadia, we … are raising fuel efficiency, connectivity, safety, quality and uptime performance to even greater levels, and also introducing a premium driver experience as a powerful customer benefit and driver retention tool.” Photo gallery - http://fleetowner.com/equipment/new-cascadia-preview-welcome-future#slide-0-field_images-199801 .

Freightliner Says New Cascadia Offers Fuel Gains, Connectivity Advancements Transport Topics / September 1, 2016 Freightliner Trucks unveiled its nearly completely redesigned Cascadia tractor here that executives said is up to 8% more fuel efficient over the current Evolution model and features major advancements in a number of other key areas. “With the new Cascadia, we have not just updated past successes. Every aspect of the truck has been reimagined. We are raising fuel efficiency, connectivity, safety, quality and uptime performance to even greater levels and also introducing a premium driver experience as a powerful customer benefit and driver retention tool,” said Richard Howard, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Daimler Trucks North America, parent of Freightliner. "We want the new Cascadia to be 'the truck of choice for big fleets in North America,' " DTNA President Martin Daum said. He said the model year 2018 truck will begin to hit the road in April. Executives said the efficiency gains come from a series of enhancements, including a sloped hood and bumper with integrated air deflector to minimize drag. The new AeroX package offers additional benefits such as longer side extenders, lower chassis fairings, drive wheel covers and proprietary-designed wheel fairings. Also introduced during a Sept. 1 press conference was Detroit Connect Analytics, available through the new connectivity platform on the Cascadia. It will provide fleets with information to identify behaviors, trends and insights on fuel consumption and safety performance data. Fleet managers can view the data for a single trip, single vehicle or their entire fleet over different periods of time. Daum said connectivity will continue to “change the life of trucking.” To have a “meaningful impact on the performance of either drivers or the vehicle, you need to be able to see everything and be able to consume that in a way in which you or I can understand it. Detroit Connect Analytics is our move in that direction,” said Matt Pfaffenbach, DTNA’s director of connectivity. Also offered with the new Cascadia is the Detroit Assurance 4.0 system with active brake assist that provides full braking on stationary objects, adaptive cruise control and lane departure warning. There is also a warning should a pedestrian be picked up by the system’s radar. In addition, Detroit’s over-the-air update capabilities, allowing customers the ability to perform remote engine parameter and other updates, will be available during the second half of 2017, the company said. The Cascadia’s interior has received a major overhaul, starting with a centrally located hub where nearly all electronic control units are stored for easy access with no tools needed. A new steering wheel includes one-touch buttons for key functions and is complimented by an overhauled dashboard and instrument cluster aimed at providing drivers easier-to-understand information to reduce distractions. When not on the road, an updated driver’s loft area in sleeper models has first-time features such as dimming lights. Though the new Cascadia was officially unveiled Sept. 1, it was previewed one night earlier with 12 fleet customers that have spent a combined $9 billion with Freightliner in the past six years. Officials with a number of these large fleets were present at the event and credited Freightliner for acting on their suggested improvements. The new Cascadia is available with the integrated Detroit powertrain, which combines the 400 horsepower and 1,750 pound-feet of torque of Detroit DD15 or Detroit DD13 engine with the Detroit DT12 automated manual transmission and Detroit steer and rear tandem axles. “By combining advanced aerodynamics of the new Cascadia with the power of the high-performance, high-efficiency integrated Detroit Powertrain, we will help customers get the most out of every gallon,” Howard said. “We have provided an optimized, one-stop fuel efficiency solution.” Daum said the current Cascadia will be produced for at least another two years. The new truck will be built in both Mexico and Cleveland, North Carolina. .

Next-Generation Freightliner Cascadia Emphasizes Fuel Economy, Connectivity, Drivers Heavy Duty Trucking / September 1, 2016 Every aspect of the next-generation Freightliner Cascadia unveiled Sept. 1 “has been re-imagined,” said Richard Howard, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Daimler Trucks North America. It’s a "completely brand new truck"... not Cascadia 2.0. “We are raising fuel efficiency, connectivity, safety, quality and uptime performance to even greater levels, and also introducing a premium driver experience as a powerful customer benefit and driver retention tool," Howard said Sept. 1 during the introduction of the new truck in Colorado Springs. The new truck, which will be designated a Model Year 2018, will begin production in January, ramping up to full production by March. Production of the current Cascade will continue for two years. The next-generation Cascadia combines a new aerodynamic shape with the newest Detroit integrated powertrain for superior fuel economy. According to DTNA CEO Martin Daum, it ”is a mind-boggling 8% more efficient than the Cascadia Evolution, the current most efficient truck on the road." Standard aerodynamic enhancements such as an upper door seal, elliptical-shaped mirrors, sloped hood, bumper with integrated air deflector and integrated antennas all minimize drag. The optional Aero and AeroX packages provide additional aerodynamic benefits to manage airflow, including longer side extenders, lower chassis fairings, drive wheel covers and proprietary-designed wheel fairings. The new Cascadia is available with the integrated Detroit Powertrain, which combines the fuel-efficient downsped 400 hp/1,750 lb/ft. of torque Detroit DD15 [OM472] or DD13 [OM471] engines with the Detroit DT12 [Mercedes-Benz PowerShift 3] automated manual transmission, Intelligent Powertrain Management (IPM4) and corresponding Detroit steer and rear tandem axles. The new Detroit rear axles have features such as lower sump volume, gear-set coating, friction reducing gear cutting and optional Axle Lubrication Management that reduces parasitic loss and improves fuel economy. The new DT12 has also been updated to improve fuel efficiency and reduce friction by using super-finished gears and use of low viscosity transmission oil. It also features the latest generation of intelligent powertrain management, which uses a GPS-based system to anticipate upcoming road terrain and maximize the powertrain’s ability to utilize fuel most effectively. Focusing on the Driver Experience DTNA said the interior of the new Cascadia has received more attention than any previous Freightliner truck. Improvements range from the layout of the gauges and switches in the driver compartment to features inside the sleeper area, including a new Driver’s Loft configuration. Steering and handling have been improved with the driver in mind. A new front suspension provides a smoother ride and improved roll stiffness, and the steering gear is now located further forward to help improve steering precision and ultimately lead to less driver fatigue. Switches and steering wheel controls allow drivers to work without leaning and stretching. In the instrument cluster, digital smart gauges and information displays keep drivers informed as they drive. New noise abatement technology can be further improved with an optional insulation package using 3M Thinsulate technology. A new engine mount design provides better vibration isolation and the engine tunnel cover is now constructed using Quiet Steel technology. The sleeper area has been redesigned to include more cabinets, with larger spaces that can accommodate standard appliances. A television swivel bracket can hold up to a 26-inch flat panel TV. Double-bunk and Driver Loft options are also available. A new cargo shelf option allows drivers to store containers or duffle bags easily. If an upper bunk is spec’d, it will come standard with an easily released telescoping ladder. The Driver‘s Loft features a dinette table/work table and opposing seating with seat belts. These can be folded down flat quickly to allow for a murphy-style bed to swing down. The Driver’s Loft also comes standard with aircraft-inspired LED ambient lighting and dimmer switch so drivers can personalize their light levels. DTNA didn’t forget technicians in designing the Cascadia. New splayed frame rails create more room in the engine compartment to allow easy access for maintenance tasks, and most electronic control units are now stored securely in the cab in the new eVault for easier convenience and protection from the elements. In front of the eVault is the fuse and relay box, which is easily accessible with no hand tools needed. The dash panel was designed to be easily removed, and the standard two-piece front bumper can be removed in just two minutes. An updated, larger, engine air filter increases airflow and requires less frequent replacement intervals. Long-lasting LED lights are standard on interior and exterior. Innovative new headlights incorporate LEDs in the low beam, high beam, daytime running lamp, park lamp and turn signal lamp. The LED provides an impressive field of view in nighttime and bad weather conditions. Connected Performance Detroit has developed a proprietary connectivity platform exclusively for the new Cascadia. It will facilitate the delivery of current Detroit Connect features, such as Virtual Technician remote diagnostics, plus new features designed to provide deeper insights on fuel efficiency and safety performance. The introduction of the new platform also marks the debut of Detroit Connect Remote Updates, which enables over-the-air engine parameter programming and Detroit-initiated remote engine and other powertrain electronic controller firmware updates. Remote Updates features will be available to customers during the second half of 2017. Also available as an option with the new Cascadia, Detroit Connect Analytics provides users with on-demand, automated fuel efficiency and safety analysis and reports featuring key insights from Detroit and DTNA engineers. The connectivity platform will be available in the new Cascadia in January 2017. Photo gallery - http://www.truckinginfo.com/photogallery/photos/659/freightliner-cascadia-evolution-august-31-2016.aspx .

The Emerging Clinton Doctrine? The National Interest / September 1, 2016 Hillary Clinton enjoys a long record on foreign policy as a senator, a presidential candidate in 2008, and a secretary of state during the first term of the Barack Obama administration. Now, as the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party, she is articulating a revised foreign policy doctrine, one which both builds on her previous views and incorporates adjustments made during the current campaign. This electoral season has already demonstrated that in this era of globalization, international issues—trade, terrorism, immigration and others—often shape domestic politics in a decisive fashion. Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders upended the expectations of the political establishment by recognizing in a profound way how large segments of Americans perceive these questions. Clinton has had to adapt in response. She has thus arrived at a doctrine composed of the following elements: U.S. Global leadership. Particularly since 9/11, Clinton has been a centrist on foreign policy, taking positions to the right of President Obama. Clinton believes that international stability and progress require the United States to lead, sometimes echoing the sentiments of her husband who in his second Inaugural Address famously described the U.S. as standing alone “as the world’s indispensable nation.” She has been unequivocal in articulating support for the U.S.-led alliance structures in Europe and East Asia formed after World War II and her belief America has a central role in catalyzing progress on major global issues like climate change. She views the alliances with developed democracies as the foundation for projecting American influence, which she sees as a positive force in the world. She has remained true to this liberal-internationalist credo during the campaign. Globalist agenda. Clinton remains loyal to Obama’s policies of global economic integration. She continues to defend expanded free trade in principle, though under the current campaign’s political pressure she has pulled back on support for the Trans Pacific Partnership and equivocated in her views on the North American Free Trade Agreement. As secretary of state, she was an advocate of larger development-assistance budgets. Her support of the Obama climate-change agreements means she is willing to see Americans bear a disproportionate economic burden, at least in the near term, to address this threat. Her advocacy of the military intervention in Libya demonstrates a willingness to wage a war for humanitarian objectives, detached from a direct connection to U.S. security and economic interests. She also believes in the use of military to achieve diplomatic goals. Support for a permissive immigration regime. Clinton’s support for legalization of illegal immigrants, both those who crossed borders illegally and those who overstayed visas, is not paired with proposals to enhance security at the border or in the visa process. Her campaign talking points say little about immigration enforcement, and she endorses Obama’s executive actions to limit the scope of deportations. She also advocates allowing 65,000 Syrian refugees into the United States and is silent on how to respond to potential large-scale movements of migrants in the future. What she calls her comprehensive immigration-reform program focuses almost exclusively on legalization and citizenship for illegal immigrants, although she does (like President Obama), favor expelling those who have committed crimes. Engagement with great and adversarial powers. As Obama’s secretary of state, Hillary Clinton embraced and implemented a national security strategy including engagement with adversaries and hostile powers. She designed the “reset” with a Russia led by President Dmitry Medvedev, which entailed early concessions on missile defense in Europe and in the New START agreement. These concessions went largely unrequited as President Vladimir Putin later adopted aggressive policies toward Ukraine. She sought a “new kind of great power relations” with China, even soft pedaling U.S. human rights concerns. China’s assertiveness in the East and South China Seas, limited response on North Korea’s nuclear program, cyber espionage and intellectual property theft, and economic mercantilism remained unresolved. Regarding Iran, Clinton supports the nuclear agreement, with its uneven verification provisions and restrictions on enrichment activities that lapse over time. While she continues to describe China as part friend and part adversary, she has taken a hard confrontational line against Putin’s Russia, including calls to provide lethal military assistance to Ukraine. Confronting radical Islamism and terror. When I served as U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan, I met Hillary Clinton as part of congressional delegations. She showed a sophisticated understanding of the issues and a genuine passion for the risks to the Afghan people, and particularly Afghan women, if the Taliban and other extremists came to power. Yet, as part of the Obama administration, she was unwilling to speak of the threat of radical Islamist movements in those terms. Her efforts at State—programs designed to “counter violent extremism”—did not explicitly address the radical Islamist challenge. Nor did they amount to a sufficiently robust approach to countering extremists ideologically. Now, she is talking about Islamic extremism but she has not yet outlined a strategy for confronting this challenge beyond emphasizing the need for an intelligence surge and defeating ISIS. Important questions remain unaddressed, such as what to do with states that support extremism and terror like Pakistan, how to end the Iraqi and Syrian civil wars that feed extremism and terror, how to nurture improved relations between the Sunni Arab states and Israel because of their common opposition to ISIS and Iran, and how to strengthen ties with traditional allies and quell regional rivalry and proxy warfare between regional powers in the Middle East. Skeptical on nation building. While Clinton supported the use of force to topple regimes in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, and Syria, she has not taken a clear stand on what is needed in the post-conflict phase. In Afghanistan she supported an enduring commitment and programs for state building. In Iraq, she ultimately went along with Obama’s decision to disengage from Iraq against the advice of top military leaders, which combined with the civil war in Syria contributed to rise to the Islamic State. As the driver of the Libya operation, she undertook no effective measures for reconstituting the political order and security after Qaddafi, resulting in Somalia-like chaos. Even President Obama has conceded that this was a mistake. In Syria, she urged an incremental increase in involvement through arming proxies and air strikes but without developing a campaign plan and identifying the needed resources to achieve a reasonable end state. As a result, unsuccessful U.S. interventions in Libya and Syria have damaged our prestige and left swaths of the region in turmoil, with important effects on the region and beyond—increased terror and extremist problems in Europe and enhanced Russian role in the region. Given the unpopularity of nation building among the American public and the lessons of Iraq and Afghanistan, comprehensive large-scale nation building effort are unlikely for the foreseeable future. But there is a need for state building in post-conflict areas if are to avoid the need for U.S. occupation and control of those territories or the rise of new terrorist groups. Assisting in institution building is best done multilaterally, with the U.S. playing a leading role. Clinton has not expressed herself on this issue—and is unlikely to do so because she may not see any political upside to it. Status quo on defense spending and forces. Clinton stresses the value of “smart power,” which calls for diminished reliance on military hard power and greater use of political and economic soft power. This was appealing during the unipolar moment of American power in the 1990s. However, is it the right mix and do we have the right force structure for the coming years given the rising challenges of today’s world, which is seeing the adoption of adversarial strategies and the development of increased military capabilities by Russia and China and a number of regional powers? Clinton’s support for the architecture of U.S. commitments in Europe, East Asia, and the Middle East is encouraging because she understands that the U.S. role in the world has produced a prolonged period of great power peace. She sees the unique ability of the United States to unite and lead the world’s democratic powers and that the U.S. role as the ultimate guarantor of the balance of power in key regions is crucial to maintaining peace. Nevertheless, the shifts in her policies, partly to remain loyal to Obama and partly to attract Sanders supporters, have created a gap between her goals and aspirations and the means she advocates to achieve them. This gap was evident when she called for military intervention in Libya without state building even if on smaller scale than Afghanistan and Iraq. It is evident now as she temporizes about the ideological component in the fight against radical Islam, and fails to address the need for stepping up defense and international affairs spending. She embraces ambitious goals but is unwilling to accept the need for the required means. In practice, this means her policies may be inadequately resourced and consequently fall short of the mark. Clinton faces a difficult challenge: the globalist agenda is out of step with significant portions of both political parties. She is now defensive on free trade, and has not found a way to articulate how, if elected, she would counter mercantilist trade practices and currency manipulators. Without such a balance, she would risk further deepening the disillusionment with trade among a large segment of the American people. The need for her to articulate an approach to leveling the playing field in trade remains. Clinton’s support for liberal immigration policies will be divisive absent an explanation of how the continued arrival of low-skilled illegal immigrants will not put further pressure on wages at the lower end of the economy. Many Americans are angry that establishment figures advocate a repeat of the failures of the 1986 immigration reform, which gave legal status to millions of illegal immigrants but failed to deliver on the promise to secure the border. Persuading Congress to go along with her current immigration proposals appears problematic. And there is a need to articulate for America and perhaps more broadly the limits of the American capacity to absorb newcomers in an age when mass migration threatens to overwhelm even the wealthy countries of Europe. Clinton’s current vision for how to deal with major adversarial powers needs greater clarity. The “reset” with Russia appeared to make Putin less risk averse. The “pivot to Asia” was widely perceived as implying pivoting away from Europe and the Middle East and allowing a freer hand to Russia and Iran. For Clinton, the question is what comes next. How will she restore deterrence and check the increasingly assertive policies of Russia, China and Iran? How would she balance engagement and containment? How can we rebuild confidence in U.S. commitments when many leaders, especially in the Middle East, believe the current administration at times puts placating adversaries ahead of the interests of our allies and friends? On defeating radical Islam, Clinton has not outlined or explained how she would mobilize our greatest allies in the fight—the many millions of Muslims abroad who oppose extremism and who wish to make common cause with us. She may need to adjust her approach and speak more forcefully and directly about the threat of radical Islamists and set forth a strategy for mobilizing and working with our allies in Muslim-majority countries. It is questionable that the ambitious national-security agenda Clinton has put forward can be pursued successfully with the current means. The risk of a gap between ends and means on defense and international-affairs spending exists, and she needs to address it. The gap can be closed either by a diplomatic accommodation with China and/or Russia or by specifying what added resources would be needed to deter or counter their aggressive actions. However, to date she has not endorsed either approach. If she opts for countering adversarial powers, she needs to support spending at the levels of the last defense program set forth by Secretary of Defense Robert Gates. However, she should do even more to explain what it takes to provide the capabilities needed to ensure deterrence and stability in a world of rising threats. Her domestic policies should be judged in part whether they would strengthen the economic underpinnings of U.S. power. Slow economic growth and continued growth in entitlement and domestic discretionary spending threatens to reduce the resources needed to implement an ambitious foreign policy. Clinton should do more to address this vital issue. A final issue in Clinton’s advocacy of globalism is its inadequate differentiation between those things we must do—and those we would like to do. We are in an era of constrained resources. Demands at home to jumpstart our economy means some things we would like to do abroad are beyond our means. In this sense, globalism, as a paradigm, is too unselective and undiscriminating. It commits the United States to engage and devote resources to issues that are peripheral, not essential, interests. It further risks frittering away U.S. power at a moment when it must be preserved to address graver security issues. Clinton’s campaign thus leaves important questions unanswered. Is she the centrist Clinton of her days in the Senate and her first run for president? Is she a disciple of President Obama, with his reticent view about the American role in the world? Or is she to the left of President Obama, rejecting his trade agreements, and concerned most with placating Sanders supporters? A great deal rides on the nature of Clinton’s evolving foreign-policy doctrine. It is a test of her leadership to articulate where she stands and persuade the American people of the wisdom of that course. This is the second in a series of articles on foreign policy in 2016 by Ambassador Khalilzad. The first essay, “The Emerging Trump Doctrine?”, appeared in July; a third, on whether a bipartisan foreign-policy consensus is still possible, will come out closer to the election. Zalmay Khalilzad is a Counselor at CSIS. He was the US Ambassador in Afghanistan, Iraq and the UN.

Ram Raises Capacities for 2017 Chassis Cab Trucks Heavy Duty Trucking / September 1, 2016 Ram has increased the towing capacities and gross combination weight rating (GCWR) for its 3500, 4500, and 5500 chassis cab trucks for the 2017 model year, Ram has announced. The tow capacities and GCWR increase 1,000 pounds each. Ram will also offer an optional LED tail lamp and standard five-micron cabin air filter. The max trailering weight for 2017 increases to 23,770 pounds for the Ram 3500, 25,650 pounds for the Ram 4500, and 30,600 for the Ram 5500. The GCWR increases to 31,000 pounds for the Ram 3500, 33,500 pounds for the Ram 4500, and 38,500 pounds for the Ram 5500. The chassis cab trucks are available in three trim levels, including Tradesman, SLT, and Laramie. Regular or crew cab trucks offer cab-to-axle lengths of 60, 84, 108, and 120 inches. Engine options carry over, including a choice between the 6.4L HEMI V-8 and 6.7L Cummins diesel inline-6. The diesel offers 15,000-mile oil change intervals. The trucks offer a 74-gallon fuel tank and optional 22-gallon auxiliary tank.

The USPS, owned by the American taxpayer, should buy "American" trucks. That means, they should have chosen the Ford Transit over Germany's Sprinter and Italy's Ducato for that reason alone, not to mention it "is" the best of the three trucks.

The Washington Post / April 4, 2012 The 9-year-old boy with pale skin and big, piercing eyes captivated Mirzahan at first sight. “He is more handsome than anyone in the village,” the 22-year-old farmer said, explaining why he is grooming the boy as a sexual partner and companion. There was another important factor that made Waheed easy to take on as a bacha bazi, or a boy for pleasure: “He doesn’t have a father, so there is no one to stop this.” A growing number of Afghan children are being coerced into a life of sexual abuse. The practice of wealthy or prominent Afghans exploiting underage boys as sexual partners who are often dressed up as women to dance at gatherings is on the rise in post-Taliban Afghanistan, according to Afghan human rights researchers, Western officials and men who participate in the abuse. “Like it or not, there was better rule of law under the Taliban,” said Dee Brillenburg Wurth, a child-protection expert at the U.N. mission in Afghanistan, who has sought to persuade the government to address the problem. “They saw it as a sin, and they stopped a lot of it.” Over the past decade, the phenomenon has flourished in Pashtun areas in the south, in several northern provinces and even in the capital, according to Afghans who engage in the practice or have studied it. Although issues such as women’s rights and moral crimes have attracted a flood of donor aid and activism in recent years, bacha bazi remains poorly understood. The State Department has mentioned the practice — which is illegal here, as it would be in most countries — in its annual human rights reports. The 2010 report said members of Afghanistan’s security forces, who receive training and weapons from the U.S.-led coalition, sexually abused boys “in an environment of criminal impunity.” But by and large, foreign powers in Afghanistan have refrained from drawing attention to the issue. “It is very sensitive and taboo in Afghanistan,” said Hayatullah Jawad, head of the Afghan Human Rights Research and Advocacy Organization, who is based in the northern city of Mazar-e Sharif. “There are a lot of people involved in this case, but no one wants to talk about it.” An open secret A recent interview with Mirzahan and a handful of his friends who sexually exploit boys provided a rare glimpse into the lives of men who have taken on bacha bazi. The men agreed to be interviewed together in a mud hut in this tiny village in Balkh province, accessible only by narrow, unpaved roads and just a few miles from areas where the Taliban is fighting the government for dominance. The men insisted that only their first names be used. Although the practice of bacha bazi has become something of an open secret in Afghanistan, it is seldom discussed in public or with outsiders. Sitting next to the 9-year-old Waheed, who was wearing a pink pants-and-tunic set called a shalwar kameez, Mirzahan said he opted to take on the boy because marrying a woman would have been prohibitively expensive. The two have not had sex, Mirzahan said, but that will happen in a few years. For now, Waheed is being introduced to slightly older “danc­ing boys.” Sitting nearby was 23-year-old Assadula, who said he’s an Afghan soldier assigned to a unit in the southern province of Kandahar. Assadula said he has been attracted to teenage males for as long as he can recall. Two years ago, he took on a 16-year-old as his bacha. The relationship will end soon, he said, sitting next to his companion, Jawad, who is now 18. “When he starts growing a beard, his time will expire, and I will try to find another one who doesn’t have a beard,” Assadula said. Many of the men who have bachas are also married. But Assadula said he has never been attracted to women. “You cannot take wives everywhere with you,” he said, referring to the gender segregation in social settings that is traditional in Afghanistan. “You cannot take a wife with you to a party, but a boy you can take anywhere.” Boys who become bachas are seen as property, said Jawad, the human rights researcher. Those who are perceived as being particularly beautiful can be sold for tens of thousands of dollars. The men who control them sometimes rent them out as dancers at male-only parties, and some are prostituted. “This is abuse,” Jawad said. “Most of these children are not willing to do this. They do this for money. Their families are very poor.” Although the practice is thought to be more widespread in conservative rural areas, it has become common in Kabul. Mohammed Fahim, a videographer who films the lavish weddings in the capital, estimated that one in every five weddings he attends in Kabul features dancing boys. Authorities are well aware of the phenomenon, he said, as he played a video of a recent party that featured an underage boy with heavy makeup shaking his shoulders seductively as men sitting on the floor clapped and smiled. “Police come because they like it a lot,” Fahim said, referring to parties with dancing boys. When the boys age beyond their prime and get tossed aside, many become pimps or prostitutes, said Afghan photojournalist Barat Ali Batoor, who spent months chronicling the plight of dancing boys. Some turn to drugs or alcohol, he said. “In Afghan society, if you are raped or you are abused, you will not have space in society to live proudly,” he said. When Batoor completed his project on dancing boys, he assumed that nongovernmental organizations would be eager to exhibit his work and raise awareness of the issue. To his surprise, none were. “They said: ‘We don’t want to make enemies in Afghanistan,’ ” he said, summarizing the general response. A post-Taliban revival Afghan men have exploited boys as sexual partners for generations. The practice became rampant during the 1980s, when mujaheddin commanders fighting Soviet forces became notorious for recruiting young boys while passing through villages. In Kandahar during the mid-1990s, the Taliban was born in part out of public anger that local commanders had married bachas and were engaging in other morally licentious behavior. Afghanistan’s legal codes are based mainly on sharia, or Islamic law, which strictly prohibits sodomy. The law also bars sex before marriage. Under Afghan law, men must be at least 18 years old and women 16 to marry. During the Taliban era, men suspected of having sex with men or boys were executed. In the late 1990s, amid the group’s repressive reign, the practice of bacha bazi went underground. The fall of the Taliban government in late 2001 and the flood of donor money that poured into Afghanistan revived the phenomenon. Wurth, the U.N. official, who is leaving Kabul soon after three years of work on child-welfare issues in Afghanistan, said the lack of progress on combating the sexual exploitation of children is her biggest regret. Foreign powers have done little to conduct thorough research or advocate for policy reforms, she said. “It’s rampant in certain areas,” Wurth said. “But more than that we can’t say. Nobody has facts and figures.” Wurth said she was encouraged by recent discussions with Afghan government officials, who she said have begun to acknowledge the problem and have expressed concern about the rising popularity of the practice. The sexual exploitation of boys recruited to the Afghan police force was one of the reasons it was added in 2010 to a U.N. list of armed groups that recruit underage fighters, Wurth said. But, so far, the government has taken few meaningful steps to discourage the abuse of bachas. Wurth said she was not aware of any prosecutions. “A kid who is being sexually exploited, if he reports it, he will end up in prison,” she said. “They become pariahs.”

I wouldn't call it a "virtually unknown" executive order as they put it. It's a viable theory though, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Executive_Order_11110

People aren't killed without a reason. Presidents, at that time, weren't targeted for assassination without a very big reason (this is pre-1980s, pre-Hinckley era). JFK was in office from Jan 20, 1961 to Nov 22, 1963. We'll never know what really happened, who decided to have him killed, how and why. But I certainly would like to. It's impossible for me to believe that the FBI (J.Edgar Hoover) doesn't know what happened. Thus, it's shocking that the American people have not yet been told. That means, the "truth" is so powerful that it would undermine the very integrity of our government. Speaking of Hinckley, while John Lennon's killer Mark David Chapman has been denied parole once more, why has the would-be killer of President Ronald Reagan been released? Both of these people attempted murder......one succeeded. There were numerous witnesses. Why weren't they executed within 48 hours? Why has the U.S. taxpayer been burdened with the costs of their confinement for decades?

The U.S. has been mired down in Afghanistan since 2001......16 years. (If we hang in there four more years, we can exceed Vietnam's duration of 20 years and set a new record) Dealing with a 'primitive culture", we've accomplished nothing. The country has as many issues today as it did in 2001. It would have been cheaper, and at far lower costs to western soldiers, to build a "Trump wall" around it's perimeter. We even allow the Afghans to export heroin to the U.S. and other countries around the world, so that Americans can spend their income on frying their brains.

Navy analysis found that a Marine’s case would draw attention to Afghan ‘sex slaves’ The Washington Post / September 1, 2016 Last fall, the Navy Department had a controversial disciplinary case before it: Maj. Jason C. Brezler had been asked by Marine colleagues to submit all the information he had about an influential Afghan police chief suspected of abusing children. Brezler sent a classified document in response over an unclassified Yahoo email server, and he self-reported the mistake soon after. But the Marine Corps recommended that he be discharged for mishandling classified material. The Navy Department, which oversees the Marine Corps, had the ability to uphold or overturn the decision. However, rather than just looking at the merits of the case, Navy officials also assessed that holding new hearings on the case would renew attention on the scandal surrounding child sex abuse in Afghanistan, according to military documents newly disclosed in federal court. The documents, filed Tuesday in a lawsuit by Brezler against the Navy Department and Marine Corps, also show that Marine and Navy officials in Afghanistan were aware in 2012 of allegations of abuse against children by the Afghan police chief but that the chief was allowed to keep his position in Helmand province anyway. This became a major issue after a teenage boy who worked for the chief — and was abused by him — opened fire on a U.S. base Aug. 10, 2012, killing three Marines and badly wounding a fourth. The five-page legal review, written last October by Lt. Cmdr. Nicholas Kassotis for Vice Adm. James W. Crawford III, the judge advocate general of the Navy, recommended that the Marine Corps’ actions against Brezler be upheld. Calling for a new administrative review, known as a Board of Inquiry, would delay actions in the case another six to nine months and possibly increase attention on the case, “especially in the aftermath of significant media attention to the allegations regarding the practice of keeping personal sex slaves in Afghanistan,” Kassotis wrote. A month later in November, acting assistant Navy secretary Scott Lutterloh upheld the Marine Corps’ decision. Brezler’s case has drawn new attention in recent months as critics of presidential candidate Hillary Clinton have compared her email controversy to Brezler’s, noting that the officer’s military career is on the brink of being over. He sued the Marine Corps and Navy Department in 2014, saying that he was a victim of reprisal for discussing his case with a member of Congress, and it has languished in court since. Brezler wants to block his dismissal, which is now on hold. Navy and Marine Corps officials declined to discuss the case or the new documents filed in it, citing the pending litigation. A spokesman for the Justice Department, which is handling the lawsuit for the government, also declined to comment. The Navy Department’s observation about Brezler’s case was made as another U.S. service member’s career was in jeopardy because of his response to child sex abuse in Afghanistan. In that instance, Army Sgt. 1st Class Charles Martland made headlines after the Army decided last year to involuntarily separate him from the service because of a reprimand he had received for hitting an Afghan Local Police (ALP) official in 2011 after the man laughed about kidnapping and raping a teenage boy. The Army overturned its decision in April and allowed Martland, a Green Beret, to stay in the military after Rep. Duncan D. Hunter (R-Calif.) intervened. The Martland case opened a dialogue in which numerous veterans of the war in Afghanistan said they were told to ignore instances of child sex abuse by their Afghan colleagues. The Defense Department’s inspector general then opened an investigation into the sexual assault reports and how they were handled by U.S. military officials who knew about them. Brezler’s attorney, Michael J. Bowe, said Wednesday in an email that his client is entitled to a “real review” of his case — “not a whitewash designed to avoid uncomfortable press stories about child rape by our ‘partners’ in Afghanistan. “Our service members deserve better,” he added. A spokesman for Hunter, Joe Kasper, said that the Navy Department is “right to be worried about granting Brezler a new, impartial review of his case” because it “can’t sustain a case based on the facts and the moral imperative” that prompted Brezler to send the warning to other Marines that landed him in legal trouble. “The Navy surely watched the Army struggle with the Martland case, and the Army was ultimately left no choice but to retain Martland,” Kasper said. “The Brezler case is no different in that, at its foundation, there’s a corrupt Afghan commander that exploits children. It’s something that Americans won’t tolerate, and good luck to the Navy as it tries to explain that Brezler was better to keep quiet, avoiding scrutiny altogether, than attempt to save several Marines that were killed. On that aspect alone, the Navy loses.” Acting Defense Undersecretary Brian P. McKeon, said in a letter to Hunter last month that Gen. John “Mick” Nicholson, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, reaffirmed in May “tactical guidance” for U.S. troops that directs them to report potential instances of sex abuse to their commanders. “General Nicholson also issued a specific human rights policy directing further education of U.S. and coalition military personnel on their responsibilities to report human rights violations,” McKeon wrote. The Marines killed by the police chief’s servant were Staff Sgt. Scott Dickinson, Cpl. Richard Rivera Jr. and Lance Cpl. Gregory Buckley. A fourth Marine suffered five gunshot wounds but survived. The teenager who killed them has been identified by the Marine Corps as Ainuddin Khudairaham. He is said to have bragged about the attack afterward, boasting “I just did jihad.” A 300-page, declassified copy of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) probe of Brezler’s case filed this week as part of his lawsuit said that an officer in Afghanistan, Capt. Brian Donlon, sought information about Sarwar Jan because he recalled being told that he was “a bad guy who raped and tortured the people.” The police chief and Brezler had encountered each other previously in another part of Helmand province, Now Zad district, and Brezler had helped get him removed from his job. Donlon did not open the file Brezler attached to an email sent from the United States and reported his violation, Donlon told investigators afterward. Donlon sent an email to Brezler informing him the document he sent was classified, and then both Marines reported it to their respective commanding officers. Marine officials have said that while Brezler did send a classified email to Donlon, he actually faced scrutiny from the Marine Corps because he had other classified documents illegally stored that he planned to use while writing a book. Brezler’s attorney has countered that virtually no instances of inadvertently spilling classified information have led to penalties as stiff as his, and that if he had not voluntarily turned over his electronics after reporting his violation, he would not be in trouble now.

I love the Iveco Daily. It's a star performer all over the world. But I dislike the horrible looking Fiat Doblo (aka. Promaster City) compact van, as well as the USPS's Fiat Ducatos (aka. Promaster) full-size vans. This is what Car & Driver had to say about the USPS's Ducatos (the Ford Transit scored highest in the 3 vehicle comparison with the Sprinter). http://www.caranddriver.com/comparisons/diesel-cargo-vans-compared-ford-transit-vs-mercedes-benz-sprinter-ram-promaster-comparison-test The Ram ProMaster, a Fiat Ducato with ram-head logos, is a detestable, shovel-faced thing that appears to have been cobbled together from spare parts. Too harsh? No, not really. The ProMaster itself is an insult. It is the only vehicle in any comparison test in memory to receive zero points in a subjective category from one of our ­voters. That would be for its dreadful single-clutch automated-manual transmission. The other voters each gave it one mercy point. Pull out onto a busy road and the vehicle comes to a near stop as the transmission pauses to find the next gear. It’s not just annoying, causing your head to bob fore and aft with every shift, it’s scary. The steering system is loose and numb and connected to a steering wheel that feels only a few degrees from a horizontal orientation. It’s better than the steering in an ex-military Hummer H1 or a Mercedes-Benz G-class, but worse than everything else. Its 3.0-liter inline-four turbo-diesel makes more power than the Mercedes’ smaller-displacement four, but the ProMaster returns the slowest acceleration in the test by two seconds to 60 mph. This despite being the shortest and lightest of the vans. It also takes the longest distance to stop from 70 mph. It was the loudest van, it was judged to have the worst ride, and its handling properties were bottom rung. Oh, and judging by the contorted position that Fiat/Ram forces the ProMaster’s driver into, the company must really hate plumbers and delivery drivers. Why? We don’t know. We probably should have specified the longer-wheelbase version, which would have brought it closer to other competitors in terms of length. But the problems that ail the ProMaster will not be solved by more ProMaster.

This one isn't solely on Obama. It's been going on for decades. Every presidential administration for the last 50 years has, owing to lax enforcement, allowed illegal immigrants to enter and live in the United States. They ALL came in, not just drug dealers and other dregs of society. I'm upset over Obama's amnesty plan, every bit as much as I was livid over Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton's decisions to grant amnesty to illegal immigrants. When I recall the "good" presidents since 1900, I can only think of Theodore Roosevelt, Herbert Hoover, FDR and Eisenhower. Eisenhower was the last president that made a point of deporting illegal aliens........Operation Wetback (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Wetback). Note how well America developed under the Eisenhower administration (1953-1961). That was our high point. From that point forward, we've witnessed cultural decay and declining standards of behavior.

So he's saying, the government doesn't prioritize arresting and deporting "law-abiding" illegal aliens who have successfully evaded U.S. authorities for a long time and now have roots and connections in their communities. How can you term an illegal alien "law-abiding" when they broke U.S. immigration laws by entering the United States illegally? Attention folks around the world: If you sneak in at night, lie low for a year or more and don't make any trouble, you can remain in the U.S. long-term as an illegal alien. You can simply blow off U.S. immigrant procedures. As is often said, congress doesn't need to pass more immigration laws. Rather, our government needs to enforce the immigration laws we already have. Why it doesn't, i.e. why it does not immediately deport any and all illegal aliens, is the three million dollar question.

It "could" happen, but CNH is too cash-strapped I think to fund the project. The Powerstar would perform well in the U.S. market. .

Paul, the 15.6L OM473 in this truck is the Mercedes-Benz branded brother of the Detroit Diesel DD16. There are a few differences, but the same basic engine. To date, the 14.8L OM472 (DD15) has been targeted at the US market. The 12.8L OM471 (DD13) is used worldwide. The US market hasn't gotten the 10.7L OM470, which replaced the less efficient old 12L OM457.

MAZ targets grain haulers with new package MAZ Trucks / March 21, 2016 .

MAZ Trucks / August 31, 2016 .

Steve Brooks, Trade Trucks AU / September 1, 2016 Could the 2658 be the best Benz model to ever hit the Australian market? Steve Brooks thinks so Whatever your opinion of Mercedes-Benz trucks – good, bad or indifferent – prepare yourself for change. A big change, because the new Mercedes-Benz Actros is showing all the signs of being the best Benz to ever grace the Australian market. That’s the unequivocal conclusion after recently putting a 2658 model through its paces on a B-double run from Sydney’s northern outskirts to Brisbane via the Pacific Highway. After four years of testing and refining every piece of the product puzzle for Australian conditions, this is a truck that looks and sounds different to any Benz before it. There’s no question the new Mercedes-Benz stands out in a crowd with an external appearance that is unquestionably strong and aggressive. Too aggressive in this ‘softly, softly’ world? Maybe, but appearances are an individual thing and standing just shy of 4m in height and 2.5m wide, the big Benz certainly stands tall and proud. Interior Comforts Indeed, it may well be the loftiest of all climbs into a cab-over but there are at least ample steps and grab handles for trips in and out of the cab. Importantly, the big cab also provides large locker bins on both sides. On the inside there’s a lot to like. It’s a supremely comfortable cab and after almost 900km, there was not the slightest hint of a bent back or numb bum. The cab interior is fresh and clean, and the switchgear controlling the various functions are gratefully simple compared to some continental competitors. Among the main control items, a foot-operated pedal under the left side of the dash allows a wide range of steering wheel adjustments while a wand on the right-hand side of the steering column provides fingertip control of multi-stage engine retardation and transmission shift modes. Likewise, a wand on the left side controls indicators and wipers. Admittedly, both wands are hidden from view under the arms of the steering wheel but familiarity comes quickly. Internal storage space is adequate with overhead lockers and shelving under the centre of the dash. Under the bunk there are also two large slide-out bins, the one nearest the driver being a good-sized fridge easily reached from the driver’s seat. Without doubt though, the stand-out attractions of the cab are the flat floor, the standing room and the bunk. Combined with a quality inner-spring mattress affording plenty of stretch and wriggle room, they deliver the best sleeper compartment of all European cab-overs on the market today; a fact verified by six hours of superb slumber. This particular truck also had a fold-up second bunk but it’s hard to see why anything other than a two-up operation would want it. Its removal would obviously provide even greater internal room and ultimately, Mercedes-Benz would be wise to design hanging space for clothes and the like. Performance As for road work, the 2658 did not disappoint. The 2658LS model carries a gross combination mass rating of 90 tonnes and is powered by the 15.6-litre OM473 in-line six cylinder engine using selective catalytic reduction (SCR) for Euro VI emissions compliance. Peak outputs are listed as 425kW (578hp) at 1,600rpm and a potent 2,800Nm (2,065 lb-ft) of torque on tap from 1,080 to 1,400rpm. Performance feeds through Daimler’s PowerShift 12-speed direct-drive automated transmission into the group’s own hypoid drive tandem running a fast 2.533:1 final drive ratio. Rear suspension is Daimler’s airbag assembly while up front are long two-leaf spring packs. Stopping power comes from disc brakes on all axles supported by ABS anti-lock and ASR anti-skid systems. In fact, braking performance is brilliantly smooth and strong, aided by an impressively effective three-stage engine brake. Fuel capacity on this particular unit was 1,050 litres in single tanks on each side with a 110-litre AdBlue tank on the passenger side. Unfortunately, the spec sheet supplied with the test truck offered no indication of tare weight which was surprising given its V8 predecessor’s reputation for being heavy at both the weighbridge and the bowser. However, as several Mercedes-Benz sources have confidently stated, the in-line six cylinder configuration allows far better weight distribution over the front axle than the V8 engine of its predecessors. There’s a deep-throated burble about this engine that is entirely unique for a Mercedes-Benz product and best of all, it’s a burble that blends impressive standards of performance and efficiency. Fuel economy was, in fact, outstanding for a truck running at a gross weight of 58.6 tonnes, with less than 2,000km on the clock and for a large part of the trip hammered by a thumping westerly wind. At the end of the run, average fuel consumption recorded by the truck’s on-board computer was a remarkably thrifty 50.3 litres/100km (1.99km/litre) or 5.6mpg. As far as performance goes, the big bore Benz did its job with consummate ease, digging deep into rich reserves of torque and coping comfortably with everything the Pacific put in its path. Yet as good as the test truck was, it wasn’t without a couple of quirks. First, the mirrors. They’re big and electronically controlled but mirror vibration at highway speeds was annoying and certainly not up to the standard of a premium linehauler. Second, shifts through the PowerShift 12-speed box were undeniably smooth but all too often the transmission would drop two gears on modest grades when one shift would have comfortably sufficed. Verdict Still, it is easy to suggest a future where Mercedes-Benz will soon by supplying the armament to take the fight to any heavy-duty cab-over competitor. Sure, it’s a big statement and Daimler and its commercial colleagues will need to be fully prepared to back the new Benz with the highest levels of service and support. In fact, nothing less will suffice if the truck is to realise its significant potential to once again put the Mercedes-Benz marque forefront in the minds of truck operators far and wide. .

New Scania S and R truck launch, 23 Aug 2016 - Paris Commercial Motor / August 31, 2016 .

Donald Trump in Phoenix Arizona August 31, 2016 Trump pledged to create 'a special deportation task force' within the existing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency if he becomes president, and said he would use it to eject [only] the most violent felons who are in the United States illegally. 'Within ICE I am going to create a new special deportation task force,' Trump said. The force, he said, would be 'focused on identifying and quickly removing [only] the most dangerous criminal illegal immigrants in America who have evaded justice' Trump criticized the Obama administration for practicing a 'catch and release ... non-enforcement policy' that he said 'allows thousands of criminal aliens [previously was all-encompassing illegal aliens] to walk around freely and roam our streets' instead of sending them back to their home countries. Instead, he proposed, the U.S. should return to an Eisenhower-era policy of repatriating illegal immigrants in large numbers. 'We will take them great distances,' he said, 'but we will take them to the countries they came from.' And a President Trump would have 'zero tolerance for criminal aliens,' he promised. 'Zero. Zero.' [But he apparently has a newfound tolerance for non-criminal illegal aliens] 'We will begin moving them out on day one. As soon as I take office. Day one,' he said. 'The crime will stop. They're going to be gone. It will be over. They're going out.' He said if he wins the White House he will 'issue detainers for illegal immigrants who are arrested for any crime whatsoever, and they will be placed into immediate removal proceedings.' The Obama administration has notably cooperated with more than 340 American counties and municipalities that have declared themselves 'sanctuaries' for illegal immigrants. Instead of notifying ICE when they arrest an illegal immigrant, or release one from custody, those jurisdictions allow them to post bail or enter the parole system – where many disappear and some re-offend. Trump said one major plank of his immigration plan would 'block funding for sanctuary cities ... that have resulted in so many needless deaths.' 'Cities that refuse to assist federal authorities will not receive federal dollars,' he said. Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani surprised Trump's crowd by wearing a white baseball cap stating 'Make Mexico Great Again Also.' [Forever lawless Mexico has never been great, except perhaps when it was under Spanish rule]

A fixed rear cab mounting was a factory option on the 1984 R-model, but most customers stayed with the standard air-suspended rear cab mounting.

Daimler Press Release / August 31, 2016 15th Tour of Germany to start at the Mercedes-Benz museum The tour will be headed by a 1960 Mercedes-Benz LP 333 Patron: VDA President Matthias Wissmann Stuttgart – The time has come round again for the historic commercial vehicles Tour of Germany: for the 15th time around 70 forwarding agents and transport companies will come together to set off on a ten-day tour of Germany. Mercedes-Benz is represented with several truck models, all of which are at least 30 years old, and some of them are even pre-war models. Bastian Bernard will lead the historic convoy with his Mercedes-Benz LP 333 tractor from 1960, followed by an LP1624 COE tractor and 1624LS conventional tractor. In addition to Mercedes-Benz trucks such as the LAK 329 pickup or the L 319 panel van, the Daimler Brand Setra is also represented with a type S 9 omnibus built in 1959. The Tour of Germany will start on 1 September in Stuttgart where Gottlieb Daimler wrote truck history for the first time 120 years ago in 1896. The historic vehicles can be admired at the Mercedes-Benz museum from 2 p.m. onwards. And the drivers have plenty to look forward to as well: in the evening they can experience commercial vehicle history in the museum where they will be welcomed by Daimler in a festive setting. The tour will start on Friday morning at 10 a.m. when the trucks set off from Stuttgart to Speyer. The start of the tour is a highlight in itself for every fan of vintage vehicles – and it can take two hours until all vehicles have rolled out of the museum courtyard. The route will take the participants around 1200 km along old traffic axes towards the north. Individual stage destinations reflect the backbone of transport logistics and are situated on main trade routes which were very important in the past and remain so today. On 9 September the journey will end with a big closing event in Hamburg. As well as Mercedes-Benz, other vehicles from manufacturers represented in the Association of the German Automotive Industry (VDA) will take part in the convoy. Selected participating vehicles will also be on display at the IAA International Commercial Vehicle Show from 22 to 29 September 2016 in Hanover. The publishing company ETM organises the Tour of Germany every two years together with the forwarding agent Fehrenkötter. The tour with historic commercial vehicles is under the patronage of VDA President Matthias Wissmann. The event aims to improve the image of the commercial vehicles industry and to promote mutual consideration between cars and commercial vehicles. In addition, the organisers want the spectators along the route to appreciate a piece of commercial vehicle history. .