Editor's Note: A number of these domestic law enforcement technologies are being used for homeland security and counterterrorism purposes.
NLECTC Law Enforcement & Corrections Technology News Summary
Thursday, June 14, 2007
"LAPD Plans to Accept 911 Text Messages"
Los Angeles Times (06/13/07); Winton, Richard
The Los Angeles Police Department announced June 12 that it plans to upgrade the city's 911 system to allow callers to use text messages to ask for help. Officials said the system is necessary because there are circumstances where it is easier for someone to text for help rather than call, such as a kidnapping or a robbery. The new system will also allow callers to send photos and videos from their cell phones to the city's 911 call center. Although officials said callers' ability to send photos and videos could help police by giving them faster access to evidence such as an image of a getaway car involved in a robbery, others said that the feature could overload LAPD workers with data. According to Tim Riley, the potential for data overload is precisely why the department is proceeding slowly. The LAPD will initially start a stopgap system that allows the departments to get photos and video from cell phone calls only from callers it solicits. The system could be up and running later this year. http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-text13jun13,1,296583.story
"From Database to Crime Scene: Network Is Potent Police Weapon"
New York Times (06/07/07) P. B1; Lueck, Thomas J.
A New York Police Department anti-crime computer network located at One Police Plaza in New York City can rapidly send information to officers on the beat. Groups of detectives in the room, which the police department refers to as the Real Time Crime Center, look at computer screens and study cases on a 15-foot-high video screen that can show maps, diagrams, satellite pictures, and surveillance camera images. Some of the information the center makes available is typical police investigative material, such as criminal complaints, the criminal background of a suspect, and previous home addresses. In addition, the center provides the names of individuals who have visited a criminal in city prisons and state facilities, aliases, recordings of every 911 calls placed from any address in New York City over the past decade, and the nicknames of known criminals. Law-enforcement experts state the two-year-old crime center is the police department's most crucial technological measure in 15 years. In April 2007, a suspect who tortured a female student at Columbia University for nearly a day was arrested five days later when the network linked his nickname to him. Police authorities claim the center's databases possess law-enforcement records going back 15 years, which will be expanded to 25 years by autumn. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/07/
nyregion/07real.html?ref=technology
"Satellite Eye on Offenders Scaled Back"
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (06/07/07) P. A1; Marley, Patrick
Wisconsin's Joint Finance Committee has almost halved the number of child sex offenders that will have to be monitored via lifetime satellite tracking. In 2006, Gov. Jim Doyle signed a bill that would enact lifetime monitoring of serious child sex offenders, while the Department of Corrections would use its discretion in determining other child sex offenders that would be monitored. In other issues, Republicans and Democrats were split on the budget inclusion for the earned release program, granting inmates early release upon successful completion of alcohol and drug treatment. The committee also decided to furnish an additional $2.3 million for inmates' health care over a two-year span. Additionally, substance abuse programs will be expanded, instating reporting centers for offenders, as opposed to returning to incarceration. Doyle is slated to review the budget.
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=616503
"Police Are Divided on Stun Guns"
Boston Globe (06/07/07) P. Reg1; Paige, Connie
Although the Massachusetts police departments of Norton, Raynham, and Rockland have gotten approval from the state to use Taser stun guns, some area police chiefs are not enamored of the devices. Supporters feel that Tasers can bring dangerous individuals under control more safely than other weapons, while detractors worry about their price and the fact that some people have died after receiving Taser charges. In the last nine years, Taser International Inc. has sold 225,000 to 11,000 law-enforcement groups, vice president of communications Steve Tuttle states. Tasers currently cost between $399 and $899. Numerous police departments in Massachusetts have been studying the purchase of Tasers for three years, when a new state law allowed their use. Raynham Police Chief Louis Pachero stresses that Tasers are part of the vital equipment given to police. He points out that police have utilized Tasers a minimum of three times, including bringing under control a dangerous motorcycle gang. Braintree Police Chief Paul Frazier, however, says he is worried about possible lawsuits if a Taser causes injuries or fatalities; as such, even though drug-associated crime, robberies, gang activity, and home burglaries are increasing in his community, he states he is not in a hurry to obtain Tasers.
http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/
2007/06/07/police_are_divided_on_stun_guns/
"'Pings' Assist in Missing-Persons Cases"
Kansas City Star (06/07/07) P. A5; Hayes, David
Cell phone technology has been used once again by law enforcement to find a missing person and advance a criminal case. Information on the location of Kelsey Smith's mobile phone helped law enforcement find her body. Mobile phones act like two-way radios, and they must communicate frequently with the nearest cell tower to make and receive calls. The handsets send out a signal, called a "ping," to the closest cell tower every two to three minutes, and the towers forward the location of the mobile phone back to the network. A ping can show that the phone is in the coverage area of the tower, which can range from a few square blocks to a few square miles, and mobile phone carriers use that information to forward calls, text messages, or email messages to a phone. Calls made by family and friends on Saturday generated routine pings, enabling police to track the location of Smith's phone. Big mobile phone companies will assist police who have a subpoena for phone records from a judge, which they can obtain by telephone. The process of keying in a mobile phone's number and having the last known location pop up on a screen can take less than a minute.
http://www.kansascity.com/115/story/139639.html
"New York City Police Eye Trucks as Potential Vehicles for Terrorists"
Seattle Times (06/12/07); Hays, Tom
The New York City Police Department (NYPD), concerned that the commercial trucks that go in and out of the city each day could be used as terrorist weapons, has established checkpoints where the trucks are screened and subjected to several tests. "We've always been concerned about the potential for trucks and other vehicles to be used to convey explosives or other weapons," New York City Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said. "We also want to screen against the possibility of sensitive cargos being diverted for use in an attack." Police who man the checkpoints are inspecting the trucks for radiation, fertilizer, explosives, and chlorine. Trucks or drivers who lack ID or paperwork are removed from the road, police said. Dump trucks and cement trucks receive extra attention because they are capable of smashing through security checkpoints, says NYPD counterterrorism official Jonathan Duecker. The NYPD is currently developing a variety of mobile radiation detectors, including devices for police cars and bicycles and a backpack-like detector that can be worn by police officers in stadiums. Some 1,000 officers already wear pager-sized radiation detectors on their belts, and another 1,000 such devices are on their way. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2003744093_nytrucks12.html
"Cops' Radiation Detection? It's in the Bag, Kelly Boasts"
New York Daily News (06/07/07) P. 14; Gendar, Alison
Over the past year, the New York City Police Department (NYPD) has been testing five portable radiation detectors that resemble backpacks. Officials say the backpack can be used by officers while riding a bike, helping them appear as tourists. The backpack features an earpiece that provides data to the officer about any radiation in the area. Officials say the testing has helped manufacturers better understand the city's requirements. http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2007/06/07/2007-06-07_cops_
radiation_detection_its_in_the_bag_.html
"Long-Awaited Center Opens"
Indianapolis Star (06/06/07) P. 3; Smith, Bruce C.
Hendricks County, Ind., has opened a $7.6 million communications center that will equally serve police, fire, and ambulance services. Housed in the Plainfield's police and public safety building, the center will provide the ability for all respondents to communicate with each other, through an 800 MHz frequency. Staff will be on hand around the clock and each of 13 workstations comes equipped with flat video screens. "They can see where the doors and windows and other features are located, which can be important information in an emergency," said Hendricks Communications Center executive director Larry Brinker. All emergency vehicles in Hendricks County are GPS-equipped, and dispatchers can pull up three-dimensional aerial images of an incident's location. http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/
20070606/LOCAL0505/706060357/1020/LOCAL05
"California Firm Sees Business Grow With Law Enforcement Interest in 'SandCars'"
Bakersfield Californian (06/06/07); Philp, Drew
Bakersfield, Calif.-based Extreme Motorsports manufactures "SandCars," and on June 7 signed an agreement worth $39 million with Made in USA Industries to produce 400 SandCars geared for law enforcement. Extreme Motorsports owner Alan McCaa explains that anti-terrorist and border patrol groups are interested in his cars to take some of the burden off their on-road police cruisers. The vehicles can be outfitted with such features as Pelican Mobile laptops, infrared cameras, and armor plating. SandCars resemble the dune buggies of the 1970s. The vehicles can host Corvette engines with as many as eight cylinders, and at 450 horsepower can travel at 110 miles-per-hour or faster. The cars are expensive, costing between $15,000 and $100,000-plus. Although McCaa sells SandCars to private customers, he stresses that "government and law enforcement will end up being the bread and butter of our company." He thinks the two entities are becoming more aware of SandCars as a fast way to enter and exit remote locations. http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2007/06/06/2693387.htm
"Rockland Judges Push for More Courtroom Security"
Journal News (NY) (06/06/07) P. 3A; Lieberman, Steve
A shooting at a Rockland County, N.Y., court last month has prompted the state to make money available for municipalities to improve courtroom security. Grants from the New York state Office of Court Administration are being offered to pay for metal detectors to check people for weapons. Clarkstown and West Haverstraw are among the local governments that already have the approximately $4,000 magnetometers, and Ramapo has ordered a metal detector and Sloatsburg, where the shooting occurred, plans to order one. Although the state is willing to pay for the metal detectors, municipalities would have to cover the cost of personnel to operate the machine and the electronic metal detector wands. Clarkstown Police Chief Peter Noonan expressed confidence in current courtroom security, and Councilman Ralph Mandia said he welcomed the effort to improve security in courts as long as the police oversee personnel hired to handle the equipment. A police station is downstairs from Clarkstown Justice Court, an officer is on patrol upstairs and there are security cameras. Before the shooting, some local governments questioned whether there was a need for tighter security in courtrooms. "They are taking a different view now," says Rockland County Court Judge Charles Apotheker. http://www.thejournalnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/
article?AID=/20070606/NEWS03/706060377
"Committee Postpones Radio Upgrade Vote"
Herald & Review (IL) (06/05/07); Tallon, Mary
Macon County, Ill., Sheriff Jerry Dawson said the failure to upgrade the department's backup radio system soon could jeopardize public safety. The comment from Dawson came after Macon's Board Finance Committee postponed a vote on spending more than $150,000 on equipment and technology improvements on Monday. The equipment and technology upgrades would make the "Old Sheriff's Main" frequency a digitally compatible system. The sheriff's department uses the radio system, which has not been upgraded since 1979, when its primary frequency encounters "dead spots," and Macon's emergency management agency uses it for its main radio channel. The committee considered using money from a $500,000 disaster contingency fund until board Chairman Bob Sampson questioned whether disaster contingency money could be legally used for the radio improvement. The board placed greater restrictions on the use of the fund in January. Dawson suggested using the disaster contingency fund, but added that money could also come from another source.
http://www.herald-review.com/articles/2007/
06/05/news/local_news/1023943.txt
"'CSI'-Style Technology Going to Dogs--and Cats"
Associated Press (06/03/07); Gelineau, Kristen
Many law-enforcement agencies are increasingly looking at animal DNA to obtain evidence for crimes in which animals were involved or witnesses. Saliva and hair found at the site of an animal attack can help identify the animal responsible, and if animals are present at the scene of a crime, their DNA can often be used to match up with any evidence found on the person or property of suspects. DNA evidence is not the only tool used in investigating animal-related cases; however, investigations into animal cruelty also make use of more traditional forensic methods such as ballistics and toxicology to determine how much an animal may have suffered in a particular instance. Forensic entomology can help settle issues related to poaching deaths, such as the amount of time since a particular animal has been shot. http://washingtontimes.com/metro/20070602-110040-9695r.htm
"Radios Will Link Lawmen"
Searcy Daily Citizen (AR) (06/01/07); Watkins, Warren
White County, Ark., has used money left over from grants for the new Mobile Command Unit to purchase 64 hand-held radios that will allow law enforcement officers in different jurisdictions throughout the county to communicate with one another. According to Bill Haynie, chairman of the White County 911 board, the FCC regulates the frequencies on the radios--which cost more than $600 each--so that they may only be used by law enforcement officers. http://www.thedailycitizen.com/articles/
2007/06/02/news/local_news/news02.txt
"Calling System Aids Oakwood Police"
Dayton Daily News (OH) (06/07/07) P. Z1-3; Bebbington, Helen
Police in Oakwood, Ohio, used the city's CodeRED automated phone alert system for the first time on May 30 to help locate a missing man. The service, which police officials say has been in place for about six months, sends out automated calls to citizens within a particular radius of an emergency. Police issued the CodeRED call at 10:15 a.m., alerting citizens of a man with dementia who left an assisted living facility; in about 15 minutes, a resident of Kettering, Ohio, informed Oakwood police about the man, whom she saw at a CVS store. The service is provided by the Miami Valley Communications Council and features GIS and other technologies that let cities notify residents. Roughly 15 communities in the Dayton metropolitan area currently rely on the service. http://www.daytondailynews.com
"DHS Vows to Fix Information Network"
Federal Computer Week (05/28/07); Mosquera, Mary
Homeland Security Department officials recently promised Congress that they will boost the functionality of the Homeland Security Information Network (HSIN). HSIN was created in 2003 to help local and state law enforcement share data, but has been implemented without proper coordination among various law enforcement officials. HSIN is not used by many people today. The Homeland Security Department plans to revamp and improve HSIN cooperation with federal databases such as the Regional Information Sharing Systems (RISS) program, as well as better involve local and state agencies and authorities. HSIN also is transitioning into becoming part of an Information Sharing Environment (ISE) to help reduce isolated data in various databases by creating automatic duplication as well as links. The ISE component remains under development, and also will include input from federal intelligence agencies. http://www.fcw.com/article102798-05-28-07-Print
"District, Police Looking at Camera Technology"
YourHub.com (05/23/07); Kirchmer, Joseph
The Douglas County School District is considering implementing SWAT (Security With Advanced Technology) that would enable law enforcement to observe video footage from inside a school that could be transmitted to command centers and to patrol cars. Cameras would be installed and images would be transmitted through an antenna from the school's roof; there are about 750 cameras already installed in the district. "It gives law enforcement a clearer picture in the event of a shooter situation," said executive director of safety and transportation Larry Borland. The receivers are slated to cost about $5,100 per unit, minus the cost of installation. Receivers would be installed in police cars, command centers, and school vehicles. "We may not necessarily be able to locate where a suspect is, but you would definitely be able to tell where suspect is not," noted Borland. http://denver.yourhub.com/CastleRock/Stories/News/Law/Story~311308.aspx
"Voice Biometrics: Coming to a Security System Near You"
Ars Technica (05/13/07); Anderson, Nate
Because every voice is unique, sophisticated voice analysis software can match people to voices, which will be a boon to security investigators, though not to criminals. Voice biometrics technology can catch criminals by studying voice characteristics, and can do so in 30 minutes on a modern dual-core machine. Moreover, the voice provides two-factor identification, as it combines what individuals say with how they say it, and can combine the factors remotely. Voice systems are at least twice as accurate as fingerprint scanning, and are cheaper to implement, says Dr. Clive Summerfield of the University of Canberra. Banks are eager customers of the technology, which is now all set for commercial deployment. This year, the major Dutch bank ABN AMRO will unveil the technology to its 4 million Netherlands customers. http://arstechnica.com/articles/culture/voice-biometrics-come-of-age.ars
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Staff Sgt. Michael A. Bechert, 24, of New Castle, Ind., died on 14 June in San Antonio, Texas of wounds suffered when his vehicle struck an improvised explosive device on May 30 in Baghdad, Iraq. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, 2d Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Schweinfurt, Germany.
For more information related to this release, the media may contact the Fort Riley public affairs office at (785) 239-3410 or (785) 239-2222.
Staff Sgt. Michael A. Bechert, 24, of New Castle, Ind., died on 14 June in San Antonio, Texas of wounds suffered when his vehicle struck an improvised explosive device on May 30 in Baghdad, Iraq. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, 2d Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Schweinfurt, Germany.
For more information related to this release, the media may contact the Fort Riley public affairs office at (785) 239-3410 or (785) 239-2222.
Five Coalition Troops, One U.S. Soldier Killed; Previous Casualties Identified
American Forces Press Service
June 17, 2007 – Four coalition servicemembers were killed today in Afghanistan, military officials reported. In addition, on June 15, a coalition servicemember was killed in Afghanistan and a U.S. soldier was killed in Iraq.
-- Three coalition servicemembers and an Afghan interpreter were killed today around 1:30 p.m. when an improvised explosive device detonated near their vehicle in Kandahar province, Afghanistan.
-- A coalition soldier was killed by a rocket-propelled grenade while conducting combat operations in Uruzgan province in southern Afghanistan today around 3 p.m. Three Afghan National Army soldiers were injured in the attack and are being treated at a nearby coalition medical facility.
-- A coalition forces servicemember died of wounds suffered during a combat operation June 15 in Paktika province.
-- One Multinational Division Baghdad soldier was killed when a roadside bomb detonated near a patrol during combat operations in a southern section of Baghdad June 15. Three other soldiers were wounded in the attack. The names and nationalities of the deceased servicemembers are being withheld pending notification of next of kin. Meanwhile, the Defense Department released the identities of one airman and three soldiers killed recently supporting the war on terror.
-- Air Force Maj. Kevin H. Sonnenberg, 42, of McClure, Ohio, died June 15 when his jet crashed five miles north of Balad Air Base, Iraq. He was assigned to the 112th Fighter Squadron, Toledo, Ohio. The cause of the crash is under investigation.
-- Army Master Sgt. Arthur L. Lilley, 35, of Smithfield, Pa., died June 15 in Shkin, Afghanistan, from wounds suffered from enemy small-arms fire. He was assigned to Company B, 2nd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg, N.C.
-- Army Spc. Josiah W. Hollopeter, 27, of San Diego, Calif., died June 14 in Balad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when his unit was attacked by insurgents using small-arms fire in Muqdadiyah, Iraq. He was assigned to the 6th Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.
-- Army Pfc. Casey S. Carriker, 20, of Hoquiam, Wash., died June 13 in Kirkuk, Iraq, from injuries suffered from a non-combat related incident. His death is under investigation. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.
(Compiled from Combined Joint Task Force 82, Multinational Corps Iraq and Defense Department news releases.)
June 17, 2007 – Four coalition servicemembers were killed today in Afghanistan, military officials reported. In addition, on June 15, a coalition servicemember was killed in Afghanistan and a U.S. soldier was killed in Iraq.
-- Three coalition servicemembers and an Afghan interpreter were killed today around 1:30 p.m. when an improvised explosive device detonated near their vehicle in Kandahar province, Afghanistan.
-- A coalition soldier was killed by a rocket-propelled grenade while conducting combat operations in Uruzgan province in southern Afghanistan today around 3 p.m. Three Afghan National Army soldiers were injured in the attack and are being treated at a nearby coalition medical facility.
-- A coalition forces servicemember died of wounds suffered during a combat operation June 15 in Paktika province.
-- One Multinational Division Baghdad soldier was killed when a roadside bomb detonated near a patrol during combat operations in a southern section of Baghdad June 15. Three other soldiers were wounded in the attack. The names and nationalities of the deceased servicemembers are being withheld pending notification of next of kin. Meanwhile, the Defense Department released the identities of one airman and three soldiers killed recently supporting the war on terror.
-- Air Force Maj. Kevin H. Sonnenberg, 42, of McClure, Ohio, died June 15 when his jet crashed five miles north of Balad Air Base, Iraq. He was assigned to the 112th Fighter Squadron, Toledo, Ohio. The cause of the crash is under investigation.
-- Army Master Sgt. Arthur L. Lilley, 35, of Smithfield, Pa., died June 15 in Shkin, Afghanistan, from wounds suffered from enemy small-arms fire. He was assigned to Company B, 2nd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg, N.C.
-- Army Spc. Josiah W. Hollopeter, 27, of San Diego, Calif., died June 14 in Balad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when his unit was attacked by insurgents using small-arms fire in Muqdadiyah, Iraq. He was assigned to the 6th Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.
-- Army Pfc. Casey S. Carriker, 20, of Hoquiam, Wash., died June 13 in Kirkuk, Iraq, from injuries suffered from a non-combat related incident. His death is under investigation. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.
(Compiled from Combined Joint Task Force 82, Multinational Corps Iraq and Defense Department news releases.)
Gates: Troop Surge Will Take Time to Judge
By Carmen L. Gleason
American Forces Press Service
June 16, 2007 – The U.S. troop surge into Iraq is just starting to have its full-intended impact, and it will take time to judge its effectiveness, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said after meeting with U.S. and Iraqi leaders here today. During his brief visit to Iraq, which started last night, Gates met with Multinational Force Iraq Commander Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker, Iraqi political leaders and U.S. troops on the ground.
In a news conference after his meeting with Petraeus and Crocker, the secretary praised the two leaders for their efforts in working for reconciliation in Iraq.
"These two are among America's finest public servants," he said. "The American people can count on them to provide honest, candid and realistic appraisals of what's going on in Iraq, good and bad."
Crocker and Petraeus are due to make an assessment in September as to whether the U.S. troop surge has been effective in quelling violence and prompting political progress.
Gates said that with the recent arrival of the fifth additional brigade into Iraq, the full impact of the U.S. troop surge, which began building a few months ago, is just now beginning. It remains to be seen how much progress will be made over the next two or three months on the 18 benchmarks President Bush and Congress included in the Iraq war funding bill, he said.
However, while the benchmarks are important, it's also important to be aware of what's happening at the provincial and local level, such as the "ground up" effort that has been so successful in Anbar province, Gates said.
"The benchmarks primarily focus on a national level, and we have to pay attention to those because they are in the legislation, but there is this other aspect to it," Gates said.
Crocker told reporters that he is pressing hard to meet benchmarks, and the Iraqi government is pushing itself, but progress has been frustratingly slow.
"I think it's important to remember that while benchmarks are important, they are a means to an end," he said, "and the end is a government that is effective in delivering services to its citizens and an effective instrument at furthering the process of reconciliation."
Crocker said that Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has stepped up as a leader following this week's Samarra mosque bombing by enforcing curfews, convening the presidency council to get Sunni, Shiia and Kurdish leaders' impressions on how to deal with the crisis, and traveling to Samarra to demonstrate his direct involvement in the potential crises following.
"This will be a difficult and painful process," Crocker said. "But there are an awful lot of Iraqis in government and in neighborhoods who think this can be done."-
During his trip, Gates also visited the Nadain Joint Security Station in the southeastern sector of Baghdad, where he met with Iraqi police and military members, in addition to U.S. troops from the 217th Field Artillery Battalion based in Fort Carson, Colo.
Gates commended the troops for their service in manning what could be described as a "911 emergency center" for the neighborhood of Zafaniyah. By developing relationships with residents, the station's presence has been credited with helping reduce the number of violent attacks within its area of responsibility.
"By maintaining a continued presence in Baghdad neighborhoods, residents are more secure and more wiling to help break the cycle of violence," Gates said. "(Our troops) are doing a superb job under difficult conditions. They deserve our deepest gratitude for their sacrifice and those of their families."
Gates arrived in Baghdad after two days of talks with NATO ministers in Brussels, Belgium.
American Forces Press Service
June 16, 2007 – The U.S. troop surge into Iraq is just starting to have its full-intended impact, and it will take time to judge its effectiveness, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said after meeting with U.S. and Iraqi leaders here today. During his brief visit to Iraq, which started last night, Gates met with Multinational Force Iraq Commander Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker, Iraqi political leaders and U.S. troops on the ground.
In a news conference after his meeting with Petraeus and Crocker, the secretary praised the two leaders for their efforts in working for reconciliation in Iraq.
"These two are among America's finest public servants," he said. "The American people can count on them to provide honest, candid and realistic appraisals of what's going on in Iraq, good and bad."
Crocker and Petraeus are due to make an assessment in September as to whether the U.S. troop surge has been effective in quelling violence and prompting political progress.
Gates said that with the recent arrival of the fifth additional brigade into Iraq, the full impact of the U.S. troop surge, which began building a few months ago, is just now beginning. It remains to be seen how much progress will be made over the next two or three months on the 18 benchmarks President Bush and Congress included in the Iraq war funding bill, he said.
However, while the benchmarks are important, it's also important to be aware of what's happening at the provincial and local level, such as the "ground up" effort that has been so successful in Anbar province, Gates said.
"The benchmarks primarily focus on a national level, and we have to pay attention to those because they are in the legislation, but there is this other aspect to it," Gates said.
Crocker told reporters that he is pressing hard to meet benchmarks, and the Iraqi government is pushing itself, but progress has been frustratingly slow.
"I think it's important to remember that while benchmarks are important, they are a means to an end," he said, "and the end is a government that is effective in delivering services to its citizens and an effective instrument at furthering the process of reconciliation."
Crocker said that Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has stepped up as a leader following this week's Samarra mosque bombing by enforcing curfews, convening the presidency council to get Sunni, Shiia and Kurdish leaders' impressions on how to deal with the crisis, and traveling to Samarra to demonstrate his direct involvement in the potential crises following.
"This will be a difficult and painful process," Crocker said. "But there are an awful lot of Iraqis in government and in neighborhoods who think this can be done."-
During his trip, Gates also visited the Nadain Joint Security Station in the southeastern sector of Baghdad, where he met with Iraqi police and military members, in addition to U.S. troops from the 217th Field Artillery Battalion based in Fort Carson, Colo.
Gates commended the troops for their service in manning what could be described as a "911 emergency center" for the neighborhood of Zafaniyah. By developing relationships with residents, the station's presence has been credited with helping reduce the number of violent attacks within its area of responsibility.
"By maintaining a continued presence in Baghdad neighborhoods, residents are more secure and more wiling to help break the cycle of violence," Gates said. "(Our troops) are doing a superb job under difficult conditions. They deserve our deepest gratitude for their sacrifice and those of their families."
Gates arrived in Baghdad after two days of talks with NATO ministers in Brussels, Belgium.
Air Force Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of an airman who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Maj. Kevin H. Sonnenberg, 42, of McClure, Ohio, died June 15 when his jet crashed five miles north of Balad Air Base, Iraq. He was assigned to the 112th Fighter Squadron, Toledo, Ohio. The cause of the crash is under investigation.
For more information, contact U.S. Central Command Air Forces Public Affairs at 011-974-458-9855 and connect to 436-4381/4014/4379; 803-895-2875 or e-mail afforpa@auab.centaf.af.mil; 9afpa.orgbox@shaw.af.mil.
Maj. Kevin H. Sonnenberg, 42, of McClure, Ohio, died June 15 when his jet crashed five miles north of Balad Air Base, Iraq. He was assigned to the 112th Fighter Squadron, Toledo, Ohio. The cause of the crash is under investigation.
For more information, contact U.S. Central Command Air Forces Public Affairs at 011-974-458-9855 and connect to 436-4381/4014/4379; 803-895-2875 or e-mail afforpa@auab.centaf.af.mil; 9afpa.orgbox@shaw.af.mil.
Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Master Sgt. Arthur L. Lilley, 35, of Smithfield, Pa., died June 15, in Shkin, Afghanistan, from wounds suffered from enemy small arms fire. He was assigned to Company B, 2nd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg, N.C.
For more information related to this release the media may contact the U.S. Army Special Operations Command public affairs office at (910) 432-6005.
Master Sgt. Arthur L. Lilley, 35, of Smithfield, Pa., died June 15, in Shkin, Afghanistan, from wounds suffered from enemy small arms fire. He was assigned to Company B, 2nd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg, N.C.
For more information related to this release the media may contact the U.S. Army Special Operations Command public affairs office at (910) 432-6005.
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Spc. Josiah W. Hollopeter, 27, of San Diego, died June 14 in Balad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when his unit was attacked by insurgents using small arms fire in Al Muqdadiyah, Iraq. He was assigned to the 6th Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.
For more information related to this release the media may contact the Fort Hood public affairs office at (254) 287-9993; after hours (254) 291-2591.
Spc. Josiah W. Hollopeter, 27, of San Diego, died June 14 in Balad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when his unit was attacked by insurgents using small arms fire in Al Muqdadiyah, Iraq. He was assigned to the 6th Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.
For more information related to this release the media may contact the Fort Hood public affairs office at (254) 287-9993; after hours (254) 291-2591.
Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Pfc. Casey S. Carriker, 20, of Hoquiam, Wash., died June 13 in Kirkuk, Iraq, from injuries suffered from a non-combat related incident. His death is under investigation. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.
For more information related to this release, the media may contact the 25th Infantry Division public affairs office at (808) 655-4815 or (808) 655-8729.
Pfc. Casey S. Carriker, 20, of Hoquiam, Wash., died June 13 in Kirkuk, Iraq, from injuries suffered from a non-combat related incident. His death is under investigation. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.
For more information related to this release, the media may contact the 25th Infantry Division public affairs office at (808) 655-4815 or (808) 655-8729.
Friday, June 15, 2007
Special Ops Growth Can Be Managed, Nominees Say
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
June 13, 2007 – The growth of special operations forces poses difficulties for the Defense Department, but nominees for key special operations positions told the Senate Armed Services Committee yesterday that the situation is manageable. Michael Vickers and Navy Vice Adm. Eric Olson testified before the committee as part of their confirmation process. Vickers is nominated to be assistant secretary of defense for special operations and low-intensity conflict, and Olson is nominated to be the next commander of U.S. Special Operations Command at MacDill Air Force Base, Fla.
Special operations forces have emerged as a key ingredient in the global war on terror. The most recent budget proposal calls for an increase of special ops forces across the services. Special operations forces are light and agile, and are often the first forces called upon when a crisis happens, Olson said. Many special operators have the cultural awareness to work with foreign militaries, and Americans expect to have special operations forces "that can silently emerge from darkness with precision and daring to conduct missions that are especially demanding and sensitive," he said.
Special Operations Command has some duties that usually reside with the services - including training, organizing and equipping forces. But the command also has a military mission in employing special operators across the spectrum of traditional and irregular warfare missions.
If confirmed for his position, Vickers would have responsibility for the oversight of the Defense Department's special operations core warfighting capabilities.
Vickers told the Senate panel that special operations manpower is a combination of recruiting, training and retention. "All three of those are on track in order to accomplish the growth that we have requested and which has been programmed for should the budget be approved," he said.
Special operations forces across the services have made significant changes to training, "and in some of our schoolhouses we have doubled and almost tripled our output of special operations forces over the last couple of years," Vickers said. He thanked the Senate for their efforts to retain experienced special operations NCOs and officers. "We are growing the force rapidly without paying too high a price in terms of making the force more youthful or less mature in its experience level by retaining these long-serving members of our force," he said. "So all that is on track, sir. I'm very optimistic that we will meet our growth goals."
Olson agreed. He said that while the community is growing rapidly - about 13,000 over the next five years - the command can absorb the increase.
Special operations forces operations tempo and deployment is on par with that of Army and Marine Corps conventional forces, Olson said.
Equipment is important to special operations, and the command is working to modernize the special operations air fleet. The Air Force provides the platforms, and Special Operations Command invests money to modify the aircraft to accomplish a special ops mission.
"We have an immediate requirement for 37 modernized aircraft," Vickers said. "In working with the Air Force, we have in our budget request enough funds to accommodate 20 of those across the future-year development plan and to deliver 12 within that plan. Ideally, there would be more rapid growth, but that is a satisfactory growth rate for us."
Olson would like more input in personnel practices of the soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines in Special Operations Command. The admiral would be responsible for combat readiness of the force, but "does not have full authority to manage how that force is promoted, how they are schooled, how they are paid."
This causes a disparity across the force with the different service components in terms of pay scales or promotion rates. "The language of the law says that the commander is responsible for monitoring the management of special operations personnel, but he has limited authority to actually execute management of personnel," Olson said.
The admiral said if confirmed he would not want to replace the services, but he would like "a way by which United States Special Operations Command could better influence the management of Special Operations personnel to achieve greater equity across the force."
American Forces Press Service
June 13, 2007 – The growth of special operations forces poses difficulties for the Defense Department, but nominees for key special operations positions told the Senate Armed Services Committee yesterday that the situation is manageable. Michael Vickers and Navy Vice Adm. Eric Olson testified before the committee as part of their confirmation process. Vickers is nominated to be assistant secretary of defense for special operations and low-intensity conflict, and Olson is nominated to be the next commander of U.S. Special Operations Command at MacDill Air Force Base, Fla.
Special operations forces have emerged as a key ingredient in the global war on terror. The most recent budget proposal calls for an increase of special ops forces across the services. Special operations forces are light and agile, and are often the first forces called upon when a crisis happens, Olson said. Many special operators have the cultural awareness to work with foreign militaries, and Americans expect to have special operations forces "that can silently emerge from darkness with precision and daring to conduct missions that are especially demanding and sensitive," he said.
Special Operations Command has some duties that usually reside with the services - including training, organizing and equipping forces. But the command also has a military mission in employing special operators across the spectrum of traditional and irregular warfare missions.
If confirmed for his position, Vickers would have responsibility for the oversight of the Defense Department's special operations core warfighting capabilities.
Vickers told the Senate panel that special operations manpower is a combination of recruiting, training and retention. "All three of those are on track in order to accomplish the growth that we have requested and which has been programmed for should the budget be approved," he said.
Special operations forces across the services have made significant changes to training, "and in some of our schoolhouses we have doubled and almost tripled our output of special operations forces over the last couple of years," Vickers said. He thanked the Senate for their efforts to retain experienced special operations NCOs and officers. "We are growing the force rapidly without paying too high a price in terms of making the force more youthful or less mature in its experience level by retaining these long-serving members of our force," he said. "So all that is on track, sir. I'm very optimistic that we will meet our growth goals."
Olson agreed. He said that while the community is growing rapidly - about 13,000 over the next five years - the command can absorb the increase.
Special operations forces operations tempo and deployment is on par with that of Army and Marine Corps conventional forces, Olson said.
Equipment is important to special operations, and the command is working to modernize the special operations air fleet. The Air Force provides the platforms, and Special Operations Command invests money to modify the aircraft to accomplish a special ops mission.
"We have an immediate requirement for 37 modernized aircraft," Vickers said. "In working with the Air Force, we have in our budget request enough funds to accommodate 20 of those across the future-year development plan and to deliver 12 within that plan. Ideally, there would be more rapid growth, but that is a satisfactory growth rate for us."
Olson would like more input in personnel practices of the soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines in Special Operations Command. The admiral would be responsible for combat readiness of the force, but "does not have full authority to manage how that force is promoted, how they are schooled, how they are paid."
This causes a disparity across the force with the different service components in terms of pay scales or promotion rates. "The language of the law says that the commander is responsible for monitoring the management of special operations personnel, but he has limited authority to actually execute management of personnel," Olson said.
The admiral said if confirmed he would not want to replace the services, but he would like "a way by which United States Special Operations Command could better influence the management of Special Operations personnel to achieve greater equity across the force."
NATO Secretary Lauds Troop Efforts in Afghanistan
By Carmen L. Gleason
American Forces Press Service
June 14, 2007 – Immense progress has been made in providing international assistance to the people and government of Afghanistan, the secretary general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization said today in his opening statement during the two-day session of the North Atlantic Council here. "As we meet today, we must first of all pay tribute to the men and women who take part in the NATO-led operations and missions from the Balkans to Afghanistan," said Jaap de Hoop Scheffer. "We mourn those whose lives have been lost and offer out condolences to their loved ones."
The secretary general said he is proud of the achievement of NATO forces and their commitment to providing political leadership and the resources they need to undertake their missions.
"We are grateful to our partner countries who help us shoulder these responsibilities," he said. "The international community needs to continue to assist the Afghan government not only in military security but also in reconstruction, development, governance, police training and the fight against drugs."
De Hoop Scheffer said NATO allies have been stepping up their commitment by increasing the number of troops and provincial reconstruction teams sent into Afghanistan.
During the spring campaign, International Security Assistance Forces and Afghan troops focused on defeating the anticipated spring offensive by the Taliban, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told reporters yesterday.
Gates said he plans to urge the 26-member organization to continue to ramp up efforts by sending in operational mentor and liaison teams to foster a long-term strategic goal for a stable, secure Afghanistan that will be capable of governing and providing the peace and prosperity that has been missing in the war-torn country for decades.
Senior U.S. defense officials have said NATO countries need to send 20 to 30 teams into Afghanistan in order to quickly improve economic and reconstruction efforts there.
The defense secretary also said better coordination for economic assistance for reconstruction is needed within the 42 countries contributing in Afghanistan and suggested a senior civilian representative to coordinate the contributions and activities of NATO.
This evening, allies will continue to discuss efforts in Afghanistan during a working dinner of the North Atlantic Council.
American Forces Press Service
June 14, 2007 – Immense progress has been made in providing international assistance to the people and government of Afghanistan, the secretary general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization said today in his opening statement during the two-day session of the North Atlantic Council here. "As we meet today, we must first of all pay tribute to the men and women who take part in the NATO-led operations and missions from the Balkans to Afghanistan," said Jaap de Hoop Scheffer. "We mourn those whose lives have been lost and offer out condolences to their loved ones."
The secretary general said he is proud of the achievement of NATO forces and their commitment to providing political leadership and the resources they need to undertake their missions.
"We are grateful to our partner countries who help us shoulder these responsibilities," he said. "The international community needs to continue to assist the Afghan government not only in military security but also in reconstruction, development, governance, police training and the fight against drugs."
De Hoop Scheffer said NATO allies have been stepping up their commitment by increasing the number of troops and provincial reconstruction teams sent into Afghanistan.
During the spring campaign, International Security Assistance Forces and Afghan troops focused on defeating the anticipated spring offensive by the Taliban, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told reporters yesterday.
Gates said he plans to urge the 26-member organization to continue to ramp up efforts by sending in operational mentor and liaison teams to foster a long-term strategic goal for a stable, secure Afghanistan that will be capable of governing and providing the peace and prosperity that has been missing in the war-torn country for decades.
Senior U.S. defense officials have said NATO countries need to send 20 to 30 teams into Afghanistan in order to quickly improve economic and reconstruction efforts there.
The defense secretary also said better coordination for economic assistance for reconstruction is needed within the 42 countries contributing in Afghanistan and suggested a senior civilian representative to coordinate the contributions and activities of NATO.
This evening, allies will continue to discuss efforts in Afghanistan during a working dinner of the North Atlantic Council.
Negroponte: 'Harder' Days Expected as Baghdad Security Plan Takes Shape
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
June 14, 2007 – The fight for security in Baghdad is likely to "get harder over the coming months as we engage an increasingly desperate enemy," the deputy secretary of state said in Baghdad today. John D. Negroponte, who served as U.S. ambassador to Iraq from 2004 until assuming his current post in February, spoke with reporters after two days of meetings in Iraq with senior U.S. and Iraqi leaders.
All recognize that as the Baghdad security plan reaches full stride with the last of the surge troops arriving this month, difficult days are likely to remain ahead, he said.
Negroponte reiterated U.S. condemnation of yesterday's "vicious" attack on the Golden Mosque in Samarra and said Americans share the Iraqi's outrage.
"This brutal action on one of Iraq's holiest shrines is a deliberate attempt by al Qaeda to sow dissent and inflame sectarian strife among the people of Iraq," Negroponte said. "It is further evidence of the enemy's indiscriminate violence and efforts to obstruct the peaceful political and economic development of a democratic Iraq."
Negroponte joined other U.S. and Iraqi leaders in urging Iraqis "to reject this call to violence." "Those who perpetrated this violence cannot be allowed to succeed with their sinister aims," he said.
Negroponte said reiterated to Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki the need to move faster to build the framework of a stable, secure democracy. He said he "stressed the urgency of making political progress that will reinforce efforts by coalition and Iraqi security forces to restore stability."
"In all my meetings, I stressed the importance of achieving the concrete results that will encourage Iraq's citizens and its neighbors that the political leadership of Iraq is willing to make difficult compromises needed to advance the reconciliation process," he said.
Negroponte emphasized that it's ultimately up to the Iraqi people to overcome forces working to derail progress there. "Success in Iraq will depend on the commitment and actions of Iraq's leaders," he said, noting that all remain committed to success.
"I believe (they) are prepared to work even harder to achieve it," Negroponte said.
American Forces Press Service
June 14, 2007 – The fight for security in Baghdad is likely to "get harder over the coming months as we engage an increasingly desperate enemy," the deputy secretary of state said in Baghdad today. John D. Negroponte, who served as U.S. ambassador to Iraq from 2004 until assuming his current post in February, spoke with reporters after two days of meetings in Iraq with senior U.S. and Iraqi leaders.
All recognize that as the Baghdad security plan reaches full stride with the last of the surge troops arriving this month, difficult days are likely to remain ahead, he said.
Negroponte reiterated U.S. condemnation of yesterday's "vicious" attack on the Golden Mosque in Samarra and said Americans share the Iraqi's outrage.
"This brutal action on one of Iraq's holiest shrines is a deliberate attempt by al Qaeda to sow dissent and inflame sectarian strife among the people of Iraq," Negroponte said. "It is further evidence of the enemy's indiscriminate violence and efforts to obstruct the peaceful political and economic development of a democratic Iraq."
Negroponte joined other U.S. and Iraqi leaders in urging Iraqis "to reject this call to violence." "Those who perpetrated this violence cannot be allowed to succeed with their sinister aims," he said.
Negroponte said reiterated to Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki the need to move faster to build the framework of a stable, secure democracy. He said he "stressed the urgency of making political progress that will reinforce efforts by coalition and Iraqi security forces to restore stability."
"In all my meetings, I stressed the importance of achieving the concrete results that will encourage Iraq's citizens and its neighbors that the political leadership of Iraq is willing to make difficult compromises needed to advance the reconciliation process," he said.
Negroponte emphasized that it's ultimately up to the Iraqi people to overcome forces working to derail progress there. "Success in Iraq will depend on the commitment and actions of Iraq's leaders," he said, noting that all remain committed to success.
"I believe (they) are prepared to work even harder to achieve it," Negroponte said.
Police Action and training in Fallujah Pressuring Insurgents, Commander Says
By Tim Kilbride
Special to American Forces Press Service
June 14, 2007 – Expanded cooperation with the Iraqi police and army and the introduction of provincial security forces are helping stabilize Fallujah, Iraq, and the surrounding areas, a coalition commander said yesterday. Marine Col. Richard Simcock, commander of Regimental Combat Team 6, said on a call with military "bloggers" that his team is taking a two-pronged approach to Fallujah: conducting security operations hand in hand with the Iraqis and training the security forces in his area of operation.
Increasingly the focus of training efforts is developing indigenous security forces that supplement the formal Iraqi police and army, Simcock said.
"I would classify them as a police reserve force," Simcock explained.
Limited capacity in the police training academies is holding back a more rapid expansion of the professional force, Simcock said. "We've currently got three (schools), so we have a limited amount of recruits that we can put through the police academy and make police officers," he said.
Instead, the colonel explained, the Iraqi Ministry of Interior instituted the provincial security force. Members are recruited under the same standards as the Iraqi police, but aren't full-fledged policemen.
"They do work hand in hand in local areas, supporting the police," Simcock noted. "And hopefully when there are open seats in the academies, these (temporary forces) can be then moved on, go through the academy and become full-fledged policemen."
U.S. cooperation with the police is beginning to manifest in a neighborhood-by-neighborhood approach in Fallujah, Simcock said. He called this approach "a district-type plan."
He explained, "We'll go into certain districts and establish neighborhood watches, ... and we're finding that to be very, very successful."
The success of the joint fight against insurgents in Fallujah is driving the enemy to increasingly target the Iraqi security forces instead of U.S. troops, Simcock noted. Their weapons of choice, he said, are improvised explosive devices and suicide-vest bombs.
One reason for the shift in targets, the colonel explained, is that the insurgents "see that the tide is changing, that the support of the Iraqi people (is) coming over to the coalition force side."
Despite a small swell in violence as insurgents flee growing opposition in Baghdad and other parts of Anbar province, Simcock predicted continued successes.
For "terrorists trying to go the path of least resistance," he said, they "are in for a rude surprise."
The reasons, he explained, are: "I have more (U.S.) forces available to me than any of my predecessors have ever had. And then you combine that with the activities of the Iraqi security forces."
That growing effectiveness has allowed for a reduction in the use of combined air support and heavy artillery, Simcock said.
"There is nothing on the ground here that a Marine rifle squad can't quickly take care of," he observed. "If they stand up and fight us, they're going to lose, and they're going to lose very, very quickly."
(Tim Kilbride is assigned to New Media, American Forces Information Service.)
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
Special to American Forces Press Service
June 14, 2007 – Expanded cooperation with the Iraqi police and army and the introduction of provincial security forces are helping stabilize Fallujah, Iraq, and the surrounding areas, a coalition commander said yesterday. Marine Col. Richard Simcock, commander of Regimental Combat Team 6, said on a call with military "bloggers" that his team is taking a two-pronged approach to Fallujah: conducting security operations hand in hand with the Iraqis and training the security forces in his area of operation.
Increasingly the focus of training efforts is developing indigenous security forces that supplement the formal Iraqi police and army, Simcock said.
"I would classify them as a police reserve force," Simcock explained.
Limited capacity in the police training academies is holding back a more rapid expansion of the professional force, Simcock said. "We've currently got three (schools), so we have a limited amount of recruits that we can put through the police academy and make police officers," he said.
Instead, the colonel explained, the Iraqi Ministry of Interior instituted the provincial security force. Members are recruited under the same standards as the Iraqi police, but aren't full-fledged policemen.
"They do work hand in hand in local areas, supporting the police," Simcock noted. "And hopefully when there are open seats in the academies, these (temporary forces) can be then moved on, go through the academy and become full-fledged policemen."
U.S. cooperation with the police is beginning to manifest in a neighborhood-by-neighborhood approach in Fallujah, Simcock said. He called this approach "a district-type plan."
He explained, "We'll go into certain districts and establish neighborhood watches, ... and we're finding that to be very, very successful."
The success of the joint fight against insurgents in Fallujah is driving the enemy to increasingly target the Iraqi security forces instead of U.S. troops, Simcock noted. Their weapons of choice, he said, are improvised explosive devices and suicide-vest bombs.
One reason for the shift in targets, the colonel explained, is that the insurgents "see that the tide is changing, that the support of the Iraqi people (is) coming over to the coalition force side."
Despite a small swell in violence as insurgents flee growing opposition in Baghdad and other parts of Anbar province, Simcock predicted continued successes.
For "terrorists trying to go the path of least resistance," he said, they "are in for a rude surprise."
The reasons, he explained, are: "I have more (U.S.) forces available to me than any of my predecessors have ever had. And then you combine that with the activities of the Iraqi security forces."
That growing effectiveness has allowed for a reduction in the use of combined air support and heavy artillery, Simcock said.
"There is nothing on the ground here that a Marine rifle squad can't quickly take care of," he observed. "If they stand up and fight us, they're going to lose, and they're going to lose very, very quickly."
(Tim Kilbride is assigned to New Media, American Forces Information Service.)
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
Taliban Suspects Killed, Captured
American Forces Press Service
June 14, 2007 – Afghan and coalition forces killed several enemy fighters and detained three suspects in operations around Afghanistan over the past two days, military officials reported. Afghan and coalition forces killed a suspected militant and detained three others during an operation early today against a suspected Taliban safe house. The forces killed the adult male when he attempted to engage them during a search of the location.
Credible intelligence led the forces to the location in Paktika's Mata Khan district suspected of housing local Taliban and foreign fighters responsible for facilitating suicide bombers and organizing improvised-explosive-device attacks.
A search of the buildings revealed a video camera and various tapes of "martyr" operations in addition to an AK-47 rifle, a shotgun and two pistols. The weapons were removed to a safe distance and destroyed. The detainees will be questioned as to their involvement in militant activities.
Elsewhere, soldiers from 3rd Company, 2nd Kandak, 1st Brigade, 209th Afghan National Army Corps, along with coalition forces, identified and engaged enemy fighters on a ridgeline outside the village of Kowndalan, in the Shah Wali Kot district of Kandahar province, yesterday.
After engaging the enemy, the combined patrol climbed the ridgeline in search of other enemy fighters. The soldiers discovered several dead enemy fighters, several rocket shells, and clothing.
"Taliban fighters are no match for Afghan national security and coalition forces," said Army Maj. Chris Belcher, a Combined Joint Task Force 82 spokesman. "We will intensify our operations to rid Afghanistan of all Taliban fighters who harm innocent Afghan civilians and threaten the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan."
In another operation, elements of 2nd Brigade, 205th Afghan National Army Corps, and coalition forces were ambushed by an unknown number of enemy fighters while conducting a combat patrol near the village of Kudak, in the Deh Chopan district of Zabul province, June 12.
Afghan and coalition forces repelled the initial enemy attack with small-arms fire and then requested coalition close-air support to repel five more attacks on their patrol over the next five hours. A significant number of enemy fighters were killed during the battle.
Elsewhere, in the Shah Wali Kot district of Kandahar province, 1st Brigade, 205th ANA Corps soldiers, teamed with coalition forces, identified an unknown number of enemy fighters placing improvised explosive devices in a high-traffic area near the village of Safi. After ensuring no Afghan civilians were in the area, Afghan and coalition forces fired artillery rounds on the enemy location, killing several of the fighters.
"Afghan National Army Corps soldiers and coalition forces will continue to pursue and defeat all enemy fighters who threaten the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan," Belcher said. "The efforts of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan will not be derailed by enemy fighters."
(Compiled from Combined Joint Task Force 82 news releases.)
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
June 14, 2007 – Afghan and coalition forces killed several enemy fighters and detained three suspects in operations around Afghanistan over the past two days, military officials reported. Afghan and coalition forces killed a suspected militant and detained three others during an operation early today against a suspected Taliban safe house. The forces killed the adult male when he attempted to engage them during a search of the location.
Credible intelligence led the forces to the location in Paktika's Mata Khan district suspected of housing local Taliban and foreign fighters responsible for facilitating suicide bombers and organizing improvised-explosive-device attacks.
A search of the buildings revealed a video camera and various tapes of "martyr" operations in addition to an AK-47 rifle, a shotgun and two pistols. The weapons were removed to a safe distance and destroyed. The detainees will be questioned as to their involvement in militant activities.
Elsewhere, soldiers from 3rd Company, 2nd Kandak, 1st Brigade, 209th Afghan National Army Corps, along with coalition forces, identified and engaged enemy fighters on a ridgeline outside the village of Kowndalan, in the Shah Wali Kot district of Kandahar province, yesterday.
After engaging the enemy, the combined patrol climbed the ridgeline in search of other enemy fighters. The soldiers discovered several dead enemy fighters, several rocket shells, and clothing.
"Taliban fighters are no match for Afghan national security and coalition forces," said Army Maj. Chris Belcher, a Combined Joint Task Force 82 spokesman. "We will intensify our operations to rid Afghanistan of all Taliban fighters who harm innocent Afghan civilians and threaten the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan."
In another operation, elements of 2nd Brigade, 205th Afghan National Army Corps, and coalition forces were ambushed by an unknown number of enemy fighters while conducting a combat patrol near the village of Kudak, in the Deh Chopan district of Zabul province, June 12.
Afghan and coalition forces repelled the initial enemy attack with small-arms fire and then requested coalition close-air support to repel five more attacks on their patrol over the next five hours. A significant number of enemy fighters were killed during the battle.
Elsewhere, in the Shah Wali Kot district of Kandahar province, 1st Brigade, 205th ANA Corps soldiers, teamed with coalition forces, identified an unknown number of enemy fighters placing improvised explosive devices in a high-traffic area near the village of Safi. After ensuring no Afghan civilians were in the area, Afghan and coalition forces fired artillery rounds on the enemy location, killing several of the fighters.
"Afghan National Army Corps soldiers and coalition forces will continue to pursue and defeat all enemy fighters who threaten the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan," Belcher said. "The efforts of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan will not be derailed by enemy fighters."
(Compiled from Combined Joint Task Force 82 news releases.)
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
Iraqi Leaders Call for Unity Following Mosque Bombing
American Forces Press Service
June 14, 2007 – Iraqi leaders yesterday called for unity from the Askra Mosque, the scene of another terrorist attack. Salahuddin province Gov. Hamed Hamoud Shekti made a public announcement from the Askira Mosque at around 11 a.m. and met with religious students, asking for the sheiks and educated people of Samarra to come forward and be the city's eyes to watch out for outsiders who continue to attack the city and mosque.
"You are sons and grandsons of the two greatest imams who ever lived," Hamoud said. "Please stop the sabotage and destruction, and work on the aims and goals of the city."
Two minarets were destroyed in explosions at around 9 a.m. yesterday.
Immediately following the attack, Brig. Gen. Duraid Ali Ahmed Mohammad Azzawi, deputy commander for the national police in Samarra, arrested the emergency service unit commander and 12 police officers responsible for security at the time of the attack.
"We must condemn the bad actions of terrorists, and the sons of all tribes must come together and forgive each other," Hamoud said. "We need to work for reconciliation. ... Shiia and Sunni must work together for Iraq."
Iraqi security forces are investigating the cause of the destruction.
In combat operations, coalition forces detained 25 suspected terrorists throughout the country yesterday and today.
Coalition forces raided a series of buildings west of Tarmiyah seeking to capture associates of an al Qaeda in Iraq senior leader. The ground force detained seven individuals on the scene for their alleged ties to an al Qaeda leader, including one individual believed to be a close associate of Umar al Baghdadi, the leader of al Qaeda in Iraq.
During coordinated raids targeting a senior leader of al Qaeda in Iraq, coalition forces detained nine suspected terrorists east of Amiriyah. The nine individuals detained are suspected of being associates of an al Qaeda in Iraq regional leader.
In Mosul, coalition forces detained six suspected terrorists for their alleged ties to an al Qaeda senior leader in northern Iraq. One of the six suspects detained is believed to be an al Qaeda in Iraq cell leader as well as an associate of the al Qaeda emir of Kirkuk.
Three suspected terrorists also were detained during operations in Baghdad. The individuals detained are suspected of being members of the Baghdad car-bomb network, which is responsible for conducting attacks on Iraqi civilians, as well as Iraqi and coalition forces.
"Coalition forces will continue deliberate and methodical operations in order to hunt down and capture or kill those terrorists who are trying to prevent a peaceful and stable Iraq," said Army Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, a Multinational Force Iraq spokesman.
(Compiled from Multinational Corps Iraq and Multinational Force Iraq news releases.)
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
June 14, 2007 – Iraqi leaders yesterday called for unity from the Askra Mosque, the scene of another terrorist attack. Salahuddin province Gov. Hamed Hamoud Shekti made a public announcement from the Askira Mosque at around 11 a.m. and met with religious students, asking for the sheiks and educated people of Samarra to come forward and be the city's eyes to watch out for outsiders who continue to attack the city and mosque.
"You are sons and grandsons of the two greatest imams who ever lived," Hamoud said. "Please stop the sabotage and destruction, and work on the aims and goals of the city."
Two minarets were destroyed in explosions at around 9 a.m. yesterday.
Immediately following the attack, Brig. Gen. Duraid Ali Ahmed Mohammad Azzawi, deputy commander for the national police in Samarra, arrested the emergency service unit commander and 12 police officers responsible for security at the time of the attack.
"We must condemn the bad actions of terrorists, and the sons of all tribes must come together and forgive each other," Hamoud said. "We need to work for reconciliation. ... Shiia and Sunni must work together for Iraq."
Iraqi security forces are investigating the cause of the destruction.
In combat operations, coalition forces detained 25 suspected terrorists throughout the country yesterday and today.
Coalition forces raided a series of buildings west of Tarmiyah seeking to capture associates of an al Qaeda in Iraq senior leader. The ground force detained seven individuals on the scene for their alleged ties to an al Qaeda leader, including one individual believed to be a close associate of Umar al Baghdadi, the leader of al Qaeda in Iraq.
During coordinated raids targeting a senior leader of al Qaeda in Iraq, coalition forces detained nine suspected terrorists east of Amiriyah. The nine individuals detained are suspected of being associates of an al Qaeda in Iraq regional leader.
In Mosul, coalition forces detained six suspected terrorists for their alleged ties to an al Qaeda senior leader in northern Iraq. One of the six suspects detained is believed to be an al Qaeda in Iraq cell leader as well as an associate of the al Qaeda emir of Kirkuk.
Three suspected terrorists also were detained during operations in Baghdad. The individuals detained are suspected of being members of the Baghdad car-bomb network, which is responsible for conducting attacks on Iraqi civilians, as well as Iraqi and coalition forces.
"Coalition forces will continue deliberate and methodical operations in order to hunt down and capture or kill those terrorists who are trying to prevent a peaceful and stable Iraq," said Army Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, a Multinational Force Iraq spokesman.
(Compiled from Multinational Corps Iraq and Multinational Force Iraq news releases.)
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
Too Early to Discern Trends in Iraq, U.S. Officials Say
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
June 14, 2007 – It is too early to discern trends out of the U.S. troop "surge" as part of the Baghdad security plan, defense officials said here today. Speaking on background, the officials discussed the quarterly report to Congress, titled "Measuring Stability and Security in Iraq."
The report was released yesterday, but the cut-off for data in the report was May 14. "It is too early to assess the impact of the new way forward," a senior defense official said.
The final U.S. brigade combat team does not become operational until this week, the official said. The State Department has set up the enhanced provincial reconstruction teams, and the Iraqi government itself is gaining more confidence as it moves forward. All these are indicators, but need time to mature, the official said.
The official said there was some progress from February to May. There has been a change in the character of attacks, and there has been some economic progress. "But at the same time, I think it is important to recognize that oil production -- the principle economic driver in Iraq -- remained at the same levels as in 2006, as did electrical generation," the official said.
On the political front, few legislative initiatives have been completed in the reporting period, but some work has been done to move initiatives forward, the official said.
Overall, both positive and negative indicators are in the report, the official said.
Some of the data was expected, officials said. More Americans are in Baghdad, and they are in more neighborhoods. The number of attacks against U.S. forces is up, as are U.S. casualties, a senior Joint Staff official said. Also U.S. and Iraqi security forces concentrated on Baghdad and its surroundings, and there was a decrease in sectarian killings in the area, the official said. "This was expected, but there is nothing in this report that suggests a sustained trend," the official said.
Both officials stressed the need for political progress and said the Iraqi legislature has not made the progress needed. "We believe that the Iraqi government has yet to take advantage of the time and space that has been provided for them to move forward on these key reconciliation issues," the senior defense official said. "We would have expected, hoped and liked to have seen a hydrocarbons law being implemented."
U.S. officials would have liked a De-Baathification law passed and agreement on provincial elections. "The entire purpose of the surge was to improve the security situation so that there could be movement in reconciliation initiatives," the official said.
The next quarterly report will contain data collected through August, officials said. "We'll have a better idea of where our mission in Iraq stands then," the official said.
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
June 14, 2007 – It is too early to discern trends out of the U.S. troop "surge" as part of the Baghdad security plan, defense officials said here today. Speaking on background, the officials discussed the quarterly report to Congress, titled "Measuring Stability and Security in Iraq."
The report was released yesterday, but the cut-off for data in the report was May 14. "It is too early to assess the impact of the new way forward," a senior defense official said.
The final U.S. brigade combat team does not become operational until this week, the official said. The State Department has set up the enhanced provincial reconstruction teams, and the Iraqi government itself is gaining more confidence as it moves forward. All these are indicators, but need time to mature, the official said.
The official said there was some progress from February to May. There has been a change in the character of attacks, and there has been some economic progress. "But at the same time, I think it is important to recognize that oil production -- the principle economic driver in Iraq -- remained at the same levels as in 2006, as did electrical generation," the official said.
On the political front, few legislative initiatives have been completed in the reporting period, but some work has been done to move initiatives forward, the official said.
Overall, both positive and negative indicators are in the report, the official said.
Some of the data was expected, officials said. More Americans are in Baghdad, and they are in more neighborhoods. The number of attacks against U.S. forces is up, as are U.S. casualties, a senior Joint Staff official said. Also U.S. and Iraqi security forces concentrated on Baghdad and its surroundings, and there was a decrease in sectarian killings in the area, the official said. "This was expected, but there is nothing in this report that suggests a sustained trend," the official said.
Both officials stressed the need for political progress and said the Iraqi legislature has not made the progress needed. "We believe that the Iraqi government has yet to take advantage of the time and space that has been provided for them to move forward on these key reconciliation issues," the senior defense official said. "We would have expected, hoped and liked to have seen a hydrocarbons law being implemented."
U.S. officials would have liked a De-Baathification law passed and agreement on provincial elections. "The entire purpose of the surge was to improve the security situation so that there could be movement in reconciliation initiatives," the official said.
The next quarterly report will contain data collected through August, officials said. "We'll have a better idea of where our mission in Iraq stands then," the official said.
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Gates Discusses Iran, Samarra Bombing, European Missile Defense
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
June 13, 2007 – The quantity of Iranian weapons being shipped to the Taliban in Afghanistan makes it unlikely that the Iranian government is not involved, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said today at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. Gates also said he is concerned about the results of another attack on the Golden Mosque in Samara, Iraq.
"It would appear to be yet another effort by al Qaeda to try to prevent political reconciliation in Iraq, to try and stoke sectarian violence," he told reporters traveling with him.
Gates said he hopes the Iraqi people realize the attack was a transparent effort by the terrorist group to incite the sects and force more division between Sunni and Shiia Muslims. He expressed the hope the Iraqi people will realize this and refrain from violence.
A previous al Qaeda attack on the mosque on Feb. 22, 2006, ignited the sectarian violence that has plagued the country ever since. Sunni and Shiia death squads attacked each other following that attack. Today's attack destroyed two minarets on the grounds of the mosque.
Turning to the Iranian weapons being used in Afghanistan, Gates said they "run the gamut" from sophisticated explosively formed projectiles to basic ammunition.
"It's pretty clear there is a fairly substantial flow of weapons (into Afghanistan)," he said. "I haven't seen intelligence specifically to this effect, but I would say given the qualities we're seeing, it's difficult to believe it is associated with smuggling or the drug business or that it is taking place without the knowledge of the Iranian government."
The situation is ironic, given that the Afghan and Iranian governments have generally good relations, the secretary said.
"Whether Iran is trying to play both sides of the street, hedge their bets -- what their motives are other than causing trouble for us, I don't know," he said.
Today, Gates received briefings at U.S. European Command in Stuttgart, Germany, and visited wounded servicemembers at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center. He then will move to Brussels, Belgium, for NATO defense minister meetings.
Looking ahead, Gates said, he is prepared to discuss missile defense at the NATO meeting. He will examine the proposal put forth by Russian President Vladimir Putin to somehow combine the U.S. and Russian effort and have the European missile defense leg use radars in Azerbaijan. Putin made the proposal in talks with President Bush during the G-8 meetings in Germany last week.
"I'm pleased that President Putin acknowledged there is merit to missile defense," Gates said, "and that Iran does represent a problem that needs to be dealt with in terms of potential missile defense. I think there is a basis for having some good conversations."
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
June 13, 2007 – The quantity of Iranian weapons being shipped to the Taliban in Afghanistan makes it unlikely that the Iranian government is not involved, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said today at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. Gates also said he is concerned about the results of another attack on the Golden Mosque in Samara, Iraq.
"It would appear to be yet another effort by al Qaeda to try to prevent political reconciliation in Iraq, to try and stoke sectarian violence," he told reporters traveling with him.
Gates said he hopes the Iraqi people realize the attack was a transparent effort by the terrorist group to incite the sects and force more division between Sunni and Shiia Muslims. He expressed the hope the Iraqi people will realize this and refrain from violence.
A previous al Qaeda attack on the mosque on Feb. 22, 2006, ignited the sectarian violence that has plagued the country ever since. Sunni and Shiia death squads attacked each other following that attack. Today's attack destroyed two minarets on the grounds of the mosque.
Turning to the Iranian weapons being used in Afghanistan, Gates said they "run the gamut" from sophisticated explosively formed projectiles to basic ammunition.
"It's pretty clear there is a fairly substantial flow of weapons (into Afghanistan)," he said. "I haven't seen intelligence specifically to this effect, but I would say given the qualities we're seeing, it's difficult to believe it is associated with smuggling or the drug business or that it is taking place without the knowledge of the Iranian government."
The situation is ironic, given that the Afghan and Iranian governments have generally good relations, the secretary said.
"Whether Iran is trying to play both sides of the street, hedge their bets -- what their motives are other than causing trouble for us, I don't know," he said.
Today, Gates received briefings at U.S. European Command in Stuttgart, Germany, and visited wounded servicemembers at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center. He then will move to Brussels, Belgium, for NATO defense minister meetings.
Looking ahead, Gates said, he is prepared to discuss missile defense at the NATO meeting. He will examine the proposal put forth by Russian President Vladimir Putin to somehow combine the U.S. and Russian effort and have the European missile defense leg use radars in Azerbaijan. Putin made the proposal in talks with President Bush during the G-8 meetings in Germany last week.
"I'm pleased that President Putin acknowledged there is merit to missile defense," Gates said, "and that Iran does represent a problem that needs to be dealt with in terms of potential missile defense. I think there is a basis for having some good conversations."
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
Growth in Iraqi Forces Will Ensure Training Depth, Unity, General Says
By Sgt. Sara Wood, USA
American Forces Press Service
June 13, 2007 – Given the levels of violence in Iraq and anticipation of a declining U.S. presence in the future, the Iraqi security forces need to grow in 2008 at about the same rate they're growing this year, the U.S. general who was in charge of training Iraqi forces until this week said here today. Army Lt. Gen. Martin E. Dempsey turned over command of Multinational Security Transition Command Iraq to Army Lt. Gen. James Dubik on June 10 in Baghdad and today spoke at a news conference at the Pentagon, giving an assessment of the Iraqi security forces' performance and his views on their future.
This latest recommendation to increase Iraqi forces, as well as the previous recommendation to grow the Iraqi forces by about 65,000 this year, were made largely in response to lessons learned when Iraqi units started moving around the country, Dempsey said.
As the units moved, they got an idea of how many forces needed to be left behind at Iraqi bases and how many forces might not show up for deployments, he explained. Also, once the Baghdad security plan began, Iraqi units started showing up at less strength than expected, so U.S. leaders recommended that the units be bumped up to about 125 percent strength before they leave, to ensure adequate forces on the ground.
The Iraqi security forces are performing well, Dempsey said, but the increase is needed to give commanders enough depth to pull units out of the fight to conduct training. Also, until the Iraqi forces gain ground technologically, they'll need more forces to fight the insurgents, he said.
"A counterinsurgency and a counter-terror environment are manpower-intensive," he said. "We tend to offset the size of our force with technologies. If you don't offset them with technologies, and believe me, the Iraqi security forces are not yet capable of offsetting their needs with technology, then you have to offset it with additional manpower."
Dempsey asserted that he is optimistic about the future of the Iraqi security forces, despite the problems they face. In 2003, U.S. forces had to support Iraqi forces in every area, he said, but now the Iraqis are doing many things for themselves, such as taking care of pay and promotions, medical care and procurement.
"You've got a system now that is literally that; it is an institution that is growing, not just a bunch of tactical units largely unconnected," Dempsey said. "Three years ago, the tactical units were out there, not in large numbers, but they were out there.
"They were partnering with the coalition," he said. "But they didn't feel any loyalty to anything called the government of Iraq or an institution called the ministries of Defense and Interior. Those institutions now exist and the loyalties are clearly aligned to the ministries in a way that did not exist three years ago."
Iraqi forces do face a leadership challenge, as the pool of qualified officers shrinks, Dempsey said. Possible solutions to this problem are for the Iraqi government to give more promotion opportunities to experienced young officers, or reach out to the universities and offer skilled applicants a shorter academy course, he said.
As Iraqi units rotate into Baghdad as part of the new security plan, it is very likely that new units will come in at lower skill levels than those that have experience in the city, Dempsey acknowledged. However, dealing with the tactical inefficiency is necessary to achieve the larger initiative of creating a military that is an institution of national unity, he said.
"You've got units that are predominantly Kurdish coming to Baghdad that contribute to the fight; you've got units from the south that are predominantly Shi'a coming to Baghdad that contribute to the fight working by side by side," he said. "That seems to me to be a strategic imperative of the future of the Iraqi security forces."
To test Iraqi units' readiness and loyalty, the units are being sent to Besmaya Range, a training complex east of Baghdad, for two weeks before going to Baghdad, Dempsey said. This training is similar to what the U.S. Army does at places like the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, California, he noted.
As the Iraqi forces grow, they will need some additional equipment, Dempsey said. The Iraqis need more armored Humvees and personnel carriers, air transportation, and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities, he said. Also, U.S. leaders think the Iraqi forces may be ready to start using artillery and possible cavalry for border protection.
These changes are "all about helping them move from a force that is today very firmly focused on internal security, that will have to begin to account for the fact that at some point they'll need to protect themselves against external threat as well," Dempsey said.
As the September assessment of the Baghdad security plans approaches, Dempsey said that U.S. leaders aren't expecting the Iraqi government to completely achieve any of the political or security benchmarks laid out for them. What's important is that the Iraqi government recognize the importance of those benchmarks and start working toward them, he said.
"I don't think it's going to be necessary that peace break out between now and September because that -- if that's the standard, then we're not going to achieve it," he said. "But I think what we're looking to see is movement in each of those benchmarks of a serious enough nature that causes us to believe that the Iraqi government can make a difference on those benchmarks over time."
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
June 13, 2007 – Given the levels of violence in Iraq and anticipation of a declining U.S. presence in the future, the Iraqi security forces need to grow in 2008 at about the same rate they're growing this year, the U.S. general who was in charge of training Iraqi forces until this week said here today. Army Lt. Gen. Martin E. Dempsey turned over command of Multinational Security Transition Command Iraq to Army Lt. Gen. James Dubik on June 10 in Baghdad and today spoke at a news conference at the Pentagon, giving an assessment of the Iraqi security forces' performance and his views on their future.
This latest recommendation to increase Iraqi forces, as well as the previous recommendation to grow the Iraqi forces by about 65,000 this year, were made largely in response to lessons learned when Iraqi units started moving around the country, Dempsey said.
As the units moved, they got an idea of how many forces needed to be left behind at Iraqi bases and how many forces might not show up for deployments, he explained. Also, once the Baghdad security plan began, Iraqi units started showing up at less strength than expected, so U.S. leaders recommended that the units be bumped up to about 125 percent strength before they leave, to ensure adequate forces on the ground.
The Iraqi security forces are performing well, Dempsey said, but the increase is needed to give commanders enough depth to pull units out of the fight to conduct training. Also, until the Iraqi forces gain ground technologically, they'll need more forces to fight the insurgents, he said.
"A counterinsurgency and a counter-terror environment are manpower-intensive," he said. "We tend to offset the size of our force with technologies. If you don't offset them with technologies, and believe me, the Iraqi security forces are not yet capable of offsetting their needs with technology, then you have to offset it with additional manpower."
Dempsey asserted that he is optimistic about the future of the Iraqi security forces, despite the problems they face. In 2003, U.S. forces had to support Iraqi forces in every area, he said, but now the Iraqis are doing many things for themselves, such as taking care of pay and promotions, medical care and procurement.
"You've got a system now that is literally that; it is an institution that is growing, not just a bunch of tactical units largely unconnected," Dempsey said. "Three years ago, the tactical units were out there, not in large numbers, but they were out there.
"They were partnering with the coalition," he said. "But they didn't feel any loyalty to anything called the government of Iraq or an institution called the ministries of Defense and Interior. Those institutions now exist and the loyalties are clearly aligned to the ministries in a way that did not exist three years ago."
Iraqi forces do face a leadership challenge, as the pool of qualified officers shrinks, Dempsey said. Possible solutions to this problem are for the Iraqi government to give more promotion opportunities to experienced young officers, or reach out to the universities and offer skilled applicants a shorter academy course, he said.
As Iraqi units rotate into Baghdad as part of the new security plan, it is very likely that new units will come in at lower skill levels than those that have experience in the city, Dempsey acknowledged. However, dealing with the tactical inefficiency is necessary to achieve the larger initiative of creating a military that is an institution of national unity, he said.
"You've got units that are predominantly Kurdish coming to Baghdad that contribute to the fight; you've got units from the south that are predominantly Shi'a coming to Baghdad that contribute to the fight working by side by side," he said. "That seems to me to be a strategic imperative of the future of the Iraqi security forces."
To test Iraqi units' readiness and loyalty, the units are being sent to Besmaya Range, a training complex east of Baghdad, for two weeks before going to Baghdad, Dempsey said. This training is similar to what the U.S. Army does at places like the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, California, he noted.
As the Iraqi forces grow, they will need some additional equipment, Dempsey said. The Iraqis need more armored Humvees and personnel carriers, air transportation, and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities, he said. Also, U.S. leaders think the Iraqi forces may be ready to start using artillery and possible cavalry for border protection.
These changes are "all about helping them move from a force that is today very firmly focused on internal security, that will have to begin to account for the fact that at some point they'll need to protect themselves against external threat as well," Dempsey said.
As the September assessment of the Baghdad security plans approaches, Dempsey said that U.S. leaders aren't expecting the Iraqi government to completely achieve any of the political or security benchmarks laid out for them. What's important is that the Iraqi government recognize the importance of those benchmarks and start working toward them, he said.
"I don't think it's going to be necessary that peace break out between now and September because that -- if that's the standard, then we're not going to achieve it," he said. "But I think what we're looking to see is movement in each of those benchmarks of a serious enough nature that causes us to believe that the Iraqi government can make a difference on those benchmarks over time."
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
Officials Urge Calm in Iraq While Planning Way Ahead After Mosque Attack
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
June 13, 2007 – A senior U.S. military official in Iraq joined Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki today in urging calm in the wake of an attack today on the Golden Mosque compound in Samarra, Iraq. Brig. Gen. Kevin Bergner, spokesman for Multinational Force Iraq, said the coalition joins al-Maliki in urging the Iraqis to remain calm and allow legitimate Iraqi security forces to make "appropriate response."
U.S. Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker and Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, MNFI commander, met this afternoon with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to discuss possible responses, Bergner reported via a Digital Video and Imagery Distribution System broadcast from Baghdad.
They agreed to "a number of military and political actions to promote security and restraint in the wake of this inflammatory attack," he said.
"This will be a cooperative endeavor as we go forward and assist the government of Iraq," he said.
Bergner condemned the attack, which destroyed two minarets at the mosque compound, as "an affront to the values and dignity of people from all religions."
He called the attack Bergner called the attack "a deplorable attempt by terrorists to divide and destroy the confidence of the Iraqi people."
"It is further proof of the enemy's indiscriminate violence and the depths to which they will go to incite hatred," he said.
Bergner's comments echoed those expressed by Crocker and Petraeus in a joint statement released earlier today.
"This brutal action on one of Iraq's holiest shrines is a deliberate attempt by al Qaeda to sow dissent and inflame sectarian strife among the people of Iraq," Crocker and Petraeus said. "It is an act of desperation by an increasingly beleaguered enemy seeking to obstruct the peaceful political and economic development of a democratic Iraq."
The leaders said they share in the outrage of the Iraqi people about this crime, and they called on all Iraqis to reject the call to violence. "We cannot allow these terrorists to work against the interests of the Iraqi people who are seeking peace and prosperity for all," they said.
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates expressed similar sentiment during a media roundtable today at Ramstein Air Base, Germany.
"It would appear to be yet another effort by al Qaeda to try to prevent political reconciliation in Iraq, to try and stoke sectarian violence," he told reporters traveling with him.
Gates said he hopes the Iraqi people realize the attack was a transparent effort by the terrorist group to incite the sects and force more division between Sunni and Shiia Muslims. He also expressed hope the Iraqi people will realize this and refrain from violence.
A February 2006 al Qaeda attack on the mosque, one of the holiest Shiite shrines in Iraq, ignited widespread sectarian violence.
(Jim Garamone and Army Sgt. Sara Wood all contributed to this report.)
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
June 13, 2007 – A senior U.S. military official in Iraq joined Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki today in urging calm in the wake of an attack today on the Golden Mosque compound in Samarra, Iraq. Brig. Gen. Kevin Bergner, spokesman for Multinational Force Iraq, said the coalition joins al-Maliki in urging the Iraqis to remain calm and allow legitimate Iraqi security forces to make "appropriate response."
U.S. Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker and Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, MNFI commander, met this afternoon with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to discuss possible responses, Bergner reported via a Digital Video and Imagery Distribution System broadcast from Baghdad.
They agreed to "a number of military and political actions to promote security and restraint in the wake of this inflammatory attack," he said.
"This will be a cooperative endeavor as we go forward and assist the government of Iraq," he said.
Bergner condemned the attack, which destroyed two minarets at the mosque compound, as "an affront to the values and dignity of people from all religions."
He called the attack Bergner called the attack "a deplorable attempt by terrorists to divide and destroy the confidence of the Iraqi people."
"It is further proof of the enemy's indiscriminate violence and the depths to which they will go to incite hatred," he said.
Bergner's comments echoed those expressed by Crocker and Petraeus in a joint statement released earlier today.
"This brutal action on one of Iraq's holiest shrines is a deliberate attempt by al Qaeda to sow dissent and inflame sectarian strife among the people of Iraq," Crocker and Petraeus said. "It is an act of desperation by an increasingly beleaguered enemy seeking to obstruct the peaceful political and economic development of a democratic Iraq."
The leaders said they share in the outrage of the Iraqi people about this crime, and they called on all Iraqis to reject the call to violence. "We cannot allow these terrorists to work against the interests of the Iraqi people who are seeking peace and prosperity for all," they said.
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates expressed similar sentiment during a media roundtable today at Ramstein Air Base, Germany.
"It would appear to be yet another effort by al Qaeda to try to prevent political reconciliation in Iraq, to try and stoke sectarian violence," he told reporters traveling with him.
Gates said he hopes the Iraqi people realize the attack was a transparent effort by the terrorist group to incite the sects and force more division between Sunni and Shiia Muslims. He also expressed hope the Iraqi people will realize this and refrain from violence.
A February 2006 al Qaeda attack on the mosque, one of the holiest Shiite shrines in Iraq, ignited widespread sectarian violence.
(Jim Garamone and Army Sgt. Sara Wood all contributed to this report.)
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
Coalition Forces Kill, Detain Terrorists
American Forces Press Service
June 13, 2007 – In operations throughout Iraq over the past three days, coalition and Iraqi forces killed nine terrorists and detained 76 suspected terrorists, military officials reported. During operations targeting al Qaeda in Iraq and the Baghdad car bomb network today, coalition forces killed two terrorists, detained 13 suspected terrorists and discovered a cache of weapons.
In an incident yesterday, coalition forces observed two terrorists emplacing improvised explosive devices in Baghdad and raided their bed-down location. As coalition forces approached the building, the two terrorists disregarded the interpreter's instructions and approached the ground force. Coalition forces engaged the two men, killing them.
Inside the building, coalition forces discovered a fully assembled IED. As they were disabling the IED, a person appeared and rushed toward them. Coalition forces, perceiving a possible explosive threat, engaged the individual with small-arms fire, killing her.
Also on the scene, coalition forces detained three suspected members of the Baghdad car bomb network, which is responsible for conducting attacks on Iraqi civilians, as well as Iraqi and coalition forces. The ground force also destroyed two vehicles at the site that the terrorists used to transport personnel and explosives.
Based on information from the suspects, coalition forces moved to a follow-on location and found a cache of weapons and explosives, including chemicals used to build IEDs. An explosives team safely destroyed the materials on site.
During two coordinated operations near Fallujah, coalition forces raided a series of buildings linked to the activities of al Qaeda in Iraq senior leaders. Eight suspected terrorists were detained for their connection to the al Qaeda senior leader network.
In an operation in Tarmiyah yesterday, coalition forces captured one suspected terrorist who is believed to be a personal companion of a religious emir within the al Qaeda network.
During a raid in Mosul yesterday, coalition forces detained one suspected terrorist for his ties to a suspected terrorist. Coalition forces tracked the suspected terrorist from after his accomplices where captured and he fled from Kirkuk to Mosul.
"We have disrupted the indiscriminate and deliberate attacks terrorists conducted against innocent Iraqis, and we'll continue to target al Qaeda in Iraq's leadership and operatives," said Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, Multinational Force Iraq spokesman.
In another Mosul operation, coalition forces killed a senior terrorist leader yesterday morning while targeting the al Qaeda in Iraq network.
Kamal Jalil Bakr 'Uthman, also known as Sa'id Hamza, was known to be the al Qaeda in Iraq military emir of Mosul. Intelligence reports indicate he planned, coordinated and facilitated suicide bombings in the Mosul area. Also, he facilitated the movement of more than 100 foreign fighters through safe houses in the area, and orchestrated attacks against Iraqi and coalition forces.
Coalition forces targeted 'Uthman yesterday as part of their operations to disrupt the al Qaeda in Iraq senior leader network in Mosul. As they entered his residence, 'Uthman rushed into another room and reached under a mattress. Coalition forces reacted to the hostile threat, engaged 'Uthman and killed him. The troops later found a suicide vest under the mattress.
Coalition forces had detained 'Uthman during an operation in August 2006. He was released from the Iraqi judicial system in April 2007, and intelligence reports indicate he was planning a six-vehicle suicide bomb attack to avenge his detention.
"We have taken another very dangerous terrorist off the streets of Iraq, and we will continue to deplete the senior leadership of al Qaeda in Iraq," Garver said.
Meanwhile, the newly formed Diyala Operations Command in Baqouba reported today that Iraqi Army troops and U.S. soldiers of the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, killed five extremists, wounded eight and arrested 15 others during operations throughout Baqouba yesterday.
The engagement in Old Baqouba also netted two caches and a car bomb.
Another gunman was killed when coalition forces engaged his sniper position in the neighborhood of Mufrek, in Baqouba.
The car bomb had a rocket-propelled grenade inside, and according to local citizens, was rigged to explode. Two extremists were arrested in the immediate area after testing positive for explosives.
Four other suspected insurgents were arrested June 11 by soldiers of the 1st Cavalry Divisions 6-9 Armored Reconnaissance Squadron. The individuals were trying to evade the coalition patrol when they were stopped and searched. Inside the vehicle, they had two AK-47s, one pistol and two full magazines, and could not produce permits for the weapons.
Elsewhere, Iraqi security forces successfully prevented a car bomb attack on a coalition forces combat outpost in Khan Bani Sa'ad, located in Diyala province, yesterday.
"I could not be more proud of the Iraqi security forces today," said Lt. Col. Marshall Dougherty, commander, 2nd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division. "Troop B, 2-1 CAV lives and works in the combat outpost with the Iraqi army soldiers."
Iraqi soldiers received a tip and description of a potential car bomb and engaged the vehicle with small-arms fire as it approached the outpost, causing the vehicle to detonate prematurely before it reached the outer perimeter.
Two coalition soldiers received minor wounds and were treated at the scene. Immediately following the explosion, Iraqi troops worked with Iraqi police to secure the area and collect evidence.
In another operation, Iraqi forces detained 15 suspects linked to the terrorist criminal network of al Qaeda in Iraq June 11 in western Mosul.
Working on tips from local Iraqi citizens, Iraqi forces successfully raided the targeted buildings and detained the 15 suspects without incident.
Iraqi forces also seized three AK-47 assault rifles, a 9 mm pistol, 13 cell phones and 20 cases of hydrochloric acid.
In other developments, soldiers from the 3rd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, and the Iraqi National Police detained four men and confiscated bomb-making materials and rifles following a raid in northern Jisr Diyala June 11.
The 3-1 Cavalry's Troop A and Time Sensitive Target Platoon soldiers worked with an Iraqi National Police platoon, called the Lions of Wassit, to search locations insurgent forces were using as meeting sites and cache sites.
The unit conducted several raids to collect information and disrupt enemy activities preventing extremists from engaging Combat Outpost Assassin and Forward Operating Base Rustamiyah. The 3-1 Cavalry is assigned to the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Benning, Ga.
A failed truck bomber, wounded in his attempt to destroy a coalition battle position, was treated, evacuated and is providing information to those he tried to kill, officials reported.
The driver of the truck bomb aimed at destroying Patrol Base Warrior Keep near Sadr al Yusufiyah on June 10 was wounded in the upper right leg, rendering him unable to activate his initiation switch or his explosive vest.
Alert soldiers from Company B, 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, manning the weapon systems at the patrol base, determined his hostile intent and opened fire with an M-240B machine gun and M-4 assault rifles, foiling the attack.
Soldiers from the patrol base then detained the man. Seeing that the man was wounded, they rendered aid and evacuated him to the 31st Combat Support Hospital. Coalition medical personnel continue to provide the man medical care. The man will be held for further questioning and prosecution.
Meanwhile, insurgents detonated a car bomb, damaging a bridge north of Baqouba in Diyala province June 11, rendering it unusable.
The blast destroyed the east-bound lane of the bridge and left the west-bound lane standing, but impassable.
A Georgian unit was present in the vicinity of the attack, and one soldier suffered minor injuries. A coalition forces' explosive ordnance detachment cleared the area and determined the source of the explosion to be a car bomb with a large amount of explosives.
"This is another extreme act of hatred by terrorists intent on harming the people of Diyala province," said Lt. Col. Quinton J. Arnold, deputy brigade commander for 3-1 Cav. "Iraqi security and coalition forces will continue to work jointly with the citizens of Diyala to eliminate these cowardly acts of hatred."
In another act of terror, criminal militias, attempting to attack the district joint security station in Baghdad's Sadr City district with a 120 mm mortar round, missed and damaged a nearby apartment building June 11.
Iraqi police and coalition forces heard the explosion and quickly investigated to render aid to any victims of the attack. No one was injured in the blast, which damaged the roof of the building and landed in a room below.
"This is another example of why the people of Sadr City are tired of the criminal militias and the violence they bring in their homes," said Lt. Col. David Oclander, the executive officer for the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, which operates in the area. "We are communicating daily with all residents of Sadr City to reject this violence, which only causes their own suffering."
Iraqi army forces have detained a suspected al Qaeda in Iraq sniper allegedly responsible for the death of a U.S. soldier and other attacks against coalition forces, officials reported.
With coalition forces present as advisors, Iraqi soldiers detained their primary sniper suspect in the Jolan district of Fallujah during a raid June 10. Insurgent propaganda and numerous identification cards were also seized during the operation.
The suspect, who is alleged to be a member of an al Qaeda in Iraq sniper cell operating out of Fallujah, is believed to have killed a U.S. soldier from a rooftop during a 2006 attack on coalition forces in Fallujah. He is also the primary suspect in a sniper attack against a coalition forces tractor-trailer that occurred in Fallujah earlier this year.
Elsewhere, paratroopers operating near the cities of Zukaytun, Iskandariyah and Musayyib south of Baghdad detained 24 insurgents and arrested three June 10 and 11.
Paratroopers from 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, also secured three AK-47s and 15 ammunition magazines, one 9 mm submachine gun, $2,000 worth of dinar, four sets of body armor, one bag full of numerous fake identification cards, various Iraqi police, Iraqi army, and Hillah SWAT camouflage uniforms, six cellular phones, one 9 mm submachine gun, 500 rounds of 9 mm ammunition, several sets of load-bearing equipment and two computers.
(Compiled from Multinational Corps Iraq and Multinational Force Iraq news releases.)
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
June 13, 2007 – In operations throughout Iraq over the past three days, coalition and Iraqi forces killed nine terrorists and detained 76 suspected terrorists, military officials reported. During operations targeting al Qaeda in Iraq and the Baghdad car bomb network today, coalition forces killed two terrorists, detained 13 suspected terrorists and discovered a cache of weapons.
In an incident yesterday, coalition forces observed two terrorists emplacing improvised explosive devices in Baghdad and raided their bed-down location. As coalition forces approached the building, the two terrorists disregarded the interpreter's instructions and approached the ground force. Coalition forces engaged the two men, killing them.
Inside the building, coalition forces discovered a fully assembled IED. As they were disabling the IED, a person appeared and rushed toward them. Coalition forces, perceiving a possible explosive threat, engaged the individual with small-arms fire, killing her.
Also on the scene, coalition forces detained three suspected members of the Baghdad car bomb network, which is responsible for conducting attacks on Iraqi civilians, as well as Iraqi and coalition forces. The ground force also destroyed two vehicles at the site that the terrorists used to transport personnel and explosives.
Based on information from the suspects, coalition forces moved to a follow-on location and found a cache of weapons and explosives, including chemicals used to build IEDs. An explosives team safely destroyed the materials on site.
During two coordinated operations near Fallujah, coalition forces raided a series of buildings linked to the activities of al Qaeda in Iraq senior leaders. Eight suspected terrorists were detained for their connection to the al Qaeda senior leader network.
In an operation in Tarmiyah yesterday, coalition forces captured one suspected terrorist who is believed to be a personal companion of a religious emir within the al Qaeda network.
During a raid in Mosul yesterday, coalition forces detained one suspected terrorist for his ties to a suspected terrorist. Coalition forces tracked the suspected terrorist from after his accomplices where captured and he fled from Kirkuk to Mosul.
"We have disrupted the indiscriminate and deliberate attacks terrorists conducted against innocent Iraqis, and we'll continue to target al Qaeda in Iraq's leadership and operatives," said Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, Multinational Force Iraq spokesman.
In another Mosul operation, coalition forces killed a senior terrorist leader yesterday morning while targeting the al Qaeda in Iraq network.
Kamal Jalil Bakr 'Uthman, also known as Sa'id Hamza, was known to be the al Qaeda in Iraq military emir of Mosul. Intelligence reports indicate he planned, coordinated and facilitated suicide bombings in the Mosul area. Also, he facilitated the movement of more than 100 foreign fighters through safe houses in the area, and orchestrated attacks against Iraqi and coalition forces.
Coalition forces targeted 'Uthman yesterday as part of their operations to disrupt the al Qaeda in Iraq senior leader network in Mosul. As they entered his residence, 'Uthman rushed into another room and reached under a mattress. Coalition forces reacted to the hostile threat, engaged 'Uthman and killed him. The troops later found a suicide vest under the mattress.
Coalition forces had detained 'Uthman during an operation in August 2006. He was released from the Iraqi judicial system in April 2007, and intelligence reports indicate he was planning a six-vehicle suicide bomb attack to avenge his detention.
"We have taken another very dangerous terrorist off the streets of Iraq, and we will continue to deplete the senior leadership of al Qaeda in Iraq," Garver said.
Meanwhile, the newly formed Diyala Operations Command in Baqouba reported today that Iraqi Army troops and U.S. soldiers of the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, killed five extremists, wounded eight and arrested 15 others during operations throughout Baqouba yesterday.
The engagement in Old Baqouba also netted two caches and a car bomb.
Another gunman was killed when coalition forces engaged his sniper position in the neighborhood of Mufrek, in Baqouba.
The car bomb had a rocket-propelled grenade inside, and according to local citizens, was rigged to explode. Two extremists were arrested in the immediate area after testing positive for explosives.
Four other suspected insurgents were arrested June 11 by soldiers of the 1st Cavalry Divisions 6-9 Armored Reconnaissance Squadron. The individuals were trying to evade the coalition patrol when they were stopped and searched. Inside the vehicle, they had two AK-47s, one pistol and two full magazines, and could not produce permits for the weapons.
Elsewhere, Iraqi security forces successfully prevented a car bomb attack on a coalition forces combat outpost in Khan Bani Sa'ad, located in Diyala province, yesterday.
"I could not be more proud of the Iraqi security forces today," said Lt. Col. Marshall Dougherty, commander, 2nd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division. "Troop B, 2-1 CAV lives and works in the combat outpost with the Iraqi army soldiers."
Iraqi soldiers received a tip and description of a potential car bomb and engaged the vehicle with small-arms fire as it approached the outpost, causing the vehicle to detonate prematurely before it reached the outer perimeter.
Two coalition soldiers received minor wounds and were treated at the scene. Immediately following the explosion, Iraqi troops worked with Iraqi police to secure the area and collect evidence.
In another operation, Iraqi forces detained 15 suspects linked to the terrorist criminal network of al Qaeda in Iraq June 11 in western Mosul.
Working on tips from local Iraqi citizens, Iraqi forces successfully raided the targeted buildings and detained the 15 suspects without incident.
Iraqi forces also seized three AK-47 assault rifles, a 9 mm pistol, 13 cell phones and 20 cases of hydrochloric acid.
In other developments, soldiers from the 3rd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, and the Iraqi National Police detained four men and confiscated bomb-making materials and rifles following a raid in northern Jisr Diyala June 11.
The 3-1 Cavalry's Troop A and Time Sensitive Target Platoon soldiers worked with an Iraqi National Police platoon, called the Lions of Wassit, to search locations insurgent forces were using as meeting sites and cache sites.
The unit conducted several raids to collect information and disrupt enemy activities preventing extremists from engaging Combat Outpost Assassin and Forward Operating Base Rustamiyah. The 3-1 Cavalry is assigned to the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Benning, Ga.
A failed truck bomber, wounded in his attempt to destroy a coalition battle position, was treated, evacuated and is providing information to those he tried to kill, officials reported.
The driver of the truck bomb aimed at destroying Patrol Base Warrior Keep near Sadr al Yusufiyah on June 10 was wounded in the upper right leg, rendering him unable to activate his initiation switch or his explosive vest.
Alert soldiers from Company B, 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, manning the weapon systems at the patrol base, determined his hostile intent and opened fire with an M-240B machine gun and M-4 assault rifles, foiling the attack.
Soldiers from the patrol base then detained the man. Seeing that the man was wounded, they rendered aid and evacuated him to the 31st Combat Support Hospital. Coalition medical personnel continue to provide the man medical care. The man will be held for further questioning and prosecution.
Meanwhile, insurgents detonated a car bomb, damaging a bridge north of Baqouba in Diyala province June 11, rendering it unusable.
The blast destroyed the east-bound lane of the bridge and left the west-bound lane standing, but impassable.
A Georgian unit was present in the vicinity of the attack, and one soldier suffered minor injuries. A coalition forces' explosive ordnance detachment cleared the area and determined the source of the explosion to be a car bomb with a large amount of explosives.
"This is another extreme act of hatred by terrorists intent on harming the people of Diyala province," said Lt. Col. Quinton J. Arnold, deputy brigade commander for 3-1 Cav. "Iraqi security and coalition forces will continue to work jointly with the citizens of Diyala to eliminate these cowardly acts of hatred."
In another act of terror, criminal militias, attempting to attack the district joint security station in Baghdad's Sadr City district with a 120 mm mortar round, missed and damaged a nearby apartment building June 11.
Iraqi police and coalition forces heard the explosion and quickly investigated to render aid to any victims of the attack. No one was injured in the blast, which damaged the roof of the building and landed in a room below.
"This is another example of why the people of Sadr City are tired of the criminal militias and the violence they bring in their homes," said Lt. Col. David Oclander, the executive officer for the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, which operates in the area. "We are communicating daily with all residents of Sadr City to reject this violence, which only causes their own suffering."
Iraqi army forces have detained a suspected al Qaeda in Iraq sniper allegedly responsible for the death of a U.S. soldier and other attacks against coalition forces, officials reported.
With coalition forces present as advisors, Iraqi soldiers detained their primary sniper suspect in the Jolan district of Fallujah during a raid June 10. Insurgent propaganda and numerous identification cards were also seized during the operation.
The suspect, who is alleged to be a member of an al Qaeda in Iraq sniper cell operating out of Fallujah, is believed to have killed a U.S. soldier from a rooftop during a 2006 attack on coalition forces in Fallujah. He is also the primary suspect in a sniper attack against a coalition forces tractor-trailer that occurred in Fallujah earlier this year.
Elsewhere, paratroopers operating near the cities of Zukaytun, Iskandariyah and Musayyib south of Baghdad detained 24 insurgents and arrested three June 10 and 11.
Paratroopers from 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, also secured three AK-47s and 15 ammunition magazines, one 9 mm submachine gun, $2,000 worth of dinar, four sets of body armor, one bag full of numerous fake identification cards, various Iraqi police, Iraqi army, and Hillah SWAT camouflage uniforms, six cellular phones, one 9 mm submachine gun, 500 rounds of 9 mm ammunition, several sets of load-bearing equipment and two computers.
(Compiled from Multinational Corps Iraq and Multinational Force Iraq news releases.)
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
Quarterly Iraq Report Cites Progress, Challenges
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
June 13, 2007 – It's still too early to assess the impact of the new strategy in Iraq, but more progress is expected as additional troops come on line to boost security in Baghdad, according to the latest quarterly report to Congress, released today. The June 2007 report, "Measuring Stability and Security in Iraq," assesses trends in terms of the security environment, political process, economic activity and development of Iraqi security forces.
The report measures both progress and setbacks between mid-February and mid-May. It's the first report for which the entire period took place under the new strategy for Iraq that President Bush announced in January. It notes continued momentum in building Iraq's security forces, which now number 347,000, up almost 18,000 since the last quarterly report, released in March.
In addition, nine Iraqi divisions, 31 brigades, and 95 battalions are in the lead or operating independently in their areas, the report notes. That's an increase of one division headquarters and two battalions since the last report.
These troops, along with coalition forces, have increased force levels and instituted new security measures to protect the population, the report notes. Four additional U.S. brigade combat teams are in place in Baghdad, and a fifth team is expected to be fully operational by the month's end.
Meanwhile, three additional Iraqi brigades completed 90-day deployments in Baghdad, and one has been extended until mid-summer. More Iraqi brigades are on alert and are moving to support operations in the capital, according to the report.
Despite these advances, additional forces are encountering heavy resistance as they operate in areas where they hadn't previously had a large presence, the report recognizes. Although civilian murders and sectarian violence in Baghdad dropped 45 percent early during the reporting period, that trend didn't continue through the rest of the period.
Of particular concern is the rise of high-profile attacks and expanded use of explosively formed projectiles, or EFPs, the report notes. These shaped charges can pierce armored vehicles.
On the political front, the report recognizes the Iraqi government's continued commitment to political, economic and military steps to further reconciliation between competing factions. It also cites increased efforts to help them advance these efforts. Yet the report notes that few key legislative or reconciliation actions were completed during the reporting period.
Meanwhile, oil production and crude-oil exports remain below projected targets -- the result, the report says, of poor infrastructure and inadequate security. Additional efforts will be needed to build capacity of Iraqi ministries and provinces to support economic development, it notes.
"Overall, it is too early to assess the impact of the new approach (to Iraq)," the report concludes. "Progress will depend on Iraqi follow-through on their commitments made as part of the new approach."
Insurgents, militia and terrorists working to disrupt reconciliation will be the biggest challenge to the Iraqi government's ability to fulfill its commitments, the report says.
The latest quarterly progress report is the eighth to date. It was submitted to Congress for review under terms of the 2007 Department of Defense Appropriations Act.
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
June 13, 2007 – It's still too early to assess the impact of the new strategy in Iraq, but more progress is expected as additional troops come on line to boost security in Baghdad, according to the latest quarterly report to Congress, released today. The June 2007 report, "Measuring Stability and Security in Iraq," assesses trends in terms of the security environment, political process, economic activity and development of Iraqi security forces.
The report measures both progress and setbacks between mid-February and mid-May. It's the first report for which the entire period took place under the new strategy for Iraq that President Bush announced in January. It notes continued momentum in building Iraq's security forces, which now number 347,000, up almost 18,000 since the last quarterly report, released in March.
In addition, nine Iraqi divisions, 31 brigades, and 95 battalions are in the lead or operating independently in their areas, the report notes. That's an increase of one division headquarters and two battalions since the last report.
These troops, along with coalition forces, have increased force levels and instituted new security measures to protect the population, the report notes. Four additional U.S. brigade combat teams are in place in Baghdad, and a fifth team is expected to be fully operational by the month's end.
Meanwhile, three additional Iraqi brigades completed 90-day deployments in Baghdad, and one has been extended until mid-summer. More Iraqi brigades are on alert and are moving to support operations in the capital, according to the report.
Despite these advances, additional forces are encountering heavy resistance as they operate in areas where they hadn't previously had a large presence, the report recognizes. Although civilian murders and sectarian violence in Baghdad dropped 45 percent early during the reporting period, that trend didn't continue through the rest of the period.
Of particular concern is the rise of high-profile attacks and expanded use of explosively formed projectiles, or EFPs, the report notes. These shaped charges can pierce armored vehicles.
On the political front, the report recognizes the Iraqi government's continued commitment to political, economic and military steps to further reconciliation between competing factions. It also cites increased efforts to help them advance these efforts. Yet the report notes that few key legislative or reconciliation actions were completed during the reporting period.
Meanwhile, oil production and crude-oil exports remain below projected targets -- the result, the report says, of poor infrastructure and inadequate security. Additional efforts will be needed to build capacity of Iraqi ministries and provinces to support economic development, it notes.
"Overall, it is too early to assess the impact of the new approach (to Iraq)," the report concludes. "Progress will depend on Iraqi follow-through on their commitments made as part of the new approach."
Insurgents, militia and terrorists working to disrupt reconciliation will be the biggest challenge to the Iraqi government's ability to fulfill its commitments, the report says.
The latest quarterly progress report is the eighth to date. It was submitted to Congress for review under terms of the 2007 Department of Defense Appropriations Act.
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
Eleven Terrorists Held; Bomb-Making Factory Seized in Iraq
American Forces Press Service
June 12, 2007 – Coalition forces detained 11 suspected terrorists during operations targeting al Qaeda in Iraq operations in the Baghdad area today. In operations yesterday, Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers seized a bomb-making factory, along with another large weapons cache while on patrol in the eastern portion of the Rashid district of the Iraqi capital.
Troops from Company A, 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, and Company A, 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, discovered the factory, a complex of small buildings deep in the thick palm groves of East Rashid.
The find consisted of one vehicle wired and loaded with explosives, 54 82 mm mortars, 27 155 mm artillery shells, one 500-pound bomb, 64 anti-tank mines, two 200-pound bombs, three 100-pound bombs, 30 130 mm projectiles, 30 hand grenades, 200 artillery boosters, 10 40 mm rounds, 300 5-gallon cans of nitric acid used to make homemade explosives, and 1,500 anti-personnel mines. Troops also found enough wiring and bomb-making material to create more than 300 improvised explosive devices.
In a separate cache found near the complex, an additional 125 5-gallon containers of nitric acid were found. Three other vehicles were found wired as car bombs, but did not contain explosives.
Elsewhere in Iraq, Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers, in cooperation with Iraqi security forces, conducted a raid in the western Baghdad neighborhood of Hateen on June 10, uncovering a cache of bomb-making materials and capturing a terrorist suspect believed to be linked to al Qaeda in Iraq.
Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 32nd Field Artillery Regiment, attached to 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, caught the alleged al Qaeda member and found about 500 boxes of toilet bowl cleaner and 20 boxes of circuit breaker covers, which can be used to build improvised chemical weapons.
In other Iraq operations, an insurgent detonated himself in a suicide car bomb near the Iraqi highway patrol headquarters east of Tikrit on June 10. Fourteen Iraqi police officers were killed in the attack.
In addition, Iraqi army and coalition force soldiers fired at and used attack helicopters to repel insurgents firing from inside the Al Hussiniyah mosque in Old Baquba on June 9.
(Compiled from Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
June 12, 2007 – Coalition forces detained 11 suspected terrorists during operations targeting al Qaeda in Iraq operations in the Baghdad area today. In operations yesterday, Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers seized a bomb-making factory, along with another large weapons cache while on patrol in the eastern portion of the Rashid district of the Iraqi capital.
Troops from Company A, 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, and Company A, 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, discovered the factory, a complex of small buildings deep in the thick palm groves of East Rashid.
The find consisted of one vehicle wired and loaded with explosives, 54 82 mm mortars, 27 155 mm artillery shells, one 500-pound bomb, 64 anti-tank mines, two 200-pound bombs, three 100-pound bombs, 30 130 mm projectiles, 30 hand grenades, 200 artillery boosters, 10 40 mm rounds, 300 5-gallon cans of nitric acid used to make homemade explosives, and 1,500 anti-personnel mines. Troops also found enough wiring and bomb-making material to create more than 300 improvised explosive devices.
In a separate cache found near the complex, an additional 125 5-gallon containers of nitric acid were found. Three other vehicles were found wired as car bombs, but did not contain explosives.
Elsewhere in Iraq, Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers, in cooperation with Iraqi security forces, conducted a raid in the western Baghdad neighborhood of Hateen on June 10, uncovering a cache of bomb-making materials and capturing a terrorist suspect believed to be linked to al Qaeda in Iraq.
Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 32nd Field Artillery Regiment, attached to 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, caught the alleged al Qaeda member and found about 500 boxes of toilet bowl cleaner and 20 boxes of circuit breaker covers, which can be used to build improvised chemical weapons.
In other Iraq operations, an insurgent detonated himself in a suicide car bomb near the Iraqi highway patrol headquarters east of Tikrit on June 10. Fourteen Iraqi police officers were killed in the attack.
In addition, Iraqi army and coalition force soldiers fired at and used attack helicopters to repel insurgents firing from inside the Al Hussiniyah mosque in Old Baquba on June 9.
(Compiled from Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
Air Force Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of an airman deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Lt. Col. Glade L. Felix, 52, of Lake Park, Ga., died June 11 at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. His death is under investigation. Felix was assigned to the 622nd Aeromedical Staging Squadron, Robins Air Force Base, Ga.
For more information related to this release the media can contact the 22nd Air Force public affairs office at (678) 655-5467.
Lt. Col. Glade L. Felix, 52, of Lake Park, Ga., died June 11 at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. His death is under investigation. Felix was assigned to the 622nd Aeromedical Staging Squadron, Robins Air Force Base, Ga.
For more information related to this release the media can contact the 22nd Air Force public affairs office at (678) 655-5467.
More Than 24 Enemy Fighters Killed in Afghanistan
American Forces Press Service
June 12, 2007 – An eight-hour battle in Afghanistan yesterday led to the deaths of some two dozen enemy fighters. Afghan and coalition forces patrolling near the village of Khenjakak received rocket-propelled-grenade and machine- gun fire in the Shah Wali Kot district of Kandahar province. The combined Afghan and coalition forces repelled the attack.
Five hours later, more than 30 enemy attackers ambushed the same patrol with RPG and machine-gun fire near the village. During the eight-hour battle, more than two dozen enemy fighters were killed. One Afghan officer was wounded during the battle.
Meanwhile in Kabul, Afghan and coalition forces detained two militants in an operation today against Taliban forces in the Mandozai district of Khowst province.
During operations June 10, Afghan and coalition forces discovered a munitions cache in the Chamkani district of Paktya province. Forces recovered RPG rounds, 82 mm mortar rounds, mines, grenades, blasting caps, machine gun ammunition, detonation cord, assorted fuses and charges, improvised explosive device receivers and power sources, and blocks of explosives.
(Compiled from Combined Joint Task Force 82 news releases.)
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
June 12, 2007 – An eight-hour battle in Afghanistan yesterday led to the deaths of some two dozen enemy fighters. Afghan and coalition forces patrolling near the village of Khenjakak received rocket-propelled-grenade and machine- gun fire in the Shah Wali Kot district of Kandahar province. The combined Afghan and coalition forces repelled the attack.
Five hours later, more than 30 enemy attackers ambushed the same patrol with RPG and machine-gun fire near the village. During the eight-hour battle, more than two dozen enemy fighters were killed. One Afghan officer was wounded during the battle.
Meanwhile in Kabul, Afghan and coalition forces detained two militants in an operation today against Taliban forces in the Mandozai district of Khowst province.
During operations June 10, Afghan and coalition forces discovered a munitions cache in the Chamkani district of Paktya province. Forces recovered RPG rounds, 82 mm mortar rounds, mines, grenades, blasting caps, machine gun ammunition, detonation cord, assorted fuses and charges, improvised explosive device receivers and power sources, and blocks of explosives.
(Compiled from Combined Joint Task Force 82 news releases.)
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
