Mullen Sees Golden Mosque in Samarra Being Rebuilt

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

Dec. 18, 2008 - The bombs that severely damaged the Golden Mosque in this city on the Tigris River almost destroyed the foundations of the nation, but the Golden Mosque is rising again, just like Iraq. Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, toured the city and saw the reconstruction effort today.

Steel beams gracefully soar into the sky where ruined masonry once stood. The mosque is a holy site to Shiia Muslims around the world, and is the focus of pilgrimages for the faithful. The United Nations declared the Golden Mosque -- and the nearby Blue Mosque -- as a world heritage site, which is a site of cultural or natural importance to humanity.

The al-Qaida attack on the holy place Feb. 22, 2006, shook Iraq. "It was akin to terrorists bombing St. Peter's [Basilica] in the Vatican or the Western Wall in Jerusalem," said Michael C. Craft, the Samarra team leader for the provincial reconstruction team in Iraq's Salahuddin province.

The analogy is not exact, because while the Golden Mosque is a Shiia shrine, Samarra is a Sunni Muslim city. The attack threatened to ignite a sectarian civil war inside Iraq, pitting the two largest ethnicities against each other.

All members of the government pulled together to try and keep a lid on the violence, but ethnic killings multiplied, and the country threatened to spin out of control.

Walking through the streets of Samarra in 2006 would not have been a safe option. But American and Iraqi officials had no compunction about the highest-ranking U.S. officer taking a stroll through the city today.

U.S. soldiers of the 25th Infantry Division's 3rd Brigade Combat Team drove the admiral to the middle of the city in a mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicle. Mullen and Army Maj. Gen. Bob Caslen, commander of Multinational Division North, then strolled through the main shopping street toward the mosque.

The stores were full of goods, and people were in the streets. Shoppers could buy everything from electronic gear to baby clothes. Vendors stood outside their shops, barbers stood by to give haircuts, and workmen scurried about bringing building supplies into the few vacant storefronts left.

When the Iraqis saw the admiral, they felt free to walk right up to him with suggestions, complaints and advice. The mayor of the city met the admiral, and the two men and interpreters climbed three flights of stairs to the roof of a ruined building that overlooks the Golden Mosque construction site.

"The Samarrans see the mosque as an engine of growth for the city," Craft said. "Even with the mosque being rebuilt, there are still between 5,000 and 15,000 pilgrims coming to the city each weekend." That number grows during important anniversaries, he said.

And that's part of the problem, he said. Charter buses bring the faithful in, mostly from Baghdad. The pilgrims get off the buses and walk through concrete Jersey barriers to enter the shrine area. Once they finish the visit, they get back on the buses and leave. "The Jersey barriers effectively cut off the city from the shrine," Craft said.

Samarrans want the barriers taken down so the pilgrims can at least see the shops and hotels along the city's riverside.

The city and surrounding area are recovering from the dark days. Samarra once was the center of the Iraqi pharmaceutical industry. That is returning, and a factory in town employs more than 3,000 people. The company ships pharmaceuticals throughout Iraq and soon will expand production to supply medicines to other nations in the region.

City officials are working with provincial and national leaders to build the infrastructure. "The people are demanding services, and the city officials are responding," Craft said. City officials are involved in building the budget and spending the funds.

The city is moving ahead, but there are other, systemic problems. Under Saddam Hussein, the social infrastructure was stunted, and there still are no Iraqi equivalents to the Rotary Club or the Lions. Boy Scouts and Girls Scouts do not exist here.

"We are working with local citizens to build these institutions," Craft said. "These are organizations that we take for granted in the United States, but they are nonexistent or nascent here. They are necessary for a society of law."

The American footprint in Samarra will change in the future, military officials said, though they did not discuss how. But the workmen still climb about the Golden Mosque even as the calls to prayer go out over the loudspeaker. In 2010, the Golden Mosque will be rebuilt, Inshallah, the mayor, said.

Gates Urges Direct Dialogue With President-elect on Iraq

By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service

Dec. 18, 2008 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates hopes commanders with a "vested interest" in the future role of U.S. forces in Iraq can share their views directly with the incoming president, a Pentagon official said today. Washington and Baghdad have reached a deal stipulating that U.S. forces withdraw from Iraq by the end of 2011. But as Defense Department leaders discuss the details and timeline of the force drawdown, Gates has urged direct dialogue with President-elect Barack Obama, Press Secretary Geoff Morrell told reporters at the Pentagon.

"The focus will be on making sure there is direct communication between the commanders and the president-elect, so that he can make an informed decision about the way ahead," Morrell said.

"The secretary, I believe, wishes to conduct a similar process to the one that he has conducted as these decisions have been made over the past couple of years," he continued. "[A process] in which the president -- the commander in chief -- gets to hear from virtually every commander with a vested interest in this particular area of the world."

These leaders include Gates, the Pentagon's civilian chief; Army Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, the top U.S. commander in Iraq; Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of U.S. Central Command; Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; and the service's joint chiefs, Morrell said.

"It means [they] will all get to speak -- if the secretary is able to do this -- directly with the president, so that President-elect Obama gets a wide variety of views, a number of varying perspectives ... about what they believe to be the proper course," he said.

Gates met with Odierno and Army Lt. Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III, commander of Multinational Corps Iraq, over the weekend in Balad, Iraq, to discuss future force strength and other topics.

"They had a lengthy and very good conversation about the proposed way ahead in Iraq in the coming year, including force levels during the coming year," Morrell said of the Dec. 13 meeting. He noted that future force levels are dependent on events on the ground in Iraq next year, including elections at the provincial, district and national levels.

On the heels of his trip to the Middle East, Gates flew to Chicago to meet with Obama and his national security team. Attending the meeting was Mullen, who, at Gates' request, briefed the group on "the current thinking about the way ahead in Iraq," Morrell said.

"The secretary described that conversation, that discussion, as an excellent one," Morrell said. "He said he feels as though the group has already exhibited excellent chemistry."

Morrell noted that Washington and Baghdad at any time could renegotiate the agreement on the U.S. troop presence in Iraq, though there are no plans to do so. But he provided a glimpse into the secretary's thinking if the timeline were extended beyond 2011.

"[Gates] could see where a force in the size of tens of thousands, as he said, would still be needed to help the Iraqi military continue to grow, continue in its training, and also provide the kind of support that it cannot provide for itself at this point, whether it be through logistics or aviation or intelligence or other means," Morrell said.

Officials Cite Progress in East Baghdad

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

Dec. 15, 2008 - Progress in East Baghdad is going so well that the area is "beyond counterinsurgency" and into development, U.S. officials with responsibility for the area said today. In a teleconference with Pentagon reporters from Baghdad, Army Col. Mark Dewhurst, commander of the 10th Mountain Division's 4th Brigade Combat Team, and Conrad Tribble, who leads the provincial reconstruction team in the area, said security, governance and economic progress has been significant in the political districts of Karrada, Rusafa and New Baghdad.

The unit is partnered with four Iraqi security force brigades that are commanded by highly competent Iraqi brigadier generals, Dewhurst said. "They've been working very hard to deliver security and reconciliation and reconstruction to the population over here," he said. The colonel said the attacks in the area have dropped by half from this time last year. He also said attacks using roadside bombs are down, and people are turning more frequently to Iraqi forces.

"This partnership with the Iraqi security forces has enabled us to increase their capabilities and has led to them receiving many more tips from the Iraqi people that have led to the successful detention of many unaligned extremists and criminals being taken off the streets," Dewhurst said. "The combined effect of these partnered operations has been the cornerstone in our fight against extremists and other criminals."

The Iraqi government also is doing a good job of transitioning the "Sons of Iraq" civilian security group into the security forces. With 1,200 Sons of Iraq members in the area, 400 have transitioned to the police, and another 300 are ready to start at the police academy.

The amount of traffic on the streets and the number of new businesses starting up in the area points to the improvement in security, the colonel said. Better security also allows the Iraqi government to provide better basic services such as water, electricity, sewage and trash pick-up.

With security doing well, the focus is shifting to other aspects necessary for success, as the provincial reconstruction team works with Iraqi officials and community leaders to improve governance, political development, business opportunities and reconciliation.

The governance aspect of the effort helps Iraqi leaders develop better and more effective ways of delivering essential services, Tribble explained.

"We do a lot of political development, focusing primarily now on elections and support for parties and candidates, and just in general the electoral process that's starting ... in January of 2009," he said.

The nine-member team also works on programs focusing on business and economic growth. The team is working to develop local nongovernmental agencies and professional organizations that didn't exist under Saddam Hussein's regime, he said.

The team also has programs to support reconciliation in the mixed Christian, Sunni and Shiia neighborhood, he added.

Both men acknowledged a lot remains to be done.

"There's a lot of things changing on the ground that we still have to get after each and every day with our Iraqi security force partners," Dewhurst said. "And we are committed to doing that."

The economic side still has problems, but the government is moving forward on essential services, and the political scene is becoming active with the run-up to elections, Tribble said.

The area has moved beyond counterinsurgency, he said. "That means that our mission has changed a little bit," Tribble said. "We're focusing not so much on individual symptoms or specific neighborhoods, but it's really about the system that is or is not in place to address the issue, whether it's sewer or water or economic development."

At the same time, the Iraqis are stepping forward.

"It all boils down to building up the Iraqi capacity to run their city, run their services, manage their economy, manage their whole society in a way that enables us to leave and know that stability and security are going to stay," Tribble said.

Gates Travels to Iraq, Talks With Leaders, Troops

By Fred W. Baker III
American Forces Press Service

Dec. 13, 2008 - The mission in Iraq is still relevant despite the recent political attention on the fight in Afghanistan, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told troops here today. "The enemies of a stable and self-governing Iraq are resilient, they are lethal and they are always looking to reverse the gains of the last year and a half," Gates said during a "town hall" session with troops.

Gates traveled to this Iraqi city for a few hours to talk with senior leaders about security conditions on the ground and to meet with troops. He met with Multinational Force Commander Ray Odierno to get his assessment of operations over the next six months as he prepares to move his troops out of Iraqi cities as part of the newly signed status of forces agreement between the United States and Iraq.

The defense secretary also had lunch here with mid-grade noncommissioned officers, and then met in the town hall session with about 170 troops from different services working here on Joint Base Balad.

Gates told the troops the mission here will change over the next six months as the Iraqi security forces begin taking more control and U.S. combat troops move out of the cities.

"Iraq has been a long and hard fight, and to be sure the mission is not over, though its parameters and focus will change," he said.

Gates said the U.S. military is in its final stages here, as it prepares to have all of its troops out by the agreement's deadline of 2011.

"It is vital that we get the end game right here and that will continue to depend on your courage, commitment and sacrifice," he said.

Gates praised the efforts of those working at the air base, the busiest in the U.S. military. The base is a logistical hub for Iraq and provides medical evacuation services, close air support, supply and transportation and reconnaissance.

Gates said he was especially proud of its accomplishments in medical evacuation.

"When it comes to MedEvac you have broken new ground in the history of warfare and you have saved lives in the process," Gates said.

This is the third town hall meeting with troops this week. He typically meets with small groups of troops and families, often without senior leaders present, in order to get an uncensored perspective of their needs and views. These meetings and frank discussions have shaped Gate's thinking about everything from day-to-day operations and quality of life issues, he said.

"Testifying before Congress is nothing compared to meeting with a group of spouses from Fort Hood, (Texas)," Gates joked.

After the town hall, Gates answered questions from the troops ranging from whether he envisions any changes in deployment lengths, the economic effects on the Defense Department budget, and if there are any changes in the war forthcoming based on the next administration in January.

This visit wrapped up Gates three-day trip to the Middle East, and it was his third meeting this week with senior U.S. military commanders assessing the two wars.

Before meeting here with Odierno, Gates met in Afghanistan with Army Gen. David D. McKiernan, International Security Assistance Force commander, and in Bahrain with Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of U.S. Central Command.

Following his meetings here Gates left for Washington, D.C.

Iraqi Spokesman Thanks U.S. for Sacrifices, Details Way Ahead

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

Dec. 11, 2008 - Without American sacrifices in Iraq, the country would still be under the rule of a brutal dictator, said Dr. Ali Al-Dabbagh, spokesman for the Iraqi government. Al-Dabbagh spoke with Pentagon reporters today and said the sacrifices of American servicemembers made it possible to overthrow "a brutal government for 35 years which destroyed Iraq and the region. We never dreamed we would get rid of Saddam, because Saddam was planning even his grandson to rule Iraq."

The spokesman said that "all the expression of thanks to the Americans to appreciate what they did was not enough."

The other thing to realize is that Americans fighting in Iraq are also defending their homeland and making the region safer, Al-Dabbagh said. Al-Qaida is a danger not only in Iraq, but throughout the region and internationally.

"As an example, what happened in Afghanistan made an attack on New York," he said. "Iraq could slip down and then a group could attack London or Washington."

Al-Qaida terrorists are "devil enemies" who have attacked the length and breadth of the Arab world and internationally, Al-Dabbagh said.

"All the region needs to be united in fighting such devil enemies," he said.

Al-Dabbagh addressed a suicide bomb in Kirkuk today that killed at least 45 people. "We do need to work on the Kirkuk issue in a wise way and a quiet way," he said.

Kirkuk is a complicated mix of people and an oil-rich area. Every ethnic background and religious sect needs to buy in to any settlement in the region, Al-Dabbagh said.

"We do need to give ourselves more time to eliminate sources of tension, so we can have a census in the region," he said.

Al-Dabbagh said Iran has been cooperative and seems to have stopped sending ordnance and fighters into Iraq.

"Iran has shown a positive stance since last year even," he said, adding that the assurances that Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki gave Iranian leaders seems to have made a difference.

He said the Iranians "finally realize" that the status of forces agreement between the United States and Iraq poses no threat to Iran.

"The Iranians should be our good neighbor and should not interfere in our affairs," he said.

The Iranians also have expressed an interest in solving long-term problems between the two countries such as disputes over the Shatt-al-Arab waterway that is Iraq's sole access to the Persian Gulf.

Al-Dabbagh called for the new U.S. administration to engage in "deep dialogue" with Iran, but he called on Iran to respect international law.

"In order for Iran to be a good partner in the region they should respect international law and refrain from interfering not only in Iraq, but the region," he said.

Al-Dabbagh also clarified the Iraqi position on the status of forces agreement. He said that the Iraqis understand that building the security forces will take longer than the three years covered by the current agreement, which goes into effect Jan. 1, and runs through the end of 2011. At that time, all U.S. troops should be out of the country. However, there still will be a need for trainers, logisticians and so on, which will be negotiated in an agreement in 2011, Al-Dabbagh said.

On Jan. 1, the U.S. rules of engagement will change. In the first six months of 2009, U.S. combat forces will move from the cities and towns into camps outside them, Al-Dabbagh said. The Iraqi police and army will have the lead for operations in these urban areas. They will set up operations in the areas and sometimes those operations will include U.S. servicemembers and sometimes they will not, he said. Sometimes, the operations will comprise mostly Americans, but still only with the permission of Iraqi authorities. The U.S. forces will not have the permission to kick down doors as they do now, he said.

With Iraqi forces in the lead and handling most of the operations, this will reduce friction between the coalition and the Iraqi people. "It will be better for the American troops and better for us," he said of the agreement.

Mullen Says Mumbai Attacks Demonstrate Safe-Haven Dangers

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

Dec. 10, 2008 - The recent terrorist attack in Mumbai, India, is just the latest evidence of the danger that terrorist safe havens present to the world, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said here today. At a Pentagon news conference, Navy Adm. Mike Mullen spoke about India and Pakistan, as well as Afghanistan and the global financial crisis.

Navy Adm. Mike Mullen said safe havens in Pakistan played a role in allowing the terror group Lashkar-e-Toiba to plan and practice for the attack that killed nearly 200 people in Mumbai and paralyzed India's largest city and financial center for three days.

Pakistani security forces have cracked down on the Lashkar-e-Toiba camp and arrested 20 terrorists. Safe havens and other ungoverned areas historically have presented huge problems for the United States. Al-Qaida used ungoverned areas in Afghanistan to plan the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001. The Taliban is regrouping in ungoverned areas of the federally administered tribal area in Pakistan. Mullen said he also is concerned about safe havens in Somalia and Yemen and ungoverned areas in Africa.

"A significant objective in Afghanistan and Pakistan is to not have a safe haven," Mullen said. "And I try to pay a lot of attention to the evolution of potential safe havens."

Mullen said the United States needs to get more forces to Afghanistan. The 10th Mountain Division's 3rd Brigade Combat Team will arrive in Afghanistan next month, and additional forces will arrive as soon as possible, Mullen said.

"But that would speak to just the security piece," he said. "I think there needs to be a considered effort economically and a considered effort in the governance, rule of law, diplomatic-political side." Flowing troops into the country will not, by itself, fix the problems of safe havens, but will create and shape the environment, he said.

Mullen also talked about the current financial crisis, noting that the new U.S. administration will take a "very, very intense, focused, comprehensive view at what we're buying." He said he is discouraged by the lack of cost control in many Defense Department acquisition programs, and that the department is going to have to get a grip on that.

The chairman said he is concerned about the global financial crisis and its impact on security.

"I think it will impact on security over a period of time, and we have to recognize that," he said. "I think it's important for all of us in the Defense Department to squeeze our budgets, to draw in where we can and for leaders to commit to that and certainly recognize that there are challenges out there which we'll continue to have to resource."

Troops Capture Iranian-backed Terrorists in Iraq

American Forces Press Service

Dec. 8, 2008 - Coalition forces apprehended three alleged Kataib Hezbollah terrorists in two operations early today in Baghdad's Rusafa district, military officials reported. Kataib Hezbollah is believed to be a surrogate group operating in Iraq on behalf of the Quds Force of Iran's Revolutionary Guard, coalition officials said.

During the first operation, coalition forces acted on intelligence information to captured three suspected Kataib Hezbollah members believed to be responsible for recent attacks against Iraqi civilians and Iraqi and coalition forces. In a separate operation in Rusafa today, forces targeted a suspected militant believed to be responsible for collecting intelligence information on Iraqi and coalition forces. The wanted man also is believed to be involved in attacks against coalition forces. He identified himself to forces and was apprehended without incident.

Also today, an operation near Baghdad netted a wanted man and three additional suspects believed to be his associates. The suspected terrorist is believed to be associated with al-Qaida in Iraq leaders in Anbar province.

In Ramadi today, coalition forces captured another suspected terrorist believed to be associated with Anbar-area al-Qaida in Iraq leaders.

In operations yesterday:

-- A wanted man who is believed to have transported explosives and other weapons for al-Qaida in Iraq was captured near Abu Ghraib, west of Baghdad. The suspected terrorist also is believed to have connections to numerous al-Qaida in Iraq operatives in the area.

-- Coalition forces captured a suspected terrorist in Beiji, south of Mosul. He is believed to coordinate suicide attacks in the Tigris River Valley and allegedly was seeking materials to build suicide vests. Two additional suspects were detained for further questioning.

-- Forces detained two suspects during an operation targeting al-Qaida in Iraq foreign-terrorist facilitation networks in Mosul.

-- Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers found a weapons cache in southern Baghdad's Rashid district. After receiving a tip from a concerned citizen, the soldiers found three rocket-propelled grenade launchers at a house in the Hadar community.

(Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq and Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)

General Leaving Northern Iraq Notes 'Monumental' Progress

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

Dec. 8, 2008 - Citing "monumental" improvements since his soldiers arrived in Iraq last year, the outgoing commander of Multinational Division North today credited his troops, Iraqi security forces and the Iraqi people with creating a historic turnaround. Army Maj. Gen. Mark P. Hertling and his 1st Armored Division soldiers arrived in Iraq just as the troop surge was taking effect in Baghdad and "the awakening movement" was beginning to push al-Qaida out of Anbar province.

"I told our units that we were arriving at a critical time and that our actions, one way or another, would make history," he told Pentagon reporters via videoconference from Contingency Operating Base Speicher near Tikrit, Iraq.

The situation then was dire. Enemy attacks had hit 1,800 a month, the Iraqis had little trust in their central government, and unemployment was "staggering," Hertling said. "For every two steps forward, we assessed, they were making one step back."

"When we arrived, our task was to decrease violence, partner with the Iraqi security forces as well as local and governmental leaders, and grow the nation's economy," he said. "We saw our roles as allies with the Iraqi people, working with them to change their communities and stop those who sought to destroy them."

Hertling, who redeploys with his soldiers tomorrow to Wurzberg, Germany, pointed to broad indicators of progress across a region the size of Connecticut, New Jersey, Maryland and Vermont combined. Violence is down dramatically, Iraqi security forces are gaining in numbers and capability, the local economy is improving and the Iraqi government is making strides, he said.

"I believe the changes in northern Iraq over the last 15 months have been monumental," he said, citing the combination of "heroic and courageous actions" by coalition troops and civilians assigned to provincial reconstruction teams, actions of the Iraqi security forces and patriotic Iraqi leaders and civilians.

"I've watched them make miracle[s] happen," he said.

Hertling conceded that the picture isn't all rosy, and that challenges remain. "There are still enemies that need to be destroyed," he said, noting that "anywhere in this country has the potential of falling back under the control of al-Qaida."

"It's a nefarious, evil group of individuals, and they will continue to attempt to conduct the kinds of attacks that kill innocent civilians, wherever we give them the opportunity," he said.

Meanwhile, the Iraqi government "is still very fragile," and needs to "polish the representative process and methods of infrastructure repair," he said.

But despite these challenges, Hertling said, he's witnessed a major transformation during his time in Iraq that shows promise for a new future.

"The most dramatic change is one that only we get to see over here – and that's now a new hope in the eyes of the Iraqi people," he said.

The progress in the region he commanded came at a big cost, Hertling noted, with 104 U.S. soldiers killed and 891 wounded, and big Iraqi losses as well. "At every memorial, we rededicate ourselves to our motto, 'Make these sacrifices matter," he said.

Army Maj. Gen. Robert L. Caslen Jr., Hertling's classmate at the U.S. Military Academy who commands the 25th Infantry Division, will assume responsibility for Multinational Division North during a ceremony tomorrow. The 25th Division headquarters and the division's 3rd Brigade Combat Team are expected to serve in Iraq for a year under the new deployment cycles that took effect while Hertling's soldiers were in Iraq.

CBR Weapons and WMD Terrorism News- December 8, 2008

Primate center unveils biosafety lab [LA]
“Five years in the making and prompted by an influx of federal financing for bioterrorism research after anthrax scares and the Sept. 11 attacks, Tulane University’s [LA] National Primate Research Center on Friday showed off its new $27.5 million lab for studying airborne contaminants and infectious diseases. The Regional Biosafety Laboratory, a 38,000-square-foot facility within the center near Covington, is not expected to open for business until mid-summer, but on Friday morning, national, state and local officials used an oversized pair of scissors to cut a green ribbon, officially marking the lab's completion. ‘The focus is how you prevent exposure for a new emergent disease that is moving this way, or for a bioterrorism event,’ said Andrew Lackner, the center’s director. He said the facility will work ‘to protect the community and the nation.’” (Times-Picayune; 06Dec08; Benjamin Alexander-Bloch)
http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/index.ssf?/base/news-0/1228544506295490.xml&coll=1

Data published in Nature Medicine highlights ability of Peregrine Pharmaceuticals’ bavituximab to cure lethal virus infections
“Peregrine Pharmaceuticals, Inc. reported publication of data in Nature Medicine that supports the broad anti-viral potential of the company's novel anti-phosphatidylserine (anti-PS) antibody platform, showing that its PS-targeting drug bavituximab can cure lethal virus infections in animal disease models. Bavituximab is in clinical trials for the treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and in preclinical development for the treatment of viral hemorrhagic fevers under a contract worth up to $44.4 million with the bioterrorism program of the U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA).” (NewsRx.com; 12Dec08)
http://www.newsrx.com/article.php?articleID=1350558

Secret labs outsourced by Defra [U.K.’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs]
“Britain’s top-secret laboratories battling to prevent outbreaks of anthrax, foot-and-mouth, mad cow disease and Asian bird flu with some installations so sensitive they do not officially exist have been privatised. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is transferring the maintenance of 186 sites and 800 Civil servants to outsourcing specialist Interserve. The contract includes three labs, whose work is so top secret their locations are undisclosed. […] Interserve, which also provides private-sector services to Buckingham Palace, said the 15-year Defra contract will be worth at least £500 million.” (The Daily Mail; 05Dec08) http://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/article-1092263/Top-secret-laboratories-outsourced-Defra.html

Earmark helps [NY] businesses, not troops
“Scientists have discovered a lotion that can save the lives of U.S. soldiers exposed to chemical weapons a product vastly superior to the standard-issue decontamination powder. […] But there’s a problem: After being lobbied by the companies making the powder, several members of Congress pushed through two earmarks worth $7.6 million that forced the military for the past two years to keep buying the inferior product. The product, known as M291, is made from a resin sold exclusively by a Pennsylvania chemical company, which is then processed into powder by a New York company, then assembled into individual kits at a facility in Arkansas. Among the lawmakers who championed the earmarks are Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., Arlen Specter, R-Pa.; and Charles Schumer, D-N.Y.” (Seattle Times; 08Dec08; Christine Willamsen and David Heath) http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008479423_apwaearmarkreport.html

[U.S. oil-services firm] Schlumberger's Iran sale [of ‘dirty bomb’ useable materials] raises questions
“The U.S. oil-services firm Schlumberger is using a legal loophole to supply machines with radioactive chemicals to Iran, The Boston Globe reported Sunday. The Globe says its investigation revealed the company has sold a 2,000-pound drilling tool to Iran powered by a kind of radioactive chemical that scientists say could fuel a so-called ‘dirty bomb.’ U.S. officials have sought to keep the chemical out of Iranian hands, but Schlumberger made the sale using a legal loophole allowing multinational corporations to employ foreign subsidiaries to sidestep U.S. sanctions, the Globe said. […] Victor Comras, a specialist on international trade embargoes, said Schlumberger's oil tools sale to Iran ‘is certainly activity that goes against the spirit, if not the letter, of the law.’” (United Press International; 07Dec08; Source: Boston Globe) http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2008/12/07/Schlumbergers_Iran_sale_raises_questions/UPI-90781228672600/

U.S. commission [on the prevention of weapons of mass destruction, proliferation, and terrorism] says urgent need to secure Pakistan's biological and nuclear weapons
“A U.S. bipartisan commission has warned that the next attacks on America might originate from Pakistan’s volatile Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), adding that there is an urgent need for Washington to secure Pakistan’s biological and nuclear weapons. The report, which was due to be presented to U.S. President Bush on Wednesday, says: ‘Indeed, many government officials and outside experts believe that the next terrorist attack against the US is likely to originate from within the Federally Administered Tribal Areas in Pakistan.’[…] [The report] warns that the recently-concluded US-India Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement may significantly affect Asian security, saying incoming President Barack Obama will have to manage the actions that states may take in response to the agreement.” (News Track India; 07Dec08; Source: Asian News
International)
http://www.newstrackindia.com/newsdetails/46429

India, Russia sign milestone nuclear pact, vow to fight terror
“The two strategic partners [India and Russia], whose ties have ‘withstood the test of time,’ signed 10 agreements in areas ranging from Civil space programme, Civil nuclear cooperation, economy, tourism and defence, and combatting terrorism. […] Reiterating their commitment to a multi-polar world, the two countries discussed a host of global issues, including terrorism, the global financial crisis, the Iranian nuclear issue, trilateral cooperation between India, Russia and China, and reform of leading international institutions.” (Newstrack India; 05Dec08; Source:
Indo-Asian News Service)
http://www.newstrackindia.com/newsdetails/46079

World leaders try to ban nuclear weapons
“A new international group committed to eliminating nuclear weapons over the next 25 years has enlisted scores of world leaders as its campaign gets under way at a conference in Paris on Tuesday. […] The group, Global Zero, is proposing deep cuts in U.S. and Russian nuclear arsenals, a verification and enforcement system, and phased reduction leading to the elimination of all stockpiles. […] Ultimately, the planners are hoping to stage a world summit in January 2010. More than 100 political, military, business, religious and civic leaders have lent their support to the campaign. ‘In recent months, the threat of proliferation and nuclear terrorism has led to a growing chorus of world leaders calling for the elimination of all nuclear weapons,’ the group said in a statement announcing its plans.” (The China Post; 08Dec08; Source: Associated Press; Barry Schweid) http://www.chinapost.com.tw/international/europe/2008/12/08/186640/World-leaders.htm

Commentary [by Peter Bergen, CNN National Security Analyst]: WMD terrorism fears overblown
“Terrorists have already used weapons of mass destruction in the past decade in attacks around the world, and they have proven to be something of a dud. […] In fact, there is only one weapon of mass destruction that can kill tens or hundreds of thousands and that is a nuclear device. […] Even if al Qaeda successfully deployed a crude chemical, biological or radiological weapon […] these would be weapons of mass disruption, whose principal effect would be panic -- not mass casualties. […] What we are likely to see again and again are the tried and tested tactics that terrorists have used for decades: […] Deploying true WMDs remains beyond the capabilities of terrorist groups today and for the foreseeable future.” (CNN.com; 05Dec08; Peter Bergen) http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/12/05/bergen.wmd/index.html?iref=newssearch

[U.S. Representative Jane] Harman [D-CA] warns against overplaying WMD ‘fear card’
“After a series of dire new warnings about possible terrorist threats -- capped by a government commission's report [from the Commission on the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction, Proliferation, and terrorism] that terrorists are likely to stage a biological or nuclear attack somewhere in the world during the next five years -- some experts are urging officials ‘to retire the fear card,’ as California Rep. Jane Harman puts it. ... Harman, who heads the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Intelligence and terrorism Risk Assessment, added, ‘It’s time for the rhetoric about that threat to calm, instead of inflame, an anxious public.’” (U.S. News & World Report: 08Dec08) http://www.usnews.com/usnews/politics/bulletin/bulletin_081208.htm

CNS ChemBio-WMD terrorism News is prepared by the Chemical and Biological Weapons Nonproliferation Program of the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies in order to bring timely and focused information to researchers and policymakers interested in the fields of chemical, biological, and radiological weapons nonproliferation and WMD terrorism.

Face of Defense: Boxing Provides Motivation for Deployed Soldier

By Army Sgt. Jeremy Todd
Special to American Forces Press Service

Dec. 4, 2008 - A Multinational Division Baghdad soldier serving in southern Baghdad with the 10th Mountain Division's 94th Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, uses his off-duty time to hone his boxing skills. Army Spc. Chad Reed has become somewhat of a superstar here, especially since he recently defeated a Golden Gloves boxer on nearby Forward Operating Base Loyalty.

"When I'm not on mission, I'm in the gym or in the ring practicing," Reed said. His time in the ring just about equals the length of his deployment, a little more than a year.

He said he wants to prove that he is a boxer now, and no longer a street fighter.

"A boxer is patient," he explained. "He's not just going for the knockout hit, and that's where the difference lies between the two."

The New Orleans native grew up in a rough part of town, and said he made the life-changing decision to join the Army not only to improve himself but also to provide a better life for his wife at Fort Polk, La.

The 24-year-old fighter weighs in at 148 pounds and stands 5 feet, 7 inches tall. Reed said all his punching power comes from his heart, and that his love for his mother, wife and stepson keep him on the straight and narrow path of always doing what is right -- no matter what the circumstance.

Sempa Wilson, a security guard from Kampala, Uganda, works with Reed on his footwork and speed.

"He doesn't like to be hit in the face, but who does?" Wilson said. "My job is to make sure he is not hit unnecessarily. We often spar to keep him aware of the unpredictability of this sport. This is not a nice sport, but it is a team sport, [and] many others helped Reed win this fight."

The task of ensuring Reed is in the best fighting shape possible goes to Army Staff Sgt. Anthony Nelson, a medical supply soldier with 94th BSB. Nelson's responsibility is building Reed's stamina and muscle strength. Nelson works with Reed for three hours a day, six days a week.

Nelson said Reed is one of the most dedicated soldiers he has worked with during his deployment, both on the clock and off.

"Boxing has motivated him to be a better soldier, just as being a better soldier has motivated his command to ensure he becomes a better boxer," he said.

Reed said he has received tremendous support from his peers and his leaders. When he fought the Golden Gloves boxer, his command arranged a convoy for 34 of his company's soldiers to root for him.

"It is gestures like those that really make me want to be a better soldier," Reed said. "My command has faith in me both on the battlefield and in the ring, and that means a lot to me."

Army 1st Sgt. Dan Donald III, senior enlisted leader for Company A, said he wanted Reed to know his fellow soldiers supported him.

"Specialist Reed is one of my hard-charging soldiers," he said. "He totally out-classed his opponent at FOB Loyalty. It was the least I could do for him. He does a lot for his platoon, the battalion and the brigade. In the end, it provided positive motivation for the soldiers who attended as well as Reed."

Noting that "Mike Tyson's Greatest Hits" and "Ali" are his favorite movies, Reed said he models his fighting style after the two great heavyweights. He compared stepping into the ring to driving out of the gate onto the streets of Baghdad.

"When it's time to maneuver, it's time to maneuver, no matter what the case may be," he said. "When it's time to go, it's time to go; and that's what I do as a soldier and a fighter."

Reed added that he hopes someone will notice his drive to succeed and his dedication to be a better fighter so he might get the chance fight professionally someday. For now, he said, he just wants to make it safely home to his family. This holiday season, the promising pugilist said, he is thankful for all those who have supported him, fighting both in the ring and on the streets of Baghdad.

(Army Sgt. Jeremy Todd serves in Multinational Division Baghdad with the 10th Mountain Division's 4th Brigade Combat Team.)

Afghan, Coalition Forces Build Bridges for Community

American Forces Press Service

Dec. 3, 2008 - Afghan and coalition forces celebrated with local villagers Dec. 1 at a ribbon-cutting for a new low-water bridge near Kandahar city. The Commando Bridge will provide easier access to areas around the city, including a bazaar, a school under construction and a nearby highway.

A rainstorm several months ago flooded the creek that the new bridge spans, making travel through the area difficult, and Afghan Army officials approached coalition forces about the need for a bridge. The project was funded through the Commanders' Emergency Response Program, which allows leaders to fund projects that meet urgent needs of the local population.

For projects throughout Afghanistan, officials explained, a proper balance has to be reached between security and development; in this case, workers' safety was a concern. But despite militants' death threats against the workers, the project was completed within a few weeks and will be of great benefit to the community, said Brig. Gen. Shir Mohammad Zazai, commander of the Afghan National Army's 205th Corps.

"I would like to thank everyone involved for their hard work in completing the Commando Bridge," the general told those gathered at the ribbon-cutting. "These projects really help to improve the area and will help to make the area better."

"It was very difficult last winter for people to travel and transport things through the area," a laborer who worked on the bridge said. "They weren't able to move things through easily. Now, it will be much easier."

(From a U.S. Forces Afghanistan news release.)

Coalition, Afghan Forces Kill 10, Detain Seven

American Forces Press Service

Dec. 3, 2008 - Afghan and coalition troops today detained three militants in Afghanistan's westernmost province, a day after troops killed 10 and detained four others in separate battles with insurgents, military officials reported. In today's operation, three men were detained in the Shindand district of Herat province near the Iranian border. Afghan army commandos, assisted by coalition troops, detained the men as "persons of interest" in what is believed to be the headquarters of a bomb-making cell in the Zer-e-koh Valley. The men were carrying AK-47 assault rifles and wearing vests loaded with ammunition. Commandos encountered no resistance from the armed men, and no shots were fired.

Coalition and Afghan forces yesterday killed 10 insurgents in separate operations that resulted in firefights with militants.

In the first incident, a combined coalition and Afghan unit on a reconnaissance patrol in the southern province of Helmand province killed seven insurgents. The troops were in the Nad Ali district when the insurgents fired on them from several positions using small-arms and rocket fire. The troops responded with small-arms fire, killing them.

No troops or civilian casualties were reported.

In the second incident, coalition forces killed three armed Taliban militants and detained another during an operation to disrupt the terrorist network in Ghazni province. The troops were in the Andar district, about 130 miles southwest of Kabul, targeting a Taliban militant believed to coordinate and direct recent terrorist activities in the area. As the force searched the compound, the three militants, who were armed with AK-47s, hand grenades and other military equipment, attempted to engage them. Coalition forces returned small-arms fire, killing them. The other man was detained without incident.

The troops destroyed the enemies' AK-47s, hand grenades and other military equipment.

On Dec. 1, for the third time in as many days, coalition forces targeted the Haqqani terrorist network's Islamic Jihadist Union and foreign fighter groups in Paktia province, and detained three suspects.

The operation in Zadran district targeted a known Haqqani militant believed to be in direct contact with senior Haqqani leaders and to coordinate and direct terrorist activities aimed at destabilizing the region. Coalition forces searched the compound without incident while protecting five women and 16 children, and detained three suspected militants.

Mullen, Pakistani Officials Discuss Mumbai Terror Attacks

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

Dec. 3, 2008 - The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff met with senior Pakistani officials in Islamabad today to thank them for their willingness to work with Indian authorities in a joint investigation into the recent terror attacks in Mumbai, India. Navy Adm. Mike Mullen also pressed the Pakistanis to explore "any and all possible ties" between the attacks and groups based in Pakistan, according to a statement released today by the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad.

Mullen traveled to Pakistan yesterday, while Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice traveled to New Delhi to help de-escalate tensions and promote cooperation in investigating the attacks that left nearly 200 people dead. The attacks began in India's financial capital Nov. 26 and ended with Indian security forces regaining control Nov. 29.

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates confirmed Mullen's and Rice's visits during a Pentagon news conference yesterday.

"It clearly was the action of an extremist group that apparently was targeting Americans and Britons, ... but the truth is, most of the people who were killed were Indian," he said. "And so it's important that we find out who did it and try and prevent it from ever happening again."

Mullen's agenda included meetings with President Asif Ali Zadari, National Security Advisor Mahdue Durrani, Chairman of the Joint Committee Gen. Tariq Majid, Chief of Army Staff Gen. Asfaq Kayani and Inter-Services Intelligence Chief Gen. Shuja Pasha.

"All agreed that the tragedy in Mumbai represents a dangerous escalation in the sophistication of extremist attacks that represents an increased threat to the entire region," the embassy statement said.

Mullen noted during the sessions recent successes Pakistan's armed forces have made against extremists in the border region.

"Mullen also encouraged Pakistani leaders to take more -- and more concerted -- action against militant extremists elsewhere in the country," the statement said.

Meanwhile, deputy State Department spokesman Robert Wood said Rice is extending condolences to the Indian people and expressing American solidarity with India in the face of tragedy.

"And she will be there to discuss with the Indian government how we can better cooperate in terms of this fight against extremism," Wood told reporters yesterday.

President George W. Bush condemned the attack, telling reporters the people of India are resilient and strong and will prevail against violence. "The killers who struck this week are brutal and violent, but terror will not have the final word," he said Nov. 29.

"The leaders of India can know that nations around the world support them in the face of this assault on human dignity," he said. "And as the people of the world's largest democracy recover from these attacks, they can count on the world's oldest democracy to stand by their side."

U.S. Advisor Praises Progress of Afghan Army's 205th Corps

By Navy Seaman William Selby
Special to American Forces Press Service

Dec. 3, 2008 - With the help of mentors from several countries and every branch of service, the 205th Corps of the Afghan National Army now can plan and execute operations, a senior advisor said yesterday. "These are Afghan pilots flying Afghan missions in support of the Afghan people," Army Col. Paul Somersall, commander of Regional Corps Advisory Command in southern Afghanistan, said to bloggers and online journalists during a teleconference.

Three of the 205th Corps' four infantry brigades have been assessed as capable of conducting independent operations with minimal support from their combat advisors.

"One of the brigades recently planned, executed and sustained themselves during a seven-day operation where they drove deep into what is called an enemy sanctuary or enemy safe haven to destroy identified enemy forces," Somersall said.

"They were successful leading the operation, with less than 30 mentors and 20 other coalition soldiers, in addition to their 300 ANA ground force," he said. "That was a great example of ANA's capability to lead and conduct their own operations."

To train and develop the 205th Corps, Somersall said, the trainers had to earn trust from the Afghan soldiers.

"How we do this mission is by establishing strong, trusted relationship with the ANA counterparts, and that is done by living, eating and fighting side by side in combat with our Afghan brethren," he said. "Depending on the location and the circumstances, mentors are expected to spend between two and 12 hours a day with their counterpart."

Somersall explained that for the mentors to be effective, they must learn how to see the challenges and opportunities through the perspective of the Afghan people.

While the mentors and the 205th Corps have concentrated on combat capabilities, they've also been meeting with village leaders to find out the needs and concerns of the citizens. The 205th Corps has responded by providing food, water wells, power generation, schools, as well as medical and dental outreach events, Somersall said.

One of the challenges the ANA has faced in the past has been logistics support, but that has been resolved and the Afghans are operating on their own, Somersall said.

"We've moved 90,000 tons of supplies since August using the MI-17 [helicopters], and these are all by the Afghans," he said.

Overall, Somersall said, the Afghan soldiers in the southern region of Afghanistan are tough, experienced fighters who are focused on fighting for their country and supporting the Afghan constitution.

"The 205th Corps is committed to winning in southern Afghanistan and doing what needs to be done to grow larger and stronger every day, he said. "I'm convinced that with increased numbers of well-trained mentors and advisors, as well as additional combat enablers of aviation and intelligence assets, we move a bit closer every day to being able to transfer and leave security responsibility to the government of Afghanistan."

(Navy Seaman William Selby works for the New Media directorate of the Defense Media Activity.)

Soldiers Improve Life for Citizens in Baghdad District

By Army Staff Sgt. Matt Meadows
American Forces Press Service

Dec. 1, 2008 - A task force of National Guard soldiers has spent nearly $450,000 during the past three months to improve living conditions for residents of eastern Baghdad's Rusafa district. Eight Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers from the Mississippi National Guard's 890th Engineer Battalion, 926th Engineer Brigade, make up Task Force Gold Spike. The soldiers arrived in Baghdad in early September with a $2.5 million budget and a mandate to "make Rusafa better."

To date, higher headquarters has approved eight of Task Force Gold Spike's 16 planned projects, and the task force has helped to employ about 160 Rusafa-area residents through three contractors.

"Ideally, what we have been looking at is standard-of-living improvement projects [such as] trash removal, sewage issues, solar light issues [and] micro-power generators, ... basically trying to improve the quality of life in Rusafa," said Army Capt. Richard Luckett, a Hattiesburg, Miss., native and Task Force Gold Spike project manager. "Trash and sewage we've already done."

Luckett said the completed sewer and trash clean-up projects are especially important to him.

"I've got small children, and when you see little bitties running around in raw sewage and through trash and everything else, it just breaks your heart," he said. "So, I have made it my personal mission that if I can make it a little bit better for those little bitties, then I know I've done something worthwhile, and I can go home and be proud of my work."

In another project, workers will install solar lights in areas of high commerce, so businesses can stay open later and security will be better as vendors close their shops at night, Luckett said. Another project in the works involves structural and visual improvements to buildings. Many multilevel buildings in Rusafa have columns that support upper floors.

"They have been just riddled with bullet holes and things," Luckett explained. "So to improve the aesthetics to help improve the general feel about an area, we have a contract which will go out and actually fix the columns and paint them to Iraqi standards."

Army Command Sgt. Maj. Christopher Greca, the senior enlisted leader for the 10th Mountain Division's 4th Brigade Combat Team, who hails from Grayslake, Ill., called Task Force Gold Spike a phenomenal asset to the Patriot Brigade. He said other soldiers who work in the operating environment are not necessarily subject-matter experts when it comes to things like trash and sewage, so having engineers looking at these issues from their perspective achieves better results.

"They are making improvements that otherwise would be delayed -- maybe for weeks, maybe for months, maybe for years," he said. "With those assets, and with those individuals coming in here and tackling those issues and those problems head-on, it's improving the quality of life for the residents down there in Rusafa, and it's making a world of difference for the people here in Iraq and Baghdad."

The very nature of Task Force Gold Spike's structure shapes the types of projects they undertake, Luckett said. His unit is a time-oriented task force, he explained, meaning it has a limited amount of time – six months, in this case -- to complete all of its missions. Therefore, he said, the soldiers don't approach projects from a long-term perspective.

Funding for the task force's projects comes from the Commanders' Emergency Response Program, which establishes strict guidelines regarding how the funds can be spent, he added.

Task Force Gold Spike does not operate independently when selecting projects to improve living conditions in Rusafa. In fact, local officials determine many of the missions, the captain said.

"We are working hand in hand with [district officials] and the mayor's office, because we don't want to do anything that they don't want us to do, and we are hoping to improve the general feel about an area to increase trade to bring people back into the area," Luckett said. "Everything that we have done has been completely what they want us to do."

Luckett said Task Force Gold Spike leaders attend weekly district council meetings, during which representatives from Rusafa neighborhoods discuss local issues and problems. Task force members then draft detailed descriptions of the necessary work and take their CERP-fund proposals for fixing the problems to the local leaders who raised the concerns, Luckett explained.

"After we attend a meeting and individuals bring us issues, we go out into those areas and validate that [they exist]," he said. The soldiers take pictures and discuss the issues with local citizens, he added.

Conducting such reconnaissance is how Task Force Gold Spike identified the cyclic problem of Rusafa residents not having regular trash pickup services, the captain said. Because trash would end up in the sewers and the sewage would back up, he said, the task force had to address trash and sewage issues simultaneously.

Luckett said he has noticed a slow increase in the standard of living. Contractors the task force hires send him pictures every day that show where they are, what they are doing and the results of their hard work, he said.

Completed projects give the soldiers a feeling of accomplishment and a perspective on what is important in life, he added.

"If we can make things a little bit better for just a handful of people, then we've done a good thing," Luckett said. "It's not about how much money you have in your pocket or how many medals you've got on your chest, it's about how you feel about yourself inside."

(Army Staff Sgt. Matt Meadows serves in Multinational Division Baghdad with the 10th Mountain Division's 4th Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs Office.)

Farmers Market Construction Proceeds Ahead of Schedule

By Army Sgt. 1st Class Tami Hillis
American Forces Press Service

Nov. 25, 2008 - Construction of the Central Euphrates Farmers Market, scheduled to open in Iraq's Babil province by the end of the year, is proceeding ahead of schedule, officials said. The $3.2 million market, funded through the Commander's Emergency Response Program, will provide a central location for farmers in the northern part of the province to sell their produce.

The complex will include the main market building, which will house 31 vendor stalls and a rest area. Compressors and thermostats will maintain a proper temperature in cold-storage units being built from bricks, reinforced concrete and insulation materials. Support unit facilities will include a meeting and training room, rest rooms, guard houses, a supply room and a truck driving room. The parking lot will accommodate 120 vehicles in addition to 10 reserved spaces.

The leaders of the agriculture associations in Jiff Jaffa, Haq, Muelha and Diyarah are responsible for bringing the idea of the project to life, officials said.

When construction is complete, the facility will be owned, operated and maintained by the four agricultural associations. The associations bought the land for the complex, enabling them to become a certified nongovernmental organization. The organization will form a management board to manage and operate the complex.

"When this market and agricultural center complex is completed, it will benefit all of the citizens of this area," said Army Col. Thomas James, commander of the 3rd Infantry Division's 4th Brigade Combat Team. "The building of this facility will stimulate economic activity in a peaceful and secure environment that has been created by the Iraqi security forces and civilian leaders who were tired of violence and insecurity."

(Army Sgt. 1st Class Tami Hillis serves with the 3rd Infantry Division's 4th Brigade Combat Team.)

Soldiers Train Iraqi Bomb Disposal Technicians

By Army Sgt. David Hodge
Special to American Forces Press Service

Nov. 20, 2008 - Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers conducted explosive ordnance training with Iraqi security forces bomb disposal technicians Nov. 16 at this base in southern Baghdad. Soldiers and leaders from the 752nd Explosive Ordnance Disposal Company, attached to the 4th Infantry Division's 1st Special Troops Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, detonated a van full of munitions to train soldiers from the 9th Iraqi Army Bomb Disposal Company on the proper techniques for effective post-blast site exploitation.

"I think this training is important for the Iraqi EOD, because it gives them a chance to see how we operate," said Army Staff Sgt. Stephen Cunningham, a team leader assigned to the 752nd EOD Company.

The soldiers packed the van with about 200 pounds of military-grade munitions to properly depict a real-world scenario.

The Iraqi technicians have plenty of robots, and their bomb suits and knowledge are up to date, Cunningham said. "They know what they're dealing with," he added, "especially when it comes to conventional ordnance."

The training keeps the Iraqi soldiers on their toes and contributes to the fight in the long run, said Army Spc. Curtis Garner, an EOD specialist assigned to the 752nd EOD Company.

"They seem really responsive, and they have a good grasp on what they are doing for their country," Garner said. "We just offer them a different avenue, outlook or thought process."

Garner said he believes the Iraqi team leaders are competent and capable enough to introduce new concepts previously not practiced by their bomb squad.

"In the beginning, we received good training and knowledge from our friends," said Lt. Col. Neve Rathwan Risa, commander of the 9th Iraqi Army Division Bomb Disposal Company. "They have good experience, and hopefully we will develop ourselves to deal with the improvised explosive devices."

Risa said he stresses the importance of knowledge and training to his soldiers and that he believes the exercise was a good opportunity for Iraqi bomb disposal technicians to train with coalition forces.

"It's very important to have this kind of branch in the new [Iraqi Army] to deal with all the roadside bombs and to disarm any explosive devices and make the roads safe for the people and the army," Risa explained.

The team is one of the leading bomb disposal companies in the Iraqi army, Army 1st Lt. Brad Lewis, an EOD technician assigned to the 752nd EOD Company, said.

"These guys played a big part in the push for Sadr City earlier this year," he said. "Since, we have been trying to work them by establishing training programs [and] training of the younger soldiers, and getting them to the point where they could pass the EOD school in Basra."

This type of training signifies what the Iraqi security forces need to eventually take control of another operational area, Army Maj. Mike Ricciarti, liaison to Multinational Division Baghdad EOD operations, said.

Coalition forces are a better-equipped and trained force over the last five years, he said, adding that he believes improvements are on the horizon for his Iraqi counterparts.

"We are mentoring them, and we are assisting on levels that we can," he said. "We're sharing tactics, techniques and procedures that will help them stay alive and continue on with their mission."

(Army Sgt. David Hodge serves in Multinational Division Baghdad with the 4th Infantry Division's 1st Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs Office.)

Coalition Forces Capture Five Wanted Men, 10 Additional Suspects

American Forces Press Service

Nov. 20, 2008 - Coalition forces captured five wanted men and detained 10 additional suspects during operations targeting terrorist networks throughout Iraq yesterday and today, military officials reported. Coalition forces operating in Beiji, south of Mosul, captured a wanted man today who is believed to be a weapons facilitator and financier for a terrorist group associated with al-Qaida. Reports suggest the suspected terrorist, who surrendered himself to forces during the operation, has connections to al-Qaida senior leaders, officials said. An additional suspect was detained for questioning.

A wanted man believed to be a car-bomb facilitator was captured by coalition forces yesterday in Sharqat, south of Mosul. Reports suggest the suspected terrorist was actively planning a car-bomb attack in the city at the time of his capture, officials said. Two additional suspects were detained.

In Mosul yesterday, coalition forces detained a man who allegedly has connections to an al-Qaida in Iraq car-bomb cell leader in the city.

Terrorist bombing networks also were the target of a coalition operation yesterday in Abu Ghraib, west of Baghdad. Forces captured a wanted man believed to be associated with an area terrorist group. The suspect is believed to be involved in car-bomb facilitation and possibly has connections to other area terrorist operatives, officials said.

Forces in Tikrit, north of Baghdad, captured another wanted man and detained four men believed to be his associates yesterday. The suspect is an alleged al-Qaida cell leader in the city. Also yesterday, forces detained a man in Baghdad believed to have links to one of the city's terrorist leaders.

Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers in the Bayaa community of southern Baghdad's Rashid district detained a suspected member of an Iranian-backed enemy group yesterday.

Also yesterday, U.S. soldiers detained a man suspected of kidnapping, murder and attacks against Iraqi security and coalition forces.

In operations Nov. 18:

-- Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers and Iraqi security forces conducted a joint operation in Baghdad's Istaqlal district. The early morning operation netted seven detainees. A coalition of American and Iraqi soldiers participated in clearing and searching buildings, vehicles and nearby fields.

-- Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers and Iraqi National police confiscated a rifle cache during a clearance operation in the Abu Tshir community of southern Baghdad's Rashid district. They seized 38 AK-47 assault rifles, three sniper rifles and 14 AK-47 magazines.

-- Iraqi soldiers received a tip from a local citizen that led them to a weapons cache in the Lutafiyah area and asked for help from U.S. soldiers to dispose of the cache. The cache consisted of 25 130 mm rounds and eight 155 mm artillery rounds. An explosive ordnance disposal team documented the contents of the site before safely destroying them.

In other developments, coalition forces have positively identified a terrorist killed in a Nov. 11 operation in Baghdad as Hajji Hammadi, an Iraqi national also known as Hammadi Awdah Abd Farhan and Abd-al-Salam Ahmad Abdallah al-Janabi.

Hammadi was affiliated with al-Qaida in Iraq since its inception and assumed his role as the al-Qaida in Iraq leader of the Karmah and Abu Ghraib areas west of Baghdad in 2004, officials said. He is believed to have connections with the country's legacy al-Qaida leadership, including al-Qaida in Iraq founder Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and the terrorist group's current leaders.

In his position as a regional al-Qaida leader, Hammadi was responsible for planning and conducting multiple attacks on coalition forces, Iraqi police, Iraqi government officials and Iraqi citizens, officials said. These attacks were carried out as suicide and car bombings, kidnappings, executions and assassinations.

Hammadi was the mastermind behind a June 26 attack on coalition forces and Iraqi government officials in Anbar province, officials said. One of his operatives, disguised in an Iraqi police uniform, detonated a suicide vest in Karmah during the city's weekly sheiks meeting. This attack killed three U.S. Marines, two interpreters and more than 20 Iraqis, including the mayor of Karmah and several other sheiks. Hammadi escorted the suicide bomber to the location and videotaped the attack, officials said.

He also has been linked to multiple assassinations of "Sons of Iraq" citizen security group members in the Baghdad area, officials said. Hammadi's history of terrorist activity includes the abduction and murder of Army Staff Sgt. Matt Maupin in 2004, they added. Maupin's body was found earlier this year. Hammadi also led a group of fighters against coalition forces in the second battle of Fallujah in the fall of 2004, officials said.

(Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq and Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)

Military Leaders Feel Comfortable With U.S.-Iraqi Agreement, Mullen Says

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

Nov. 17, 2008 - All American troops will be out of Iraq by the end of 2011 under the status of forces agreement between the United States and Iraq, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said today. Navy Adm. Mike Mullen called the agreement important and one the United States needs to continue to operate in Iraq after the U.N. mandate expires Dec. 31.

U.S. officials in Baghdad said Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki and U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker signed off on the pact yesterday, and Maliki presented it to the Iraqi Council of Representatives.

U.S. military leaders are comfortable with the provisions of the agreement, including previous concerns that American forces have the necessary legal protections to continue to conduct operations in the country, Mullen said.

"Conditions continue to improve (in Iraq), and specifically, I mean we continue to withdraw forces," Mullen said during a Pentagon news conference today.

The chairman said he is satisfied with the rate of withdrawal. "(We are) clearly moving forward in a measured way," he said.

Iraqi security forces have made tremendous progress and should be ready to assume the primary duty of defending their own homeland by the agreement's 2011 deadline, he said.

Mullen said he is, of course, aware that President-elect Barack Obama has said he would speed up the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq. If ordered, the U.S. military could speed up the withdrawal, he said, but added that he would like for any such actions to be based on conditions in Iraq.

"It's doable," Mullen said. "It's a very significant footprint and a very sizeable force, but we've been moving in and out of this theater for a long period of time, and we have the capacity and the capability to do it."

Mullen added, "I certainly understand there are other options. It's something that we look at all the time. But ... from the military's perspective, I think it's best to be conditions-based."

The agreement also calls for American forces to be out of Iraqi cities and towns by the end of 2009. The American military is already out of the towns and cities in most of Iraq. Coalition forces are in overwatch in the provinces that have returned to provincial Iraqi control.

"This is consistent with how we have moved, once an area has been turned over to the Iraqis for security," Mullen said.

Two areas where there may be problems are in Baghdad and Mosul where most of the fighting is and there is greater need to train Iraqi security forces, Mullen said.

"The Iraqi security forces being able to provide for their own security is one of the big keys to a successful transition," he said. "We're focused on that like a laser."

Mullen said he is comfortable with the training timetable.

"That (training) mission has been incredibly well executed," he said. "The pace is a good pace, and I think that the pace will more than suffice for what needs to be, in terms of Iraqi security forces taking over totally in their own security in the future."

Troops Disrupt Terrorist Networks in Afghanistan

American Forces Press Service

Nov. 7, 2008 - Afghan and coalition forces detained four insurgents during operations yesterday targeting the Haqqani and Taliban bombing and foreign fighter networks in Afghanistan, military officials reported. In the Tirzaye district of Khowst province along the country's eastern border, Afghan and coalition forces detained two insurgents during an operation that targeted a suspected terrorist from the Haqqani network, officials said.

The men are suspected of being in direct contact with senior Haqqani leaders and assisting the network with the movement of foreign fighters into the region. They also are believed to coordinate and direct bomb attacks in the area, officials said.

Coalition forces captured two suspects during a second operation in the Waghez district of Ghazni province, aimed at disrupting the Taliban's bombing and foreign fighter networks, they said.

In operations Nov. 4, Afghan and coalition forces detained two insurgents and killed one in the western province of Herat, officials reported.

Afghan army commandos were raiding a suspected safe house of Taliban commander Nangali Khan in Zer-e-koh Valley of the Shindand district when an insurgent fired at them with an AK-47 assault rifle, officials said. The commandos returned fire, killing the insurgent.

Commandos encountered no further resistance during the operation, and detained two other insurgents for questioning, officials said.

During the search of the compound, commandos recovered multiple Taliban-related documents, an AK-47 assault rifle, ammunition and multiple bags of opium, which was destroyed, they said.

No Afghan, coalition or civilian casualties were reported.

(Compiled from U.S. Forces Afghanistan news releases.)