By Fred W. Baker III
American Forces Press Service
Dec. 11, 2008 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates today pledged more resources to top commanders in southern Afghanistan for what he said likely will be a protracted fight. Gates met with Army Gen. David D. McKiernan, commander of NATO's International Security Assistance Force and U.S. Forces Afghanistan, for an update on progress and to get the general's input on the way ahead. The secretary also met with deputy commanders from other nations based in the region.
Gates said the challenges in the region are marked with violence fueled by extremists and a booming drug trade. But, he promised, the alliance is up to the task.
"We are all here ... to help the Afghan people and government in their struggle for peace and prosperity," Gates told reporters. "This is, after all, their country, their fight, and their future."
Gates said the mission will expand significantly, with more resources and troops coming from the international community and plans in progress to nearly double the size of Afghanistan's Army while helping to develop governance and a stable economy.
The Afghan National Army is nearing 80,000 troops, and the Afghan National Police has almost 82,000 officers. The army is expected to grow to 134,000 in the next four years, while the police officer force has nearly reached its intended cap. Gates and McKiernan said the internationally mandated cap needs to be removed and the Police force expanded.
"This nation has seen too much war in the last decades," Gates said. "Only together can we defeat the enemies of Afghanistan and secure the lasting peace that the people of Afghanistan deserve."
Gates stopped short of promising a specific number of troops from the United States, besides the brigade combat team slated for deployment in January. But, Gates said, President-elect Barack Obama has said he wants more troops and resources sent to Afghanistan. Gates said he hopes to send two more brigades here by late spring, but that Obama will make that decision based on recommendations by his top military leaders after he takes office.
McKiernan estimates he needs as many as 20,000 more troops here, including more intelligence and reconnaissance assets, aviation, engineers and military Police. Commanders say they need the extra troops to reach out to remote villages and rural areas.
McKiernan has asked for three ground-maneuver brigades in addition to the one slated to deploy here in January, whether they be U.S. Army or Marines. He said he needs the troops "sooner than later," as his force is readying for upcoming Afghan national elections next year and is pushing hard against the insurgency in remote areas.
The general said he does not think the insurgency is getting stronger, despite increased violence.
"I don't see the insurgency getting stronger, and I see the vast majority of people who live in Afghanistan continuing to reject what the Taliban brings," he said. "They don't want what the Taliban brings."
McKiernan said the increased violence is a result of his forces routing insurgents from new areas.
"We're operating and extending security into areas of this country that we weren't in a year ago, and with that is going to come contact with insurgent or criminal groups," he explained.
Also, he said, insurgents and criminal groups have shifted their tactics away from large groups attacking large targets. They now operate in smaller, more asymmetric and complex attacks against vulnerable targets such as convoys, government agencies and Police.
Still, Afghan security forces are becoming more capable, which is key to the long-term security of the area, McKiernan said. His forces are starting to work in partnership with the Afghan forces, including them at the start of the planning, and striking mutually agreed-upon targets.
"They know this country. They know the terrain. They know the population. They know the enemy far better than we do," McKiernan said.
Part of the additional forces requested will be used to mentor the Afghan army and police, living and operating with them side by side to help them become more capable so they can take the lead in Afghan security, McKiernan said. But although he said he wants to see the Afghan forces grow over the next four years, he cautioned against moving too fast.
"We want to go as fast as we can; this country needs its own security forces," he said. "But you don't want to go too fast that you end up building an army that's not the right Army."
And, McKiernan said, increased security alone will not be the single factor in paving the way to a brighter future for the impoverished country that has been pummeled by war for three decades.
"The security line of operation cannot work without governance and without development," he said. "They all have to work together for comprehensive effects to defeat this insurgency and bring a better future for Afghanistan."
Showing posts with label military leaders. Show all posts
Showing posts with label military leaders. Show all posts
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Saturday, March 08, 2008
Military Contacts Focus on Pakistan Counterinsurgency Needs
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
March 6, 2008 - Pakistan is a key ally in the war on terror, and its cooperation with NATO and U.S. forces in Afghanistan is crucial to progress in that country, according to senior U.S. embassy officials here, speaking on background. Since 2001, the Pakistani government has provided crucial access, intelligence and aid against al Qaeda and the Taliban. Yet until the assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto in December, the majority of Pakistanis believed the war on terror was not their fight, an official said.
Pakistan held elections last month, and the party of President Pervez Musharraf lost. Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party won most of the seats in the Feb. 18 election, but will have to join with other parties to build a government. Musharraf remains president, but there are calls for him to step down, and some legislators are calling for the president's impeachment.
U.S. officials said they will work with all parties to ensure a smooth civilian transition. A senior U.S. diplomatic official speaking on background said the United States is anxious to see the government succeed.
U.S. officials "hope and think" that any Pakistani government that comes to power will support the war on terror. But many of those who might form a new government have been out of power for a long time, and U.S. officials said an extensive education program will be necessary. Embassy officials have offered to brief all the parties on U.S.-Pakistani military programs.
Military cooperation between the United States and Pakistan is a sensitive issue here,embassy officials said. The Pakistani people generally do not want U.S. Special Forces embedded with their troops, nor do they want unilateral U.S. anti-terrorist operations going on in their country.
But training is another matter, and the United States has extensive training programs for the Pakistani military, including training for aircraft maintainers, senior officers and even veterinary specialists. The United States also has a training program for Pakistan's paramilitary frontier corps, a group that polices the federally administered tribal areas along the Afghanistan border. The program has been in place for more than a year, officials said.
Gen. Ashfaq Kayani, chief of staff of Pakistan's army, understands the challenge that Taliban and al Qaeda extremists based in the tribal areas pose to his country. The challenge means the Pakistani military must embrace counterinsurgency doctrine. His talks with U.S. officials – including March 4 talks with Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff – center on that training.
The Pakistani military – most notably the army – is designed to fight India, the world's second-most-populous nation and Pakistan's neighbor to the east. But large formations of conventionally trained troops are not going to help in the tribal areas, a senior U.S. military official here said. Rather, he said, the Pakistani army has learned the hard way that the tribal areas require a classic counterinsurgency campaign.
In 2002, Pakistan moved regular forces into the tribal areas for the first time. Meanwhile, U.S. and coalition forces were driving the Taliban and their al Qaeda allies out of Afghanistan. The Pakistanis tried to stop the flow of Taliban fighters and also to prevent the displacement of al Qaeda elements from Afghanistan into Pakistan. They were not able to do that, officials here said.
The Pakistani army was regarded as an occupying force in the tribal areas, the senior U.S. military official said. The effort to maintain order and keep militants out of the tribal areas backfired, and the army became a factor in the increasing violence in the region.
Officials said it is important to understand the nature of the tribal areas. The region is nominally under Pakistani control, but it's administered under the Frontier Criminal Regulation originally put in place by the British. Overall literacy in the region is about 18 percent, with the female literacy rate at 3 percent. With the exception of some countries in Africa, the region has the highest rates of infant and maternal mortality in the world.
A counterinsurgency strategy in the region would focus on improving these social indicators and getting jobs to the young men for whom an extremist ideology is attractive, the senior U.S. embassy official said. As it is now, the area is the hideout of the Taliban and al Qaeda.
Senior U.S. military officials said it is important to understand that several types of Taliban are in the tribal region. There are Afghan Taliban, who are trying to drive the United States and NATO forces out of Afghanistan and are using Pakistan as a base of operations to do that.
There are local Taliban, who want to control the political situation there through an Islamic government. Pashtun-based militant organizations have various agendas that are nominally Taliban but are more driven by greed and illegal activities than any religious motive, the officials explained.
Around this is al Qaeda, used here as a general term that applies to foreign fighters in the region – Chechen, Turk, Uzbek and others – who are loosely affiliated within financial support networks that allow them to operate or feed on each other. The result is a complex security situation that is not easy to define, the military official said.
The Pakistani military has taken as many casualties in the past eight months as it did from January 2002 to July 2007, the military official said. In some ways, though, this plays into the Taliban's hands; the Taliban have always had a recruiting machine, and the problem with fighting a counterinsurgency war is that no nation can win by killing people.
There is no limit to the number of people the Taliban can put on the ground in the region, the senior U.S. military official said. Religious schools preach an extremist ideology. Young people have no jobs, and they are prone to religious fervor, and militant leaders push these young men to attack. If they're killed, it actually helps recruiting. For every Pashtun boy who is killed, another will step up to avenge his death, the official said.
Large numbers of troops are not the answer, the official said, and Pakistani military leaders understand this. The Pakistanis do not want U.S. troops, he said, but they do want more intelligence sharing. They need more aviation assets and the capability to sustain those assets. And they need more intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets. The military needs to become more flexible and agile, with a greater emphasis on the counterinsurgency mission.
Talks between U.S. and Pakistani military leaders are addressing these needs. The military capabilities and programs are not secret and mirror programs the United States has with allies around the world, the senior U.S. embassy official said.
American Forces Press Service
March 6, 2008 - Pakistan is a key ally in the war on terror, and its cooperation with NATO and U.S. forces in Afghanistan is crucial to progress in that country, according to senior U.S. embassy officials here, speaking on background. Since 2001, the Pakistani government has provided crucial access, intelligence and aid against al Qaeda and the Taliban. Yet until the assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto in December, the majority of Pakistanis believed the war on terror was not their fight, an official said.
Pakistan held elections last month, and the party of President Pervez Musharraf lost. Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party won most of the seats in the Feb. 18 election, but will have to join with other parties to build a government. Musharraf remains president, but there are calls for him to step down, and some legislators are calling for the president's impeachment.
U.S. officials said they will work with all parties to ensure a smooth civilian transition. A senior U.S. diplomatic official speaking on background said the United States is anxious to see the government succeed.
U.S. officials "hope and think" that any Pakistani government that comes to power will support the war on terror. But many of those who might form a new government have been out of power for a long time, and U.S. officials said an extensive education program will be necessary. Embassy officials have offered to brief all the parties on U.S.-Pakistani military programs.
Military cooperation between the United States and Pakistan is a sensitive issue here,embassy officials said. The Pakistani people generally do not want U.S. Special Forces embedded with their troops, nor do they want unilateral U.S. anti-terrorist operations going on in their country.
But training is another matter, and the United States has extensive training programs for the Pakistani military, including training for aircraft maintainers, senior officers and even veterinary specialists. The United States also has a training program for Pakistan's paramilitary frontier corps, a group that polices the federally administered tribal areas along the Afghanistan border. The program has been in place for more than a year, officials said.
Gen. Ashfaq Kayani, chief of staff of Pakistan's army, understands the challenge that Taliban and al Qaeda extremists based in the tribal areas pose to his country. The challenge means the Pakistani military must embrace counterinsurgency doctrine. His talks with U.S. officials – including March 4 talks with Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff – center on that training.
The Pakistani military – most notably the army – is designed to fight India, the world's second-most-populous nation and Pakistan's neighbor to the east. But large formations of conventionally trained troops are not going to help in the tribal areas, a senior U.S. military official here said. Rather, he said, the Pakistani army has learned the hard way that the tribal areas require a classic counterinsurgency campaign.
In 2002, Pakistan moved regular forces into the tribal areas for the first time. Meanwhile, U.S. and coalition forces were driving the Taliban and their al Qaeda allies out of Afghanistan. The Pakistanis tried to stop the flow of Taliban fighters and also to prevent the displacement of al Qaeda elements from Afghanistan into Pakistan. They were not able to do that, officials here said.
The Pakistani army was regarded as an occupying force in the tribal areas, the senior U.S. military official said. The effort to maintain order and keep militants out of the tribal areas backfired, and the army became a factor in the increasing violence in the region.
Officials said it is important to understand the nature of the tribal areas. The region is nominally under Pakistani control, but it's administered under the Frontier Criminal Regulation originally put in place by the British. Overall literacy in the region is about 18 percent, with the female literacy rate at 3 percent. With the exception of some countries in Africa, the region has the highest rates of infant and maternal mortality in the world.
A counterinsurgency strategy in the region would focus on improving these social indicators and getting jobs to the young men for whom an extremist ideology is attractive, the senior U.S. embassy official said. As it is now, the area is the hideout of the Taliban and al Qaeda.
Senior U.S. military officials said it is important to understand that several types of Taliban are in the tribal region. There are Afghan Taliban, who are trying to drive the United States and NATO forces out of Afghanistan and are using Pakistan as a base of operations to do that.
There are local Taliban, who want to control the political situation there through an Islamic government. Pashtun-based militant organizations have various agendas that are nominally Taliban but are more driven by greed and illegal activities than any religious motive, the officials explained.
Around this is al Qaeda, used here as a general term that applies to foreign fighters in the region – Chechen, Turk, Uzbek and others – who are loosely affiliated within financial support networks that allow them to operate or feed on each other. The result is a complex security situation that is not easy to define, the military official said.
The Pakistani military has taken as many casualties in the past eight months as it did from January 2002 to July 2007, the military official said. In some ways, though, this plays into the Taliban's hands; the Taliban have always had a recruiting machine, and the problem with fighting a counterinsurgency war is that no nation can win by killing people.
There is no limit to the number of people the Taliban can put on the ground in the region, the senior U.S. military official said. Religious schools preach an extremist ideology. Young people have no jobs, and they are prone to religious fervor, and militant leaders push these young men to attack. If they're killed, it actually helps recruiting. For every Pashtun boy who is killed, another will step up to avenge his death, the official said.
Large numbers of troops are not the answer, the official said, and Pakistani military leaders understand this. The Pakistanis do not want U.S. troops, he said, but they do want more intelligence sharing. They need more aviation assets and the capability to sustain those assets. And they need more intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets. The military needs to become more flexible and agile, with a greater emphasis on the counterinsurgency mission.
Talks between U.S. and Pakistani military leaders are addressing these needs. The military capabilities and programs are not secret and mirror programs the United States has with allies around the world, the senior U.S. embassy official said.
Friday, March 07, 2008
Local Partnerships Provide Key to Success in Iraq, Afghanistan, Mullen Says
By Sgt. Sara Moore, USA
American Forces Press Service
March 5, 2008 - The United States is making progress on the ground in Iraq and Afghanistan, but what makes that progress real are the partnerships U.S. forces develop with the local security forces and the people, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said here today. Having just returned from a trip to Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan, Navy Adm. Mike Mullen briefed reporters at the Pentagon about his trip, and the progress he saw.
In Iraq, Mullen said, the highlight of his trip was being able to walk down the streets of two formerly violent cities – Doura and Hawijah – and see first-hand the improvements in security and the resurgence of the economy.
"This week when I was there, shops were open, people were out, life was coming back," he said. "Security is undeniably better, even in Baghdad, where violent attacks are down."
The security gained in Iraq is still fragile, Mullen emphasized, and that's why partnerships within the communities are so important. The troops understand the importance of getting out in the communities, meeting people and trying to address their needs, he said.
A big part of the coalition's success in Iraq is the partnership with the Sons of Iraq, formerly called concerned local citizens, who now number about 91,000 and are working to secure their communities, Mullen said.
"I'm convinced this is going to be the real measure of success – the degree to which the Iraqi people take charge of their own lives and their future," he said. "They're beginning to have hope, and in Iraq, hope really can be a strategy."
Mullen said he didn't return from Iraq with any firm recommendations about future U.S. force levels in Iraq, but he will use what he learned to help craft the recommendation he and the Joint Chiefs will present to the president next month. However, Mullen said, he is opposed to any withdrawal of troops that would put at risk the security gains the coalition has made.
"We shouldn't carelessly sacrifice the gains we've made in security, and I still believe conditions on the ground count a lot," he said.
In Afghanistan, Mullen said, he also saw progress and hope among the people. The progress varies from province to province, and the Taliban remain a threat, he said, but the Afghan security forces are increasingly willing to partner with coalition and NATO forces, and the U.S. troops there are committed to the mission.
"To a person, they realize that they cannot, we cannot, truly succeed without the support and the strength of others by our side," Mullen said of the U.S. troops in Afghanistan.
In both Iraq and Afghanistan, U.S. troops are concerned about lengthy deployments, Mullen said. These deployments are putting a strain on the military, and military leaders need to work quickly to reduce the length of deployments, while still maintaining the proper balance within the force, he said.
Army personnel now serve 15-month deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, and officials repeatedly have emphasized the tour length will go back to one year as soon as that's feasible.
In Pakistan, Mullen said, he met with President Pervez Musharraf and military leaders. Their discussions were "cordial and candid" and helped to build on the partnerships the U.S. is developing there, he said. He noted that the Pakistani military is facing a tough fight against terrorism, especially along the country's border with Afghanistan, and said the United States is ready to provide help should the Pakistani government ask for it.
American Forces Press Service
March 5, 2008 - The United States is making progress on the ground in Iraq and Afghanistan, but what makes that progress real are the partnerships U.S. forces develop with the local security forces and the people, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said here today. Having just returned from a trip to Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan, Navy Adm. Mike Mullen briefed reporters at the Pentagon about his trip, and the progress he saw.
In Iraq, Mullen said, the highlight of his trip was being able to walk down the streets of two formerly violent cities – Doura and Hawijah – and see first-hand the improvements in security and the resurgence of the economy.
"This week when I was there, shops were open, people were out, life was coming back," he said. "Security is undeniably better, even in Baghdad, where violent attacks are down."
The security gained in Iraq is still fragile, Mullen emphasized, and that's why partnerships within the communities are so important. The troops understand the importance of getting out in the communities, meeting people and trying to address their needs, he said.
A big part of the coalition's success in Iraq is the partnership with the Sons of Iraq, formerly called concerned local citizens, who now number about 91,000 and are working to secure their communities, Mullen said.
"I'm convinced this is going to be the real measure of success – the degree to which the Iraqi people take charge of their own lives and their future," he said. "They're beginning to have hope, and in Iraq, hope really can be a strategy."
Mullen said he didn't return from Iraq with any firm recommendations about future U.S. force levels in Iraq, but he will use what he learned to help craft the recommendation he and the Joint Chiefs will present to the president next month. However, Mullen said, he is opposed to any withdrawal of troops that would put at risk the security gains the coalition has made.
"We shouldn't carelessly sacrifice the gains we've made in security, and I still believe conditions on the ground count a lot," he said.
In Afghanistan, Mullen said, he also saw progress and hope among the people. The progress varies from province to province, and the Taliban remain a threat, he said, but the Afghan security forces are increasingly willing to partner with coalition and NATO forces, and the U.S. troops there are committed to the mission.
"To a person, they realize that they cannot, we cannot, truly succeed without the support and the strength of others by our side," Mullen said of the U.S. troops in Afghanistan.
In both Iraq and Afghanistan, U.S. troops are concerned about lengthy deployments, Mullen said. These deployments are putting a strain on the military, and military leaders need to work quickly to reduce the length of deployments, while still maintaining the proper balance within the force, he said.
Army personnel now serve 15-month deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, and officials repeatedly have emphasized the tour length will go back to one year as soon as that's feasible.
In Pakistan, Mullen said, he met with President Pervez Musharraf and military leaders. Their discussions were "cordial and candid" and helped to build on the partnerships the U.S. is developing there, he said. He noted that the Pakistani military is facing a tough fight against terrorism, especially along the country's border with Afghanistan, and said the United States is ready to provide help should the Pakistani government ask for it.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Chairman Says Possible Buildup in Afghanistan Could Have Major Impact
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
Jan. 11, 2008 - If Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates approves a proposal to send 3,000 Marines to Afghanistan, it could have a significant impact on operations in the country, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said here today. Navy Adm. Michael G. Mullen said during a Pentagon news conference that the proposal is on the table and that the secretary has discussed it with military leaders, including the commander of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force, Army Gen. Dan K. McNeill. No decision has been made yet, he said.
The issue of additional forces to Afghanistan speaks to challenges NATO and the United States have faced there, Mullen said. Though there has been a "tremendous amount of success" in the country, it has been uneven, the chairman said.
He said NATO commanders in Afghanistan say their forces have had significant military impact on the Taliban in 2007. "We are in an economy-of-force operation there, and if we are able to create additional forces, we think it can have a big impact," Mullen said.
The United States has made a conscious decision to economize combat power in Afghanistan. "We do what we can in Afghanistan; we do what we must in Iraq," said a Joint Staff official speaking on background. "If we had these forces readily available, we would have sent them to Afghanistan already."
About 27,000 Americans are serving in Afghanistan -- 14,000 as part of ISAF and 13,000 operating under Operation Enduring Freedom. The proposal for 3,000 more troops was a NATO request, but no NATO nation has stepped forward to fill that request. If Gates approves the proposal, the United States would fill that gap.
U.S. ground forces are under tremendous strain, Mullen said, and the current deployment tempo is proof of that. Army forces deploy for 15-month tours and then come back to home station for a year. Marine forces deploy for seven months and are back for six before redeploying for another seven.
"The strain on the force is something that is front and center in my mind all the time," he said. "It is something we calculate when we get any request for forces from any commander, anywhere."
Mullen said he is concerned about NATO nations not stepping forward with these troops. "I believe strongly that success in Afghanistan, in ISAF, for NATO, is a bellwether for whether NATO succeeds in the long run as an institution," Mullen said.
The chairman also addressed the situation in Pakistan and reported that al Qaeda and the Taliban are using the federally administered tribal areas in that country to plan, train and finance operations inside Afghanistan and worldwide.
"We're mindful that Pakistan is a sovereign country and it is up to President (Pervez) Musharraf and his advisors to address that problem directly," he said.
The desperate poverty in Afghanistan complicates any security progress made there, Mullen said. Afghanistan is one of the poorest countries in the world.
Still, he noted, there have been major infrastructure improvements. Mullen said Afghanistan's Ring Road connecting the country's major cities is roughly 80 percent complete, and a dam project in the south promises economic progress to that troubled area. "But we've got an awful long way to go," he said. "There are 42 contributing countries. In the long run, we're going to have to lift the economy to help bring a stable and secure environment."
American Forces Press Service
Jan. 11, 2008 - If Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates approves a proposal to send 3,000 Marines to Afghanistan, it could have a significant impact on operations in the country, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said here today. Navy Adm. Michael G. Mullen said during a Pentagon news conference that the proposal is on the table and that the secretary has discussed it with military leaders, including the commander of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force, Army Gen. Dan K. McNeill. No decision has been made yet, he said.
The issue of additional forces to Afghanistan speaks to challenges NATO and the United States have faced there, Mullen said. Though there has been a "tremendous amount of success" in the country, it has been uneven, the chairman said.
He said NATO commanders in Afghanistan say their forces have had significant military impact on the Taliban in 2007. "We are in an economy-of-force operation there, and if we are able to create additional forces, we think it can have a big impact," Mullen said.
The United States has made a conscious decision to economize combat power in Afghanistan. "We do what we can in Afghanistan; we do what we must in Iraq," said a Joint Staff official speaking on background. "If we had these forces readily available, we would have sent them to Afghanistan already."
About 27,000 Americans are serving in Afghanistan -- 14,000 as part of ISAF and 13,000 operating under Operation Enduring Freedom. The proposal for 3,000 more troops was a NATO request, but no NATO nation has stepped forward to fill that request. If Gates approves the proposal, the United States would fill that gap.
U.S. ground forces are under tremendous strain, Mullen said, and the current deployment tempo is proof of that. Army forces deploy for 15-month tours and then come back to home station for a year. Marine forces deploy for seven months and are back for six before redeploying for another seven.
"The strain on the force is something that is front and center in my mind all the time," he said. "It is something we calculate when we get any request for forces from any commander, anywhere."
Mullen said he is concerned about NATO nations not stepping forward with these troops. "I believe strongly that success in Afghanistan, in ISAF, for NATO, is a bellwether for whether NATO succeeds in the long run as an institution," Mullen said.
The chairman also addressed the situation in Pakistan and reported that al Qaeda and the Taliban are using the federally administered tribal areas in that country to plan, train and finance operations inside Afghanistan and worldwide.
"We're mindful that Pakistan is a sovereign country and it is up to President (Pervez) Musharraf and his advisors to address that problem directly," he said.
The desperate poverty in Afghanistan complicates any security progress made there, Mullen said. Afghanistan is one of the poorest countries in the world.
Still, he noted, there have been major infrastructure improvements. Mullen said Afghanistan's Ring Road connecting the country's major cities is roughly 80 percent complete, and a dam project in the south promises economic progress to that troubled area. "But we've got an awful long way to go," he said. "There are 42 contributing countries. In the long run, we're going to have to lift the economy to help bring a stable and secure environment."
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
Sheik Meeting Leads to Information on al Qaeda in Iraq
By Sgt. Luis Delgadillo, USA
Special to American Forces Press Service
Jan. 7, 2008 - In a vital and encouraging boost to the fight against al Qaeda in Iraq, local sheiks met with coalition forces officials Jan. 4 to discuss future concerned citizen programs. Sheiks from areas surrounding Sayafia spoke with Army Col. Terry Ferrell, commander of the 3rd Infantry Division's 2nd Brigade Combat Team, and Army Col. Dan Ball, commander of the 3rd Infantry Division Combat Aviation Brigade.
The sheiks introduced themselves to Ferrell and Ball and told the leaders of crimes and injustices that al Qaeda had perpetrated. In one instance, an Iraqi man described being forced from his home by al Qaeda operatives who now use his property as a safe house. He pleaded with both leaders to help him get his property back, to which Ferrell replied, "That's what I'm here to do."
Ferrell also told the sheiks that he hopes they are serious about their commitment to the area.
"We're going to work with you, and we're going to kill anyone who is a threat to the Iraqi population," he said.
The sheiks shared information with Ferrell about the whereabouts and strength of al Qaeda forces. Ferrell emphasized to the community leaders that providing such information is the most important thing they can do.
Ferrell also urged the sheiks not to arm their respective communities and have people hunt for insurgents. Militias are illegal in Iraq, and citizen groups need to focus their efforts on providing information on terrorist activities in their villages, he said.
In a written statement issued by Multinational Force Iraq on behalf of the command and the U.S. Embassy, coalition military leaders praised the sheiks' efforts to cooperate in taking their communities back from insurgents.
"MNF-I applauds Iraq's political, civic, and religious leadership for their courage and commitment to the new Iraq," the statement said. "As tribal sheiks and leaders from councils and other organizations gathered in recent weeks to denounce violence and work toward common goals of peace and economic prosperity, the people of Iraq have found strength in their unified vision for Iraq's future. Gathering in response to calls from their leaders, Iraqis are banding together to drive out extremists and restore security in their neighborhoods. Iraqis from all communities are against al Qaeda (in) Iraq and other extremists and are sending a strong message on the importance of achieving reconciliation and unifying Iraq.
"As Iraqis look forward and frame a common vision for building their war-torn nation," the statement continued, "MNF-I and the U.S. Embassy will continue to partner with the government of Iraq to assist them in their efforts to restore essential services and help them achieve their goals."
(Army Sgt. Luis Delgadillo serves with 3rd Infantry Division's 2nd Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs Office. This report also includes information from a Multinational Force Iraq news release.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
Jan. 7, 2008 - In a vital and encouraging boost to the fight against al Qaeda in Iraq, local sheiks met with coalition forces officials Jan. 4 to discuss future concerned citizen programs. Sheiks from areas surrounding Sayafia spoke with Army Col. Terry Ferrell, commander of the 3rd Infantry Division's 2nd Brigade Combat Team, and Army Col. Dan Ball, commander of the 3rd Infantry Division Combat Aviation Brigade.
The sheiks introduced themselves to Ferrell and Ball and told the leaders of crimes and injustices that al Qaeda had perpetrated. In one instance, an Iraqi man described being forced from his home by al Qaeda operatives who now use his property as a safe house. He pleaded with both leaders to help him get his property back, to which Ferrell replied, "That's what I'm here to do."
Ferrell also told the sheiks that he hopes they are serious about their commitment to the area.
"We're going to work with you, and we're going to kill anyone who is a threat to the Iraqi population," he said.
The sheiks shared information with Ferrell about the whereabouts and strength of al Qaeda forces. Ferrell emphasized to the community leaders that providing such information is the most important thing they can do.
Ferrell also urged the sheiks not to arm their respective communities and have people hunt for insurgents. Militias are illegal in Iraq, and citizen groups need to focus their efforts on providing information on terrorist activities in their villages, he said.
In a written statement issued by Multinational Force Iraq on behalf of the command and the U.S. Embassy, coalition military leaders praised the sheiks' efforts to cooperate in taking their communities back from insurgents.
"MNF-I applauds Iraq's political, civic, and religious leadership for their courage and commitment to the new Iraq," the statement said. "As tribal sheiks and leaders from councils and other organizations gathered in recent weeks to denounce violence and work toward common goals of peace and economic prosperity, the people of Iraq have found strength in their unified vision for Iraq's future. Gathering in response to calls from their leaders, Iraqis are banding together to drive out extremists and restore security in their neighborhoods. Iraqis from all communities are against al Qaeda (in) Iraq and other extremists and are sending a strong message on the importance of achieving reconciliation and unifying Iraq.
"As Iraqis look forward and frame a common vision for building their war-torn nation," the statement continued, "MNF-I and the U.S. Embassy will continue to partner with the government of Iraq to assist them in their efforts to restore essential services and help them achieve their goals."
(Army Sgt. Luis Delgadillo serves with 3rd Infantry Division's 2nd Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs Office. This report also includes information from a Multinational Force Iraq news release.)
Thursday, December 06, 2007
Gates: Iraq Visit Demonstrates Progress, Need for Political Action
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
Dec. 6, 2007 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said the broad perspectives he's received in Iraq over the last two days have convinced him Iraq is on the right track and that Iraqi leaders understand they need to move more quickly to keep up with security gains. Gates today wrapped up a whirlwind visit to Iraq, where he met with Iraqi government leaders and a broad range of military leaders. His chock-full scheduled included sessions with Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, the top U.S. general in Iraq, Multinational Division North leaders operating in Mosul, a group of eight brigade commanders, and another group of about 20 Army captains.
"I was encouraged, both by what I heard in Mosul and in talking with the brigade commanders," the secretary told reporters traveling with him.
Petraeus reinforced those impressions this morning with details about the downward trend in violence that's occurred in Iraq, particularly during the last several months.
"I came away from all of it feeling very good about the direction of things in the security arena," the secretary said.
Gates said he was impressed by descriptions of "what is going on (at the) local and provincial level in terms of people reaching out to each other, (and) crossing tribal, sectarian and provincial boundaries to work together."
The secretary expressed hope that Iraq's political leaders will take advantage of the improved security environment to move forward with legislation and expand grassroots-level reconciliation taking place to the national level.
He said he came away from meetings yesterday with Petraeus, Iraqi President Jalal Talabani and Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki "with a sense that there is growing pressure from below for the top levels of government to replicate the kind of reconciliation that is going on in the variety of other places in Iraq."
Maliki and members of the presidential council indicated they recognize the need to get the process moving. "They know what they need to do, and they know that people are getting impatient and that they need to get on with legislation and sending and message to the rest of their people that they can work together," Gates said.
He expressed hope that Iraqi leaders "will produce results fairly soon in some of these key legislative areas."
Petraeus expressed similar sentiments during a roundtable session with reporters at the Multinational Force Iraq headquarters at Camp Victory, in Baghdad. Noting that weekly attacks in Iraq are down about 40 percent since June, Petraeus said, "There is much hard work still to be done ... and ... numerous difficulties, enemies and issues that still must be addressed."
He pointed to the "considerable effort" the U.S. government, including the military, is making to help Iraqi political leaders take political and economic actions needed to move forward.
"As our troopers work alongside our Iraqi partners to build on our hard-fought security gains, we are also now devoting significant effort to helping Iraqi ministries and their officials exploit the gains in the security arena to develop greater capacity and capability and to provide better services for the Iraqi people," he said.
"We remain hopeful that Iraqi leaders will take advantage of the security gains that have been purchased through the sacrifice of Iraqi and coalition forces."
American Forces Press Service
Dec. 6, 2007 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said the broad perspectives he's received in Iraq over the last two days have convinced him Iraq is on the right track and that Iraqi leaders understand they need to move more quickly to keep up with security gains. Gates today wrapped up a whirlwind visit to Iraq, where he met with Iraqi government leaders and a broad range of military leaders. His chock-full scheduled included sessions with Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, the top U.S. general in Iraq, Multinational Division North leaders operating in Mosul, a group of eight brigade commanders, and another group of about 20 Army captains.
"I was encouraged, both by what I heard in Mosul and in talking with the brigade commanders," the secretary told reporters traveling with him.
Petraeus reinforced those impressions this morning with details about the downward trend in violence that's occurred in Iraq, particularly during the last several months.
"I came away from all of it feeling very good about the direction of things in the security arena," the secretary said.
Gates said he was impressed by descriptions of "what is going on (at the) local and provincial level in terms of people reaching out to each other, (and) crossing tribal, sectarian and provincial boundaries to work together."
The secretary expressed hope that Iraq's political leaders will take advantage of the improved security environment to move forward with legislation and expand grassroots-level reconciliation taking place to the national level.
He said he came away from meetings yesterday with Petraeus, Iraqi President Jalal Talabani and Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki "with a sense that there is growing pressure from below for the top levels of government to replicate the kind of reconciliation that is going on in the variety of other places in Iraq."
Maliki and members of the presidential council indicated they recognize the need to get the process moving. "They know what they need to do, and they know that people are getting impatient and that they need to get on with legislation and sending and message to the rest of their people that they can work together," Gates said.
He expressed hope that Iraqi leaders "will produce results fairly soon in some of these key legislative areas."
Petraeus expressed similar sentiments during a roundtable session with reporters at the Multinational Force Iraq headquarters at Camp Victory, in Baghdad. Noting that weekly attacks in Iraq are down about 40 percent since June, Petraeus said, "There is much hard work still to be done ... and ... numerous difficulties, enemies and issues that still must be addressed."
He pointed to the "considerable effort" the U.S. government, including the military, is making to help Iraqi political leaders take political and economic actions needed to move forward.
"As our troopers work alongside our Iraqi partners to build on our hard-fought security gains, we are also now devoting significant effort to helping Iraqi ministries and their officials exploit the gains in the security arena to develop greater capacity and capability and to provide better services for the Iraqi people," he said.
"We remain hopeful that Iraqi leaders will take advantage of the security gains that have been purchased through the sacrifice of Iraqi and coalition forces."
Saturday, December 01, 2007
Security Forces Prove Themselves in Operation Shaheen Sahara
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
Nov. 30, 2007 - Counterinsurgency operations under way in northern Afghanistan are showing success against increased Taliban activity in the region, U.S. and Afghan military leaders there told Pentagon reporters today. As Operation Shaheen Sahara cracks down on Taliban operatives, it's also demonstrating that Afghan national security forces in the region have the capabilities and mettle to stand up to them, U.S. Army Col. Edward B. Daly, commander of 209th Afghan Regional Security Integration Command North, said via teleconference from Camp Eggers in Kabul. Daly also spoke to online journalists and "bloggers" in a teleconference today.
Afghan Maj. Gen. Murad Ali, commander of the Afghan National Army's 209th Corps, joined Daly during the briefing to Pentagon reporters.
Daly, who is charged with developing Afghan forces in the region, praised the performance of Afghan security forces during the operation. Since its start in October in the Mazar-e Sharif area, Shaheen Sahara has resulted in 25 Taliban members killed and 25 wounded and the capture of four high-value targets, he said.
The area had been relatively quiet, but has seen an increase in Taliban activity, Daly said. Afghans in the region report that most of the people carrying out this violence -- mostly attacks along the ring road and robberies in local areas -- are coming from outside the area. Daly said it's not clear where the Taliban fighters are coming from.
When the local people called on their government for help, the Afghans stepped up to the plate, Daly said. He reported solid performance by 600 Afghan National Army troops and 250 Afghan National Police members who are leading the fight. They are supported by 500 NATO International Security Assistance Force troops and 50 embedded trainers.
"The Afghans were in the lead, and I'm not just talking about the army," Daly said. "This was an operation with the army and the police."
Daly said he was impressed watching how these forces coordinated their efforts. In higher-threat areas, the army troops went in first, he said. In lower-threat areas, the army provided perimeter security and the police took the lead.
"In every event, the police and the army worked together," he said, reporting particularly strong performance at the company and battalion and small-unit levels.
Despite some capability gaps, particularly in terms of equipment within the police force, Afghans are proving their commitment to the country's democratically elected government and its constitution, he said.
"War is a performance business, and the Afghans are performing very well," Daly said. "They are in the front, and they are in the fight, and they are fearless in battle. They are a people worth fighting and dying for."
American Forces Press Service
Nov. 30, 2007 - Counterinsurgency operations under way in northern Afghanistan are showing success against increased Taliban activity in the region, U.S. and Afghan military leaders there told Pentagon reporters today. As Operation Shaheen Sahara cracks down on Taliban operatives, it's also demonstrating that Afghan national security forces in the region have the capabilities and mettle to stand up to them, U.S. Army Col. Edward B. Daly, commander of 209th Afghan Regional Security Integration Command North, said via teleconference from Camp Eggers in Kabul. Daly also spoke to online journalists and "bloggers" in a teleconference today.
Afghan Maj. Gen. Murad Ali, commander of the Afghan National Army's 209th Corps, joined Daly during the briefing to Pentagon reporters.
Daly, who is charged with developing Afghan forces in the region, praised the performance of Afghan security forces during the operation. Since its start in October in the Mazar-e Sharif area, Shaheen Sahara has resulted in 25 Taliban members killed and 25 wounded and the capture of four high-value targets, he said.
The area had been relatively quiet, but has seen an increase in Taliban activity, Daly said. Afghans in the region report that most of the people carrying out this violence -- mostly attacks along the ring road and robberies in local areas -- are coming from outside the area. Daly said it's not clear where the Taliban fighters are coming from.
When the local people called on their government for help, the Afghans stepped up to the plate, Daly said. He reported solid performance by 600 Afghan National Army troops and 250 Afghan National Police members who are leading the fight. They are supported by 500 NATO International Security Assistance Force troops and 50 embedded trainers.
"The Afghans were in the lead, and I'm not just talking about the army," Daly said. "This was an operation with the army and the police."
Daly said he was impressed watching how these forces coordinated their efforts. In higher-threat areas, the army troops went in first, he said. In lower-threat areas, the army provided perimeter security and the police took the lead.
"In every event, the police and the army worked together," he said, reporting particularly strong performance at the company and battalion and small-unit levels.
Despite some capability gaps, particularly in terms of equipment within the police force, Afghans are proving their commitment to the country's democratically elected government and its constitution, he said.
"War is a performance business, and the Afghans are performing very well," Daly said. "They are in the front, and they are in the fight, and they are fearless in battle. They are a people worth fighting and dying for."
Sunday, October 07, 2007
Odierno Says Surge Working, Urges Caution in Transitioning Troops
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
Oct. 3, 2007 - The surge of additional forces into Baghdad and other areas of Iraq is working, a top general commanding coalition forces there said yesterday. Even as the Muslim holy month of Ramadan continues, levels of violence in Iraq have dropped, Army Lt. Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, commander of Multinational Corps Iraq, said at the National Press Club here. The surge allowed Iraqi and coalition officials to wrest whole provinces from extremist grasp.
In December, President Bush accepted recommendations of military leaders to place five more combat brigades and their supporting complements in and around Baghdad. More troops went into Anbar province, and Iraqi forces also bulked up in Baghdad and surrounding areas. "The full complement of surge forces were in place by mid-June and provided us with significant flexibility and operational reach," Odierno said. "The trends we have seen over the past three and a half months since the surge was completed are encouraging, and to this point they've been consistent.
"Violence throughout the country has dropped to a level not even seen before the first bombing of the Golden Mosque in 2006," he continued. "Last week, we saw a slight rise in attacks as al Qaeda attempted its own Ramadan surge, but for the large part, Iraqi security forces, as well as coalition forces, were successful in interdicting most of them."
In past years, Ramadan meant extremist attacks, the general said. Not so this year. "Attacks have decreased, and signs of normalcy across Iraq are starting to appear," he said.
The surge has allowed troops to disrupt al Qaeda in Iraq safe areas and curbed the terrorist group's freedom of movement.
"With many of its top leaders eliminated, the remaining al Qaeda in Iraq leadership is increasingly being forced away from Baghdad," Odierno said. "Over the past eight to nine months, numerous population centers have been liberated from extremist control, including Baqubah, al Qaim, Arab Jabour, Ramadi, Fallujah and Abu Ghraib."
None of this would have been possible without the bloodthirsty efforts of the terrorists themselves. Al Qaeda is losing its internal support within Iraq because of its indiscriminate targeting of civilians, its reliance on foreign leadership, and the Taliban-like mentality that suppresses the Iraqi people, Odierno said.
The group remains dangerous and can still lash out with spectacular attacks. But the Iraqi people have rejected al Qaeda in Iraq, and the battle now shifts to bringing promised economic and political aid to the people, "or we could squander this opportunity that we've developed," Odierno said.
While the U.S. provided considerable support, operations in Baghdad were Iraqi-led. The surge gave commanders the presence in Iraq to uproot extremists and keep them out. "Unlike previous operations, we now have the forces to maintain our gains and prevent extremists from returning to these safe havens and sanctuaries," Odierno said.
Iraqi security forces continue to grow and improve, and they are another important reason for the improved security situation, the general said. "They are slowly shouldering more of the burden and are fighting and taking casualties," he said. "Their command and control, as well as their targeting, gets better with each passing day."
Odierno cited the work of Iraqi security forces in Karbala after an attack by Shiia extremists killed 100 pilgrims and wounded 100 more. He also said he is pleased with progress in Mosul and Kirkuk, where coalition forces are essentially in "overwatch" as Iraqis carry out operations. "It is imperative that we continue to transition security responsibilities to the Iraqis," he said. "But it's equally important that we do so in a cautious and thoughtful manner."
This is going to take time, Odierno said. Iraqi forces need time to grow more leaders; they need more time to develop logistics and handle transportation. "And there is still some sectarianism that the government of Iraq, as well as us, are working towards eliminating," he said. "These issues must be addressed and receive the complete attention of the Iraqi leadership, and I think that they've done that, and they will continue to work hard to eliminate this."
The surge has allowed engagement with tribes and communities at the tactical level, and this "bottom-up process" has gotten Iraqis involved in maintaining security in their own neighborhoods, Odierno said. "Local reconciliation is playing a key role and continues to gain momentum," he said. "Iraqis are getting involved in their own safety in a clear sign that they are tiring of violence as well as extremist activities."
Cooperation between the people and their security forces is directly proportional to improved security. "In those areas where local Iraqis are providing intelligence, volunteering to serve in security forces, and pledging their loyalty to the government of Iraq, we have witnessed dramatic improvements in the security of the people of Iraq," Odierno said. "These volunteers want legitimacy, and the government of Iraq is taking notice and beginning to incorporate them into the Iraqi security forces."
Last week, more than 1,700 volunteers in Abu Ghraib graduated from police training and are providing security in their own neighborhoods as part of the official Iraqi police force, the general said. "While mostly Sunni, we are also beginning to see Shiia participation in some of these local security efforts, as they notice the progress being made. We must be prepared to take advantage of the opportunities we are presented with, many of which will no doubt be difficult to predict."
The general said that no one would have predicted the dramatic turnaround in Anbar province. "Anbar now stands as an inspiring example to the rest of the country for what is possible, as citizens come together to reject extremist behavior," he said.
Less than a year ago, coalition intelligence officials said the province was as good as lost. "Today, the situation has improved to the point where the awakening movement that began turning the tide in Anbar was able to weather the loss of its charismatic leader, Sheikh Abdul Sattar, without missing a beat," Odierno said.
Attacks across the province have fallen from around 350 in a single week a year ago to just 37 last week, he said.
Odierno said success in Anbar is due to the surge, improved Iraqi forces, and local engagement. "Iraqis have taken notice, and from Diyala to Ghazalia, to Mahmudiyah and elsewhere, concerned citizens are reaching out to become a part of improving Iraq's future for their children," he said.
Still, the country is not out of the desert yet. "The surge has created time and space necessary for the government of Iraq to move forward." the general said. "The military aspects of our strategy have achieved momentum, but we have not yet achieved what I would characterize as irreversible momentum. We fully expect the mixed sectarian areas and fault lines to be the last to settle. That is where we will continue to maintain higher troop concentrations. There will be challenges to the successes in Anbar and other places, and it will be up to the Iraqi security force, with our support, to meet these challenges."
Odierno said the time is now for the Iraqi government to aggressively provide essential services to their fellow citizens, no matter what their ethnic or religious affiliation may be. "A clear need for tangible and sustained Iraqi political action and success does exist today," he said. "However, there's no universal solution for Iraq, and some strategic patience will be required to give Iraqis a chance."
The country is diverse, and not one solution will work all over the country. "Progress will come in a variety of ways, in many shapes and many sizes," he said." Any all-in or all-out strategy on our part is not viable.
"We can't maintain current force size in Iraq; we all know that," he continued. "But we also I don't think can withstand a quick withdrawal of forces from Iraq. I think the consequences could be catastrophic."
The coalition goal is to move from the forefront to the periphery of planning and conducting the majority of operations in specific areas as local security conditions permit, Odierno said. This idea goes back to 2004 and entails the change from leading to partnering to overwatch. Odierno said he and his commanders will continually assess the security situation in the country and that he will make recommendations "on what forces are needed and in which areas."
If Iraqi forces are ready to do more in a certain area, then they will get the mission, he said. He noted that this was the thought process behind his recommendations to Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, Multinational Force Iraq commander, which led to a reduction of forces. The transition began with a Marine expeditionary unit leaving the country in September and will continue through summer 2008 as U.S. forces transition from 20 to 15 brigade combat teams.
Any judgment on transitioning U.S. forces from Iraq will be made deliberately and only after a review of the progress on the ground, Odierno said. "It can be very tempting to overestimate progress and withdraw too many troops before an area is ready," the general said. "The irreversible momentum we need will come from gradual empowerment of the Iraqis, careful transition of security responsibilities, and a deliberate change to an overwatch role for coalition forces."
How quickly the country stabilizes depends on whether it is done violently or peacefully, he said. "The Iraqi people seem to be making that choice today," he said. "They are tired of the violence that has engulfed the country for the better part of the last four years, and they are standing up to prevent extremists from further destabilizing their proud country."
American Forces Press Service
Oct. 3, 2007 - The surge of additional forces into Baghdad and other areas of Iraq is working, a top general commanding coalition forces there said yesterday. Even as the Muslim holy month of Ramadan continues, levels of violence in Iraq have dropped, Army Lt. Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, commander of Multinational Corps Iraq, said at the National Press Club here. The surge allowed Iraqi and coalition officials to wrest whole provinces from extremist grasp.
In December, President Bush accepted recommendations of military leaders to place five more combat brigades and their supporting complements in and around Baghdad. More troops went into Anbar province, and Iraqi forces also bulked up in Baghdad and surrounding areas. "The full complement of surge forces were in place by mid-June and provided us with significant flexibility and operational reach," Odierno said. "The trends we have seen over the past three and a half months since the surge was completed are encouraging, and to this point they've been consistent.
"Violence throughout the country has dropped to a level not even seen before the first bombing of the Golden Mosque in 2006," he continued. "Last week, we saw a slight rise in attacks as al Qaeda attempted its own Ramadan surge, but for the large part, Iraqi security forces, as well as coalition forces, were successful in interdicting most of them."
In past years, Ramadan meant extremist attacks, the general said. Not so this year. "Attacks have decreased, and signs of normalcy across Iraq are starting to appear," he said.
The surge has allowed troops to disrupt al Qaeda in Iraq safe areas and curbed the terrorist group's freedom of movement.
"With many of its top leaders eliminated, the remaining al Qaeda in Iraq leadership is increasingly being forced away from Baghdad," Odierno said. "Over the past eight to nine months, numerous population centers have been liberated from extremist control, including Baqubah, al Qaim, Arab Jabour, Ramadi, Fallujah and Abu Ghraib."
None of this would have been possible without the bloodthirsty efforts of the terrorists themselves. Al Qaeda is losing its internal support within Iraq because of its indiscriminate targeting of civilians, its reliance on foreign leadership, and the Taliban-like mentality that suppresses the Iraqi people, Odierno said.
The group remains dangerous and can still lash out with spectacular attacks. But the Iraqi people have rejected al Qaeda in Iraq, and the battle now shifts to bringing promised economic and political aid to the people, "or we could squander this opportunity that we've developed," Odierno said.
While the U.S. provided considerable support, operations in Baghdad were Iraqi-led. The surge gave commanders the presence in Iraq to uproot extremists and keep them out. "Unlike previous operations, we now have the forces to maintain our gains and prevent extremists from returning to these safe havens and sanctuaries," Odierno said.
Iraqi security forces continue to grow and improve, and they are another important reason for the improved security situation, the general said. "They are slowly shouldering more of the burden and are fighting and taking casualties," he said. "Their command and control, as well as their targeting, gets better with each passing day."
Odierno cited the work of Iraqi security forces in Karbala after an attack by Shiia extremists killed 100 pilgrims and wounded 100 more. He also said he is pleased with progress in Mosul and Kirkuk, where coalition forces are essentially in "overwatch" as Iraqis carry out operations. "It is imperative that we continue to transition security responsibilities to the Iraqis," he said. "But it's equally important that we do so in a cautious and thoughtful manner."
This is going to take time, Odierno said. Iraqi forces need time to grow more leaders; they need more time to develop logistics and handle transportation. "And there is still some sectarianism that the government of Iraq, as well as us, are working towards eliminating," he said. "These issues must be addressed and receive the complete attention of the Iraqi leadership, and I think that they've done that, and they will continue to work hard to eliminate this."
The surge has allowed engagement with tribes and communities at the tactical level, and this "bottom-up process" has gotten Iraqis involved in maintaining security in their own neighborhoods, Odierno said. "Local reconciliation is playing a key role and continues to gain momentum," he said. "Iraqis are getting involved in their own safety in a clear sign that they are tiring of violence as well as extremist activities."
Cooperation between the people and their security forces is directly proportional to improved security. "In those areas where local Iraqis are providing intelligence, volunteering to serve in security forces, and pledging their loyalty to the government of Iraq, we have witnessed dramatic improvements in the security of the people of Iraq," Odierno said. "These volunteers want legitimacy, and the government of Iraq is taking notice and beginning to incorporate them into the Iraqi security forces."
Last week, more than 1,700 volunteers in Abu Ghraib graduated from police training and are providing security in their own neighborhoods as part of the official Iraqi police force, the general said. "While mostly Sunni, we are also beginning to see Shiia participation in some of these local security efforts, as they notice the progress being made. We must be prepared to take advantage of the opportunities we are presented with, many of which will no doubt be difficult to predict."
The general said that no one would have predicted the dramatic turnaround in Anbar province. "Anbar now stands as an inspiring example to the rest of the country for what is possible, as citizens come together to reject extremist behavior," he said.
Less than a year ago, coalition intelligence officials said the province was as good as lost. "Today, the situation has improved to the point where the awakening movement that began turning the tide in Anbar was able to weather the loss of its charismatic leader, Sheikh Abdul Sattar, without missing a beat," Odierno said.
Attacks across the province have fallen from around 350 in a single week a year ago to just 37 last week, he said.
Odierno said success in Anbar is due to the surge, improved Iraqi forces, and local engagement. "Iraqis have taken notice, and from Diyala to Ghazalia, to Mahmudiyah and elsewhere, concerned citizens are reaching out to become a part of improving Iraq's future for their children," he said.
Still, the country is not out of the desert yet. "The surge has created time and space necessary for the government of Iraq to move forward." the general said. "The military aspects of our strategy have achieved momentum, but we have not yet achieved what I would characterize as irreversible momentum. We fully expect the mixed sectarian areas and fault lines to be the last to settle. That is where we will continue to maintain higher troop concentrations. There will be challenges to the successes in Anbar and other places, and it will be up to the Iraqi security force, with our support, to meet these challenges."
Odierno said the time is now for the Iraqi government to aggressively provide essential services to their fellow citizens, no matter what their ethnic or religious affiliation may be. "A clear need for tangible and sustained Iraqi political action and success does exist today," he said. "However, there's no universal solution for Iraq, and some strategic patience will be required to give Iraqis a chance."
The country is diverse, and not one solution will work all over the country. "Progress will come in a variety of ways, in many shapes and many sizes," he said." Any all-in or all-out strategy on our part is not viable.
"We can't maintain current force size in Iraq; we all know that," he continued. "But we also I don't think can withstand a quick withdrawal of forces from Iraq. I think the consequences could be catastrophic."
The coalition goal is to move from the forefront to the periphery of planning and conducting the majority of operations in specific areas as local security conditions permit, Odierno said. This idea goes back to 2004 and entails the change from leading to partnering to overwatch. Odierno said he and his commanders will continually assess the security situation in the country and that he will make recommendations "on what forces are needed and in which areas."
If Iraqi forces are ready to do more in a certain area, then they will get the mission, he said. He noted that this was the thought process behind his recommendations to Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, Multinational Force Iraq commander, which led to a reduction of forces. The transition began with a Marine expeditionary unit leaving the country in September and will continue through summer 2008 as U.S. forces transition from 20 to 15 brigade combat teams.
Any judgment on transitioning U.S. forces from Iraq will be made deliberately and only after a review of the progress on the ground, Odierno said. "It can be very tempting to overestimate progress and withdraw too many troops before an area is ready," the general said. "The irreversible momentum we need will come from gradual empowerment of the Iraqis, careful transition of security responsibilities, and a deliberate change to an overwatch role for coalition forces."
How quickly the country stabilizes depends on whether it is done violently or peacefully, he said. "The Iraqi people seem to be making that choice today," he said. "They are tired of the violence that has engulfed the country for the better part of the last four years, and they are standing up to prevent extremists from further destabilizing their proud country."
Saturday, September 22, 2007
Negotiation in the New Strategic Environment: Lessons from Iraq
In stability, security, transition, and reconstruction (SSTR) operations like the U.S. mission in Iraq, negotiation is a common activity. The success or failure of the thousands of negotiations taking place daily between U.S. military officers and local civilian and military leaders in Iraq affects tactical and operational results and the U.S. military’s ability to achieve American strategic objectives. By training its leaders, especially junior ones, to negotiate effectively, the U.S. military will be better prepared to succeed in the increasingly complex operations it is conducting—in Iraq as well as the ones it will face in the new strategic environment of the 21st century. This monograph analyzes the U.S. Army’s current predeployment negotiation training and compares it with the negotiating experience of U.S. Army and Marine Corps officers deployed to Iraq. The author argues that successfully adapting to the nature of the contemporary operating environment requires changes that include increased training in negotiation. Based on interviews with U.S. officers, the author identifies three key elements of negotiation in SSTR operations and offers recommendations for U.S. soldiers to consider when negotiating with local Iraqi leaders; for U.S. military trainers to consider when reviewing their predeployment negotiation training curriculum; and for the Army and Marine Corps training and doctrine commands to consider when planning and structuring predeployment training.
READ ON
READ ON
Monday, September 03, 2007
Gates Wraps Up Whirlwind Visit with Iraqi Leaders
By Fred W. Baker III
American Forces Press Service
Sept. 3, 2007 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said he felt it was important for top military commanders here to be able to deliver their individual assessments directly to the commander in chief without "summarization" or "filters." "I felt it was very important that the president have the opportunity to speak directly to each of his senior military commanders and to get their views on the way forward," Gates said at the end of a day-long surprise visit here with President Bush and top U.S. political and military leaders.
Gates talked with the Pentagon press corps flanked by Stephen J. Hadley, National Security Advsior, and Army Lt. Gen. Douglas Lute, assistant to the president and deputy national security adviser for Iraq and Afghanistan,.
The defense secretary said that he feels that security has improved overall in Iraq.
"I think that there is the general view that certainly here in Anbar the security situation has improved, and has improved in other parts of Iraq as well," Gates said. "We are trying to look at Iraq in its different pieces. Clearly there is hard work to be done in some, but the situation elsewhere is in pretty good shape."
Gates said the president already has the analysis from the commanders on the ground. Gates said he will wait until Gen. David H.Petraeus, commander of Multinational Force Iraq, presents his report to Congress next week before delivering his own assessment.
The president and his top decision-makers traveled here to discuss progress in Iraq "face-to-face" with key leaders on the ground as he prepares his recommendations for the next steps in the theater, officials said. The meeting comes days before Petraeus is scheduled to report before congress on progress made here.
U.S. officials met with Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki, President Jalal Talabani, Vice President Tariq al Hashimi, Vice President Adel Abdul Mahdi and Massoud Barzani, president of the semiautonomous Kurdish region.
This was Gates' second trip to this western-most province in Iraq that was once considered hopelessly lost to the insurgency. In recent months, though, tribal leaders and forces have begun siding with U.S. and Iraqi forces to repel al Qaeda in Iraq.
Al Asad Airbase is the second largest air base in Iraq and is about 120 miles northwest of Baghdad.
American Forces Press Service
Sept. 3, 2007 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said he felt it was important for top military commanders here to be able to deliver their individual assessments directly to the commander in chief without "summarization" or "filters." "I felt it was very important that the president have the opportunity to speak directly to each of his senior military commanders and to get their views on the way forward," Gates said at the end of a day-long surprise visit here with President Bush and top U.S. political and military leaders.
Gates talked with the Pentagon press corps flanked by Stephen J. Hadley, National Security Advsior, and Army Lt. Gen. Douglas Lute, assistant to the president and deputy national security adviser for Iraq and Afghanistan,.
The defense secretary said that he feels that security has improved overall in Iraq.
"I think that there is the general view that certainly here in Anbar the security situation has improved, and has improved in other parts of Iraq as well," Gates said. "We are trying to look at Iraq in its different pieces. Clearly there is hard work to be done in some, but the situation elsewhere is in pretty good shape."
Gates said the president already has the analysis from the commanders on the ground. Gates said he will wait until Gen. David H.Petraeus, commander of Multinational Force Iraq, presents his report to Congress next week before delivering his own assessment.
The president and his top decision-makers traveled here to discuss progress in Iraq "face-to-face" with key leaders on the ground as he prepares his recommendations for the next steps in the theater, officials said. The meeting comes days before Petraeus is scheduled to report before congress on progress made here.
U.S. officials met with Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki, President Jalal Talabani, Vice President Tariq al Hashimi, Vice President Adel Abdul Mahdi and Massoud Barzani, president of the semiautonomous Kurdish region.
This was Gates' second trip to this western-most province in Iraq that was once considered hopelessly lost to the insurgency. In recent months, though, tribal leaders and forces have begun siding with U.S. and Iraqi forces to repel al Qaeda in Iraq.
Al Asad Airbase is the second largest air base in Iraq and is about 120 miles northwest of Baghdad.
Sunday, September 02, 2007
Bush to Meet With Military Chiefs at Pentagon
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
Aug. 30, 2007 - President Bush will meet with defense leaders in the Pentagon tomorrow to continue the dialogue on operations in Iraq, a Joint Staff official said here today. Army Maj. Gen. Richard Sherlock, an operations specialist on the Joint Staff, said Bush would receive the "unvarnished" advice of the members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff during a session in "the Tank" – the room where the organization meets.
The assessments lead up to the report the president will deliver to Congress by Sept. 15.
The president's meeting with the members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates continues the president's fact-gathering mission, and Bush wants to hear from all concerned, Sherlock said.
Military leaders will present and discuss their assessments of the future, and the meeting also will include Navy Adm. William J. Fallon, the U.S. Central Command chief, and Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of Multinational Force Iraq.
"They will have the ability to provide their recommendations and unvarnished assessments to the president so he is completely informed and able to make the decisions he needs to make," Sherlock said.
The officers' assessments will come from their individual perspectives, Sherlock said. Petraeus will make his recommendations from his perspective as commander in Iraq, and Fallon will make his from the Central Command perspective. The service chiefs will make their assessments with an eye on their "man, train and equip" service duties. Marine Gen. Peter Pace, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, will make his recommendations from his position as the military advisor to the president and defense secretary.
Sherlock said more meetings will follow the president's Pentagon visit.
In Iraq, U.S. forces remain committed to dismantling terror cells that seek to kill innocent Iraq men, women and children and the coalition and Iraqi security forces that protect them, Sherlock said.
He said coalition and Iraqi forces are setting the conditions for the Iraqis to improve governance. In just the past week, the municipal government has re-emerged in Karma, two Iraqi basic training classes with 2,000 soldiers are under way in Habbaniyah, and 700 new police officer are in training at the Habbaniyah Police Academy.
Sherlock said that attacks in Iraq continue to decline. "They've declined for several weeks now, except for one or two high-profile attacks such as in Ninewah," he said. "Overall casualties, overall attacks against coalition and Iraqi forces and overall attacks against Iraqi civilians continue to decline."
He warned, however, that a number of factors may dare the enemy to increase attacks. With the pending report to Congress, the beginning of Ramadan next month, and the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States, "we can expect the enemy to try to accomplish more high-profile, highly visible attacks to flavor how those reports are received," he said.
American Forces Press Service
Aug. 30, 2007 - President Bush will meet with defense leaders in the Pentagon tomorrow to continue the dialogue on operations in Iraq, a Joint Staff official said here today. Army Maj. Gen. Richard Sherlock, an operations specialist on the Joint Staff, said Bush would receive the "unvarnished" advice of the members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff during a session in "the Tank" – the room where the organization meets.
The assessments lead up to the report the president will deliver to Congress by Sept. 15.
The president's meeting with the members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates continues the president's fact-gathering mission, and Bush wants to hear from all concerned, Sherlock said.
Military leaders will present and discuss their assessments of the future, and the meeting also will include Navy Adm. William J. Fallon, the U.S. Central Command chief, and Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of Multinational Force Iraq.
"They will have the ability to provide their recommendations and unvarnished assessments to the president so he is completely informed and able to make the decisions he needs to make," Sherlock said.
The officers' assessments will come from their individual perspectives, Sherlock said. Petraeus will make his recommendations from his perspective as commander in Iraq, and Fallon will make his from the Central Command perspective. The service chiefs will make their assessments with an eye on their "man, train and equip" service duties. Marine Gen. Peter Pace, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, will make his recommendations from his position as the military advisor to the president and defense secretary.
Sherlock said more meetings will follow the president's Pentagon visit.
In Iraq, U.S. forces remain committed to dismantling terror cells that seek to kill innocent Iraq men, women and children and the coalition and Iraqi security forces that protect them, Sherlock said.
He said coalition and Iraqi forces are setting the conditions for the Iraqis to improve governance. In just the past week, the municipal government has re-emerged in Karma, two Iraqi basic training classes with 2,000 soldiers are under way in Habbaniyah, and 700 new police officer are in training at the Habbaniyah Police Academy.
Sherlock said that attacks in Iraq continue to decline. "They've declined for several weeks now, except for one or two high-profile attacks such as in Ninewah," he said. "Overall casualties, overall attacks against coalition and Iraqi forces and overall attacks against Iraqi civilians continue to decline."
He warned, however, that a number of factors may dare the enemy to increase attacks. With the pending report to Congress, the beginning of Ramadan next month, and the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States, "we can expect the enemy to try to accomplish more high-profile, highly visible attacks to flavor how those reports are received," he said.
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Progress Continues in Iraq, Despite Singular Acts of Violence
By Melinda L. Larson
American Forces Press Service
July 21, 2007 - Success on the ground in Iraq is being overshadowed by spectacular attacks designed to draw attention from good things that are happening there, a U. S. Central Command officer told online journalists and bloggers in a July 19 conference call. "What we see is this violent and desperate enemy, as it will do these singular and very spectacular acts of violence in order to derail or to take the focus off of the good things that are happening," Air Force Brig. Gen. Robert H. Holmes, deputy director of operations for U.S. Central Command, said.
Holmes explained that spectacular acts by al Qaeda and extremists present a paradox.
"The more successful you are, the more spectacular the events," Holmes said. "The spectacular attacks are what I call attacks using weapons for mass effect. And they're designed, in my mind, to do just that, to create this mass effect for spectacular coverage in the media, to create spectacular terror in the mind of a population, to create chasms in national wills, (and) to create doubt in military forces."
For Holmes, there is no doubt that it's an asymmetric battle coalition forces are fighting because there's more than one enemy. He explained to the bloggers that the battlefield contains a combination of resistance, insurgent and terrorist fighters.
"It's a combination of all three -- resistance fighters, insurgents and terrorists -- because in my mind it's threaded through many interest groups that range from, in some cases, organized crime, to ethnic and tribal interest groups, to some external-actor interest groups, to the terrorists. And they're all in a feeding frenzy to have this terrain."
While the principles of war apply, fighting a variety of enemies is a new concept for military leaders, Holmes explained.
"This is a fight where all of the metrics and rules for conventional, linear warfare don't necessarily apply. Many of the principles apply, the principles of war apply, but the metrics that we've been comfortable with for so many years don't necessarily apply in this kind of warfare," the general said.
As the paradigm shifts from linear to asymmetrical warfare, coalition forces on the ground have to remain vigilant and anticipate an enemy's next move, Holmes said.
"The nature of the enemy is to adapt, to flex and to move somewhere else. So we've got to go, 'OK, we're being successful here, but now what does this mean elsewhere so that we don't lose our guard?' And those 'elsewheres' might even be outside of Iraq," Holmes said.
Holmes added that it's the nature of al Qaeda to proliferate.
"In addition to being very violent and very adaptive with its violence, it's very creative; it's very adaptive with regard to its transnational means to proliferate itself and to communicate across the Internet with itself, to train across the Internet and to recruit across the Internet."
While al Qaeda may be signing up new recruits, its leadership has taken a hit in Iraq, Holmes said.
"In some cases we've stripped through the leadership of that, whereas before a cell would have a leader taken out and another person was ready to step up and fill the gap," he said. "What we see in some cases, I think, is that it's becoming more difficult for certain cells to repair."
While al Qaeda in Iraq leadership may be faltering, Holmes said, tribal leaders within the country are stepping up. Holmes acknowledged that some are doubtful of tribal leaders entering the fight, but he said he is hopeful and sees it as a positive sign.
"The tribal leaders are taking up arms, working with the coalition forces, because they hate al Qaeda more than they hate the U.S. and the coalition forces," he said. "That may be, but you know what? If Iraqis are fighting for Iraq, that's OK."
Part of the fight and key to its success is not on the battleground, Holmes said.
"So we are engaged in a hearts-and-minds (struggle). That's clearly important in this kind of endeavor. It's what I like to call a guns-and-roses campaign. And while you've got the guns to do what has to be done to the bad guys, you've got to accompany that with roses that do go out to the hearts and minds," Holmes explained.
The roses Holmes hopes to deliver to the people of Iraq are cultivated from within.
"The majority of us all as people share the same kind of hopes and dreams and desires to have a peaceful and prosperous life. And that's very important," he said.
Holmes was quick to point out to the journalists that the guns-and-roses campaign is not about propaganda, but rather about sharing a common goal.
"I want to be very clear in this. It is not a propaganda campaign to go in and say, 'Made in the U.S.A.; do it our way.' It's to have an international community that shares hopes and desires and prosperity so that we live peacefully."
American Forces Press Service
July 21, 2007 - Success on the ground in Iraq is being overshadowed by spectacular attacks designed to draw attention from good things that are happening there, a U. S. Central Command officer told online journalists and bloggers in a July 19 conference call. "What we see is this violent and desperate enemy, as it will do these singular and very spectacular acts of violence in order to derail or to take the focus off of the good things that are happening," Air Force Brig. Gen. Robert H. Holmes, deputy director of operations for U.S. Central Command, said.
Holmes explained that spectacular acts by al Qaeda and extremists present a paradox.
"The more successful you are, the more spectacular the events," Holmes said. "The spectacular attacks are what I call attacks using weapons for mass effect. And they're designed, in my mind, to do just that, to create this mass effect for spectacular coverage in the media, to create spectacular terror in the mind of a population, to create chasms in national wills, (and) to create doubt in military forces."
For Holmes, there is no doubt that it's an asymmetric battle coalition forces are fighting because there's more than one enemy. He explained to the bloggers that the battlefield contains a combination of resistance, insurgent and terrorist fighters.
"It's a combination of all three -- resistance fighters, insurgents and terrorists -- because in my mind it's threaded through many interest groups that range from, in some cases, organized crime, to ethnic and tribal interest groups, to some external-actor interest groups, to the terrorists. And they're all in a feeding frenzy to have this terrain."
While the principles of war apply, fighting a variety of enemies is a new concept for military leaders, Holmes explained.
"This is a fight where all of the metrics and rules for conventional, linear warfare don't necessarily apply. Many of the principles apply, the principles of war apply, but the metrics that we've been comfortable with for so many years don't necessarily apply in this kind of warfare," the general said.
As the paradigm shifts from linear to asymmetrical warfare, coalition forces on the ground have to remain vigilant and anticipate an enemy's next move, Holmes said.
"The nature of the enemy is to adapt, to flex and to move somewhere else. So we've got to go, 'OK, we're being successful here, but now what does this mean elsewhere so that we don't lose our guard?' And those 'elsewheres' might even be outside of Iraq," Holmes said.
Holmes added that it's the nature of al Qaeda to proliferate.
"In addition to being very violent and very adaptive with its violence, it's very creative; it's very adaptive with regard to its transnational means to proliferate itself and to communicate across the Internet with itself, to train across the Internet and to recruit across the Internet."
While al Qaeda may be signing up new recruits, its leadership has taken a hit in Iraq, Holmes said.
"In some cases we've stripped through the leadership of that, whereas before a cell would have a leader taken out and another person was ready to step up and fill the gap," he said. "What we see in some cases, I think, is that it's becoming more difficult for certain cells to repair."
While al Qaeda in Iraq leadership may be faltering, Holmes said, tribal leaders within the country are stepping up. Holmes acknowledged that some are doubtful of tribal leaders entering the fight, but he said he is hopeful and sees it as a positive sign.
"The tribal leaders are taking up arms, working with the coalition forces, because they hate al Qaeda more than they hate the U.S. and the coalition forces," he said. "That may be, but you know what? If Iraqis are fighting for Iraq, that's OK."
Part of the fight and key to its success is not on the battleground, Holmes said.
"So we are engaged in a hearts-and-minds (struggle). That's clearly important in this kind of endeavor. It's what I like to call a guns-and-roses campaign. And while you've got the guns to do what has to be done to the bad guys, you've got to accompany that with roses that do go out to the hearts and minds," Holmes explained.
The roses Holmes hopes to deliver to the people of Iraq are cultivated from within.
"The majority of us all as people share the same kind of hopes and dreams and desires to have a peaceful and prosperous life. And that's very important," he said.
Holmes was quick to point out to the journalists that the guns-and-roses campaign is not about propaganda, but rather about sharing a common goal.
"I want to be very clear in this. It is not a propaganda campaign to go in and say, 'Made in the U.S.A.; do it our way.' It's to have an international community that shares hopes and desires and prosperity so that we live peacefully."
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Pace Visits Iraq to Assess Surge Progress, Way Forward
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
July 16, 2007 – It is vital for military leaders to give concise assessments of the situation in Iraq and to avoid "groupthink," the phenomena where groups fixate on one solution to the exclusion of all others, the top U.S. military leader said here today. Marine Gen. Peter Pace is visiting Iraq as part of the U.S. military assessment of the surge strategy.
The assessment of the strategy is due to Congress by Sept. 15. Pace, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters traveling with him that he would meet with Multinational Force Iraq Commander Army Gen. David H. Petraeus during his visit here.
Pace said the Joint Staff has been working for months on possibilities that could unfold in Iraq. "That way, we have the planning done no matter what the decision -- plus-up, go down or maintain," he said to reporters traveling with him. "From my perspective in D.C., I've got to do the homework that allows the national leadership to do whatever route they want to take."
The chairman said his meetings with Petraeus would give him a feeling of what is the likeliest possibility.
This does not mean that Pace wants all the staffs involved in the study to synchronize with each other. The chairman said he specifically wants to avoid "groupthink."
Pace said it is important that Petraeus and his staff, Navy Adm. William J. Fallon and his U.S. Central Command staff, and the Joint Staff continue to examine the situation in Iraq from their different perspectives.
"As we get closer to September, we'll start sharing ideas, but none of us wants to get too wrapped up in the other teams' thinking, so we don't end up with groupthink," Pace said.
Pace said the way the process will work in September is that Petraeus and U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker will return to Washington. Petraeus will brief the Joint Chiefs and the defense secretary on his conclusions. Crocker will brief the secretary of state. Then Petraeus and Crocker probably will brief President Bush together.
As the senior military advisor to the president, Pace also will present recommendations. He said these recommendations will be "informed" by the work of Petraeus and Fallon. "This is exactly what we did last September, October, November, when we worked out the strategy that resulted in the surge," he said.
At that time, recommendations on the way forward came from Army Gen. George W. Casey Jr., then Multinational Force Iraq commander; Army Gen. John Abizaid, then Central Command chief; and the Joint Staff.
Pace said he feels no political pressure to mold his military advice to fit any specific outcome. He stressed the word military when he said that uniformed leaders would give their best "military advice in September."
Politics is an obvious part of the president's decision, but military leaders will "work very carefully and assiduously" to keep political considerations out of their military advice, Pace said.
The chairman refused to make any predictions about Iraq and reminded reporters that things in the country can change very quickly. "Look at al Anbar province," he said. "All it took was about 27 sheikhs to decide they had had enough of al Qaeda, and very quickly things changed."
Pace: From A Military Standpoint, Surge Is Working
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
July 16, 2007 – Militarily, the troop surge in Iraq is doing what it was supposed to do, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said here today. Marine Gen. Peter Pace arrived in Baghdad to consult with military leaders and to meet with U.S. troops.
His Baghdad assessment started with the flight from Baghdad International Airport to the heavily fortified International Zone downtown. "What you saw were lots of cars, lots of trucks, markets that were open, gas stations with lines and an awful lot of activity," Pace told reporters traveling with him.
There appeared to be more activity today than during his last visit, in April, he said.
Pace met with Multinational Force Iraq Commander Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, Multinational Corps Iraq Commander Army Lt. Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, and Army Lt. Gen. James Dubik, the man responsible for training the Iraqi security forces.
In a meeting with U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker, Pace spoke about political progress in the country. He said the Iraqi parliament has passed more than 60 laws and continues to work on major bills that the coalition would like to see.
Several important pieces of legislation -- the Hydrocarbon Law for sharing the country's oil wealth, De-Baathification Law, Local Election Law, Reconciliation Law, and Constitutional Reform -- are contentious, and the government and the major political parties continue to work on these, Pace said.
"The surge is having very good, positive results on the streets of Baghdad," Pace said. "We have yet to see the political results you would hope to see, given the energy the Iraqis are putting in to their discussions with each other."
Military leaders are positive about the tangible aspects of the surge. Overall violence is down, and the additional forces have allowed coalition and Iraqi forces to go into neighborhoods where they formerly did not have a presence. The additional forces also are helping coalition and Iraqi forces to hold areas once they are cleared. Multinational Force Iraq officials said more than 50 percent of Baghdad has been cleared of terrorist groups and is being held.
Odierno told Pace that he is confident of the ability of the Iraqi army units with which he is working.
Military successes aside, officials still are concerned with morale and stress on families, Pace said. "The troops feel good about the job they are doing, but they do have families at home," he said. "This is an all-volunteer force, and we need to respect that fact."
The general said concern about families is not the only driving force, but it is a factor when he makes recommendations to civilian leaders. "We will look at all possibilities, then factor in reality, which include stress on the force, the political environment in Baghdad, it includes the political environment in Washington."
But, he added, military advice needs to be based initially on what's best to do militarily. "For me, that includes the long-term health of our armed forces," Pace said. "That's what I'm looking at: the actions to be taken on the ground, plus the impact of those actions taken on the ground to the long-term health and well-being of the force, and that includes our families."
American Forces Press Service
July 16, 2007 – Militarily, the troop surge in Iraq is doing what it was supposed to do, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said here today. Marine Gen. Peter Pace arrived in Baghdad to consult with military leaders and to meet with U.S. troops.
His Baghdad assessment started with the flight from Baghdad International Airport to the heavily fortified International Zone downtown. "What you saw were lots of cars, lots of trucks, markets that were open, gas stations with lines and an awful lot of activity," Pace told reporters traveling with him.
There appeared to be more activity today than during his last visit, in April, he said.
Pace met with Multinational Force Iraq Commander Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, Multinational Corps Iraq Commander Army Lt. Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, and Army Lt. Gen. James Dubik, the man responsible for training the Iraqi security forces.
In a meeting with U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker, Pace spoke about political progress in the country. He said the Iraqi parliament has passed more than 60 laws and continues to work on major bills that the coalition would like to see.
Several important pieces of legislation -- the Hydrocarbon Law for sharing the country's oil wealth, De-Baathification Law, Local Election Law, Reconciliation Law, and Constitutional Reform -- are contentious, and the government and the major political parties continue to work on these, Pace said.
"The surge is having very good, positive results on the streets of Baghdad," Pace said. "We have yet to see the political results you would hope to see, given the energy the Iraqis are putting in to their discussions with each other."
Military leaders are positive about the tangible aspects of the surge. Overall violence is down, and the additional forces have allowed coalition and Iraqi forces to go into neighborhoods where they formerly did not have a presence. The additional forces also are helping coalition and Iraqi forces to hold areas once they are cleared. Multinational Force Iraq officials said more than 50 percent of Baghdad has been cleared of terrorist groups and is being held.
Odierno told Pace that he is confident of the ability of the Iraqi army units with which he is working.
Military successes aside, officials still are concerned with morale and stress on families, Pace said. "The troops feel good about the job they are doing, but they do have families at home," he said. "This is an all-volunteer force, and we need to respect that fact."
The general said concern about families is not the only driving force, but it is a factor when he makes recommendations to civilian leaders. "We will look at all possibilities, then factor in reality, which include stress on the force, the political environment in Baghdad, it includes the political environment in Washington."
But, he added, military advice needs to be based initially on what's best to do militarily. "For me, that includes the long-term health of our armed forces," Pace said. "That's what I'm looking at: the actions to be taken on the ground, plus the impact of those actions taken on the ground to the long-term health and well-being of the force, and that includes our families."
Sunday, June 03, 2007
Too Soon to Say if U.S., Coalition Winning Terror War, Gates Says
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
June 3, 2007 – It's too soon to say if the United States and its coalition partners are winning the war on terror, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here yesterday. Gates comments came as federal authorities in the United States announced they had broken up a suspected terrorist cell planning attacks at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport.
Gates, here for the International Institute of Strategic Studies' Asia Security Summit, cited "heartening developments" in the short term, but emphasized that long-term challenges remain.
"It is early in the struggle," he told Asian defense and military leaders participating in the conference. "Some very positive things have been accomplished, but the danger remains very great and is going to require even more intense collaboration."
Gates credited unprecedented international collaboration with preventing a second Sept. 11-type attack in the United States.
"A degree of international cooperation has developed that, in many respects, would have been unthinkable prior to 9/11," he said. "So there is a wealth of sharing of information among almost all countries."
In addition, there's widespread cooperation in helping prevent terrorist attacks from happening and bringing terrorists to justice, he said.
"There is a growing understanding of need to work together in places like Afghanistan to prevent failed states or states in trouble from becoming failed states that may become safe havens to terrorist groups," he said.
Gates hailed the elimination of an al Qaeda sanctuary in Afghanistan, but emphasized that al Qaeda is far from beaten. "We still have to deal with their activities elsewhere," he said.
The secretary said he has a map showing countries with al Qaeda cells, affiliated terrorist cells, or cells that want to be affiliated with al Qaeda. "It's a lot of countries," he told the group. "Clearly they are expanding. So the challenge is there."
Gates said a key to tackling that challenge is to gain a better understanding of how violent extremist ideological is able to take hold.
"On the negative side of the ledger, I think we have not made enough progress in trying to address some of the root causes of terrorism in some of these societies, whether it is economic deprivation or despotism that leads to alienation," he said.
But the secretary acknowledged that other, more complicated factors come into play, too. "One of the disturbing things about many of the terrorists that have been caught is that these are not ignorant, poor people," he said. "These are educated people, often from professional families. So dealing with poverty and those issues is not going to eliminate the problem, but it certainly can reduce the pool of people prepared to give their lives for this cause."
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
June 3, 2007 – It's too soon to say if the United States and its coalition partners are winning the war on terror, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here yesterday. Gates comments came as federal authorities in the United States announced they had broken up a suspected terrorist cell planning attacks at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport.
Gates, here for the International Institute of Strategic Studies' Asia Security Summit, cited "heartening developments" in the short term, but emphasized that long-term challenges remain.
"It is early in the struggle," he told Asian defense and military leaders participating in the conference. "Some very positive things have been accomplished, but the danger remains very great and is going to require even more intense collaboration."
Gates credited unprecedented international collaboration with preventing a second Sept. 11-type attack in the United States.
"A degree of international cooperation has developed that, in many respects, would have been unthinkable prior to 9/11," he said. "So there is a wealth of sharing of information among almost all countries."
In addition, there's widespread cooperation in helping prevent terrorist attacks from happening and bringing terrorists to justice, he said.
"There is a growing understanding of need to work together in places like Afghanistan to prevent failed states or states in trouble from becoming failed states that may become safe havens to terrorist groups," he said.
Gates hailed the elimination of an al Qaeda sanctuary in Afghanistan, but emphasized that al Qaeda is far from beaten. "We still have to deal with their activities elsewhere," he said.
The secretary said he has a map showing countries with al Qaeda cells, affiliated terrorist cells, or cells that want to be affiliated with al Qaeda. "It's a lot of countries," he told the group. "Clearly they are expanding. So the challenge is there."
Gates said a key to tackling that challenge is to gain a better understanding of how violent extremist ideological is able to take hold.
"On the negative side of the ledger, I think we have not made enough progress in trying to address some of the root causes of terrorism in some of these societies, whether it is economic deprivation or despotism that leads to alienation," he said.
But the secretary acknowledged that other, more complicated factors come into play, too. "One of the disturbing things about many of the terrorists that have been caught is that these are not ignorant, poor people," he said. "These are educated people, often from professional families. So dealing with poverty and those issues is not going to eliminate the problem, but it certainly can reduce the pool of people prepared to give their lives for this cause."
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
Friday, May 11, 2007
Bush Asks for Time, Resources for Iraq Security Plan to Succeed
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
May 10, 2007 – The new security plan for Baghdad needs a chance to succeed, and troops serving in Iraq deserve the resources they need to make sure it does, President Bush said at the Pentagon today. Bush spoke to reporters following a two-hour meeting with Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and other defense and military leaders.
The president said he considers it ironic that the Senate unanimously approved Army Gen. David H. Petraeus to serve as commander of Multinational Force Iraq after hearing details of his security plan but isn't showing a willingness to give that plan a chance to work.
Even before the troop surge is fully implemented to step up security in Baghdad, Bush said, some in Congress are asking when the drawdown can begin.
He noted that three additional U.S. brigades included in the surge have taken up positions and begun operations alongside three additional Iraqi brigades. A fourth U.S. brigade just arrived in Baghdad, and a fifth brigade is slated to arrive in mid-June.
"So it's going to be another month before all the additional troops that General Petraeus has requested are on the ground and carrying out their missions in Iraq," Bush said.
Initial indications are that this effort is working, the president said, with coalition troops and Iraqi security forces working side by side to reduce sectarian violence. "With increased presence, there's increased confidence, and with increased confidence becomes increased information -- information that forces can use to go after extremists to bring down sectarian violence that plagued the capital city," he said.
Sectarian murders have dropped significantly, he said, although terrorists and insurgents appear to be ratcheting up high-profile attacks. "As we have surged our forces, al Qaeda is responding with their own surge," Bush said.
He called these attacks "part of a calculated campaign" to shake Iraqi confidence and American will.
Compounding this, Bush said, is that troops are now operating in parts of Iraq where terrorists and militias previously had sanctuary. "As they continue to do so, our commanders have made clear that our troops will face more fighting and increased risks in the weeks and months ahead," the president said.
Bush praised the U.S. troops serving in harm's way in Iraq and said they need the resources and flexibility to do the job that's been asked of them.
He urged quick passage of a new emergency war-spending bill to ensure they're fully funded and equipped.
The president vetoed a previous $93.4 billion bill because it stipulated that U.S. combat troops be out of Iraq by Aug. 31, 2008. Bush said he rejects establishing a deadline for troop withdrawals and also opposed non-war-related costs included in the bill.
The president insisted that decisions about troop numbers must be based by conditions on the ground, "not based on politics or the latest opinion polls."
He urged patience to allow time for the Iraq security plan to work and to give Petraeus an opportunity to assess its progress. Petraeus is expected to report his findings to Bush, Pentagon leaders and Congress in September.
"My attitude is, General Petraeus' plan ought to be given a chance to work, and we need to give the troops under his command the resources they need to prevail," the president said.
Bush acknowledged that it's fair to debate issues concerning Iraq, but insisted it's unfair to put troops in the middle of that debate by holding their funding hostage.
"Whatever your beliefs may be, let's make sure the troops get funded. Don't hamstring people in the field," he said. "Time's running out because the longer we wait (to get an approved funding bill), the more strain we're going to put on the military."
The consequences of failing in Iraq would be devastating not just to Iraq and the region, but also to the United States, he said
It would send a dangerous signal to terrorists, enabling them to increase their influence around the world. Even more concerning, Bush said, is that it would embolden al Qaeda to launch another deadly attack against the United States.
That recognition changes the stakes and the importance of the debate taking place in Washington about the war, Bush said.
Debating only about how fast to withdraw troops doesn't get to the heart of the issue, he said. "The debate ought to be what do we need to do to make sure that we not only don't fail, but succeed," he said. "It's vital we succeed."
Article sponsored by police officers who have written books on law enforcement jobs; as well as those involved in writing on leadership.
American Forces Press Service
May 10, 2007 – The new security plan for Baghdad needs a chance to succeed, and troops serving in Iraq deserve the resources they need to make sure it does, President Bush said at the Pentagon today. Bush spoke to reporters following a two-hour meeting with Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and other defense and military leaders.
The president said he considers it ironic that the Senate unanimously approved Army Gen. David H. Petraeus to serve as commander of Multinational Force Iraq after hearing details of his security plan but isn't showing a willingness to give that plan a chance to work.
Even before the troop surge is fully implemented to step up security in Baghdad, Bush said, some in Congress are asking when the drawdown can begin.
He noted that three additional U.S. brigades included in the surge have taken up positions and begun operations alongside three additional Iraqi brigades. A fourth U.S. brigade just arrived in Baghdad, and a fifth brigade is slated to arrive in mid-June.
"So it's going to be another month before all the additional troops that General Petraeus has requested are on the ground and carrying out their missions in Iraq," Bush said.
Initial indications are that this effort is working, the president said, with coalition troops and Iraqi security forces working side by side to reduce sectarian violence. "With increased presence, there's increased confidence, and with increased confidence becomes increased information -- information that forces can use to go after extremists to bring down sectarian violence that plagued the capital city," he said.
Sectarian murders have dropped significantly, he said, although terrorists and insurgents appear to be ratcheting up high-profile attacks. "As we have surged our forces, al Qaeda is responding with their own surge," Bush said.
He called these attacks "part of a calculated campaign" to shake Iraqi confidence and American will.
Compounding this, Bush said, is that troops are now operating in parts of Iraq where terrorists and militias previously had sanctuary. "As they continue to do so, our commanders have made clear that our troops will face more fighting and increased risks in the weeks and months ahead," the president said.
Bush praised the U.S. troops serving in harm's way in Iraq and said they need the resources and flexibility to do the job that's been asked of them.
He urged quick passage of a new emergency war-spending bill to ensure they're fully funded and equipped.
The president vetoed a previous $93.4 billion bill because it stipulated that U.S. combat troops be out of Iraq by Aug. 31, 2008. Bush said he rejects establishing a deadline for troop withdrawals and also opposed non-war-related costs included in the bill.
The president insisted that decisions about troop numbers must be based by conditions on the ground, "not based on politics or the latest opinion polls."
He urged patience to allow time for the Iraq security plan to work and to give Petraeus an opportunity to assess its progress. Petraeus is expected to report his findings to Bush, Pentagon leaders and Congress in September.
"My attitude is, General Petraeus' plan ought to be given a chance to work, and we need to give the troops under his command the resources they need to prevail," the president said.
Bush acknowledged that it's fair to debate issues concerning Iraq, but insisted it's unfair to put troops in the middle of that debate by holding their funding hostage.
"Whatever your beliefs may be, let's make sure the troops get funded. Don't hamstring people in the field," he said. "Time's running out because the longer we wait (to get an approved funding bill), the more strain we're going to put on the military."
The consequences of failing in Iraq would be devastating not just to Iraq and the region, but also to the United States, he said
It would send a dangerous signal to terrorists, enabling them to increase their influence around the world. Even more concerning, Bush said, is that it would embolden al Qaeda to launch another deadly attack against the United States.
That recognition changes the stakes and the importance of the debate taking place in Washington about the war, Bush said.
Debating only about how fast to withdraw troops doesn't get to the heart of the issue, he said. "The debate ought to be what do we need to do to make sure that we not only don't fail, but succeed," he said. "It's vital we succeed."
Article sponsored by police officers who have written books on law enforcement jobs; as well as those involved in writing on leadership.
Friday, April 20, 2007
Military Leaders Must Keep Faith With Troops, Says Top Enlisted Leader
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
April 20, 2007 – Troops continue to trust senior military leaders, but they will lose that trust if the military does not keep its promises, Army Command Sgt. Maj. William J. Gainey said here today. "They trust us, and we just cannot let them down," said Gainey, the senior enlisted advisor to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
While the chairman, Marine Gen. Peter Pace, participated in meetings with U.S. and Iraqi leaders in Iraq, he asked Gainey to meet and speak with servicemembers across Baghdad.
Gainey specifically wanted to assess what effect the new 15-month deployment policy is having on soldiers. Under the policy, active-duty Army units will deploy to the U.S. Central Command area of operations for 15 months. The units will then be guaranteed 12 months at home station before deploying again. The policy does not affect reserve component soldiers or the other services.
Gainey said it is a good policy because it allows the Army to surge to and maintain 20 brigade combat teams in Iraq through the summer. It also allows units deploying to Iraq the ability to complete their training, he said. "Had they not done this, we'd have had five brigades deploying before they finished training," he said.
The sergeant major visited soldiers of the 3rd Infantry Division, which includes some soldiers on their third rotation to Iraq. "I walked around and spoke to soldiers where they worked," Gainey said. "They are concerned, but they are willing to soldier on because they are soldiers."
Some of the soldiers, he said, are worried that the emphasis on units in the deployment will make the Army lose sight of the individual. "They want the Army to consider 'boots on the ground' time, not units on the ground time," he said. Some soldiers come into country in the advance party for units or stay longer. The feeling is that they should receive credit for all the time they spent on the ground.
The next day, Gainey visited soldiers at Forward Operating Base Callahan in the middle of Baghdad. It is a new FOB and the 82nd Airborne Division unit there had to secure the area, defend and fortify it, and begin patrolling. The FOB is in an old burned-out shopping mall right in the middle of the city. "It's like a seven-story Alamo," Gainey said.
The soldiers battle heat, lousy living conditions, isolation and pigeons. "The birds have nested inside the building and they are everywhere," he said. "And then you still have to deal with the enemy."
The soldiers in the FOB have been hit a few times by rocket-propelled grenades and the like, but nothing that has yet penetrated the defenses. "But the troopers go out on constant mounted and dismounted patrols," Gainey said. "They see they are making a difference in that area of Baghdad, and they are proud of what they do, and what they have overcome."
Gainey said the place reminds him of an earlier deployment, when his unit lived in a tractor factory in Bosnia. "It's the pits, but they are making the best of it," he said.
Finally, the sergeant major traveled to FOB Warhorse. The soldiers of the 1st Cavalry Division there told Gainey that they were concerned about what happens under the new policy when a soldier finishes a tour with one unit and then is transferred to another unit that is getting ready to deploy.
The soldiers had no problem serving alongside reserve component soldiers who will be mobilized and deployed for 12-months, Gainey said, because active-duty soldiers understand the National Guard and Army Reserve serve differently.
The soldiers have more of a problem with why the different services have different deployment tempos, he said. "We need to do a better job of explaining why the services deploy the way they do," he said.
Gainey said all the soldiers he met were motivated and ready to do their missions. The soldiers at Callahan and Warhorse are extremely focused on their combat mission, he said. "You can see it in their eyes," said Marine Gunnery Sgt. Stevie Soanes, who accompanied Gainey on his trip. "They are very intense."
All the soldiers were annoyed that their families found out about the new Army policy before they did. "The soldiers told me their morale crashed when that happened," Gainey said. "I hope whoever leaked that to the press is happy with himself."
All the soldiers still trust defense leaders, but they are watching, Gainey said.
"They are looking at the way we respond to the deployment cycle," he said. "We cannot break this 15-12 contract. Military leaders would lose all credibility, and that would hurt the country."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
April 20, 2007 – Troops continue to trust senior military leaders, but they will lose that trust if the military does not keep its promises, Army Command Sgt. Maj. William J. Gainey said here today. "They trust us, and we just cannot let them down," said Gainey, the senior enlisted advisor to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
While the chairman, Marine Gen. Peter Pace, participated in meetings with U.S. and Iraqi leaders in Iraq, he asked Gainey to meet and speak with servicemembers across Baghdad.
Gainey specifically wanted to assess what effect the new 15-month deployment policy is having on soldiers. Under the policy, active-duty Army units will deploy to the U.S. Central Command area of operations for 15 months. The units will then be guaranteed 12 months at home station before deploying again. The policy does not affect reserve component soldiers or the other services.
Gainey said it is a good policy because it allows the Army to surge to and maintain 20 brigade combat teams in Iraq through the summer. It also allows units deploying to Iraq the ability to complete their training, he said. "Had they not done this, we'd have had five brigades deploying before they finished training," he said.
The sergeant major visited soldiers of the 3rd Infantry Division, which includes some soldiers on their third rotation to Iraq. "I walked around and spoke to soldiers where they worked," Gainey said. "They are concerned, but they are willing to soldier on because they are soldiers."
Some of the soldiers, he said, are worried that the emphasis on units in the deployment will make the Army lose sight of the individual. "They want the Army to consider 'boots on the ground' time, not units on the ground time," he said. Some soldiers come into country in the advance party for units or stay longer. The feeling is that they should receive credit for all the time they spent on the ground.
The next day, Gainey visited soldiers at Forward Operating Base Callahan in the middle of Baghdad. It is a new FOB and the 82nd Airborne Division unit there had to secure the area, defend and fortify it, and begin patrolling. The FOB is in an old burned-out shopping mall right in the middle of the city. "It's like a seven-story Alamo," Gainey said.
The soldiers battle heat, lousy living conditions, isolation and pigeons. "The birds have nested inside the building and they are everywhere," he said. "And then you still have to deal with the enemy."
The soldiers in the FOB have been hit a few times by rocket-propelled grenades and the like, but nothing that has yet penetrated the defenses. "But the troopers go out on constant mounted and dismounted patrols," Gainey said. "They see they are making a difference in that area of Baghdad, and they are proud of what they do, and what they have overcome."
Gainey said the place reminds him of an earlier deployment, when his unit lived in a tractor factory in Bosnia. "It's the pits, but they are making the best of it," he said.
Finally, the sergeant major traveled to FOB Warhorse. The soldiers of the 1st Cavalry Division there told Gainey that they were concerned about what happens under the new policy when a soldier finishes a tour with one unit and then is transferred to another unit that is getting ready to deploy.
The soldiers had no problem serving alongside reserve component soldiers who will be mobilized and deployed for 12-months, Gainey said, because active-duty soldiers understand the National Guard and Army Reserve serve differently.
The soldiers have more of a problem with why the different services have different deployment tempos, he said. "We need to do a better job of explaining why the services deploy the way they do," he said.
Gainey said all the soldiers he met were motivated and ready to do their missions. The soldiers at Callahan and Warhorse are extremely focused on their combat mission, he said. "You can see it in their eyes," said Marine Gunnery Sgt. Stevie Soanes, who accompanied Gainey on his trip. "They are very intense."
All the soldiers were annoyed that their families found out about the new Army policy before they did. "The soldiers told me their morale crashed when that happened," Gainey said. "I hope whoever leaked that to the press is happy with himself."
All the soldiers still trust defense leaders, but they are watching, Gainey said.
"They are looking at the way we respond to the deployment cycle," he said. "We cannot break this 15-12 contract. Military leaders would lose all credibility, and that would hurt the country."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Thursday, February 01, 2007
Helicopters Attack Insurgents Placing Roadside Bomb in Iraq
American Forces Press Service
Jan. 31, 2007 – Helicopters from Multinational Division Baghdad engaged insurgents preparing to emplace a roadside bomb south of the Iraqi capital today. Elsewhere in Iraq, U.S. and coalition troops found several weapons caches in recent days. Around 11:50 p.m. yesterday, U.S. air assets positively identified four insurgents digging on the shoulder of a road in Mahmudiyah and emplacing an improvised explosive device. Helicopters engaged the four-man insurgent team, killing two.
In other news, Iraqi and U.S. troops have found several weapons caches in recent days.
Iraqi troops and U.S. soldiers from Multinational Division Baghdad found a large military-equipment cache near an eastern Baghdad warehouse Jan. 29. Troops with the 2nd Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, and the U.S. Army's 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, discovered the cache, which included 200 pairs of military boots, 150 helmets, 150 flak vests, 75 armor plates, an improvised explosive device initiator, U.S. military field rations, and a variety of uniforms, including U.S. uniforms.
"There was enough gear in there to outfit a battalion," said Army Capt. James Ojeda, a fire support trainer with the brigade's Military Transition Team.
A few of the items were already being sold on the open market, Ojeda said, but most were still in the warehouse. The items in the market were discovered by chance when a brigade senior noncommissioned officer spotted them while returning from a combat logistics patrol. The items in the market were seized on the spot, and this led to the cordon-and-search mission, which uncovered the cache.
Ojeda gave high marks to the Iraqi troops, for both this mission and their overall performance. "They're performing well," he said. "The vast majority of missions we do are planned and executed by them, with our support."
He said this situation is different than that during his last Iraq deployment. "If you look at it compared to 2004, ... it's a huge difference," he said. "We had to hold their hand then. Now they're executing missions."
The equipment was seized to prevent uniforms and equipment from falling into insurgent hands.
In a separate mission that day, soldiers from 1st Battalion, 1st Brigade, 5th Iraqi Army Division, discovered a weapons cache consisting of 34 mortar rounds east of As Sadiya.
Iraqi security forces were conducting a patrol near Sachooch Village when the discovery was made. They were in the village after local leaders asked for increased presence by Iraqi security forces. Local officials told Iraqi military leaders of concerns about sectarian attacks and of their desire to live together as they have for centuries.
"The people have a desire to live in peace, and they have enough confidence in the (Iraqi forces) to provide assessments of areas being affected by the terrorists. The people do not want the terrorists disrupting their lives," said Army Col. David W. Sutherland, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, commander and senior coalition officer in Diyala province.
Elsewhere in Iraq, Iraqi soldiers from 2nd Brigade, 5th Iraqi Army Division, and U.S. soldiers from 1-12 Combined Arms Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, discovered an improvised-explosive-device cache east of Baqubah on Jan. 28. The cache consisted of electrical blasting caps, electrical connectors, a remote firing system, and four bundles of explosives.
"These resources would have been used by the terrorists to continue to wage their war against the people of Diyala," Sutherland said.
Also that day, soldiers from 1st Brigade, 5th Iraqi Army Division and 5th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, discovered 1,500 rounds of heavy machine gun ammunition while conducting operations in the Turki village area.
Earlier this week, Iraqi soldiers detained eight suspected terrorists Jan. 28 at the Karch oil facility, just northeast of Lutifiyah. After responding to small-arms fire near the oil facility, troops from 1st Battalion, 4th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, conducted a search. They discovered and detained eight Iraqi men with illegal weapons. One Iraqi soldier was slightly wounded in the incident.
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and active, former and retired police and military personnel who have become authors by writing books.
Jan. 31, 2007 – Helicopters from Multinational Division Baghdad engaged insurgents preparing to emplace a roadside bomb south of the Iraqi capital today. Elsewhere in Iraq, U.S. and coalition troops found several weapons caches in recent days. Around 11:50 p.m. yesterday, U.S. air assets positively identified four insurgents digging on the shoulder of a road in Mahmudiyah and emplacing an improvised explosive device. Helicopters engaged the four-man insurgent team, killing two.
In other news, Iraqi and U.S. troops have found several weapons caches in recent days.
Iraqi troops and U.S. soldiers from Multinational Division Baghdad found a large military-equipment cache near an eastern Baghdad warehouse Jan. 29. Troops with the 2nd Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, and the U.S. Army's 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, discovered the cache, which included 200 pairs of military boots, 150 helmets, 150 flak vests, 75 armor plates, an improvised explosive device initiator, U.S. military field rations, and a variety of uniforms, including U.S. uniforms.
"There was enough gear in there to outfit a battalion," said Army Capt. James Ojeda, a fire support trainer with the brigade's Military Transition Team.
A few of the items were already being sold on the open market, Ojeda said, but most were still in the warehouse. The items in the market were discovered by chance when a brigade senior noncommissioned officer spotted them while returning from a combat logistics patrol. The items in the market were seized on the spot, and this led to the cordon-and-search mission, which uncovered the cache.
Ojeda gave high marks to the Iraqi troops, for both this mission and their overall performance. "They're performing well," he said. "The vast majority of missions we do are planned and executed by them, with our support."
He said this situation is different than that during his last Iraq deployment. "If you look at it compared to 2004, ... it's a huge difference," he said. "We had to hold their hand then. Now they're executing missions."
The equipment was seized to prevent uniforms and equipment from falling into insurgent hands.
In a separate mission that day, soldiers from 1st Battalion, 1st Brigade, 5th Iraqi Army Division, discovered a weapons cache consisting of 34 mortar rounds east of As Sadiya.
Iraqi security forces were conducting a patrol near Sachooch Village when the discovery was made. They were in the village after local leaders asked for increased presence by Iraqi security forces. Local officials told Iraqi military leaders of concerns about sectarian attacks and of their desire to live together as they have for centuries.
"The people have a desire to live in peace, and they have enough confidence in the (Iraqi forces) to provide assessments of areas being affected by the terrorists. The people do not want the terrorists disrupting their lives," said Army Col. David W. Sutherland, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, commander and senior coalition officer in Diyala province.
Elsewhere in Iraq, Iraqi soldiers from 2nd Brigade, 5th Iraqi Army Division, and U.S. soldiers from 1-12 Combined Arms Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, discovered an improvised-explosive-device cache east of Baqubah on Jan. 28. The cache consisted of electrical blasting caps, electrical connectors, a remote firing system, and four bundles of explosives.
"These resources would have been used by the terrorists to continue to wage their war against the people of Diyala," Sutherland said.
Also that day, soldiers from 1st Brigade, 5th Iraqi Army Division and 5th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, discovered 1,500 rounds of heavy machine gun ammunition while conducting operations in the Turki village area.
Earlier this week, Iraqi soldiers detained eight suspected terrorists Jan. 28 at the Karch oil facility, just northeast of Lutifiyah. After responding to small-arms fire near the oil facility, troops from 1st Battalion, 4th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, conducted a search. They discovered and detained eight Iraqi men with illegal weapons. One Iraqi soldier was slightly wounded in the incident.
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and active, former and retired police and military personnel who have become authors by writing books.
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