Weapons of Mass Destruction

Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey A. Adams, USA (ret.) is a senior analyst in the Chemical and Biological Matters Division of Analytic Services (ANSER), Inc., a non-profit research institute in Arlington, Virginia. He is a retired U.S. Army Chemical Corps lieutenant colonel with more than 26 years of national and international experience in nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) warfare, counter proliferation, and homeland security issues. He is a recognized expert in foreign munitions, NBC agents, and NBC protection, detection, monitoring, and analysis equipment systems. Jeffrey A. Adams is the co-author of First Responders Guide to Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD): Practical techniques and Procedures for Responding to a Terrorist Incident Involving WMD.

According to the book description of First Responders Guide to Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD): Practical techniques and Procedures for Responding to a Terrorist Incident Involving WMD, “At the beginning of the 21st century, employment of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) against the U.S. homeland has become a reality. In the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, the biological warfare agent anthrax has been utilized to cause sickness, death, and otherwise terrorize U.S. citizens. Attacks involving other weapons of mass destruction such as chemical weapons or even radiological devices could follow. First Responders Guide to Weapons of Mass Destruction is a concise "shirt-pocket" reference for the first responder who may be called to a site where WMD have been employed. It is also a primer for the average citizen desiring practical information on threat agents and procedures for surviving a terrorism attack involving WMD. Unlike other references, this handbook covers nuclear and radiological weapons as well as chemical and biological weapons. The handbook presents straight-forward, easily understood, and potentially life-saving information.”

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Army Engineers Improve Iraqi City's Public Works

By A. Al Bharani
Special to American Forces Press Service

Jan. 15, 2008 - Army engineers are conducting a public works upgrade here, repairing streets and completing unfinished sewer work. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers started work on a Basra pavement and sewer project in November, said Ferdinand Guese, project engineer with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Gulf Region South District.

The new project aims to complete the paving of various streets in Maqil, a neighborhood in the northern part of the city, Guese said. It also entails completing work on an unfinished sewer construction project, finishing the repair of 20 linear meters of 2-foot-high masonry fence, and repairing a section of drainage pipe that was damaged during construction of the Basra sewers in 2006.

Alaa, a project engineer with Gulf Region South's Basra Area Office, said the Maqil road repair project will entail putting a 5-centimeter overlay over the existing 10-centimeter pavement on the roads.

"The contractor supplies all the equipment, labor and materials necessary to pave 10,700 linear meters of street with asphalt in Al-Maqil neighborhood," he said.

Guese said the $1.7 million project will directly and indirectly provide jobs to more than 75 Iraqis in the city.

"Al-Maqil district ... is in close proximity to many Iraqi security forces facilities that include the Shat Al-Arab Hotel, an important Iraqi army facility in Basra city, Basra prison, and various police stations," Guese said

"After the turnover of security control of Basra province from the British to the Iraqi army in December, Al-Maqil and its surrounding Iraqi security forces facilities gained increased prominence in maintaining control of the area," he said.

The road rehabilitation in the area is seen as a very positive thing and has the full support of the local population, he added.

"I'm very happy to see the construction work on these streets which have been neglected more than 20 years," an Iraqi citizen who lives in Al-Maqil neighborhood said. "The residents here highly appreciate the improvements that have taken place in their neighborhood."

(A. Al Bahrani is a public affairs specialist with the Gulf Region South District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Iraq.)

CBR Weapons and WMD Terrorism News- January 14, 2008

Tucson [Arizona] firm forms joint venture to detect biological threats
“A Tucson-based biotech company is teaming with a Maryland firm to create devices they say will quickly detect biological threats. Tucson's BioVigilant Systems Inc. will provide Rockville, Md.-based Innovative Biosensors Inc. with its hardware that detects biological agents. Innovative Biosensors, in turn, will provide collection and biological-identification products. The federal government, since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks has pushed local authorities to detect the presence of biological weapons, such as anthrax. However, no contract yet exists for the new, joint venture.” (Arizona Daily Star, 14jan08, Jack Gillum)
http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/220433

Idaho Technology, Inc. Plague And Tularemia Detection Kits Receive FDA [U.S. Food and Drug Administration] Clearance
“Idaho Technology, Inc. (ITI), a molecular biology instrumentation and reagents business in Salt Lake City, Utah, is proud to announce clearance from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for marketing of two new biothreat detection kits, the JBAIDS [Joint Biological Agent Identification and Diagnostic System] Plague and JBAIDS Tularemia Detection Kits. Both kits utilize real-time PCR [polymerase chain reaction] technology to identify the causative agents of plague (Yersinia pestis) and tularemia (Francisella tularensis).” (Medical Design Online,
14Jan08)
http://www.medicaldesignonline.com/content/news/article.asp?docid=%7B03DCCC1D-4FA5-4CD8-9E79-4B899F683035%7D&VNETCOOKIE=NO

U.S. attorney's office accused of anthrax case leaks
“Attorneys for the former Army physician who was branded a ‘person of interest’ in the deadly 2001 anthrax mailings named three federal officials Friday who they said leaked investigative details that harmed their client. The physician, Steven J. Hatfill, has not been charged with a crime and maintains his innocence. Hatfill is suing the FBI, the Justice Department and a handful of present and former law enforcement officials.
He alleges that the leaks were illegal, damaged his reputation and violated his right to privacy. ‘We have identified three of the leakers who were previously anonymous,’ one of Hatfill's attorneys, Mark A.Grannis, said near the outset of a sparsely attended hearing in federal court. ‘Some of the most damaging information leaked in this case [came] straight out of the U.S. attorney's office.’” (Los Angeles Times, 12Jan08, David Willman) http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-na-anthrax12jan12,1,5104105.story?coll=la-news-a_section

Clinton calls for funds to bio program
“Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton called on President Bush this week to commit funds to a federal program known as BioWatch, an initiative to deploy bioweapons sensors to detect the airborne release of biological warfare agents. Clinton cited news reports indicating that city officials have ‘faced resistance’ from the Bush administration in deploying the sensors, which cost roughly $100,000 each.” (Metro New York, 11Jan08, Joshua Rhett
Miller)
http://ny.metro.us/metro/local/article/Clinton_calls_for_funds_to_bio_program/11386.html

UK-Russia diplomatic row worsens
“A diplomatic row between Russia and the UK has intensified after Britain reopened two regional cultural offices, defying a Moscow order to shut them. Russia accused Britain of ‘intentional provocation’ and said it would refuse new visas to British Council staff. The UK ambassador, who was summoned by the Russian foreign ministry, said the offices will remain open. They were ordered to shut last month in a continuing dispute over ex-KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko's death in London.” (BBC News, 14Jan08) http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7186718.stm

EPA [U.S. Environmental Protection Agency] grant makes for a better environment
“The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) has awarded nearly $700,000 to Dionysios Dionysiou and coworkers to study processes used to purify drinking water. The USEPA awarded the grant of $698,689 to the University of Cincinnati to establish a baseline understanding of how toxins produced by cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) can be changed by exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light, a process used to disinfect drinking water. The research will be critical to developing cost-efficient UV technologies to treat water contaminated by such toxins. Dionysiou is also investigating treatment of algae-contaminated water specifically using sunlight and an environmentally friendly catalyst. ‘Some of the cyanobacterial toxins are even more toxic than the venom produced by many poisonous snakes,’ says Dionysiou, associate professor of environmental engineering. ‘These toxins have even been included in the list of chemical or biological warfare agents.’” (Nanowerk, 12Jan08, University of Cincinnati) http://www.nanowerk.com/news/newsid=4029.php

Trying to Get Ahead of the Herd
“In the race to build a national defense against chemical and biological weapons, Annapolis-based PharmAthene is putting its money on an unlikely horse. Or goat, actually, one with unique properties to enable researchers' development of a drug that would foil the neurological effects of chemical weapons. PharmAthene has a herd of 200 of the animals at its research facility in Canada. Now it wants to add another, at the USDA [U.S. Department of Agriculture]'s Beltsville Agricultural Research Center in Prince George's County [Maryland]. […] PharmAthene has found an ally in Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin (D-Md.) for its plans to expand its goat herd. A House-Senate conference committee this week could consider a measure Cardin inserted in the federal farm bill that would permit the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center to lease space to a nongovernmental agency. […] PharmAthene executives said their firm was not far behind in the race to produce drugs to battle chemical weapons and [also] anthrax.” (Washington Post, 14Jan08, Anita Huslin) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/13/AR2008011302330.html

Army unveils new name, sniffer vehicle for WMD school
“The U.S. Army's school for fighting chemical threats unveiled a new name Friday to reflect a broader focus on weapons of mass destruction. The U.S. Army Chemical School formally changed its name to the Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear School. Brig. Gen. Thomas Spoehr, chief of the Army Chemical Corps, acknowledged that ‘the name is a mouthful’ but said it reflects the increased importance of combating WMDs and the fact the school, has trained in those areas for years. […] Spoehr also showed off the school's new $6.5 million sniffer tank, a Stryker armored vehicle specially adapted for WMD reconnaissance that the general described as a huge advance over the predecessor Fox.” (Belleville News Democrat; 11Jan08; Marcus Kabel, AP) http://www.bnd.com/404/story/225167.html

Nuclear [and other WMD] Nonproliferation: DOE [U.S. Department of Energy]'s Program to Assist Weapons Scientists in Russia and Other Countries Needs to Be Reassessed
“To address concerns about unemployed or underemployed Soviet-era weapons scientists in Russia and other countries, the Department of Energy (DOE) established the Initiatives for Proliferation Prevention (IPP) program in 1994 to engage former Soviet weapons scientists in non-military work in the short term and create private sector jobs for these scientists in the long term. GAO assessed (1) DOE's reported accomplishments for the IPP program, (2) DOE's exit strategy for the program, and (3) the extent to which the program has experienced annual carryovers of unspent funds and the reasons for any such carryovers. To address these issues, GAO analyzed DOE policies, plans, and budgets and interviewed key program officials and representatives from 22 Russian and Ukrainian institutes. DOE has overstated accomplishments for the 2 critical measures it uses to assess the IPP program's progress and performance--the number of scientists receiving DOE support and the number of long-term, private sector jobs created.” (U.S. Government Accountability Office, 11Jan08 [Report dated 12Dec07])
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d08189.pdf

S[outh] Korea's incoming government denies it may join US-led security program targeting N[orth[ Korea
“South Korea's incoming government denied a local media report Saturday that it is considering participating in a U.S.-led program aimed at stopping the spread of weapons of mass destruction by countries such as North Korea. The Chosun Ilbo newspaper reported the incoming government of President-elect Lee Myung-bak was weighing a Foreign Ministry suggestion that the country should consider becoming a full member of the Proliferation Security Initiative, or PSI, which calls for stopping and searching ships suspected of carrying weapons of mass destruction. […] South Korea has only been an observer to the PSI program and Seoul has so far balked at U.S. requests to become a full member. The liberal-led government has said it does not want to provoke North Korea, which views the PSI program as a U.S. attempt to overthrow the communist regime.” (The China Post, 12Jan08, AP) http://www.chinapost.com.tw/headlines/2008/01/12/51695/SKorea's-incoming.htm

George Mason’s biodefense program is designed to educate the next generation of biodefense and biosecurity professionals. By combining a foundation in the biological sciences with a focus on policy analysis, it is the first program of its kind in the United States to offer a broad field of study in the defense against biological threats and other weapons of mass destruction. The risks posed by biological threats have increased substantially in recent years due to globalization, advances in science and technology, and the changing nature of conflict and security. As the United States embarks on a range of ambitious efforts to enhance its biosecurity, there is a greater need than ever to instill a strong intersection of knowledge of policy, science and technology across the national security community. The nature of the problem defines the nature of the solution: interdisciplinary, interagency, intergovernmental, and international. The Biodefense program at George Mason University is unique in this approach. If your career choice requires you to further your knowledge of biological warfare and bioterrorism, counterterrorism, WMD non-proliferation, homeland security, emergency planning and preparedness, or global health, we encourage you to apply. The department offers an MS and a PhD in biodefense.

Please visit http://pia.gmu.edu/grad/biod/ for more information.

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

Violence Eases in Southern Iraq, Brigade Commander Says

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

Jan. 7, 2008 - Violence has dropped in southern Iraq, but Iranian-influenced "special groups" remain a concern, the commander of the U.S. brigade that provides theater security said today. Army Col. Charles Flynn spoke to Pentagon reporters via teleconference from his headquarters at Coalition Operating Base Adder at Talil Air Base near Nasiriyah, Iraq. The 1st Brigade Combat Team of the 82nd Airborne Division has had the mission since July.

The brigade ensures that the ground lines of communication and supply lines to multinational forces remain open.

"We're not landowners per se, but our area of operations spans across every multinational division's battle space," Flynn said. "We range as far as south as the Kuwaiti border, extend as far north as the Balad Airfield and operate west all the way out to the Iraq-Jordanian border. And we essentially fight along the main and alternate supply routes throughout Iraq."

Flynn said that overall, security in southern Iraq is stable and improving. Jaysh al-Mahdi, a militia formed by Shiia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, has lost significant public support in the region, the colonel said. "As a result, we expect Muqtada al-Sadr to take a more active role in the political arena," he said.

Still, the 'special groups' – Shia groups that are trained, financed and take orders from Iranian extremists -- remain a concern. "We believe they'll continue to be influenced by those who seek to disrupt the government of Iraq and coalition forces," Flynn said.

Since July, the colonel told reporters, attacks on coalition and Iraqi bases have steadily declined. "I attribute this decline to Muqtada al-Sadr's standdown and the resulting fractures within Jaysh al-Mahdi," Flynn said. Increased patrols, improved intelligence, the use of joint security stations and better outreach also have helped, he said.

The brigade is working with Iraqi allies to reduce improvised explosive device attacks – especially those that use armor-piercing explosive projectiles. U.S. soldiers are working to build combat outposts along the supply routes, and are working to develop strong partnerships with Iraqi army and police units in the region.

The command also reached out to Iraqi civilians to organize road crews known as Community Transportation Improvement Teams throughout southern Iraq. The crews clean and maintain highways, Flynn said. "We have multiple contracts covering nearly 800 kilometers of highway," he said. "These crews remove debris, fill in holes, and their mere presence has reduced the ability of EFP and IED cells to operate."

The program has engaged local sheikhs and encouraged the population to participate in security, he said.

The colonel said the brigade's second line of operations is developing partnerships. U.S., Australian and Romanian troops, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the 10th Iraqi Army Division and the Iraqi police and highway forces have all worked together, he said.

With help from the provincial reconstruction teams of Dhi Qar, Muthanna and the Maysan province, "We've made huge gains with the provincial government leaders in delivering essential services," the colonel said.

The unit also is working with local authorities to protect the Great Ziggurat of Ur, near the base at Adder. The ziggurat – a pyramid-shaped tower -- is at least 4,000 years old and has been off-limits since Saddam Hussein's regime was toppled.

"We're working closely with the Ministry of Antiquities, our coalition partners and the PRT to preserve this site, along with refurbishing a visitor and conference center," Flynn said. "The goal is to return this rich and traditional historical site back to the Iraqi people and instill a sense of pride and achievement in the local population."

Partnerships with police and army units, though, remain the main focus for the brigade.

"Since arriving, our partnership has matured and we now conduct joint patrols and joint checkpoints," Flynn said. "This work is enabled by establishing those joint security stations to build trust and share information and intelligence. These are powerful positions as they afford U.S. and Iraqi forces to partner in defeating any extremist threats that may emerge."

Marne Soldiers Gear Up to Build Iraqi Army's 'Backbone'

By Spc. Emily J. Wilsoncroft, USA
Special to American Forces Press Service

Jan. 4, 2008 - "No one is more professional than I," states the U.S. Army's NCO Creed, and noncommissioned officers here are gearing up to instill the same pride and professionalism in their Iraq counterparts. The Task Force Marne NCO Academy at FOB Kalsu will welcome its first class of Iraqi soldiers Jan. 14.

"We're going to be teaching them everything – combat orders, combat medical, map-reading, mounted patrols, dismounted patrols, weapons, rules of engagement, duties and responsibilities," said Master Sgt. Michael Howle, the new training facility's commandant. "The instructors who were selected are supposed to be some of the best NCOs we have here."

Preparations for the academy have been under way for about five weeks, and the NCOs have built the academy from the ground up.

"We started this from scratch, nada, zero," Howle said. "A month ago, we had eight empty tents. Now we have four sleep tents, three classrooms and an office tent. We've also set up a (squad training exercise) lane on a one-and-a-half-mile stretch of our perimeter road, and we're having a shoot house built."

The classes will be small at first, with 20 soldiers in each of three platoons, Howle said. Subsequent classes will be larger, with the largest number of attendees projected at 180. Six instructors will be assigned to each platoon.

"We're building this place up for the Iraqis to take it over," said Master Sgt. Kenneth Romine, the academy's chief of operations. "Out of every class, we'll take three outstanding students to stay here and teach."

Training Iraqis to take over is a driving force for the NCOs running and teaching at the academy.

"Since this project kicked off, everyone's picked up a whole lot," said Staff Sgt. Mark Hooks, one of the program's instructors. "They all know that if we pull this off, we can hand it over and get out of here quicker."

He and the other instructors realize that this goal may not come to fruition right away, but they are remaining optimistic.

"It's going to take time to get their NCOs to the level we're at," said medical instructor Sgt. 1st Class James Phillips, who volunteered to teach at the NCO Academy for that very reason. "The sooner we can get them trained to teach their own people, the sooner we can get out of here."

During their last week of preparation before the first Iraqi soldiers arrive, the academy staff has been conducting full-dress rehearsals, covering everything from physical training to classroom material. Multinational Division Center Command Sgt. Maj. Jesse L. Andrews Jr. paid a New Year's Day visit to the NCOs there to check on their progress.

"You're doing a great job; I couldn't be more pleased," Andrews told the soldiers. "I really appreciate the hard work and dedication you're putting in here."

The academy's cadre has been training hard to be able to effectively impart the knowledge and experience they've gained over their years as NCOs, and are looking forward to pointing their new students in the right direction.

"This is a good step for the Iraqi army," said instructor Sgt. 1st Class Gerald Newton. "Once they get their NCO corps established, they'll be much better off."

Andrews shared a similar sentiment. "Over the years, it has been acknowledged that the NCO corps is the backbone of our Army," Andrews said. "Once the Iraqi NCOs get that, they'll get a better grip on their worth. They've got the combat experience. Now they need the institutional knowledge. You've got to have both."

(Army Spc. Emily J. Wilsoncroft serves with the Multinational Division Center Public Affairs Office.)

Sewer Project Helps Eastern Baghdad Community Clean Up Streets

By Norris Jones
Special to American Forces Press Service

Thousands of families in eastern Baghdad soon will have their neighborhoods free of raw sewage in the streets. Iraqi construction workers are completing a $30 million sewer project in Kamaliya, southeast of Sadr City. About 36 miles of sewer pipe has been installed, and 10 pump stations were built, with the largest having the capacity to move more than 2,000 cubic meters of water per hour.

"Residents there appreciate the improvements taking place," said Iraqi engineer Mustafa Haddad, who works for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. "For over two years, we've been working on this project, and the community has been very supportive. They were using slit trenches and wading through raw sewage to get to their homes, a definite health risk."

Haddad is the deputy resident engineer of the corps' Loyalty Office, located south of Sadr City. More than 20 Iraqi engineers work out of the office, overseeing more than $125 million in infrastructure improvements in eastern Baghdad, including school and hospital renovations, electric network upgrades, road paving and new water-treatment facilities.

Haddad has put up with mortars, one of his fellow Iraqi engineers was gunned down after visiting a school project, other office workers have been injured, and he personally has been targeted by insurgents and had to move his family to a different area.

"We're here because we know how important this work is for our country and our people. Yes, it's a difficult time. But those in need are looking for help, and we're going to continue to do everything we can to offer it to them," he said. "Their streets will soon be dry and clean. People in Kamaliya are seeing significant signs of progress."

Haddad, 29, earned a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from Baghdad's University of Technology.

"My family worries about me and the dangers I face, but they understand how important this work is," he said. "We need to keep making things better, and some day soon Iraq will turn the corner."

Apart from Kamaliya, Haddad is overseeing 20 other sewer projects in eastern Baghdad.

(Norris Jones is a public affairs officer with the Gulf Region Central district, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, in Iraq.)

Water Well Project Brings Gift of Life to Iraqi Villagers

By Master Sgt. Brian S. Orban, USAF
Special to American Forces Press Service

Dec. 18, 2007 - Cradled in his hands, Hamzah Zayd Kazim held the promise of a new beginning. The plastic bottle held nothing more than water drawn from a small hole tunneling more than 30 feet underground. But to the people living around the Iraqi village of Sedamine, the bottle held much more than just water. It meant regaining their livelihood and independence. This month, Kazim, a village contractor, with help from U.S. Army civil affairs officials, is working to restore the drinking water supply for the Iraqi town of Sedamine and four surrounding villages. By turning their underground discovery into a new well that will provide water for years to come, Kazim and the citizens of this community are improving the quality of their lives and the security of their neighborhoods.

In addition to providing clean water, the well will help prevent the spread of extremists in the area. With a new water supply, these villagers will no longer be vulnerable to terrorist attempts to control the region with promises of fresh water.

The village's water tower, built several years ago, remained filled from a nearby well and kept water flowing to the villages. But when the well dried up, the water tower stopped working and calls for help remained unanswered. Water from the nearby river proved undrinkable.

"Many of our people were forced to sell their animals because we didn't have any water for them to drink," said Shayikh Abu Husayn Ali Halal, leader of the Bin Sultan tribe.

The villages had no means to pay to drill another well or to run pipes to another source of water. The nearest source of drinking water was the city of Suwayrah, about 15 miles to the north.

But the villages remained determined to keep going. Each winter, they dug shallow wells by hand to collect rain water to drink, a Camp Sheejan spokesman said, cupping his hands together to illustrate.

But in the summer, they don't see a drop of rain for at least five months.

"In the summer, they have no way to collect water," the spokesman said. "Since most of them don't have cars, they would give a jerry can to a taxi driver and pay him to go out and bring back water."

"You prayed for the taxi to bring back your water, even if it was five gallons," said Shayikh Abu Hamid, leader of the Al Saidi tribe.

Despite the odds, the villages refused to weaken their stance against extremists and terrorists, avoiding the temptation to accept water and other favors from them in exchange for a safe haven from which to attack Iraqi and coalition forces. Instead, tribal leaders met with officials from Camp Sheejan for help. Initial attempts to fund the well construction project failed, but camp officials continued to push the project as their top priority, knowing these villages remained determined to keep extremists and terrorists out.

In early November, the needed money was finally approved.

The project's biggest challenge was finding a suitable source of water large enough to support the needs of five villages with a combined population of roughly 5,000 families, Kazim said. In some cases, drills must punch through 90 to 120 feet of compressed mud, rock and sand before they hit the water table lurking below.

Their worst fears were burrowing down 150 to 200 feet and bringing up black soil in the water sample. Black soil means the water contains salt or, even worse, phosphorous. It would mean having to drill elsewhere, delaying the project's construction.

Kazim's crew reached their goal after drilling just a few hours.

"We dug down a small hole to about 15 meters (35 feet), and we discovered a huge pocket of clear water; not salty," he said.

Cautiously optimistic, the technicians sent samples of this water to a laboratory for further testing. Their results confirmed his earlier hopes: It was safe to drink. The project could move ahead.

With the water source established, it was time to start the project's next phase, which included widening the hole leading to the water, followed by installing pumps, filtration systems and other infrastructure. The excitement continues to grow in the villages as the well project nears completion, according to Kazim. It'll prove especially vital during the summer, when daytime temperatures can easily top 120 degrees.

"The people digging my well gave me a guarantee that we can pull water from this well for at least 10 years. It is my responsibility for this well to have water available for our people 24 hours a day," he said while holding out the plastic bottle filled with what he called "top of the line" water.

The well project provided villagers temporary jobs and a direct role in their community's well-being, Kazim said. Villager assistance included technicians to dig the well and install the pump and filter systems, contractors to pour concrete for the well's base and security guards to keep watch over the project until the water starts flowing. Two people who live next to the water tower and have cared for it for nearly 30 years will serve as the well's maintenance staff.

"There are a lot of people that this well will bring lots of joy to when they can use it," said Shayikh Abu Husayn. "Words can't describe our people's reaction."

The well is one in a series of humanitarian projects U.S. civil affairs representatives are working to fund for these villages. Others topping the priority list include electricity restoration for nearby villages and extensive renovations to a school.

As the villages work to rebuild their communities and restore their lives, they have other plans to further protect their homes and towns from the extremist and terrorist threat. Among them is a concerned local citizens program. This all-volunteer organization offers local military and law enforcement officials an extra set of eyes to identify and report suspicious activity and people, giving them additional resources to keep their homes safe from the threat of these militants.

"They're a great ally to have," the Camp Sheejan official said.

(Air Force Master Sgt. Brian S. Orban serves with Special Operations Task Force Central.)

Chairman Stresses Commitment to Conditions-Based Redeployments

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

Dec. 18, 2007 - The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said today he is firmly committed to allowing conditions on the ground in Iraq to dictate his future advice. In an interview, Navy Adm. Michael G. Mullen -- who isin Iraq leading a USO Holiday Tour to entertain U.S. troops in seven countries – noted that the first of five surge brigades has left the country, with all five slated to leave by July if events proceed well.

The number of combat brigades – or their Marine equivalents – will drop from 19 to 15.

The surge is working, and incidents of violence have dropped across the country, Mullen said. The people of Anbar province, a Sunni area once dominated by al Qaeda, have made common ground with Marines and soldiers, and are working against the terrorist group.

Ninevah province once needed a division to maintain order. Today there is a U.S. Army battalion and two Iraqi divisions. "A lot of events occurred that couldn't be predicted," Mullen said. "Clearly, where security continues to get better is a good thing. Trying to be predictive at this point is all conditions-based. Conditions on the ground will determine how the redeployment will occur. Events on the ground could still drive it one way or the other."

Mullen said he wants to see a sustained period of improvement before making any decisions about coalition troops in the country.

"I don't have a set time, but a sustained period of time before I really accept that, 'Yes, a sea change has occurred and we will take these steps,'" he said.

With hope being generated in Iraq, there is a comparable rise in the expectations of the American people, he said. "Those expectations will be what they are; they won't be expectations that I'm trying to manage," he said.

At every stop of the USO tour, Mullen meets with troops from all services. He said he does this to get a feel for what they confront, how they are coping and what suggestions they have.

"I am impressed with their high quality and excellence, and the pride that they have in what they do," he said. "They know they are making a difference.

"What I try to pull from them is what's on their minds," he continued. "Today I had a healthy discussion generated by a young soldier who loved the Army, loved what he was doing, but was very much on the edge about whether he was going to stay and make it a career."

The soldier is concerned about deployments – the number and length. Mullen said he likes Army Chief of Staff Gen. George W. Casey Jr.'s discussion of the "thin red line" that the service cannot break.

"A young soldier like that starts talking about whether or not he's going to make that decision many months before he actually makes it," Mullen said. "What General Casey and I and others are trying to do is not cross that line. I think we cross that line when we see our re-enlistment rates go down dramatically. (The soldier) said that he and a lot of his peers are having that discussion."

The meeting put a human face to these decisions for both the admiral and for the soldier. "He helped me better define the problem," Mullen said. "I'm anxious to do that, because then we can address it, and the specifics."

One of the things the admiral said he wants to do with these meetings is to make a human connection between the senior leadership of the military and young servicemembers.

"I want to send the message that the senior leadership cares about them, we care about their families and get that message to those really carrying the burden of service," he said. "The average age of any unit in the military is the early 20s. They are incredible people who are making a difference all over the world."

Iraqi Children Get New Wheelchairs

By Sgt. 1st Class Kerensa Hardy, USA
Special to American Forces Press Service

Dec. 17, 2007 - Fifteen Iraqi children can now get around a little easier, thanks to the new wheelchairs they received at the Radwaniyah Palace Complex Civil-Military Operations Center earlier this month. Medics from 1st Squadron, 33rd Cavalry, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), assembled the chairs that were donated by an organization called Wheelchairs for Iraqi Kids.

The wheelchairs were given to disabled children who 1-33rd Cavalry Regiment soldiers encountered while conducting patrols Dec. 13. Company A, 478th Civil Affairs Company, 3rd Civil Affairs Battalion, attached to 1-33rd Cavalry Regiment, coordinated transportation and helped fit the children with the chairs at the Civil-Military Operations Center.

"I can't imagine what it must be like having to carry your child around from place to place," said Army Dr. (Capt.) James Phillips, 1-33rd Cavalry Regiment battalion surgeon. "I'm just glad we were able to do something to help."

Some of the children's conditions have yet to be officially diagnosed, but they all require assistance getting around. Without sufficient medical care and no means to get necessary help, the wheelchair donations were a blessing to the families of these handicapped children.

Phillips said it was a little heartbreaking to see children who, in some cases, were teenagers and just getting their first wheelchairs, but he was glad to see their quality of life improve.

"This is a great feeling that you help our kids," said Ihsaa Hadi, whose 13-year-old son received a wheelchair. Hadi had a hard time expressing his gratitude and said he hadn't realized the U.S. Army could help him like this.

Noor Mustafa, 7, has limited use of her legs. She was orphaned when her parents passed away and is now in the care of her aunt. "It's a wonderful feeling to have the wheelchair," said Madoor, Noor's aunt. "I always have to carry her from place to place; now I have this wheelchair."

While giving handicapped children a means to get around may seem like a reward in itself, the founder of "Wheelchairs for Iraqi Kids," Brad Blauser, said it's also a means of supporting the troops on the ground. "I can't provide a wheelchair for every child in Iraq, but I encourage the Army to use these for their strategic advantage ... to win the hearts and minds of the people who will help (them) the most."

In 2005, he helped get wheelchairs sent to the Mosul area and said it resulted in fewer attacks on U.S. soldiers operating in the area.

"If you help an adult, their family really appreciates it," said Blauser, from Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas. "If you help a small child, it touches the heart of the whole community."

Two years ago, Blauser had people sending care packages and study Bibles for deployed troops, but they wanted to do more. He went to a friend and asked how people could do more. "Wheelchairs for children; we see a lot of children ... who drag themselves on the ground," was his friend's reply.

The friend, then-Maj. David Brown, had watched an Iraqi boy struggle with a wheelchair that was too big and therefore useless to him. "He wanted to be able to help the boy but he didn't know how," Blauser said. "I put an e-mail out, and within 30 days we had 31 kids' wheelchairs on the ground."

With that, Wheelchairs for Iraqi Kids was born. "Wheels for the World," "Wheels of Love" and "Reach Out and Care Wheels," along with individual contributors, are responsible for the success of Blauser's brainchild.

The chairs handed out Dec. 13 were sent by www.ROCwheels.org, an organization that makes specialty high-quality pediatric wheelchairs designed for use in developing nations.

Blauser, who is the KBR theater safety manager for Leir Seigler Inc., has been in Iraq for three years, and he says his work here is not done. To date, he has been the impetus for 250 wheelchairs, 4,500 study Bibles and 1,500 care packages that have been sent to Iraq.

Realizing that he won't be in Iraq forever, Blauser said he wants to continue supporting the troops any way he can; the wheelchairs are just one avenue. "There is so much good that could be done here, I honestly don't know how I can go home," he said.

(Army Sgt. 1st Class Kerensa Hardy is assigned to 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division.)

Basra Province Returns to Iraqi Control

By B.J. Weiner and Mohammed Aliwi
Special to American Forces Press Service

Dec. 17, 2007 - Multinational Division Southeast relinquished control of Iraq's Basra province to the Iraqi government yesterday at Basra International Airport. Basra Gov. Mohammed Musabeh Al Waelee signed the official transfer papers along with British Maj. Gen. Graham Binns, the division's commander. Iraqi National Security Advisor Mowaffak al-Rubaie spoke at the ceremony along with Binns and Waelee.

Rubaie thanked the crowd of more than 100 dignitaries, including the British and Australian ambassadors, the British foreign minister, and members of the U.S. State Department and military for their support and assistance during the transition period.

"The Iraqi forces are ready to receive the security file (for Basra) from the British," he said. "We all celebrate today a new marriage (beginning) in the life of the Iraqis to the bridegroom of the (Persian) Gulf, Basra. This event ensures the progress of the abilities Iraqi armed forces in training, efficiency and personal integrity." He added that Basra province is the ninth province to fall under provincial Iraqi control.

"This is a big step towards taking over the responsibility of all provinces of our beloved Iraq, which may happen by the middle of next year," he said. "Taking responsibility of Basra means a great deal to Iraq's national government because of its strategic location, which highly affects the economic prosperity of our country."

Waelee added that all people of Basra welcomed the support of coalition forces. "This event synchronizes with Eid Al Adha, (the Hajii, a journey to Mecca required of all Muslims during their lives)," he said. "The Iraqi police are well positioned to assume control of Basra province. What the police and Army are to do during the future will be in accordance with what is written in our constitution.

"We are ready to apply the law to protect our people in Basra and will give a helping hand and will be grateful to any Iraqi person who wants to contribute and help rebuild our province," he added. "We will wield a very sharp sword in order to punish those who might try to circumvent the rules, negatively affecting the security of our province. As governor of Basra, I am ready to join hands with all political and religious parties to cooperate and rebuild our province."

The Iraqi forces have improved its capability to the point that they can control the security situation in Basra, Binns said, and now it has assumed that responsibility. "In April 2003, the coalition forces began to enhance security here," he said. "And now, four and a half years later, we returned the province and the city to the Iraqi security forces. We came to protect Basra from its enemies, and now we return it officially to its friends."

Col. Stephen Hill, commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Gulf Region South District, said that the event could impact the corps' mission there in a number of ways. "First positive indicator is that this provides an improved opportunity for international and Iraqi investment when you tie in stability," he said. "The (provincial Iraqi control) lends credibility to improved security situation. The ceremony is not the end, but clearly the beginning; it opens doors to the next level of construction and economic opportunity."

Basra province has unique chances of broader success because of the size of its main city -- Basra, the second largest in Iraq -- and the desire of its people and the significance of resources in the region, such as oil.

"Much like in other PIC provinces, this creates a potential improved connection with Iraqi security forces that will ultimately enhance our project access," he said. "Our construction rates will increase as will the overall quantity of projects completed, providing better services for the people. It allows us to reinvest in the city."

When a reporter for the London Times asked Rubaie about the ceremony taking place at the airport and not in Basra city because of the potential for violence in a clash between the city government and a militia, he said a celebration was being planned for the city and that the security situation would allow such a celebration.

"I am not saying things in Basra are perfect," he said. "I am saying that things are improving on a daily basis and will only get better. And we look forward to that day."

(B.J. Weiner is a public affairs officer with the Gulf Region South District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, in Iraq.)

Commander Reflects on Successes in Baghdad

By Sgt. Sara Moore, USA
American Forces Press Service

Dec. 17, 2007 - In partnership with Iraqi forces and concerned local citizens, coalition forces in Baghdad have made significant progress against al Qaeda and have helped foster reconciliation, the commander of U.S. forces in the Iraqi capital said today. "We came with a purpose: to improve the security situation here in the Iraqi capital and to set the stage for the Iraqi government and the Iraqi people to take charge of their future," Army Maj. Gen. Joseph F. Fil, commander of Multinational Division Baghdad and 1st Armored Division, told reporters at the Pentagon via satellite as his unit prepares to hand over responsibility to another incoming U.S. Army unit. "We've had some tough fights battling al Qaeda operatives and criminal militia. But here in the Multinational Division Baghdad and across Iraq, the coalition pounded away at the enemy and at their networks, and we've seen positive results from that persistent pressure."

Fil's division arrived in Baghdad in fall 2006. Since then, the surge of forces associated with the Baghdad security plan has allowed the coalition to weed out terrorists and extremists in the city, violence has decreased significantly, and the Iraqi security forces have drastically improved, Fil said. He also lauded efforts of concerned local citizens, who have stepped forward in droves to assist Iraqi security forces and rid their communities of violence.

Many of these citizens already have joined the Iraqi police force, and 2,000 more have been approved by the Interior Minister to attend school and become police officers, Fil said. Of the 25,000 concerned local citizens in Baghdad, 10,000 are interested in joining the Iraqi police, a number of them want to join the Iraqi army, and a lot of them want to gain other employment, such as in public-works organizations, he said.

The efforts of these citizens, in concert with Iraqi and coalition operations, have ensured that al Qaeda and criminal militias have no quarter in Baghdad, Fil said.

"They are not controlling any part of Baghdad," he said of extremists. "There's no place where al Qaeda is able to walk free, no neighborhood, not even any street at this point."

Despite this progress, al Qaeda is still a threat in the city, where the group's fighters lurk in the shadows to plan attacks, Fil said. He acknowledged that progress is fragile and that the coalition must continue to help the Iraqis improve their own capacity to handle the security situation.

Already, reconstruction is progressing throughout the city, Fil said. Contractors and local Iraqis are working together to repair sewage lines and implement trash removal plans, electricity and water programs, he said. Representatives from government ministries also are getting out into the population to assess for themselves what needs to be done and are working with local leaders to institute long-term change. He also noted that commerce has returned to many of the marketplaces and that Iraqis now can shop without fear.

Fil's unit already has begun to redeploy to Texas and, within the week, will hand over responsibility for Baghdad to 4th Infantry Division, based out of Fort Hood, Texas.

"We depart with a sense of accomplishment, but also with the haunting sense that our work here is not yet complete, that momentum is not yet irreversible and there is still much to be done," Fil said, adding that he is confident the 4th Infantry Division successfully will continue efforts against insurgents and violence.

South Korean Engineers Say Farewell to Afghanistan

By 1st Lt. Kenya Virginia Saenz, USA
Special to American Forces Press Service

Dec. 11, 2007 - Engineers from the Republic of Korea's First Vertical Construction Company will be redeploying to their country, having completed their mission here. The company, commanded by Korean Capt. Bo Geol Choi from Seoul, completed its mission of constructing five K-Spans, which are hanger-like buildings, during a 20-week-long period. The K-Spans will enhance maintenance operations for the brigade support battalion and bring more space for supply support activities. Even though K-Spans are not common in Korea, the soldiers were previously trained by civil engineers in their country. Not a single accident occurred during the construction mission, despite the intense heat of July and August and working from elevated areas most of the time.

"Working with various coalition forces for the same goal has been an extraordinary experience. There is nothing that compares to a life under such a rugged environment, and I've been lucky enough to be a part of this great team," Choi said. "We operated in such an organic, smooth manner. The U.S. Army levelled and graded the ground; Koreans (erected) five total K-Span buildings with Polish engineers taking part ... to produce (a) great construction product."

"Out of all the great memories, the ribbon-cutting ceremony will be a bittersweet, tear-jerking moment," said Korean Sgt. Kim Min Ki. "We absolutely got to enjoy many activities held to bring all the coalition forces in FOB Sharana (together), like the soccer games between Korean, American and Polish soldiers."

Army Sgt. 1st Class Randall Bowie, the Task Force Pacemaker construction supervisor, from Anniston, Ala., was one of many American soldiers who worked with the Korean group on a day-to-day basis. He was able to gain the understanding and respect of two engineer armies.

"Overall, I think the experience was educational for me and the Korean soldiers and shows that everyone does construction different that can end with the same final result," Bowie said.

For the past five years, South Korean soldiers have been supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. Korean engineers have conducted over 400 small and large operational facility construction projects. The ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrated not only the completion of the Direct Support Maintenance Facility in FOB Sharana, but also the end of a five-year mission in Afghanistan for the Korean soldiers.

(Army 1st Lt. Kenya Virginia Saenz is assigned to Task Force Pacemaker Public Affairs Office.)

Coalition Focuses on Iraqi Police Infrastructure, Organization

By Sgt. Sara Moore, USA
American Forces Press Service

Dec. 6, 2007 - As individual Iraqi police officers and police stations develop throughout Iraq, the coalition is focusing more on developing infrastructure and organizational effectiveness needed to sustain the police force long-term, a U.S. officer involved in training Iraqi police said today. U.S. police transition teams have done a good job with the difficult task of taking fresh Iraqi police recruits, training them on police operations, getting them integrated as a group into a police station, and helping them become familiar with the community, U.S. Army Col. Mark Spindler, commander of 18th Military Police Brigade, told online journalists and "bloggers" in a conference call.

However, the police force is not being developed in a vacuum, but must work together with the rest of the Iraqi security structure, Spindler said, so transition teams are starting to focus more on developing the Iraqi police force's ability to sustain itself and function effectively as a whole.

"It's not enough to have a police force; we've got to be able to sustain that police force," Spindler said, noting that development of infrastructure and informational management is key to the continuity of the Iraqi police.

The coalition also is pushing a recruiting initiative to get more Iraqi police on the streets of Baghdad, Spindler said. Now is a good time for that, because violence is down and people are more open to a police presence, he said, but there are continually logistical challenges to adding additional forces.

To prevent problems with corruption that have plagued the Iraqi police force in the past, the coalition is encouraging community leaders to meet with police leaders and talk about the needs of the community they will be serving, Spindler said. Also, the coalition is trying to make sure that police forces are recruited out of their own communities, to prevent any cultural clashes, he said.

This philosophy of engaging the local community in the security process has been a lesson the coalition has learned through experience, Spindler said. Too often in the past, the coalition has tried to enforce a Western idea of what is right, instead of listening to the Iraqis and what they think their needs are, he said.

"I will tell you, sometimes it's frustrating," Spindler said. "We don't understand why, or it makes no sense to us why, they want to do the things they want to do, but nevertheless, culturally it's what they want to do. And I will tell you, ... what we have found in our small programs, be it at the station level all the way up to the very top, that no matter how involved we are, if there is not Iraqi buy-in into the program, it's going to fail."

The improved security situation throughout Iraq has encouraged more Iraqis to accept the police and security forces and also has allowed coalition forces to give more control to Iraqis and let them develop their own solutions to problems, Spindler said. More Iraqi citizens are going into police stations to seek assistance or make complaints, and concerned local citizens are stepping up to assist security forces, he noted.

Logistics continue to be a challenge for the Iraqi police, as the coalition encourages them to look for their own solutions to problems before asking for help, Spindler said. The Iraqis are at a disadvantage, because the government there tends to be run as a hierarchy, so it isn't easy to get supplies and equipment down to lower levels quickly, he said. However, in the provinces that have been turned over to Iraqi control, there has been an increase in fiscal responsibility, as they are taking charge of their own problems.

Spindler acknowledged that a lot of work needs to be done in developing a sustainable Iraqi police force, but he praised the efforts of the transition teams so far. They have met with "tremendous success" so far and are committed to seeing the effort through, he said.

"This is simply young lieutenants and captains and sergeants going in there and sitting around the table with these Iraqis, who also don't have a whole lot of answers, and coming up with a common answer," he said.

Leaflets Urge Iraqis to Help Capture Insurgent Militia Members

By Staff Sgt. Angelique Perez, USAF
Special to American Forces Press Service

Dec. 3, 2007 - More than 1 million leaflets were pushed out of a 40th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron C-130 Hercules over 10 designated drop zones in Iraq, urging local citizens to provide information on three top leaders of an armed insurgent militia. The leaflets are the "wanted posters" of the region and were requested by a Polish psychological operations unit in Multinational Division Center-South.

They ask local citizens not to harbor the three high-visibility targets, who are wanted for using improvised explosive devices and sniper attacks on U.S. and coalition forces.

"Within hours of the drop, reports were received of individuals arriving at Iraqi police stations with leaflets in hand," said Air Force Lt. Col. Elizabeth Kavanagh, an information operations planner at the Combined Air and Space Operations Center in Southwest Asia. "Iraqi citizens are calling the tip lines with information about planted IEDs and suspected local militia members. Through this feedback, we know that these leaflets worked, and we hope that efforts by the local populace will continue in the months to come."

"It feels really good to be helping (the multinational division) out," said Air Force Tech. Sgt. Alex Garrett, deployed to the 40th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron. "If they capture any one of these guys because we threw the leaflets out, it's a huge deal. It's like our little piece of the pie. We played a part in bringing these three bad guys down."

The leaflets show images of men U.S. and coalition forces are looking to capture along with instructions for citizens to report information they may have to assist in the capture or arrest of those individuals.

Garrett said a prior leaflet drop mission he participated in over Afghanistan advised civilians to clear the area because of an impending operation to take down insurgents. One of the reports received back was that the civilians took heed of the leaflets and left the area. Coalition forces were able to clear the area and capture or kill the insurgents with minimal risk of civilian casualties.

"It's pretty cool that we get to help out the civilian population. We are only here to get the bad guys, not the good guys," he said.

The U.S. Air Force and U.S. Army work closely together to print and disseminate leaflet drops in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other countries in the region as a way to make mass contact with locals that are in rural and less established areas. The leaflets are used for both informational purposes to educate citizens on events and operations going on and to gather information on insurgents and militia in an area.

"The simplest things, such as a picture and basic information, get the meaning across very quickly and increase the probability of contacting a large portion of the populace in the targeted area at one time" Kavanagh said.

(Air Force Staff Sgt. Angelique Perez is assigned to U.S. Central Command Air Forces Public Affairs.)

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."

Concerned Citizens Build Stronghold in Adwaniyah

By Jamie Findlater
Special to American Forces Press Service

Nov. 14, 2007 - About 15 al Qaeda operatives ended up dead in Adwaniyah, Iraq, on Nov. 12, as Iraqi citizens stood strong in their town's defense, a senior military officer said today. It was 9:30 that morning when the first mortar fire hit checkpoints being manned by a concerned local citizen, or CLC, groups, U.S. Army Col. Terry Ferrell told online journalists and "bloggers" in a conference call. Ferrell commands the 3rd Infantry Division's 2nd Brigade Combat Team serving in Multinational Division Center, responsible for oversight in the Adwaniyah and Hawr Rajab areas.

Between 30 and 40 al Qaeda fighters massed against two checkpoints just south of Baghdad, using a combination of small-arms fire and truck-mounted machine guns, Ferrell said. Close communication efforts between Iraqi security forces and the CLCs led to the Iraqi army positioning units at the northern checkpoint immediately after the initial al Qaeda assault.

The day-long battle pulled in coalition and Iraqi forces. All, including the CLCs, took fire from enemy fighters.

"There were approximately 15 al Qaeda operatives dead, ... ending with the concerned citizens still standing strong," Ferrell said. "This was a first true test in their organization."

He touted the victory as a good indication of the effectiveness of the CLC groups, mentioning that the group stationed at this checkpoint had formed only one week earlier.

"It shows the strength and willingness of the people to take back their community," he noted. "The program continues to stand strong in the town of Adwaniyah and continues to build on the progress they've made."

Prior to establishing a CLC group in Adwaniyah, Ferrell oversaw a similar program that was set up in Hawr Rajab only a few months ago. "Hawr Rajab is becoming a model community," he explained. "We are assisting them to create a secure community and bringing life back to the community."

He said the CLCs now include several hundred members, and security and economic development improves daily. Before the troop surge, Ferrell explained, only one U.S. battalion was responsible for these areas, which were considered an al Qaeda sanctuary. Now, in Hawr Rajab, schools are up and running, shops are open and people are out on the streets.

The people of Adwaniyah see this success, he noted, and are on their way to building a similar community. He called the developments a great indication that al Qaeda operatives will continually be denied sanctuary and will be pushed out of town in a "pocket-by-pocket" approach.

(Jamie Findlater works in New Media at American Forces Information Service.)

Contributing Writer Discusses Counterinsurgency Manual

Editor’s Note: A copy is available here Counter Insurgency Manual

By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service

Nov. 14, 2007 - A contributor to the Counterinsurgency Field Manual yesterday discussed the doctrine that codifies how the U.S. military can most effectively conduct asymmetric warfare. The doctrine, officially titled U.S. Army Field Manual 3-24 and Marine Corps Warfighting Publication 3-33.5, is a unique joint effort published in December 2006 by the two branches to help military and civilian operators face challenges posed by insurgencies that blend with civilian populations.

"In order to win that kind of war, in order to create security and stability in that environment, you cannot kill or capture your way to success," said Army Lt. Col. John A Nagl, a member of the writing team that penned the manual.

"What you have to do to defeat that kind of insurgency, to borrow Mao (Zedong's) phrase, is you have to drain the swamp: that is, decrease the number of people who support the ends of the insurgency," he said. "And the way you do that is by increasing the number of people who support the government and the coalition."

From September 2003 through September 2004, Nagl served as operations officer of 1st Battalion, 34th Armor, in Khalidiyah, Iraq, a city between Ramadi and Fallujah in Anbar province, then one of the country's most contentious regions.

Nagl said the insurgency there comprised one half of 1 percent of the population, equaling roughly 300 people who "actively wanted to kill us." The soldier's tank battalion task force numbered some 800, he said. By conventional logic, the conflict should have resulted in an unequivocal Army victory, but "those 300 were swimming in a sea of people," Nagl said.

The field manual emphasizes the roles of other U.S. government agencies in separating insurgents from civilians. It underscores that among such elements, a "unity of effort" -- the title of the manual's second chapter -- is vital in waging a successful counterinsurgency.

"All elements of the United States government ... must be integrated into the effort to build stable and secure societies that can secure their own borders and do not provide safe havens for terrorists," according to the field manual's foreword, written by Nagl, who now commands 1st Battalion, 34th Armor, at Fort Riley, Kan.

Nagl said the demand for codified doctrine was sorely needed by a U.S. military more prepared for conventional than asymmetric warfare. "It is not unfair to say that in 2003 most Army officers likely knew more about the U.S. Civil War than they did about counterinsurgency," the foreword says.

The notion that U.S. forces were not thoroughly trained in counterinsurgency strategy was echoed by Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates in a speech Oct. 10.

"Consider that in 1985 the core curriculum for the Army's 10-month Command and General Staff College assigned 30 hours -- about four days -- for what was is now called low-intensity conflict," Gates told the audience at the Association of the U.S. Army conference.

"This approach may have seemed validated by ultimate victory in the Cold War and the triumph of Desert Storm," he said, "but it left the service unprepared to deal with the operations that followed in Somalia, Haiti, the Balkans, and more recently Afghanistan and Iraq, the consequences and costs of which we are still struggling with today."

Gates called the counterinsurgency manual a milestone and added that the value of its tenants have been validated by recent progress in Iraq.

The manual was the culmination of efforts by a diverse group that includes academics, human rights advocates, representatives from journalism and non-governmental organizations, and top military strategists, including then-Army Lt. Gen. David H. Petraeus, now a four-star general and the commander of Multinational Force Iraq.

By all accounts, the 419-page field manual has been widely embraced. Not only was the manual downloaded more than 2 million times within two months of its release, but copies have even been discovered on Jihadi Web sites and in Taliban training camps in Pakistan.

Last year, the State Department hosted an interagency counterinsurgency conference that built a consensus behind the need for an interagency counterinsurgency manual, according to the field manual. In addition, the French government has expressed interest in partnering with the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany in a multilateral effort to frame counterinsurgency guidelines in an international context.

Army Commander Sees Progress in Iraqi Town

By Sgt. Jason Stadel, USA
Special to American Forces Press Service

Nov. 9, 2007 - Army Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch, commander of 3rd Infantry Division, walked the streets of Hawr Rajab on Nov. 7 to see progress achieved in the city's security climate. Four months ago, any U.S. or Iraqi soldier walking the streets here would have likely sparked a battle, as the city was under the control of al Qaeda, and the streets were lined with improvised explosive devices.

Now, with the concerned local citizens fighting back and helping U.S. soldiers secure the city, the threat of al Qaeda has dropped considerably. An Iraqi army mechanized company also is in place, helping to secure the community.

Iraqis setting aside their secular differences also have helped secure the area. Sunnis and Shiites are working together to fight a greater enemy -- al Qaeda. This hasn't gone unnoticed by U.S. forces.

"We're unique here," Army Capt. Chad Klacius, commander of Troop A, 1st Battalion, 40th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, currently attached to 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, said to Lynch. "The Sunni concerned citizens and Shiia Iraqi army (members) are working together; this is something that has helped us to secure the city."

Klacius spearheaded the "concerned local citizens" program for 1st Battalion, 40th Cavalry Regiment. About four months ago, he began working closely with a local leader named Sheik Ali, who now is the leader of the Hawr Rajab concerned local citizens group. The group has grown to 445 members, U.S. officials said.

Ali, a Sunni, commented to Lynch that working with U.S. forces and the Iraqi army has helped his people return to their homes after they were driven out by al Qaeda more than two months ago. He said he and the rest of the concerned citizens will continue their relationship with the Iraqi and coalition forces to keep al Qaeda out of Hawr Rajab.

"The relationship with you and the IA is very important," Lynch said to Ali. "Whatever you need to help improve the living conditions, we'll try and give it to you."

The outlook for Hawr Rajab is optimistic, as there will be a constant U.S. Army presence and concerned local citizens at Iraqi army checkpoints. "The security is better than it ever has been since I took command 14 months ago," Klacius said.

(Army Sgt. Jason Stadel is assigned to 2nd Brigade Combat Team.)

Iraqi Crew Works to Expand Electrical Generation

By Norris Jones
Special to American Forces Press Service

Nov. 8, 2007 - The Qudas electric generation facility in northern Baghdad is getting two new gas turbines that will add 200 megawatts of power to the national grid. A crew of more than 150 Iraqis is involved with the $160 million project, and this month the team is placing 1,000 cubic meters of concrete to create the pedestals where the new turbines will be located. The contractor expects to have the new turbines on line and providing electrical power to Iraq in the spring.

"This is important for Baghdad and the entire country," said Col. Robert Vasta, with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. "We're working directly with the Ministry of Electricity at each step to ensure we're meeting their quality standards and expectations."

Qudas currently has four large turbines and four smaller ones, with a total generating capability of 492 megawatts. The $160 million expansion project will increase that power output 40 percent. One megawatt of electricity is enough to power more than 900 Iraqi homes, so those additional 200 megawatts will affect an additional 180,000 households.

"It's tremendously satisfying to be part of the efforts to rebuild Iraq," Vasta said. "Whether we're renovating a hospital, building a new school, installing water or sewer lines, or overseeing a project like Qudas, it's all part of restoring and improving basic essential services. Iraqis want some normalcy in their lives. It's great to be part of this work."

Iraqi electrical engineer Farooq Hasan is with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers quality assurance team each day, monitoring the ongoing construction. "The Iraqi crew is there seven days a week, and they know the importance of getting this additional electrical capacity up and running," Hasan said. "Their efforts will benefit all of Iraq."

Mohammad Hassan, a member of the construction crew at Qudas, travels to work each day from his home in a nearby community. "We are all working hard to complete this project as soon as possible," he said. "With God willing, Iraq will eventually have electricity 24 hours a day, and we will live in peace."

(Norris Jones is assigned to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Gulf Region Central District.)

Army, Marines Release Counterinsurgency Manual

"Learn" and "adapt" are the key messages of the new Army and Marine Corps Counterinsurgency Field Manual, which just hit the streets. The Counterinsurgency Field Manual, FM 3-24 and Marine Corps Warfighting Publication 3-33.5, is a unique joint effort between the Army and Marines to put in place doctrine to help operators as they face the challenges of asymmetric warfare.

The manual codifies an important lesson of insurgencies: it takes more than the military to win. "There are more than just lethal operations involved in a counterinsurgency campaign," said Conrad Crane, director of the U.S. Army Military History Institute, in Carlisle, Pa., and one of the leaders of the effort.

Download the Manual
http://www.military-writers.com/counterinsurgency_manual.html