By Jennie Haskamp
Special to American Forces Press Service
May 26, 2007 – Servicemembers need to learn the techniques, tactics and procedures for defeating improvised explosive devices before they deploy to Iraq and Afghanistan, according to officials with the Joint IED Defeat Organization. "IEDs are the number one killer on the battlefield," said Army Brig. Gen. Robert W. Cone, director of Joint IED Defeat Organization's Joint Center of Excellence at Fort Irwin, Calif. "I don't think we're doing enough to address that at home stations.
"Our training audience is typically on their way to Iraq for the third time," said Cone, a Manchester, N.H., native and 1979 West Point graduate. "Our customers want to train here to attack the network - we can't give them the basics and expect them to learn the rest in theater."
The Joint IED Defeat Organization, known as JIEDDO, is attacking the IED threat using a balance of intelligence, training and technology. Originally formed as the Army's IED Task Force, the group has transformed into a combined joint service, interagency, multi-national program designed to leverage all available resources and technologies in a coordinated campaign to defeat the IED threat, according to the organization's mission statement.
JIEDDO officials have set up four training centers, known as Joint Centers of Excellence, one for each branch of service. The centers ensure troops have a chance to train before deployment with the equipment they will use in the IED fight and in conditions that more closely mirror theater situations, JIEDDO officials said. Training centers are located on the Marine base in Twentynine Palms, Calif., a Navy facility in Indian Head, Md., Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, and the Army's Fort Irwin, Calif.
JIEDDO hosted an IED Defeat Seminar last week at the Army's National Training Center at Fort Irwin. The four-day seminar was designed to identify gaps in counter-IED training as well as make participants aware of training JIEDDO now provides for units heading to Iraq and Afghanistan.
In his opening remarks at the seminar, Cone emphasized three important counter-IED training issues and encouraged the audience to make the training more of a priority in pre-deployment work-ups. He spoke of the need for better integration of technology onto the battlefield, the need to increase home station training and the importance of tailoring all counter-IED training to fit the audience.
Cone asked the leaders and trainers to start evaluating where changes can be made in home-station training. Then, shifting from training to communicating, he challenged leaders to share information at home and while forward deployed.
"We are a community of practice," he said. "If you're not participating in these VTCs (video teleconferences) we have, then you're a day late and a dollar short."
He said a breakdown in communication and information sharing is the leaders' fault and the troops lose as a result.
"We need to share information and ideas," Cone said. "Shame on us if we're doing something here at NTC that they're not doing at the Joint Readiness Training Center (on Fort Polk, La.)"
Switching back to training, Cone addressed JIEDDO's role in home-station training. He reminded leaders to take advantage of JIEDDO and the training centers' resources all the while recognizing their own responsibilities.
"We need to take an appetite suppressant when we talk of what JIEDDO can do for us," he said. "JIEDDO is a great asset, but ultimately, the responsibility of training soldiers and Marines lies with the commander."
Opening a two-hour panel discussion, Army Brig. Gen. Joe E. Ramirez Jr., deputy commanding general, Combined Arms Training Center at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, likened the IED fight to a game of chess.
"For every move we make, the enemy makes three," said Ramirez, a Houston native. "Multi-National Corp Iraq told me the enemy changes Techniques, Tactics and Procedures (TTP) every two to three weeks."
Ramirez, who served as deputy chief of staff for U.S. Central Command before being stationed at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, echoed Cone's thoughts on information sharing.
"You can't rely on the last time you were there," he stressed to the audience. "If you haven't been to theater in the last four months-you're not up to date. Our biggest task is staying current and relevant."
Ramirez reminded the leaders and trainers of bi-monthly virtual teleconferences available to units all around the world. He said the feedback he receives from theater relates specifically to training and TTPs.
He urged the leaders and trainers at the seminar to place more emphasis on battle staff training.
"They need to address defeating not only the IEDs, but the network, the bomb maker and the financier," he said. "We need to assess how we train our battle staff."
Ramirez emphasized home station training needs to be more of a priority for reserve and active-duty units. He suggested changing the mobilization process to allow for pre-deployment training.
"The tip of the spear is absolutely the priority," said Ramirez, using a moniker commonly applied to forward deployed units. "We need to work harder to prepare them here to be the tip of the spear over there."
Another panel member, Marine Col. Niel E. Nelson, commanding officer of the Marine Corps' Engineer School located on Camp Lejeune, N.C., spoke of the importance of training troops at entry-level service schools.
"It's easier to form a habit than break one," Nelson said. "We get the kids right out of boot camp and the young lieutenants straight from The Basic School-and start teaching counter-IED techniques right then."
Nelson said instructors at the Marine Corps Engineer School teach that every movement is a route clearance movement.
"Teach that early enough," the 1984 graduate of San Diego State University said, "and they'll take it to theater with them whenever they deploy."
Nelson encouraged units across the Corps to conduct counter-IED training prior to attending Mojave Viper, the Marine Corps' premiere, live-fire pre-deployment training in Twentynine Palms, Calf.
Nelson's closing statement was met with a volley of "hooahs" from the Army, "oorahs" from the Marines and a scattering of applause from the audience.
"This isn't a Marine Corps thing or an Army thing," said the Bethpage, N.Y. native. "We might have different words and different uniforms, but we have the same mission - keep people alive, keep them aware and keep them going forward."
(Jennie Haskamp is a writer for Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization.)
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Army Casualties
The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died May 23 in Al Nahrawan, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near their vehicle.
They were assigned to 3d Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division (Mechanized), Fort Benning, Ga.
Killed were:
Cpl. Victor H. Toledo Pulido, 22, of Hanford, Calif.
Cpl. Jonathan D. Winterbottom, 21, of Falls Church, Va.
For more information in regard to this release the media can contact the Fort Benning public affairs office at (706) 545-3512; after hours, call (706) 545-2218.
They were assigned to 3d Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division (Mechanized), Fort Benning, Ga.
Killed were:
Cpl. Victor H. Toledo Pulido, 22, of Hanford, Calif.
Cpl. Jonathan D. Winterbottom, 21, of Falls Church, Va.
For more information in regard to this release the media can contact the Fort Benning public affairs office at (706) 545-3512; after hours, call (706) 545-2218.
Coalition, Iraqi Forces Detain 28, Find Weapons
American Forces Press Service
May 25, 2007 – Coalition and Iraqi forces detained 28 suspected terrorists and found two weapons caches in operations throughout Iraq in the past two days, military officials reported. Coalition forces detained 20 suspected terrorists during several raids targeting al Qaeda in Iraq today.
In Baghdad, coalition forces raided a house looking for a suspected al Qaeda battalion commander. The ground force detained three suspected terrorists at the targeted location, including the alleged leader.
Intelligence reports indicate he is responsible for numerous attacks in Baghdad, including assassinations, attacks on news media and attacks on the city's infrastructure.
Coalition forces detained 11 suspected terrorists in an operation southwest of Baghdad targeting al Qaeda leadership. One of the individuals detained is allegedly a close associate of a Libyan who facilitates the movement of foreign fighters in the area.
In continuing operations to disrupt the car bomb network in Baghdad, coalition forces targeted a known explosives expert associated with the al Qaeda in Iraq network. The individual is also known to have knowledge of explosively formed penetrators, or EFPs, and was recently promoted within the network. Coalition forces detained two suspected terrorists from the target location.
In Mosul, coalition forces detained two suspected terrorists linked to an al Qaeda weapons dealer allegedly involved in an IED network there.
Two suspected terrorists were detained during a coalition forces raid targeting al Qaeda leadership in Baghdad. Ground forces found a small cache of weapons, which they safely destroyed on site.
"We're continuing to take the fight to al Qaeda, to thwart their ability to attack Iraqis and spoil their attempts to destabilize the country," said Army Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, Multinational Force Iraq spokesman.
In another operation, Iraqi and coalition forces detained one suspected terrorist while targeting a terrorist cell leader this morning during raids in Sadr City.
The individual detained during the raid is closely linked to a suspected leader in a secret cell terrorist network known for facilitating the transport of weapons and explosively formed penetrators, or EFPs, from Iran to Iraq, as well as bringing militants from Iraq to Iran for terrorist training.
En route to the objective, Iraqi forces began receiving heavy small-arms fire from multiple locations near an intersection. Ground forces returned fire, but the incoming automatic fire continued. Coalition forces supporting the Iraqi forces, using appropriate self-defense measures, called in close-air support.
Although there were no terrorists confirmed killed in the fighting, the opposing gunfire was subdued, and Iraqi and coalition forces moved on to the objective.
Intelligence reports indicate the individual targeted is suspected of having direct ties to the leader of the EFP network as well as acting as a proxy for an Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps officer.
"These rogue militia elements have no respect for the peace of Iraq," Garver said. "We will continue to track them and diminish their ability to attack the Iraqi people and disrupt the progress of the country."
Meanwhile, as the search for two missing 10th Mountain Division soldiers continues, several arrests were made for other crimes.
Soldiers from Company D, 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, detained two local men May 23 who are believed to be responsible for a May 12 rocket attack on Patrol Base Inchon that killed an interpreter. They were detained one kilometer from the attack site.
The same day, a patrol from Company C, 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, detained two Iraqi men who tired to flee from a house being searched eight kilometers northwest of Yusufiyah.
Found in the house was a weapons cache consisting of two AK-47 assault rifles hidden in a tennis racket case, an SKS assault rifle, 50 rounds of 7.62 mm ammunition, a cell phone with foreign phone numbers programmed into it and a rocket-propelled grenade night sight.
Soldiers from Company B, 4-31, detained men near Rushdi Mullah yesterday. They were wanted for attacks against the Iraqi army, local civilians and coalition forces. The detainees are being held for questioning.
(Compiled from Multinational Corps Iraq and Multinational Force Iraq news releases.)
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
May 25, 2007 – Coalition and Iraqi forces detained 28 suspected terrorists and found two weapons caches in operations throughout Iraq in the past two days, military officials reported. Coalition forces detained 20 suspected terrorists during several raids targeting al Qaeda in Iraq today.
In Baghdad, coalition forces raided a house looking for a suspected al Qaeda battalion commander. The ground force detained three suspected terrorists at the targeted location, including the alleged leader.
Intelligence reports indicate he is responsible for numerous attacks in Baghdad, including assassinations, attacks on news media and attacks on the city's infrastructure.
Coalition forces detained 11 suspected terrorists in an operation southwest of Baghdad targeting al Qaeda leadership. One of the individuals detained is allegedly a close associate of a Libyan who facilitates the movement of foreign fighters in the area.
In continuing operations to disrupt the car bomb network in Baghdad, coalition forces targeted a known explosives expert associated with the al Qaeda in Iraq network. The individual is also known to have knowledge of explosively formed penetrators, or EFPs, and was recently promoted within the network. Coalition forces detained two suspected terrorists from the target location.
In Mosul, coalition forces detained two suspected terrorists linked to an al Qaeda weapons dealer allegedly involved in an IED network there.
Two suspected terrorists were detained during a coalition forces raid targeting al Qaeda leadership in Baghdad. Ground forces found a small cache of weapons, which they safely destroyed on site.
"We're continuing to take the fight to al Qaeda, to thwart their ability to attack Iraqis and spoil their attempts to destabilize the country," said Army Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, Multinational Force Iraq spokesman.
In another operation, Iraqi and coalition forces detained one suspected terrorist while targeting a terrorist cell leader this morning during raids in Sadr City.
The individual detained during the raid is closely linked to a suspected leader in a secret cell terrorist network known for facilitating the transport of weapons and explosively formed penetrators, or EFPs, from Iran to Iraq, as well as bringing militants from Iraq to Iran for terrorist training.
En route to the objective, Iraqi forces began receiving heavy small-arms fire from multiple locations near an intersection. Ground forces returned fire, but the incoming automatic fire continued. Coalition forces supporting the Iraqi forces, using appropriate self-defense measures, called in close-air support.
Although there were no terrorists confirmed killed in the fighting, the opposing gunfire was subdued, and Iraqi and coalition forces moved on to the objective.
Intelligence reports indicate the individual targeted is suspected of having direct ties to the leader of the EFP network as well as acting as a proxy for an Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps officer.
"These rogue militia elements have no respect for the peace of Iraq," Garver said. "We will continue to track them and diminish their ability to attack the Iraqi people and disrupt the progress of the country."
Meanwhile, as the search for two missing 10th Mountain Division soldiers continues, several arrests were made for other crimes.
Soldiers from Company D, 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, detained two local men May 23 who are believed to be responsible for a May 12 rocket attack on Patrol Base Inchon that killed an interpreter. They were detained one kilometer from the attack site.
The same day, a patrol from Company C, 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, detained two Iraqi men who tired to flee from a house being searched eight kilometers northwest of Yusufiyah.
Found in the house was a weapons cache consisting of two AK-47 assault rifles hidden in a tennis racket case, an SKS assault rifle, 50 rounds of 7.62 mm ammunition, a cell phone with foreign phone numbers programmed into it and a rocket-propelled grenade night sight.
Soldiers from Company B, 4-31, detained men near Rushdi Mullah yesterday. They were wanted for attacks against the Iraqi army, local civilians and coalition forces. The detainees are being held for questioning.
(Compiled from Multinational Corps Iraq and Multinational Force Iraq news releases.)
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
Top Intel Official Explains Pentagon's New Vision
By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service
May 25, 2007 – Delivering practical intelligence as fast as possible to servicemembers is the Defense Department's "preeminent imperative," the department's top intelligence official said yesterday. "The thing that's uppermost is providing ... the intelligence required for our magnificent troops in harm's way in Afghanistan, Iraq and other places around the world where we have troops at risk," said James R. Clapper, undersecretary of defense for intelligence.
Clapper, who was "dual-hatted" as director of defense intelligence yesterday, will help coordinate the seamless flow of intelligence between the Defense Department and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
"The dual-hatting as the undersecretary of defense for intelligence within the department, and as the director of defense intelligence on behalf of the (director of national intelligence), serves to clarify and crystallize those roles," he said.
For the roughly 20 months remaining in the current administration, Clapper said the intelligence alignment presents "a short window, but a great opportunity to get things done," citing his longstanding association with retired Navy Vice Adm. John M. "Mike" McConnell, director of national intelligence, and Air Force Gen. Michael Hayden, director of the Central Intelligence Agency.
"For intelligence, it's really a golden opportunity given the assembly of the leaders with Mike McConnell, who's a professional colleague and close personal friend for 20 years, ... Mike Hayden as director of the CIA, and myself, who have all been associated closely over the past 10 or 20 years," Clapper said. He also noted that his boss at the Pentagon, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, is a former director of central intelligence.
Clapper said it's important for intelligence officials to make public the "maximum amount of information" available, with due concern for protecting methods and sources.
"Particularly now, it is incumbent on the intelligence community to make available as much information as we possibly can ... so that the public knows what we're up against," he said.
Keeping Congress and the public abreast of available intelligence is one of several initiatives Clapper plans to spearhead during his time in his newly created position.
"I view the two years as an opportunity to impel a sense of urgency to get things done in the time remaining that I would have in the administration," Clapper said. "I don't view it as checking off a 'short-timer calendar' but rather the time we have remaining to get some things done."
Improving the defense community's methods of intelligence gathering and recruiting are other long-term goals.
Clapper has focused on human intelligence, or "HUMINT" -- a discipline that encompasses all gathering of intelligence by means of interpersonal contact -- for nearly 15 years, earning him the nickname, 'Godfather of HUMINT.'
"There's been a sea change -- all to the good -- of HUMINT capabilities," he said. "I think a lot has been done here ... on bringing to bear the full resources of the department and in working with the other components of the government who have HUMINT equities."
The challenge, Clapper said, is to synthesize the various elements of intelligence - human intelligence, communication, electronic, imagery, geospatial, financial and other methods - which "all contribute to the war on terrorism."
Clapper emphasized the need to widen the pool of intelligence recruits, establishing an applicant base with greater cultural and linguistic depth.
"It's vital that we have the understanding and the insight of the cultures overseas," he said. "It's always been a challenge for intelligence but now it's even more critical."
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
May 25, 2007 – Delivering practical intelligence as fast as possible to servicemembers is the Defense Department's "preeminent imperative," the department's top intelligence official said yesterday. "The thing that's uppermost is providing ... the intelligence required for our magnificent troops in harm's way in Afghanistan, Iraq and other places around the world where we have troops at risk," said James R. Clapper, undersecretary of defense for intelligence.
Clapper, who was "dual-hatted" as director of defense intelligence yesterday, will help coordinate the seamless flow of intelligence between the Defense Department and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
"The dual-hatting as the undersecretary of defense for intelligence within the department, and as the director of defense intelligence on behalf of the (director of national intelligence), serves to clarify and crystallize those roles," he said.
For the roughly 20 months remaining in the current administration, Clapper said the intelligence alignment presents "a short window, but a great opportunity to get things done," citing his longstanding association with retired Navy Vice Adm. John M. "Mike" McConnell, director of national intelligence, and Air Force Gen. Michael Hayden, director of the Central Intelligence Agency.
"For intelligence, it's really a golden opportunity given the assembly of the leaders with Mike McConnell, who's a professional colleague and close personal friend for 20 years, ... Mike Hayden as director of the CIA, and myself, who have all been associated closely over the past 10 or 20 years," Clapper said. He also noted that his boss at the Pentagon, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, is a former director of central intelligence.
Clapper said it's important for intelligence officials to make public the "maximum amount of information" available, with due concern for protecting methods and sources.
"Particularly now, it is incumbent on the intelligence community to make available as much information as we possibly can ... so that the public knows what we're up against," he said.
Keeping Congress and the public abreast of available intelligence is one of several initiatives Clapper plans to spearhead during his time in his newly created position.
"I view the two years as an opportunity to impel a sense of urgency to get things done in the time remaining that I would have in the administration," Clapper said. "I don't view it as checking off a 'short-timer calendar' but rather the time we have remaining to get some things done."
Improving the defense community's methods of intelligence gathering and recruiting are other long-term goals.
Clapper has focused on human intelligence, or "HUMINT" -- a discipline that encompasses all gathering of intelligence by means of interpersonal contact -- for nearly 15 years, earning him the nickname, 'Godfather of HUMINT.'
"There's been a sea change -- all to the good -- of HUMINT capabilities," he said. "I think a lot has been done here ... on bringing to bear the full resources of the department and in working with the other components of the government who have HUMINT equities."
The challenge, Clapper said, is to synthesize the various elements of intelligence - human intelligence, communication, electronic, imagery, geospatial, financial and other methods - which "all contribute to the war on terrorism."
Clapper emphasized the need to widen the pool of intelligence recruits, establishing an applicant base with greater cultural and linguistic depth.
"It's vital that we have the understanding and the insight of the cultures overseas," he said. "It's always been a challenge for intelligence but now it's even more critical."
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
Army's Newest Modular Combat Team Makes Mark in Iraq
By Fred W. Baker III
American Forces Press Service
May 25, 2007 – In its first deployment to Iraq, one of the Army's newest modular light infantry brigade combat teams is making its mark under the president's troop surge plan, the brigade's top officer said today in a briefing to Pentagon reporters. The 1st Infantry Division's 4th Brigade Combat Team from Fort Riley, Kan., is deployed as part of the troop surge to the east and west Rashid security districts in the Multinational Division Baghdad area. It is partnered with the 2nd Infantry Division's 3rd Stryker Brigade from Fort Lewis, Wash., and three Iraqi security force brigades. Together, the troops are clearing an area about 58 square miles, roughly the size of San Francisco, home to about 700,000 Iraqis.
In the past three weeks, under Operation Dragon Fire, the troops have cleared 45 neighborhoods, detaining 94 terrorist suspects, freeing two kidnapped citizens and capturing 397 explosive munitions, 245 weapons systems, 150 improvised explosive devices and enough components to make 3,000 more IEDs, said Army Col. Ricky Gibbs, commander of the BCT and Task Force Dragon.
They've also destroyed two torture houses and a terrorist safe haven, Gibbs said.
It has not come without loss to the units, though. Seven U.S. soldiers have been killed in the surge to clear the area.
Initially, attacks were high against the troops as they moved in and secured the area. Now, direct attacks are down, but the use of IEDs against the troops has increased, Gibbs said.
The troops man five joint security stations and 20 coalition outposts in the area. They live at the outposts until rotating back to the forward operating base.
Gibbs said living in the communities allows the troops to gain the trust of the Iraqi people. This reaps big dividends in the fight, he said.
"The tips that are coming in from the people are astronomical, and that's allowing us to find these terrorists, or the Takfir, as the locals call them, and take them off the street," Gibbs said.
The joint security stations are similar to local police stations and are located in the neighborhoods.
There has been a decrease in violence, he said, primarily because of the nearly doubled troop presence.
Gibbs said his troops are working side by side with an Iraqi army brigade and two police brigades. He said they co-plan, rehearse and share intelligence, and in some cases the Iraqi forces lead the operations.
Even so, Gibbs said, the Iraqi police forces have yet to earn the full confidence of the people there to the level that the Iraqi army has. Gibbs said one of his biggest concerns was the ability of the Iraqi police force to hire enough to fill its ranks.
The task force also is working to restore essential services in the area. Priorities have been with restoring sanitation services and electrical power, with 127 active projects throughout the districts and another 62 projects planned.
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
May 25, 2007 – In its first deployment to Iraq, one of the Army's newest modular light infantry brigade combat teams is making its mark under the president's troop surge plan, the brigade's top officer said today in a briefing to Pentagon reporters. The 1st Infantry Division's 4th Brigade Combat Team from Fort Riley, Kan., is deployed as part of the troop surge to the east and west Rashid security districts in the Multinational Division Baghdad area. It is partnered with the 2nd Infantry Division's 3rd Stryker Brigade from Fort Lewis, Wash., and three Iraqi security force brigades. Together, the troops are clearing an area about 58 square miles, roughly the size of San Francisco, home to about 700,000 Iraqis.
In the past three weeks, under Operation Dragon Fire, the troops have cleared 45 neighborhoods, detaining 94 terrorist suspects, freeing two kidnapped citizens and capturing 397 explosive munitions, 245 weapons systems, 150 improvised explosive devices and enough components to make 3,000 more IEDs, said Army Col. Ricky Gibbs, commander of the BCT and Task Force Dragon.
They've also destroyed two torture houses and a terrorist safe haven, Gibbs said.
It has not come without loss to the units, though. Seven U.S. soldiers have been killed in the surge to clear the area.
Initially, attacks were high against the troops as they moved in and secured the area. Now, direct attacks are down, but the use of IEDs against the troops has increased, Gibbs said.
The troops man five joint security stations and 20 coalition outposts in the area. They live at the outposts until rotating back to the forward operating base.
Gibbs said living in the communities allows the troops to gain the trust of the Iraqi people. This reaps big dividends in the fight, he said.
"The tips that are coming in from the people are astronomical, and that's allowing us to find these terrorists, or the Takfir, as the locals call them, and take them off the street," Gibbs said.
The joint security stations are similar to local police stations and are located in the neighborhoods.
There has been a decrease in violence, he said, primarily because of the nearly doubled troop presence.
Gibbs said his troops are working side by side with an Iraqi army brigade and two police brigades. He said they co-plan, rehearse and share intelligence, and in some cases the Iraqi forces lead the operations.
Even so, Gibbs said, the Iraqi police forces have yet to earn the full confidence of the people there to the level that the Iraqi army has. Gibbs said one of his biggest concerns was the ability of the Iraqi police force to hire enough to fill its ranks.
The task force also is working to restore essential services in the area. Priorities have been with restoring sanitation services and electrical power, with 127 active projects throughout the districts and another 62 projects planned.
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
Coalition Positioned to Break Iraq's Cycle of Violence
By Tim Kilbride
Special to American Forces Press Service
May 25, 2007 – Interruption of the "vicious circle of sectarian violence" taking place in Baghdad is the main challenge facing security forces there, a senior counter-insurgency advisor to Multinational Force Iraq said today. A cyclical pattern of attacks and retaliation between sects is what has done most of the damage in Iraq over the last 12 months, said David Kilcullen on a call with military "bloggers" and online journalists. "The very fabric of Iraqi society was torn as a result of that," he explained.
Sectarian attacks spiked following the February 2006 bombing of a Shiite shrine in Samarra, Iraq, Kilcullen said. As a virtual civil war has unfolded in the 15 months since, he said, four clear elements of the pattern driving that violence have emerged.
The first step, Kilcullen explained, involves infiltration of Sunni areas by religious extremists belonging to al Qaeda in Iraq or other organizations. These groups intimidate the local population and cast a "pall of fear" to provide themselves a safe workspace, he said.
"They don't generally have, actually, a high degree of support from the population," Kilcullen noted.
Having established a base of operations, he said, the terrorists mount attacks on neighboring Shiia communities, targeting public spaces such as markets.
These attacks lead to retaliation by Shiite militias and vigilante groups, Kilcullen explained.
The problem, he noted, is "they're not really retaliating against the guilty party; the extremists just go to ground." Instead, he said, "extrajudicial killings" and "sectarian cleansing" are practiced against an innocent population.
"Those sectarian attacks polarize the community," Kilcullen said. "They create tensions that make it very difficult to make progress on political reconciliation, and they further intimidate the Sunni communities, which tend to sort of close ranks in the face of the external threat."
As the Sunnis turn inward, he explained, the extremists consolidate their gains in the area and perpetuate the cycle of violence and sectarian division.
At the same time, he said, increases in the general level of violence are enabled by outside "accelerants." He described these as "people or conditions that intensify the cycle." They include al Qaeda in Iraq and other terrorist groups, foreign fighters, foreign interference, crime and unemployment, among others.
Coalition efforts are under way around the country to stop the flow of such accelerants, Kilcullen said. In particular, he described operations to clear the suburban "belts" around Baghdad that play host to the "commuter insurgency."
Other programs target financial accelerants, he said, seeking to halt the flow of illicit funds to violent actors from smuggling and black market operations.
The main strategy is unfolding within Baghdad, however, Kilcullen said. He described a phased process to weaken the cycle of violence at every junction.
The first step, he said, is to mitigate extremists' intimidation efforts by establishing a full-time U.S.-Iraqi presence within neighborhoods. The Joint security stations created within neighborhoods enable such a presence, he said.
The second step anticipates continued terrorist operations, Kilcullen said. "Even if the extremists do manage to infiltrate, we're trying to make it harder for them to attack the neighboring Shiia communities," he explained.
The creation of gated communities inside Baghdad is a key element of that effort, he said. Through hardened perimeter security and limited numbers of controlled-access points, it becomes possible for security forces to reduce the flow of hostile actors from one neighborhood to another, Kilcullen said.
When an attack occurs, he explained, opportunity for retaliation by the rival faction is diminished through the continuous presence of U.S. and Iraqi forces.
As the atmosphere of fear dissipates within a community, Kilcullen stated, residents become more willing to provide security tips and avail themselves of economic opportunities being put in place.
"As the cycle of violence is reduced, that also creates more space for political compromise and reconciliation," he added.
Any type of political dialogue or progress on promoting the rule of law has the effect of acting as a "decelerant," Kilcullen noted.
Addressing criticism of the Baghdad security plan and the gated communities it's created, Kilcullen admitted the risk of reinforcing sectarian division in the mid-term, but called that "the lesser of two evils."
"The negative effect of imposing this barrier, I think, is outweighed by the negative effect of lots of people getting killed," he explained. Last year in Baghdad, 130 bodies were turning up every day as the result of sectarian violence, he said. Now, the count is down to about 20 per day.
Barrier walls are like a tourniquet, he explained. "It's something that you do when the patient's in danger of bleeding to death , ... and you apply that tourniquet for the minimum time possible."
What's more, Kilcullen said, gated communities are created in close consultation with local Iraqi leaders. They provide input for where to place walls and access points, he said.
Such Iraqi input also is necessary for communicating security concerns to the Iraqi population, Kilcullen observed. The United States has struggled in developing messages on its own that are capable of resonating with an Iraqi audience, he said.
Rather, he explained, Iraqi commanders are able to interact with local residents and get a sense of what the concerns are on the ground. Effective communication is based on that dialogue, Kilcullen said.
"You might end up where U.S. forces' primary contribution to that message is not actually delivering the message; it's creating a safe space in which the Iraqis can be credible when they deliver that message," he noted.
Such a setup would reflect the overall purpose of the new U.S. strategy in Baghdad, Kilcullen said, namely, providing an opportunity for the Iraqis to reconcile and build.
This is why it is critical to interrupt the cycle of violence in the city, Kilcullen reiterated. If the United States is able to facilitate reconciliation and growth at the local level, he explained, pockets of "sustainable stability" can emerge.
(Tim Kilbride is assigned to New Media, American Forces Information Service.)
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
Special to American Forces Press Service
May 25, 2007 – Interruption of the "vicious circle of sectarian violence" taking place in Baghdad is the main challenge facing security forces there, a senior counter-insurgency advisor to Multinational Force Iraq said today. A cyclical pattern of attacks and retaliation between sects is what has done most of the damage in Iraq over the last 12 months, said David Kilcullen on a call with military "bloggers" and online journalists. "The very fabric of Iraqi society was torn as a result of that," he explained.
Sectarian attacks spiked following the February 2006 bombing of a Shiite shrine in Samarra, Iraq, Kilcullen said. As a virtual civil war has unfolded in the 15 months since, he said, four clear elements of the pattern driving that violence have emerged.
The first step, Kilcullen explained, involves infiltration of Sunni areas by religious extremists belonging to al Qaeda in Iraq or other organizations. These groups intimidate the local population and cast a "pall of fear" to provide themselves a safe workspace, he said.
"They don't generally have, actually, a high degree of support from the population," Kilcullen noted.
Having established a base of operations, he said, the terrorists mount attacks on neighboring Shiia communities, targeting public spaces such as markets.
These attacks lead to retaliation by Shiite militias and vigilante groups, Kilcullen explained.
The problem, he noted, is "they're not really retaliating against the guilty party; the extremists just go to ground." Instead, he said, "extrajudicial killings" and "sectarian cleansing" are practiced against an innocent population.
"Those sectarian attacks polarize the community," Kilcullen said. "They create tensions that make it very difficult to make progress on political reconciliation, and they further intimidate the Sunni communities, which tend to sort of close ranks in the face of the external threat."
As the Sunnis turn inward, he explained, the extremists consolidate their gains in the area and perpetuate the cycle of violence and sectarian division.
At the same time, he said, increases in the general level of violence are enabled by outside "accelerants." He described these as "people or conditions that intensify the cycle." They include al Qaeda in Iraq and other terrorist groups, foreign fighters, foreign interference, crime and unemployment, among others.
Coalition efforts are under way around the country to stop the flow of such accelerants, Kilcullen said. In particular, he described operations to clear the suburban "belts" around Baghdad that play host to the "commuter insurgency."
Other programs target financial accelerants, he said, seeking to halt the flow of illicit funds to violent actors from smuggling and black market operations.
The main strategy is unfolding within Baghdad, however, Kilcullen said. He described a phased process to weaken the cycle of violence at every junction.
The first step, he said, is to mitigate extremists' intimidation efforts by establishing a full-time U.S.-Iraqi presence within neighborhoods. The Joint security stations created within neighborhoods enable such a presence, he said.
The second step anticipates continued terrorist operations, Kilcullen said. "Even if the extremists do manage to infiltrate, we're trying to make it harder for them to attack the neighboring Shiia communities," he explained.
The creation of gated communities inside Baghdad is a key element of that effort, he said. Through hardened perimeter security and limited numbers of controlled-access points, it becomes possible for security forces to reduce the flow of hostile actors from one neighborhood to another, Kilcullen said.
When an attack occurs, he explained, opportunity for retaliation by the rival faction is diminished through the continuous presence of U.S. and Iraqi forces.
As the atmosphere of fear dissipates within a community, Kilcullen stated, residents become more willing to provide security tips and avail themselves of economic opportunities being put in place.
"As the cycle of violence is reduced, that also creates more space for political compromise and reconciliation," he added.
Any type of political dialogue or progress on promoting the rule of law has the effect of acting as a "decelerant," Kilcullen noted.
Addressing criticism of the Baghdad security plan and the gated communities it's created, Kilcullen admitted the risk of reinforcing sectarian division in the mid-term, but called that "the lesser of two evils."
"The negative effect of imposing this barrier, I think, is outweighed by the negative effect of lots of people getting killed," he explained. Last year in Baghdad, 130 bodies were turning up every day as the result of sectarian violence, he said. Now, the count is down to about 20 per day.
Barrier walls are like a tourniquet, he explained. "It's something that you do when the patient's in danger of bleeding to death , ... and you apply that tourniquet for the minimum time possible."
What's more, Kilcullen said, gated communities are created in close consultation with local Iraqi leaders. They provide input for where to place walls and access points, he said.
Such Iraqi input also is necessary for communicating security concerns to the Iraqi population, Kilcullen observed. The United States has struggled in developing messages on its own that are capable of resonating with an Iraqi audience, he said.
Rather, he explained, Iraqi commanders are able to interact with local residents and get a sense of what the concerns are on the ground. Effective communication is based on that dialogue, Kilcullen said.
"You might end up where U.S. forces' primary contribution to that message is not actually delivering the message; it's creating a safe space in which the Iraqis can be credible when they deliver that message," he noted.
Such a setup would reflect the overall purpose of the new U.S. strategy in Baghdad, Kilcullen said, namely, providing an opportunity for the Iraqis to reconcile and build.
This is why it is critical to interrupt the cycle of violence in the city, Kilcullen reiterated. If the United States is able to facilitate reconciliation and growth at the local level, he explained, pockets of "sustainable stability" can emerge.
(Tim Kilbride is assigned to New Media, American Forces Information Service.)
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
Law Enforcement Technology
Editor's Note: Many of the technologies in the following stories are being used directly by domestic law enforcement in the areas of anti-terrorism, counterterrorism, and homeland security.
NLECTC Law Enforcement & Corrections Technology News Summary
Thursday, May 24, 2007
"Court Looking for Safest Way to Put Records on the Web"
Columbus Dispatch (OH) (05/20/07) P. 1A; Carmen, Barbara
County courthouses across the country have been placing court documents online, and this practice is exposing the private information of millions of Americans and court officials to the scanning eyes of identity thieves, parties in lawsuits, and professional companies that amalgamate and resell information about people. Franklin County, Ohio, is creating a list of items that should be redacted from online copies of court documents, and they are investing in software that expunges this information automatically. This list includes Social Security records, juvenile evaluations, HIV tests, names of children who are victims of sexual violence, and police officer addresses and phone numbers. In comparison Hamilton County, Ohio, has been publishing its court documents on the Internet for eight years. They have shut down online access three times because private financial and personal information has leaked out. Baseball catcher Johnny Bench filed for divorce in Hamilton County, Ohio, and his divorce papers received more than 18,000 Internet views in just their first day online. "The court has to balance the very important Constitutional requirement of open court with the need to protect individual privacy," says one court spokesperson.
http://www.columbusdispatch.com/dispatch/content/local_news/stories/
2007/05/20/nakedinfo.ART_ART_05-20-07_A1_RS6OV5M.html
"Graffiti Fight Gets Help from Technology"
Desert Sun (05/19/07) P. 1B; Wiedmaier, Stacy
New technology is helping law enforcement agencies in Indio, Calif., control graffiti by tracking vandals. Thanks to GPS and Internet technology provided by a company called Graffiti Tracker, Indio police and government officials have the tools they need to research and decode graffiti markings before they are erased. The tracking system allows law enforcement agencies to link vandals to their graffiti postings, ensuring their prosecution. "I'm very excited about this opportunity," says Graffiti Tracker founder Tim Kephart. "The Indio police departments are motivated hard chargers who will act on the intelligence we're providing. There is actual evidence that these messages can be decoded, but they must be documented before they are painted over."
http://www.thedesertsun.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/
20070519/NEWS08/705190321/1006
"GPS: Jail of the Future?"
Twin Falls Times-News (Idaho) (05/18/07); Friedman, Cassidy
Jerome County and additional counties in Idaho's Magic Valley region will convene June 14 to talk about constructing a new jail. But Jerome's chief officer of juvenile and misdemeanor probation Kyle Fisher is suggesting taking some inmates and violators out of the Jerome County facility. Right now, younger defendants incarcerated at the Snake River Juvenile Detection Center cost Jerome County $136 each day. Adult inmates, who are frequently forced to sleep on cell floors, cost the county between $30 and $40, if sent to other counties, as well as transportation expenses. On May 16, Fisher ordered four GPS anklets for juveniles, each priced at $9 per day, which will be paid for via a federal grant. He will also propose to commissioners that they invest in the technology for adults--whether they are facing or found guilty of misdemeanors. Fisher explained that the new gadgets have alarms and can be devised to keep alcoholics from going into bars, sex violators from getting close to schools, and abusers from visiting their former wives. http://www.magicvalley.com/articles/2007/05/18/news/local_state/112444.txt
"Push for Cameras at High-Accident Intersections"
Washington Post (05/20/07) P. LZ1; Brubaker, Bill
Loudon County, Va., Sheriff Stephen O. Simpson is pushing to install as many as two dozen red-light cameras at high-accident intersections across his jurisdiction. Motorists caught by the cameras will be mailed a $50 citation, though they will not be charged points on their drivers licenses.' Studies show that the devices can be an effective deterrent against red-light running, and can reduce accidents. However, critics of red-light cameras say they encourage motorists to slam on their brakes in order to avoid getting a ticket. Other critics have questioned the accuracy of the cameras in documenting violations. Despite the criticism, Leesburg Police Chief Joseph R. Price says he is sold on red-light cameras. He noted that while the cameras may increase rear-end crashes, they significantly reduce the number of T-bone type crashes, which are usually more serious in terms of injury and property damage. In order to address concerns that the cameras produce misleading photos, Simpson said he will look into getting the most state-of-the-art red-light cameras on the market. If those concerns are addressed and officials in Loudon County and Leesburg approve the use of red-light cameras, the devices could be up and running early next year.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/
2007/05/21/AR2007052100481.html
"Stun Gun Salve in Miami Cuts Risk of Death"
USA Today (05/18/07) P. 3A; Willing, Richard
Law enforcement officials in Miami have launched a program that aims to prevent deaths that sometimes occur when officers use electric stun guns on unruly suspects. Under the program, which began in October, police officers are required to call emergency medical technicians whenever stun guns are used. If a suspect still cannot be controlled after a stun gun has been used, technicians spray a fast-acting sedative called midazolam into their noses. After the subject has been subdued, technicians inject sodium bicarbonate to counteract acids released by tensed muscles and iced saline to lower body temperature. Many of those who have died after being subdued with a stun gun have been found to have been using drugs that raised their body temperatures to as high as 108 degrees, said John Gardner, chief of Miami-Dade County Fire Rescue's emergency medical services. Gardner noted that the program has been used successfully at least a dozen times since it was launched seven months ago. http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-05-17-stun-gun-miami_N.htm?csp=34
"Federal Airport Security Workers Scanning Bottled Liquids"
Houston Chronicle (05/22/07)
The Transportation Security Administration plans to deploy about 200 hand-held scanners that can detect explosive material in sealed bottles of liquid at airports across the United States by October. The scanners have already completed piloting at Miami International and Newark Liberty International and are undergoing testing at airports in Los Angeles, Detroit, and Las Vegas. Testing in Boston is scheduled to begin later this week. The technology is only used on passengers chosen for secondary inspections prior to boarding. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nation/4824767.html
"Upgrade Should Speed Up 911 Cell Phone Service"
San Diego Union-Tribune (05/18/07) P. B2; Baker, Debbi Farr
The San Diego Sheriff's Department has completed a $1.5 million overhaul of its emergency communication system. Prior to the upgrade, emergency calls passed through the California Highway Patrol (CHP) before going to the department and the response time for CHP dispatchers took 15 to 45 seconds. Now calls will be forwarded directly to the Sheriff's Department and answered by sheriff's dispatchers within three seconds, according to Undersheriff Bill Gore.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/
20070518-9999-1m18pubsafe.html
"Will County Gets Police Podcast"
Chicago Tribune (05/18/07) P. M1; Dardick, Hal
The Will County, Ill., Police Department plans to broadcast weekly police reports over iPod listening device channels, a form of broadcasting known as podcasting. Will County Police Sheriff Paul Kaupas says podcasting will enable police to disseminate information widely, present their point of view on specific incidents, and also send out neighborhood-specific information to reach people in specific neighborhoods. For instance, the department plans to report stories such as this one: During two recent weekends in Plainfield Township, Ill., 31 vehicles were stolen and only a single vehicle was locked. Police department representative Pat Barry notes that "the print media sometimes can only give what they are being told, and they are sometimes limited in what they can say by the space they have." The New York Police Department began podcasting an "Inside the NYPD" show in 2005 that features stories such as recent profiles on a police academy, a fire rescue incident, and a Muslim police chaplain. Will County, Ill. also hopes its podcasting will reach young people, and that this in turn may lead to crime tips coming back in youth-specific cases. The county already sends out email alerts about crimes to around 3,000 recipients, and has garnered tips from this email program.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/southsouthwest/chi-
0705171190may18,1,5116468.story?coll=chi-newslocalssouthwest-hed
"Hoosiers Can Track Inmate Status"
Louisville Courier Journal (KY) (05/16/07) P. 1B; Weidenbener, Lesley Stedman
Indiana is now part of a multi-state inmate tracking network called SAVIN (Statewide Automated Victim Information and Notification), which is available around the clock at www.vinelink.com or by calling 1-866-959-8463. Now, residents in Indiana can access the status of more than 27,000 inmates in the state's correctional system as well as county jails in Floyd, Marion, Warrick, and Henry counties. Residents can opt to be notified about inmates' placement, release, transfer, or other changes, and can use the service anonymously in English or Spanish. Java Ahmed with the Indiana Department of Correction said additional counties would be added to the system as the technology expands and more prison officials become trained. By the end of 2008, all 92 counties in the state are scheduled to be online, she said. The U.S. Congress committed $17 million to launch the nationwide system; Indiana received roughly $1.25 million. The state is providing approximately $950,000 in matching funds for the initiative through the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute and the state Department of Correction. Becky Dunlap with Crisis Connections anticipates that SAVIN will help reduce her organization's need to consult with law enforcement and prosecutors.
http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/
20070516/NEWS02/705161256
"Grant Will Fund Police Technology"
Rockford Register Star (Illinois) (05/16/07) P. 2C; Gurman, Sadie
The helicopters that assist Rockford, Ill., officials with search-and-rescue operations will soon be able to employ heat detection to locate people who escape in complete darkness. The infrared equipment can detect the warmth of a missing person and the heat of a just-fired gun, according to Deputy Chief Kurt Ditzler. The technology will be implemented in one of the helicopters the Winnebago County Sheriff's Department utilizes through the Law Enforcement Aviation Coalition. Rockford Area Crime Stoppers will pay for the $186,000 price tag as part of a $578,000 grant the crime-combating initiative will divide between area law enforcement groups. Ditzler explained that the infrared equipment will permit officials to scan big sections of land, seeking temperature changes, which can help them locate missing individuals, nighttime car accident victims, and suspects on the lam. Crime Stoppers is also purchasing surveillance cameras for the Rockford Police Department. Rockford police will receive during a three-year period $350,000 to implement the cameras in the city's problem neighborhoods. http://www.rrstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2007105160030
"Hale County in Texas Selects Omnilink Systems to Electronically Monitor Juveniles on Probation"
Business Wire (05/16/07)
The Juvenile Probation Board of Hale County, Texas has selected Omnilink Systems to provide electronic juvenile offender monitoring services for several county youth that are on probation. Omnilink provides sophisticated location awareness information in real-time, offering a product that is completely waterproof and capable of tracking people and valuable assets inside buildings, buses, trains, and more. After relying on landline-based monitoring, which only notified probation officers when offenders were home, Chief Juvenile Probation Officer Eddie Subealdea stated that Omnilink's Focalpoint 2.0 monitoring technology solution allows the Hale County officers to know the location of their assigned juveniles at all times. "With Omnilink's Focalpoint 2.0 monitoring technology solution, my officers know within a minute when a juvenile breaks curfew or is somewhere off limits. And, they can view reports telling them where the juveniles have been previously. The adolescents themselves can't believe it and seem more apt to stay out of trouble," Subealdea says. "With this increased efficiency, electronic monitoring has proven to be an effective alternative to juvenile placement, which can cost 10 times as much as monitoring. That's a lot of savings which allows the tax payer dollars to be spent in other ways to improve safety or juvenile services." Omnilink uses a combination of Global Positioning Systems (GPS), wireless network technologies, RFID and situation-specific sensors to transmit information to a monitoring center using commercial cellular networks and then applying predefined supervision rules on a Web-based application. Recently updated in conjunction with law enforcement feedback, Omnilink's Focalpoint 2.0 also features automated voice alerts when an offender location violation has occurred. In addition, Focalpoint 2.0 offers a victim safeguard that tracks the victims' off-the-shelf cell phones, in addition to the related offender, and then alerts both the victim and law enforcement when the two are within a designated proximity to each other.
http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=
news_view&newsId=20070516005196&newsLang=en
"Relentless Search by Police Pays Off in a Heartbeat"
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (05/16/07) P. B1; Kriegish, I. Harrison
Earlier in May, state police searched Butler County, Pa., for 10-year-old John Paul May, a Harrisville resident who was awaiting a donor heart. When UPMC Children's Hospital staff could not find the boy or contact his mother when a heart became available, the police were called. Cpl. James Green was able to convince Sprint Nextel to locate Mrs. May's cell phone utilizing incorporated GPS technology, which can only be used in "life and death" situations. The police were able to track down John Paul and his mother at a concert in Slippery Rock, and the child was taken by ambulance to the children's hospital in Oakland with under an hour to spare. The surgery went well and John Paul is recuperating.
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07136/786281-54.stm
"Biometrics Enter DHS Exit System"
Federal Computer Week (05/14/07); Chan, Wade-Hahn
To the great relief of Congress, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on May 7 that it intends to quickly implement its biometric-based exit system for verifying the identities of foreign travelers who are leaving the United States. Over the past three years, the DHS US-VISIT program has been testing biometric exit technology at 14 airports, and since 2005, the DHS has been working on creating plans that detail how a secure, biometrics-based exit strategy can be implemented. The DHS had been testing the use of RFID technology for the program, but ended the tests earlier this month. The DHS then announced that it would implement 10-fingerprint scans as a means to verify the identities of foreigners who are leaving the United States via airports. Over the next several months, the DHS will introduce new regulations that explain the working details of the biometric exit system. DHS spokeswoman Anna Hinken noted that travelers in airports typically have about two hours before leaving on their flights. "The visitors could just go up and check out whenever they wanted," Hinken said. http://www.fcw.com/article102688-05-14-07-Print
"Send in the Robots: Robot Teams Handle Hazardous Jobs"
Kansas State University News (05/01/07); Hall, Michelle
Kansas State University associate professor of computing and information sciences Scott DeLoach has been using a $219,140 grant from the Department of Defense to research and create intelligent sensor networks. DeLoach's approach uses robots, sensors, laptops, and servers to handle dangerous but necessary tasks such as searching buildings for weapons of mass destruction or clearing supply routes of improvised explosive devices. DeLoach's projects examine how robot teams can respond to changing environments when performing a task, an action that will require the robots to have knowledge of the team's organizational structure, individual team member capabilities, the environment, the team goal, and appropriate reasoning mechanisms. "The goal is to establish 'organizational reasoning' as a key component in a new approach to build highly robust cooperative robot teams," DeLoach says. So far, a model of autonomous teams has been developed that allows teams to reason about organizing and reorganizing, along with a goal model for dynamic systems that allows the dynamics of the environment to be captured, according to DeLoach. The project has also developed a high-level simulator that tests the teams reasoning algorithms to determine if the team actually adapts the problem-solving process to their environment. The robotic team structure will allow a small number of operators to control multiple teams of robots, rather than multiple operators controlling a small number of robots.
http://www.k-state.edu/media/newsreleases/may07/deloach50107.html
"Map Quest"
Fire Chief (04/07) P. 34; St. John, Michael
New technology enables fire fighters to respond effectively and safely to emergencies by providing access to a community's ever-evolving geospatial data. Instead of having to memorize everything from new streets to wildland-urban interface areas, fire fighters can use GIS databases and aerial maps. In terms of prevention, fire fighters can employ GIS programs to assess their service capacity by plotting and rating area risks like hazmat facilities and high life-hazard occupancies. During emergencies, updated street and building information, like emergency exits and sprinkler system valves, is invaluable; fire fighters can absorb GIS data from handheld devices and "rugged" laptops while traveling to emergencies, facilitating swift action upon arrival. Two new GIS data systems are currently being developed, the first a vehicle location system providing the real-time position of emergency vehicles. The second is a gps location system that tracks individual fire fighters, allowing the incident commander to know precisely where each of his fire fighters is within the building.
http://www.firechief.com
"Analog to Digital"
Security Technology & Design (04/07) Vol. 17, No. 4, P. 36; Ladd, Matt
Security practitioners can switch their analog video systems to digital, at a modest price, by following the advice of some top systems operators. For example, one operator recommends that security practitioners switch the head-end equipment but keep as much of the remaining infrastructure as possible. "As a rule, the cost of replacing the infrastructure is fairly significant, so we start by replacing the VCRs or DVRs and the matrix switches, and put the video on a network to be recorded by an NVR," he says. Security practitioners should try to switch from analog to digital as fast as they can and in as few steps as they can--if they have the budget to do so. In situations where new analog cameras are being installed, security practitioners may want to avoid using coax cabling and instead use Cat 5 or Cat 6 cabling and video baluns, assuming the run is less than 300 feet. Cameras can also be powered via the same Cat 5 cable, thereby reducing costs and eliminating the need to run separate power cables. Practitioners should also consider replacing a non-working DVR with a hybrid DVR capable of supporting a few IP cameras--this provides an easy and inexpensive way to test out IP cameras. At present, only about one in 10 security cameras that are sold are IP cameras, but industry observers predict that within about three to seven years 90 percent of cameras sold will be IP.
http://www.securityinfowatch.com/print/Security-Technology-and-Design/
Video-Surveillance/Analog-to-Digital-/11153SIW2
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
NLECTC Law Enforcement & Corrections Technology News Summary
Thursday, May 24, 2007
"Court Looking for Safest Way to Put Records on the Web"
Columbus Dispatch (OH) (05/20/07) P. 1A; Carmen, Barbara
County courthouses across the country have been placing court documents online, and this practice is exposing the private information of millions of Americans and court officials to the scanning eyes of identity thieves, parties in lawsuits, and professional companies that amalgamate and resell information about people. Franklin County, Ohio, is creating a list of items that should be redacted from online copies of court documents, and they are investing in software that expunges this information automatically. This list includes Social Security records, juvenile evaluations, HIV tests, names of children who are victims of sexual violence, and police officer addresses and phone numbers. In comparison Hamilton County, Ohio, has been publishing its court documents on the Internet for eight years. They have shut down online access three times because private financial and personal information has leaked out. Baseball catcher Johnny Bench filed for divorce in Hamilton County, Ohio, and his divorce papers received more than 18,000 Internet views in just their first day online. "The court has to balance the very important Constitutional requirement of open court with the need to protect individual privacy," says one court spokesperson.
http://www.columbusdispatch.com/dispatch/content/local_news/stories/
2007/05/20/nakedinfo.ART_ART_05-20-07_A1_RS6OV5M.html
"Graffiti Fight Gets Help from Technology"
Desert Sun (05/19/07) P. 1B; Wiedmaier, Stacy
New technology is helping law enforcement agencies in Indio, Calif., control graffiti by tracking vandals. Thanks to GPS and Internet technology provided by a company called Graffiti Tracker, Indio police and government officials have the tools they need to research and decode graffiti markings before they are erased. The tracking system allows law enforcement agencies to link vandals to their graffiti postings, ensuring their prosecution. "I'm very excited about this opportunity," says Graffiti Tracker founder Tim Kephart. "The Indio police departments are motivated hard chargers who will act on the intelligence we're providing. There is actual evidence that these messages can be decoded, but they must be documented before they are painted over."
http://www.thedesertsun.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/
20070519/NEWS08/705190321/1006
"GPS: Jail of the Future?"
Twin Falls Times-News (Idaho) (05/18/07); Friedman, Cassidy
Jerome County and additional counties in Idaho's Magic Valley region will convene June 14 to talk about constructing a new jail. But Jerome's chief officer of juvenile and misdemeanor probation Kyle Fisher is suggesting taking some inmates and violators out of the Jerome County facility. Right now, younger defendants incarcerated at the Snake River Juvenile Detection Center cost Jerome County $136 each day. Adult inmates, who are frequently forced to sleep on cell floors, cost the county between $30 and $40, if sent to other counties, as well as transportation expenses. On May 16, Fisher ordered four GPS anklets for juveniles, each priced at $9 per day, which will be paid for via a federal grant. He will also propose to commissioners that they invest in the technology for adults--whether they are facing or found guilty of misdemeanors. Fisher explained that the new gadgets have alarms and can be devised to keep alcoholics from going into bars, sex violators from getting close to schools, and abusers from visiting their former wives. http://www.magicvalley.com/articles/2007/05/18/news/local_state/112444.txt
"Push for Cameras at High-Accident Intersections"
Washington Post (05/20/07) P. LZ1; Brubaker, Bill
Loudon County, Va., Sheriff Stephen O. Simpson is pushing to install as many as two dozen red-light cameras at high-accident intersections across his jurisdiction. Motorists caught by the cameras will be mailed a $50 citation, though they will not be charged points on their drivers licenses.' Studies show that the devices can be an effective deterrent against red-light running, and can reduce accidents. However, critics of red-light cameras say they encourage motorists to slam on their brakes in order to avoid getting a ticket. Other critics have questioned the accuracy of the cameras in documenting violations. Despite the criticism, Leesburg Police Chief Joseph R. Price says he is sold on red-light cameras. He noted that while the cameras may increase rear-end crashes, they significantly reduce the number of T-bone type crashes, which are usually more serious in terms of injury and property damage. In order to address concerns that the cameras produce misleading photos, Simpson said he will look into getting the most state-of-the-art red-light cameras on the market. If those concerns are addressed and officials in Loudon County and Leesburg approve the use of red-light cameras, the devices could be up and running early next year.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/
2007/05/21/AR2007052100481.html
"Stun Gun Salve in Miami Cuts Risk of Death"
USA Today (05/18/07) P. 3A; Willing, Richard
Law enforcement officials in Miami have launched a program that aims to prevent deaths that sometimes occur when officers use electric stun guns on unruly suspects. Under the program, which began in October, police officers are required to call emergency medical technicians whenever stun guns are used. If a suspect still cannot be controlled after a stun gun has been used, technicians spray a fast-acting sedative called midazolam into their noses. After the subject has been subdued, technicians inject sodium bicarbonate to counteract acids released by tensed muscles and iced saline to lower body temperature. Many of those who have died after being subdued with a stun gun have been found to have been using drugs that raised their body temperatures to as high as 108 degrees, said John Gardner, chief of Miami-Dade County Fire Rescue's emergency medical services. Gardner noted that the program has been used successfully at least a dozen times since it was launched seven months ago. http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-05-17-stun-gun-miami_N.htm?csp=34
"Federal Airport Security Workers Scanning Bottled Liquids"
Houston Chronicle (05/22/07)
The Transportation Security Administration plans to deploy about 200 hand-held scanners that can detect explosive material in sealed bottles of liquid at airports across the United States by October. The scanners have already completed piloting at Miami International and Newark Liberty International and are undergoing testing at airports in Los Angeles, Detroit, and Las Vegas. Testing in Boston is scheduled to begin later this week. The technology is only used on passengers chosen for secondary inspections prior to boarding. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nation/4824767.html
"Upgrade Should Speed Up 911 Cell Phone Service"
San Diego Union-Tribune (05/18/07) P. B2; Baker, Debbi Farr
The San Diego Sheriff's Department has completed a $1.5 million overhaul of its emergency communication system. Prior to the upgrade, emergency calls passed through the California Highway Patrol (CHP) before going to the department and the response time for CHP dispatchers took 15 to 45 seconds. Now calls will be forwarded directly to the Sheriff's Department and answered by sheriff's dispatchers within three seconds, according to Undersheriff Bill Gore.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/
20070518-9999-1m18pubsafe.html
"Will County Gets Police Podcast"
Chicago Tribune (05/18/07) P. M1; Dardick, Hal
The Will County, Ill., Police Department plans to broadcast weekly police reports over iPod listening device channels, a form of broadcasting known as podcasting. Will County Police Sheriff Paul Kaupas says podcasting will enable police to disseminate information widely, present their point of view on specific incidents, and also send out neighborhood-specific information to reach people in specific neighborhoods. For instance, the department plans to report stories such as this one: During two recent weekends in Plainfield Township, Ill., 31 vehicles were stolen and only a single vehicle was locked. Police department representative Pat Barry notes that "the print media sometimes can only give what they are being told, and they are sometimes limited in what they can say by the space they have." The New York Police Department began podcasting an "Inside the NYPD" show in 2005 that features stories such as recent profiles on a police academy, a fire rescue incident, and a Muslim police chaplain. Will County, Ill. also hopes its podcasting will reach young people, and that this in turn may lead to crime tips coming back in youth-specific cases. The county already sends out email alerts about crimes to around 3,000 recipients, and has garnered tips from this email program.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/southsouthwest/chi-
0705171190may18,1,5116468.story?coll=chi-newslocalssouthwest-hed
"Hoosiers Can Track Inmate Status"
Louisville Courier Journal (KY) (05/16/07) P. 1B; Weidenbener, Lesley Stedman
Indiana is now part of a multi-state inmate tracking network called SAVIN (Statewide Automated Victim Information and Notification), which is available around the clock at www.vinelink.com or by calling 1-866-959-8463. Now, residents in Indiana can access the status of more than 27,000 inmates in the state's correctional system as well as county jails in Floyd, Marion, Warrick, and Henry counties. Residents can opt to be notified about inmates' placement, release, transfer, or other changes, and can use the service anonymously in English or Spanish. Java Ahmed with the Indiana Department of Correction said additional counties would be added to the system as the technology expands and more prison officials become trained. By the end of 2008, all 92 counties in the state are scheduled to be online, she said. The U.S. Congress committed $17 million to launch the nationwide system; Indiana received roughly $1.25 million. The state is providing approximately $950,000 in matching funds for the initiative through the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute and the state Department of Correction. Becky Dunlap with Crisis Connections anticipates that SAVIN will help reduce her organization's need to consult with law enforcement and prosecutors.
http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/
20070516/NEWS02/705161256
"Grant Will Fund Police Technology"
Rockford Register Star (Illinois) (05/16/07) P. 2C; Gurman, Sadie
The helicopters that assist Rockford, Ill., officials with search-and-rescue operations will soon be able to employ heat detection to locate people who escape in complete darkness. The infrared equipment can detect the warmth of a missing person and the heat of a just-fired gun, according to Deputy Chief Kurt Ditzler. The technology will be implemented in one of the helicopters the Winnebago County Sheriff's Department utilizes through the Law Enforcement Aviation Coalition. Rockford Area Crime Stoppers will pay for the $186,000 price tag as part of a $578,000 grant the crime-combating initiative will divide between area law enforcement groups. Ditzler explained that the infrared equipment will permit officials to scan big sections of land, seeking temperature changes, which can help them locate missing individuals, nighttime car accident victims, and suspects on the lam. Crime Stoppers is also purchasing surveillance cameras for the Rockford Police Department. Rockford police will receive during a three-year period $350,000 to implement the cameras in the city's problem neighborhoods. http://www.rrstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2007105160030
"Hale County in Texas Selects Omnilink Systems to Electronically Monitor Juveniles on Probation"
Business Wire (05/16/07)
The Juvenile Probation Board of Hale County, Texas has selected Omnilink Systems to provide electronic juvenile offender monitoring services for several county youth that are on probation. Omnilink provides sophisticated location awareness information in real-time, offering a product that is completely waterproof and capable of tracking people and valuable assets inside buildings, buses, trains, and more. After relying on landline-based monitoring, which only notified probation officers when offenders were home, Chief Juvenile Probation Officer Eddie Subealdea stated that Omnilink's Focalpoint 2.0 monitoring technology solution allows the Hale County officers to know the location of their assigned juveniles at all times. "With Omnilink's Focalpoint 2.0 monitoring technology solution, my officers know within a minute when a juvenile breaks curfew or is somewhere off limits. And, they can view reports telling them where the juveniles have been previously. The adolescents themselves can't believe it and seem more apt to stay out of trouble," Subealdea says. "With this increased efficiency, electronic monitoring has proven to be an effective alternative to juvenile placement, which can cost 10 times as much as monitoring. That's a lot of savings which allows the tax payer dollars to be spent in other ways to improve safety or juvenile services." Omnilink uses a combination of Global Positioning Systems (GPS), wireless network technologies, RFID and situation-specific sensors to transmit information to a monitoring center using commercial cellular networks and then applying predefined supervision rules on a Web-based application. Recently updated in conjunction with law enforcement feedback, Omnilink's Focalpoint 2.0 also features automated voice alerts when an offender location violation has occurred. In addition, Focalpoint 2.0 offers a victim safeguard that tracks the victims' off-the-shelf cell phones, in addition to the related offender, and then alerts both the victim and law enforcement when the two are within a designated proximity to each other.
http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=
news_view&newsId=20070516005196&newsLang=en
"Relentless Search by Police Pays Off in a Heartbeat"
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (05/16/07) P. B1; Kriegish, I. Harrison
Earlier in May, state police searched Butler County, Pa., for 10-year-old John Paul May, a Harrisville resident who was awaiting a donor heart. When UPMC Children's Hospital staff could not find the boy or contact his mother when a heart became available, the police were called. Cpl. James Green was able to convince Sprint Nextel to locate Mrs. May's cell phone utilizing incorporated GPS technology, which can only be used in "life and death" situations. The police were able to track down John Paul and his mother at a concert in Slippery Rock, and the child was taken by ambulance to the children's hospital in Oakland with under an hour to spare. The surgery went well and John Paul is recuperating.
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07136/786281-54.stm
"Biometrics Enter DHS Exit System"
Federal Computer Week (05/14/07); Chan, Wade-Hahn
To the great relief of Congress, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on May 7 that it intends to quickly implement its biometric-based exit system for verifying the identities of foreign travelers who are leaving the United States. Over the past three years, the DHS US-VISIT program has been testing biometric exit technology at 14 airports, and since 2005, the DHS has been working on creating plans that detail how a secure, biometrics-based exit strategy can be implemented. The DHS had been testing the use of RFID technology for the program, but ended the tests earlier this month. The DHS then announced that it would implement 10-fingerprint scans as a means to verify the identities of foreigners who are leaving the United States via airports. Over the next several months, the DHS will introduce new regulations that explain the working details of the biometric exit system. DHS spokeswoman Anna Hinken noted that travelers in airports typically have about two hours before leaving on their flights. "The visitors could just go up and check out whenever they wanted," Hinken said. http://www.fcw.com/article102688-05-14-07-Print
"Send in the Robots: Robot Teams Handle Hazardous Jobs"
Kansas State University News (05/01/07); Hall, Michelle
Kansas State University associate professor of computing and information sciences Scott DeLoach has been using a $219,140 grant from the Department of Defense to research and create intelligent sensor networks. DeLoach's approach uses robots, sensors, laptops, and servers to handle dangerous but necessary tasks such as searching buildings for weapons of mass destruction or clearing supply routes of improvised explosive devices. DeLoach's projects examine how robot teams can respond to changing environments when performing a task, an action that will require the robots to have knowledge of the team's organizational structure, individual team member capabilities, the environment, the team goal, and appropriate reasoning mechanisms. "The goal is to establish 'organizational reasoning' as a key component in a new approach to build highly robust cooperative robot teams," DeLoach says. So far, a model of autonomous teams has been developed that allows teams to reason about organizing and reorganizing, along with a goal model for dynamic systems that allows the dynamics of the environment to be captured, according to DeLoach. The project has also developed a high-level simulator that tests the teams reasoning algorithms to determine if the team actually adapts the problem-solving process to their environment. The robotic team structure will allow a small number of operators to control multiple teams of robots, rather than multiple operators controlling a small number of robots.
http://www.k-state.edu/media/newsreleases/may07/deloach50107.html
"Map Quest"
Fire Chief (04/07) P. 34; St. John, Michael
New technology enables fire fighters to respond effectively and safely to emergencies by providing access to a community's ever-evolving geospatial data. Instead of having to memorize everything from new streets to wildland-urban interface areas, fire fighters can use GIS databases and aerial maps. In terms of prevention, fire fighters can employ GIS programs to assess their service capacity by plotting and rating area risks like hazmat facilities and high life-hazard occupancies. During emergencies, updated street and building information, like emergency exits and sprinkler system valves, is invaluable; fire fighters can absorb GIS data from handheld devices and "rugged" laptops while traveling to emergencies, facilitating swift action upon arrival. Two new GIS data systems are currently being developed, the first a vehicle location system providing the real-time position of emergency vehicles. The second is a gps location system that tracks individual fire fighters, allowing the incident commander to know precisely where each of his fire fighters is within the building.
http://www.firechief.com
"Analog to Digital"
Security Technology & Design (04/07) Vol. 17, No. 4, P. 36; Ladd, Matt
Security practitioners can switch their analog video systems to digital, at a modest price, by following the advice of some top systems operators. For example, one operator recommends that security practitioners switch the head-end equipment but keep as much of the remaining infrastructure as possible. "As a rule, the cost of replacing the infrastructure is fairly significant, so we start by replacing the VCRs or DVRs and the matrix switches, and put the video on a network to be recorded by an NVR," he says. Security practitioners should try to switch from analog to digital as fast as they can and in as few steps as they can--if they have the budget to do so. In situations where new analog cameras are being installed, security practitioners may want to avoid using coax cabling and instead use Cat 5 or Cat 6 cabling and video baluns, assuming the run is less than 300 feet. Cameras can also be powered via the same Cat 5 cable, thereby reducing costs and eliminating the need to run separate power cables. Practitioners should also consider replacing a non-working DVR with a hybrid DVR capable of supporting a few IP cameras--this provides an easy and inexpensive way to test out IP cameras. At present, only about one in 10 security cameras that are sold are IP cameras, but industry observers predict that within about three to seven years 90 percent of cameras sold will be IP.
http://www.securityinfowatch.com/print/Security-Technology-and-Design/
Video-Surveillance/Analog-to-Digital-/11153SIW2
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Saturday, May 26, 2007
President Calls on Congress to Pass Supplemental Bill
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
May 24, 2007 – This summer will be a critical time for the U.S. strategy in Iraq, President Bush said today as he called on members of Congress from both parties to pass the Defense Department's 2007 emergency supplemental funding request. The Defense Department would receive about $98.6 billion to continue operations in Iraq and Afghanistan through September following a compromise on the supplemental request. Both houses of Congress are set to vote on the measure today.
"By voting for this bill, members of both parties can show our troops and the Iraqis and the enemy that our country will support our servicemen and women in harm's way," Bush said during a White House Rose Garden news conference.
Congress has agreed on a $120 billion supplemental request, which could be delivered to the White House as soon as tomorrow, Hill staffers said. On May 1, Bush vetoed a previous supplemental bill that included language mandating the president begin redeploying troops from Iraq within a year. The new bill contains some domestic spending unrelated to the war effort, but less than what previous versions had included.
Since the veto, White House and congressional leaders have worked together to craft a bill the president would sign.
"We removed the arbitrary timetables on (military) withdrawal and the restrictions on commanders that some in Congress had supported," Bush said.
Instead of timetables, the legislation calls on the Iraqi government to make progress on security and reconciliation benchmarks. If the government does not meet these benchmarks, the bill calls on the United States to withhold reconstruction money.
Bush said the benchmarks are going to be tough to make. He said the Iraqis are establishing a government as they are "under relentless attack from extremists and radicals that are trying to bring down the young democracy."
The benchmarks will provide the Iraqi government and the American people with a clear roadmap on the way forward, the president said.
This summer is going to be a critical time for the new strategy, he stressed. "The last of five reinforcement brigades we are sending to Iraq is scheduled to arrive in Baghdad by mid-June," Bush said. "As these reinforcements carry out their missions, the enemies of a free Iraq -- including al Qaeda and illegal militias -- will continue to bomb and murder in an attempt to stop us.
"We expect heavy fighting in the weeks and months ahead," he continued. "We can expect more American and Iraqi casualties. We must provide our troops with the funds and resources they need to prevail."
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
May 24, 2007 – This summer will be a critical time for the U.S. strategy in Iraq, President Bush said today as he called on members of Congress from both parties to pass the Defense Department's 2007 emergency supplemental funding request. The Defense Department would receive about $98.6 billion to continue operations in Iraq and Afghanistan through September following a compromise on the supplemental request. Both houses of Congress are set to vote on the measure today.
"By voting for this bill, members of both parties can show our troops and the Iraqis and the enemy that our country will support our servicemen and women in harm's way," Bush said during a White House Rose Garden news conference.
Congress has agreed on a $120 billion supplemental request, which could be delivered to the White House as soon as tomorrow, Hill staffers said. On May 1, Bush vetoed a previous supplemental bill that included language mandating the president begin redeploying troops from Iraq within a year. The new bill contains some domestic spending unrelated to the war effort, but less than what previous versions had included.
Since the veto, White House and congressional leaders have worked together to craft a bill the president would sign.
"We removed the arbitrary timetables on (military) withdrawal and the restrictions on commanders that some in Congress had supported," Bush said.
Instead of timetables, the legislation calls on the Iraqi government to make progress on security and reconciliation benchmarks. If the government does not meet these benchmarks, the bill calls on the United States to withhold reconstruction money.
Bush said the benchmarks are going to be tough to make. He said the Iraqis are establishing a government as they are "under relentless attack from extremists and radicals that are trying to bring down the young democracy."
The benchmarks will provide the Iraqi government and the American people with a clear roadmap on the way forward, the president said.
This summer is going to be a critical time for the new strategy, he stressed. "The last of five reinforcement brigades we are sending to Iraq is scheduled to arrive in Baghdad by mid-June," Bush said. "As these reinforcements carry out their missions, the enemies of a free Iraq -- including al Qaeda and illegal militias -- will continue to bomb and murder in an attempt to stop us.
"We expect heavy fighting in the weeks and months ahead," he continued. "We can expect more American and Iraqi casualties. We must provide our troops with the funds and resources they need to prevail."
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
Iraq Rebuilding Progress Should Be Taken in Context, General Says
By Tim Kilbride
Special to American Forces Press Service
May 24, 2007 – U.S.-led reconstruction efforts in Iraq are making a tangible difference on the ground, but cannot quickly undo 25 years of systemic neglect of the country's infrastructure, the officer in charge of the rebuilding program said yesterday. "Our plan when we came in in 2003 was just to jumpstart the construction of the Iraqi infrastructure," said Army Brig. Gen. Michael Walsh, commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Gulf Region Division.
However, a historic failure to maintain the country's physical plant under Saddam Hussein impeded rebuilding efforts from their outset, Walsh said.
Prior to the start of the reconstruction program, the World Bank estimated it would cost $100 billion to bring Iraq up to speed, the general noted. The United States has contributed $22 billion toward that goal, he explained. The remainder is to be supplied by the government of Iraq and donor nations.
With the U.S. funds spent so far, Walsh said, the Corps of Engineers have completed 3,200 projects around Iraq. Average daily hours of power have increased from 11 to 13 hours per day; oil production capacity is in line with the U.S. goal of 3 million barrels per day; and 138 primary health care clinics are nearing completion throughout the country, he said.
Walsh explained that while the reconstruction program has been generally panned or overlooked by the mainstream media, there are important data points to keep in mind when evaluating rebuilding progress.
To those who've characterized Baghdad as being "plunged into darkness" at times, Walsh noted, "Iraq never did have 24 hours level of power." In fact, he said, much of Baghdad is now often illuminated at night because of shared generators placed throughout neighborhoods.
"They do have power," the general clarified. "What they don't have is power off of the grid."
In the health care realm, Walsh said, U.S. forces are renovating 20 hospitals across Iraq, in addition to the primary care clinics being built. He described the facilities as "turnkey," meaning that at completion they would be transferred to the Iraqi Ministry of Health for staffing and to oversee their day-to-day operations.
As with most projects involving the Iraqi government, logistics and operational planning remain a challenge, Walsh admitted.
"Their logistics systems are difficult, and they're running shortages on a lot of consumables," he said. In addition, he noted, transportation of fuel to run hospital generators is an area of concern.
That said, Walsh observed, the last time he visited a hospital "the doctors and nurses were in place, and they were taking care of the Iraqi people as they come through the door."
In the oil sector, production stands at 2.6 million barrels per day, with an additional 400,000 barrels per day in spare capacity, Walsh said. "The difficulty right now is making sure the pipelines stay intact," he noted.
In total, Walsh said, the rebuilding program is making solid headway in a less-than-ideal security environment against a mandate that would take multiple years even in a stable setting.
Approaching the mission from the perspective of an engineer, he observed, "I've been doing this for 29 years, and it takes a long time to put infrastructure together."
By way of comparison, he noted that large infrastructure- construction projects often take years to complete in the United States.
Expectations must be managed and context must be considered in evaluating the reconstruction mission, Walsh reiterated in his closing comments.
"So we've been at it (in Iraq) for three years, and people say, 'Well, have you made a significant change in the infrastructure?'" he said. "I would say, 'yes.' But again it's been under-funded for 25 years. We're not going to turn it around in three years."
(Tim Kilbride is assigned to the New Media branch of American Forces Information Service.)
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
Special to American Forces Press Service
May 24, 2007 – U.S.-led reconstruction efforts in Iraq are making a tangible difference on the ground, but cannot quickly undo 25 years of systemic neglect of the country's infrastructure, the officer in charge of the rebuilding program said yesterday. "Our plan when we came in in 2003 was just to jumpstart the construction of the Iraqi infrastructure," said Army Brig. Gen. Michael Walsh, commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Gulf Region Division.
However, a historic failure to maintain the country's physical plant under Saddam Hussein impeded rebuilding efforts from their outset, Walsh said.
Prior to the start of the reconstruction program, the World Bank estimated it would cost $100 billion to bring Iraq up to speed, the general noted. The United States has contributed $22 billion toward that goal, he explained. The remainder is to be supplied by the government of Iraq and donor nations.
With the U.S. funds spent so far, Walsh said, the Corps of Engineers have completed 3,200 projects around Iraq. Average daily hours of power have increased from 11 to 13 hours per day; oil production capacity is in line with the U.S. goal of 3 million barrels per day; and 138 primary health care clinics are nearing completion throughout the country, he said.
Walsh explained that while the reconstruction program has been generally panned or overlooked by the mainstream media, there are important data points to keep in mind when evaluating rebuilding progress.
To those who've characterized Baghdad as being "plunged into darkness" at times, Walsh noted, "Iraq never did have 24 hours level of power." In fact, he said, much of Baghdad is now often illuminated at night because of shared generators placed throughout neighborhoods.
"They do have power," the general clarified. "What they don't have is power off of the grid."
In the health care realm, Walsh said, U.S. forces are renovating 20 hospitals across Iraq, in addition to the primary care clinics being built. He described the facilities as "turnkey," meaning that at completion they would be transferred to the Iraqi Ministry of Health for staffing and to oversee their day-to-day operations.
As with most projects involving the Iraqi government, logistics and operational planning remain a challenge, Walsh admitted.
"Their logistics systems are difficult, and they're running shortages on a lot of consumables," he said. In addition, he noted, transportation of fuel to run hospital generators is an area of concern.
That said, Walsh observed, the last time he visited a hospital "the doctors and nurses were in place, and they were taking care of the Iraqi people as they come through the door."
In the oil sector, production stands at 2.6 million barrels per day, with an additional 400,000 barrels per day in spare capacity, Walsh said. "The difficulty right now is making sure the pipelines stay intact," he noted.
In total, Walsh said, the rebuilding program is making solid headway in a less-than-ideal security environment against a mandate that would take multiple years even in a stable setting.
Approaching the mission from the perspective of an engineer, he observed, "I've been doing this for 29 years, and it takes a long time to put infrastructure together."
By way of comparison, he noted that large infrastructure- construction projects often take years to complete in the United States.
Expectations must be managed and context must be considered in evaluating the reconstruction mission, Walsh reiterated in his closing comments.
"So we've been at it (in Iraq) for three years, and people say, 'Well, have you made a significant change in the infrastructure?'" he said. "I would say, 'yes.' But again it's been under-funded for 25 years. We're not going to turn it around in three years."
(Tim Kilbride is assigned to the New Media branch of American Forces Information Service.)
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
Embrace Change to Train Future Leaders
Although they're four-year schools like thousands of others that dot the United States, the U.S. service academies stand uniquely apart. All were founded with the specific goal of educating military leaders -- people who understand not just the art and science of war, but also the fundamentals of leadership.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Troops Kill, Capture Insurgents in Afghanistan
American Forces Press Service
May 24, 2007 – Afghan and coalition forces killed several insurgents, detained eight suspects and discovered a weapons cache in Afghanistan over the past two days, military officials reported. In an operation against Taliban forces in the Arghandab district of Zabul province today, Afghan and coalition forces detained three militants.
Credible intelligence led forces to the compound where suspected local Taliban fighters resided, officials said. Troops raided the site, capturing three suspected local militants, weapons and opium-processing materials, military officials said.
No shots were fired, and no one was injured in the operation. The detainees are being held for questioning.
More than 25 Taliban fighters, positioned in three compounds, attacked coalition forces with machine-gun fire and rocket- propelled grenades near the Sangin District Center yesterday morning.
Coalition forces returned fire, suppressing the enemy fighting positions with artillery fire from a nearby coalition base. Enemy forces then attempted to maneuver on the coalition force, but failed to gain the tactical advantage.
Coalition forces killed several Taliban fighters and destroyed two enemy positions as enemies retreated after the six-hour battle.
There were no Afghan civilian or coalition injuries reported.
"The Taliban has learned they cannot stand up to coalition forces," said Army Maj. Chris Belcher, a Combined Joint Task Force 82 spokesman. "Their cowardly efforts to disrupt the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan will continue to be crushed as efforts to rid the country of Taliban fighters' increases."
In the Qalat district of Zabul province yesterday, Afghan and coalition forces detained five militants in an operation against Taliban forces.
Acting on credible intelligence, troops raided a suspected al Qaeda safe-house and detained five local militants, military officials said.
No shots were fired and no one was injured in the operation. The detainees are being held for questioning.
(Compiled from Combined Joint Task Force 82 news releases.)
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
May 24, 2007 – Afghan and coalition forces killed several insurgents, detained eight suspects and discovered a weapons cache in Afghanistan over the past two days, military officials reported. In an operation against Taliban forces in the Arghandab district of Zabul province today, Afghan and coalition forces detained three militants.
Credible intelligence led forces to the compound where suspected local Taliban fighters resided, officials said. Troops raided the site, capturing three suspected local militants, weapons and opium-processing materials, military officials said.
No shots were fired, and no one was injured in the operation. The detainees are being held for questioning.
More than 25 Taliban fighters, positioned in three compounds, attacked coalition forces with machine-gun fire and rocket- propelled grenades near the Sangin District Center yesterday morning.
Coalition forces returned fire, suppressing the enemy fighting positions with artillery fire from a nearby coalition base. Enemy forces then attempted to maneuver on the coalition force, but failed to gain the tactical advantage.
Coalition forces killed several Taliban fighters and destroyed two enemy positions as enemies retreated after the six-hour battle.
There were no Afghan civilian or coalition injuries reported.
"The Taliban has learned they cannot stand up to coalition forces," said Army Maj. Chris Belcher, a Combined Joint Task Force 82 spokesman. "Their cowardly efforts to disrupt the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan will continue to be crushed as efforts to rid the country of Taliban fighters' increases."
In the Qalat district of Zabul province yesterday, Afghan and coalition forces detained five militants in an operation against Taliban forces.
Acting on credible intelligence, troops raided a suspected al Qaeda safe-house and detained five local militants, military officials said.
No shots were fired and no one was injured in the operation. The detainees are being held for questioning.
(Compiled from Combined Joint Task Force 82 news releases.)
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
Iraqi, Coalition Forces Detain 15, Destroy Cache, Thwart Attack
American Forces Press Service
May 24, 2007 – Iraqi and coalition forces seized 15 suspected terrorists, destroyed a weapons cache and thwarted an attack on a State Department convoy in Iraq over the past two days. During an operation in Karmah today, coalition forces detained four suspected terrorists hiding outside the first of three targeted buildings. Troops nabbed six more suspected terrorists in the other buildings.
All suspects were detained for their alleged association with a suspected al Qaeda emir and participation in anti-aircraft attacks, military officials said.
Coalition forces raided a building east of Ameriyah this morning and captured four individuals with alleged ties to a roadside bomb cell in the area, military officials said.
In Mosul, coalition forces seized a suspected terrorist who allegedly leads an al Qaeda group in the area.
While raiding a house near Salman Pak today, coalition forces discovered and later destroyed a cache containing mortars, dynamite and jihadist media.
"We continue to target al Qaeda in Iraq's leaders and its manpower resources," said Army Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, Multinational Force Iraq spokesman. "Each operation contributes to eventual security for the people of Iraq."
Insurgents using small-arms fire attacked a convoy of U.S. State Department members and their coalition force security escort in Baghdad's Rusafa District yesterday.
The security unit returned fire and requested assistance.
Apache helicopters from the 1st Cavalry Division's 1st Air Cavalry Brigade arrived before ground reinforcements from soldiers of the 2nd Infantry Division's 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, who were patrolling nearby during the attack.
Apache helicopter crews located several armed insurgents as they attacked the convoy. Apache operators then fired the aircraft's 30 mm main gun, causing the insurgents to cease their attack.
"We responded to troops in contact with the enemy," said Col. Daniel Shanahan, commander of the 1st Cavalry Division's 1st Air Cavalry Brigade. "Our aircrews engaged valid targets, making positive identification of the enemy."
Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers and Iraqi security forces secured the area following the attack. State Department personnel and security elements left the area safely after ground forces arrived to the scene.
No Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers were injured during the attack. The incident is under investigation.
(Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq and Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
May 24, 2007 – Iraqi and coalition forces seized 15 suspected terrorists, destroyed a weapons cache and thwarted an attack on a State Department convoy in Iraq over the past two days. During an operation in Karmah today, coalition forces detained four suspected terrorists hiding outside the first of three targeted buildings. Troops nabbed six more suspected terrorists in the other buildings.
All suspects were detained for their alleged association with a suspected al Qaeda emir and participation in anti-aircraft attacks, military officials said.
Coalition forces raided a building east of Ameriyah this morning and captured four individuals with alleged ties to a roadside bomb cell in the area, military officials said.
In Mosul, coalition forces seized a suspected terrorist who allegedly leads an al Qaeda group in the area.
While raiding a house near Salman Pak today, coalition forces discovered and later destroyed a cache containing mortars, dynamite and jihadist media.
"We continue to target al Qaeda in Iraq's leaders and its manpower resources," said Army Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, Multinational Force Iraq spokesman. "Each operation contributes to eventual security for the people of Iraq."
Insurgents using small-arms fire attacked a convoy of U.S. State Department members and their coalition force security escort in Baghdad's Rusafa District yesterday.
The security unit returned fire and requested assistance.
Apache helicopters from the 1st Cavalry Division's 1st Air Cavalry Brigade arrived before ground reinforcements from soldiers of the 2nd Infantry Division's 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, who were patrolling nearby during the attack.
Apache helicopter crews located several armed insurgents as they attacked the convoy. Apache operators then fired the aircraft's 30 mm main gun, causing the insurgents to cease their attack.
"We responded to troops in contact with the enemy," said Col. Daniel Shanahan, commander of the 1st Cavalry Division's 1st Air Cavalry Brigade. "Our aircrews engaged valid targets, making positive identification of the enemy."
Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers and Iraqi security forces secured the area following the attack. State Department personnel and security elements left the area safely after ground forces arrived to the scene.
No Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers were injured during the attack. The incident is under investigation.
(Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq and Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
Bush Says Iraq Better Off Without Saddam
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
May 24, 2007 – The world is better off without former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, President Bush said in a White House news conference today. Even given the violence in Iraq since 2003, the country is still better off than when Saddam ruled, Bush said. Reporters pointed out that some critics of the administration's Iraq policy maintain Iraqis would be better off if the United States had left Saddam Hussein in power. "Saddam Hussein was an enemy of the United States," Bush responded. "He attacked his neighbors. He was ... paying Palestinian suicide bombers.
"I don't buy (that Iraq would be better off)," he continued. "I don't buy that this world would be a better place with Saddam Hussein in power, and ... I'm sure the Iraqis would agree with that."
Other reporters' questions suggested that if the United States had not gone into Iraq, then terrorist groups would have left America alone. Bush called al Qaeda in Iraq public enemy No. 1 and said they would fight the United States no matter what. "Their strategy is to drive us out of the Middle East," he said.
Bush said al Qaeda wants to spread its ideology and establish a safe haven from which to plan and launch attacks. "And the fundamental question is, will we fight them? I have made the decision to do so," he said.
The current U.S. strategy stresses offense, Bush said. U.S. servicemembers and their allies are confronting terrorists directly in Iraq and Afghanistan. Servicemembers also are working with soldiers of other nations to confront terror in places like the Philippines and Colombia.
"This notion about how this isn't a war on terror, in my view, is naïve," he said. "The lessons of September the 11th are these: We've got to stay on the offense, we've got to bring these people to justice before they hurt again, and at the same time defeat their ideology with (an) ideology based upon liberty."
The fact that al Qaeda is attacking democracies should tell the people of the world that the terrorists fear the will of the people, the president said. "That ought to tell you that we're dealing with people that have an ideology that is opposite of liberty and will take whatever measures are necessary to prevent this young democracy from succeeding," he said.
If the United States left Iraq or Afghanistan before those countries could stand on their own, it would encourage terrorists like al Qaeda, Bush said.
"Failure in Iraq affects the security of this country; ... it's hard for some Americans to see that," Bush said. "I see it clearly. I believe this is the great challenge, ... not just Iraq, but dealing with this radical, ideological movement in a way that secures us in the short term and more likely secures us in the long term."
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
May 24, 2007 – The world is better off without former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, President Bush said in a White House news conference today. Even given the violence in Iraq since 2003, the country is still better off than when Saddam ruled, Bush said. Reporters pointed out that some critics of the administration's Iraq policy maintain Iraqis would be better off if the United States had left Saddam Hussein in power. "Saddam Hussein was an enemy of the United States," Bush responded. "He attacked his neighbors. He was ... paying Palestinian suicide bombers.
"I don't buy (that Iraq would be better off)," he continued. "I don't buy that this world would be a better place with Saddam Hussein in power, and ... I'm sure the Iraqis would agree with that."
Other reporters' questions suggested that if the United States had not gone into Iraq, then terrorist groups would have left America alone. Bush called al Qaeda in Iraq public enemy No. 1 and said they would fight the United States no matter what. "Their strategy is to drive us out of the Middle East," he said.
Bush said al Qaeda wants to spread its ideology and establish a safe haven from which to plan and launch attacks. "And the fundamental question is, will we fight them? I have made the decision to do so," he said.
The current U.S. strategy stresses offense, Bush said. U.S. servicemembers and their allies are confronting terrorists directly in Iraq and Afghanistan. Servicemembers also are working with soldiers of other nations to confront terror in places like the Philippines and Colombia.
"This notion about how this isn't a war on terror, in my view, is naïve," he said. "The lessons of September the 11th are these: We've got to stay on the offense, we've got to bring these people to justice before they hurt again, and at the same time defeat their ideology with (an) ideology based upon liberty."
The fact that al Qaeda is attacking democracies should tell the people of the world that the terrorists fear the will of the people, the president said. "That ought to tell you that we're dealing with people that have an ideology that is opposite of liberty and will take whatever measures are necessary to prevent this young democracy from succeeding," he said.
If the United States left Iraq or Afghanistan before those countries could stand on their own, it would encourage terrorists like al Qaeda, Bush said.
"Failure in Iraq affects the security of this country; ... it's hard for some Americans to see that," Bush said. "I see it clearly. I believe this is the great challenge, ... not just Iraq, but dealing with this radical, ideological movement in a way that secures us in the short term and more likely secures us in the long term."
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
Gates, Pace: Local Leaders Critical to Success in Iraq, Afghanistan
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
May 24, 2007 – Though strengthening the central governments is critical to success in both Iraq and Afghanistan, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said today, it's also important to build relationships with local leaders who play key roles in their communities. Gtes told Pentagon reporters he's been concerned that the U.S. and coalition efforts in both countries may be focusing too much simply on bolstering the central governments.
He said he has wondered since taking office in December if the focus has stopped short of recognizing the "cultural and historical, provincial, tribal and other entities that have played an important role in the history of both countries."
"I think the reality is that we need to continue our efforts to strengthen the central governments and the ministries in both countries," he said. "But I think reaching out and working with these other groups is also important."
Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, joined Gates in pointing to Iraq's Anbar province an example of what this effort can accomplish.
"It was local leaders in al Anbar who made the decision that they were tired of al Qaeda (and) that they wanted to partner with coalition forces in getting rid of al Qaeda," Pace said. Working together rather than at cross-purposes, these groups have "been able to change the atmosphere in al Anbar significantly," he said.
Pace said the Anbar experience offers a lesson for troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. "The military leadership should be paying attention to the political leadership's decisions and be ready to reinforce and help them as best they can," he said.
Gates said the benefit of this cooperation applies equally in Afghanistan, where "the importance of the village elders and others and the provincial governors is clearly important in progress."
As people tire of violence in their streets, they are more likely to collaborate with forces working to deter them, he said. "When these guys ... get impatient with the Taliban and others trying to muscle their way around their villages and begin to work more closely with (the NATO International Security Assistance Force) and with the Afghan National Army, then I think you begin to see real progress," he said.
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
May 24, 2007 – Though strengthening the central governments is critical to success in both Iraq and Afghanistan, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said today, it's also important to build relationships with local leaders who play key roles in their communities. Gtes told Pentagon reporters he's been concerned that the U.S. and coalition efforts in both countries may be focusing too much simply on bolstering the central governments.
He said he has wondered since taking office in December if the focus has stopped short of recognizing the "cultural and historical, provincial, tribal and other entities that have played an important role in the history of both countries."
"I think the reality is that we need to continue our efforts to strengthen the central governments and the ministries in both countries," he said. "But I think reaching out and working with these other groups is also important."
Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, joined Gates in pointing to Iraq's Anbar province an example of what this effort can accomplish.
"It was local leaders in al Anbar who made the decision that they were tired of al Qaeda (and) that they wanted to partner with coalition forces in getting rid of al Qaeda," Pace said. Working together rather than at cross-purposes, these groups have "been able to change the atmosphere in al Anbar significantly," he said.
Pace said the Anbar experience offers a lesson for troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. "The military leadership should be paying attention to the political leadership's decisions and be ready to reinforce and help them as best they can," he said.
Gates said the benefit of this cooperation applies equally in Afghanistan, where "the importance of the village elders and others and the provincial governors is clearly important in progress."
As people tire of violence in their streets, they are more likely to collaborate with forces working to deter them, he said. "When these guys ... get impatient with the Taliban and others trying to muscle their way around their villages and begin to work more closely with (the NATO International Security Assistance Force) and with the Afghan National Army, then I think you begin to see real progress," he said.
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
Violence in Iraq Could Pick Up This Summer, Officials Say
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
May 24, 2007 – Military forces in Iraq need to prepare for a possible increase in violence in July and August, defense leaders told Pentagon reporters today. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said the United States is dealing with a "smart, agile, thinking enemy" in Iraq that's technologically sophisticated and understands what's happening in the United States. That includes debate about Iraq.
As a result, Gates said, it's likely that these forces will increase their violence during the summer months, before Multinational Force Iraq Commander Army Gen. David H. Petraeus issues an assessment in September.
"I think we should be prepared for them to make a very strong effort to increase the level of violence in July and August," the secretary said. "My hope is that anticipating it will allow us to thwart it."
Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, agreed that experience shows the enemy is likely to seize on the opportunity to influence its outcome. "From an enemy standpoint, attacking as best they can in July and August would make sense from their standpoint," he said.
As a result, he said, it's important for U.S. and coalition troops to be prepared. "We need to be prepared for that additional effort on their part, to defeat it and to turn it back," he said.
Petraeus' report is expected to focus on the overall situation in Iraq from a security standpoint, he said. That will include efforts to counter al Qaeda, to train and equip the Iraqi forces, to bring down the violence in Baghdad and to promote political reconciliation.
This evaluation will be "an important contribution to an overall evaluation of how we think things are going in Iraq," Gates said.
But any decision on whether the United States should change its course in Iraq in any way "is going to be the president's decision," he said. Gates told reporters he expects that Bush will consider input from him, the secretary of state and the Joint Chiefs of Staff when making such a decision.
Gates acknowledged that al Qaeda has had a big effect on the current picture in Iraq. "This situation would look very different if it weren't for al Qaeda," he said.
"Whatever progress is made, and particularly in the last few months, often is overshadowed when al Qaeda will launch a major attack that kills a lot of innocent civilian Iraqis," he said.
These terrorists "clearly intend to keep the violence stoked in trying to provoke sectarian conflict between the Sunnis and the Shiia," he said. "And so they are a significant complicating factor in what we're trying to accomplish through the surge."
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
May 24, 2007 – Military forces in Iraq need to prepare for a possible increase in violence in July and August, defense leaders told Pentagon reporters today. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said the United States is dealing with a "smart, agile, thinking enemy" in Iraq that's technologically sophisticated and understands what's happening in the United States. That includes debate about Iraq.
As a result, Gates said, it's likely that these forces will increase their violence during the summer months, before Multinational Force Iraq Commander Army Gen. David H. Petraeus issues an assessment in September.
"I think we should be prepared for them to make a very strong effort to increase the level of violence in July and August," the secretary said. "My hope is that anticipating it will allow us to thwart it."
Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, agreed that experience shows the enemy is likely to seize on the opportunity to influence its outcome. "From an enemy standpoint, attacking as best they can in July and August would make sense from their standpoint," he said.
As a result, he said, it's important for U.S. and coalition troops to be prepared. "We need to be prepared for that additional effort on their part, to defeat it and to turn it back," he said.
Petraeus' report is expected to focus on the overall situation in Iraq from a security standpoint, he said. That will include efforts to counter al Qaeda, to train and equip the Iraqi forces, to bring down the violence in Baghdad and to promote political reconciliation.
This evaluation will be "an important contribution to an overall evaluation of how we think things are going in Iraq," Gates said.
But any decision on whether the United States should change its course in Iraq in any way "is going to be the president's decision," he said. Gates told reporters he expects that Bush will consider input from him, the secretary of state and the Joint Chiefs of Staff when making such a decision.
Gates acknowledged that al Qaeda has had a big effect on the current picture in Iraq. "This situation would look very different if it weren't for al Qaeda," he said.
"Whatever progress is made, and particularly in the last few months, often is overshadowed when al Qaeda will launch a major attack that kills a lot of innocent civilian Iraqis," he said.
These terrorists "clearly intend to keep the violence stoked in trying to provoke sectarian conflict between the Sunnis and the Shiia," he said. "And so they are a significant complicating factor in what we're trying to accomplish through the surge."
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Pfc. Casey P. Zylman, 22, of Coleman, Mich., died May 25 in Mosul, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle May 24 in Tallafar, Iraq. He was assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.
For further information in regard to this release the media can contact the 25th Infantry Division public affairs office at (808) 655-4815 or (808) 655-8729.
Pfc. Casey P. Zylman, 22, of Coleman, Mich., died May 25 in Mosul, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle May 24 in Tallafar, Iraq. He was assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.
For further information in regard to this release the media can contact the 25th Infantry Division public affairs office at (808) 655-4815 or (808) 655-8729.
Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Sgt. Iosiwo Uruo, 27, of Agana Heights, Guam, died May 24, in Buhriz, Iraq, of wounds suffered when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using small arms fire. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team), Fort Lewis, Wash.
For more information in regard to this release the media can contact the Fort Lewis public affairs office at (253) 967-0152 or (253) 967-0147.
Sgt. Iosiwo Uruo, 27, of Agana Heights, Guam, died May 24, in Buhriz, Iraq, of wounds suffered when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using small arms fire. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team), Fort Lewis, Wash.
For more information in regard to this release the media can contact the Fort Lewis public affairs office at (253) 967-0152 or (253) 967-0147.
Friday, May 25, 2007
Commercial Equipment Direct Assistance Program (CEDAP) FY2007
CEDAP Application Period Extended!
Application Deadline: June 29, 2007, 23:59EDT
The Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Commercial Equipment Direct Assistance Program (CEDAP) is an important component of the Administration's larger, coordinated effort to strengthen the Nation's overall level of preparedness. CEDAP transfers specialized commercial equipment, equipment training, and equipment technical assistance directly to smaller jurisdictions and eligible metropolitan areas.
TThe FY 2007 CEDAP will provide equipment, equipment training, and equipment technical assistance valued at approximately $33.7 million to first responder organizations across the Nation. This competitive program is a direct assistance program, not a grant program, and FEMA will provide the equipment and technical assistance directly to the selected jurisdictions.
CEDAP's equipment offerings include:
Personal Protective Equipment
Thermal Imaging, Night Vision, and Video Surveillance
Chemical and Biological Detection
Information Technology and Risk Management Tools
Interoperable Communications Equipment/Technology
Eligible Agencies
Eligible applicants include law enforcement agencies, fire, and other emergency responders who demonstrate that the equipment will be used to improve their ability and capacity to respond to a major critical incident or work with other first responders. Awardees must not have received equipment/funding under the Urban Areas Security Initiative or the Assistance to Firefighters Grants program for which the Award Date is October 1, 2005 or later. Awardees that have received grant assistance from FEMA under FEMA's Interoperable Communications Equipment (ICE) program are not eligible for interoperable communications equipment under CEDAP. Organizations must submit applications through the Responder Knowledge Base (RKB) website at www.rkb.mipt.org.
Agencies and departments are allowed to submit only one application per year under CEDAP. Receipt of multiple applications from different divisions or units of the same agency or department will automatically disqualify the applicant from consideration for all CEDAP applications submitted. Applicants should select items from the CEDAP Equipment Catalog that they have been unable to acquire through other DHS programs.
Apply Online
The CEDAP application is online at the Responder Knowledge Base (RKB) website at http://www.rkb.mipt.org/.
You must register as an RKB user before you can access the application form.
For More Information
Prospective applicants should direct any questions regarding CEDAP, the application process, or the awards process to the Centralized Scheduling and Information Desk (CSID) at 1-800-368-6498 or via e-mail at askcsid@dhs.gov.
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
Application Deadline: June 29, 2007, 23:59EDT
The Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Commercial Equipment Direct Assistance Program (CEDAP) is an important component of the Administration's larger, coordinated effort to strengthen the Nation's overall level of preparedness. CEDAP transfers specialized commercial equipment, equipment training, and equipment technical assistance directly to smaller jurisdictions and eligible metropolitan areas.
TThe FY 2007 CEDAP will provide equipment, equipment training, and equipment technical assistance valued at approximately $33.7 million to first responder organizations across the Nation. This competitive program is a direct assistance program, not a grant program, and FEMA will provide the equipment and technical assistance directly to the selected jurisdictions.
CEDAP's equipment offerings include:
Personal Protective Equipment
Thermal Imaging, Night Vision, and Video Surveillance
Chemical and Biological Detection
Information Technology and Risk Management Tools
Interoperable Communications Equipment/Technology
Eligible Agencies
Eligible applicants include law enforcement agencies, fire, and other emergency responders who demonstrate that the equipment will be used to improve their ability and capacity to respond to a major critical incident or work with other first responders. Awardees must not have received equipment/funding under the Urban Areas Security Initiative or the Assistance to Firefighters Grants program for which the Award Date is October 1, 2005 or later. Awardees that have received grant assistance from FEMA under FEMA's Interoperable Communications Equipment (ICE) program are not eligible for interoperable communications equipment under CEDAP. Organizations must submit applications through the Responder Knowledge Base (RKB) website at www.rkb.mipt.org.
Agencies and departments are allowed to submit only one application per year under CEDAP. Receipt of multiple applications from different divisions or units of the same agency or department will automatically disqualify the applicant from consideration for all CEDAP applications submitted. Applicants should select items from the CEDAP Equipment Catalog that they have been unable to acquire through other DHS programs.
Apply Online
The CEDAP application is online at the Responder Knowledge Base (RKB) website at http://www.rkb.mipt.org/.
You must register as an RKB user before you can access the application form.
For More Information
Prospective applicants should direct any questions regarding CEDAP, the application process, or the awards process to the Centralized Scheduling and Information Desk (CSID) at 1-800-368-6498 or via e-mail at askcsid@dhs.gov.
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
Soldiers Focus on Finding Missing Comrades
By Staff Sgt. Angela McKinzie, USA
Special to American Forces Press Service
May 23, 2007 – It's a unit's worst nightmare: the uncertain fate of a fellow American soldier. The soldiers of the 10th Mountain Division's 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, Fort Drum, N.Y., are focused on finding their missing comrades and returning them home.
Three of the unit's soldiers have been missing since a May 12 ambush. A body found today by Iraqi police may be that of one of the missing soldiers, military officials said, but no confirmation has yet been announced.
Leaders say the missing soldiers, Spc. Alex Jimenez, Pfc. Joseph Anzack and Pvt. Byron Fouty, had survivor characteristics.
"Jimenez and Anzack were both physically and mentally strong -- especially Anzack; he was hard-headed and strong-willed," said Capt. Don Jamoles, former D Company commander. "Jimenez ... had a lot of street smarts."
Jamoles was the commander of the newly formed company for about a year before being selected for a second command in the regiment's Headquarters and Headquarters Company. He was close to all three of the missing soldiers.
"I never thought in a million years that something like this would happen to us," Jamoles said, referring to the missing soldiers as still a part of him. "I lay in bed each night imagining where these men can be, hoping we find something that will bring us closer to them and wishing when I woke up they would be found."
The soldiers were abducted within one of the most contested areas of the brigade's area. Company D is responsible for a sector that runs along the Euphrates River on a stretch of road where insurgents routinely plant improvised explosive devices. The area is rural farmland near a defunct weapons factory, populated by intelligence and Republican Guard officers who were part of Saddam Hussein's regime.
The three factors combine to provide an enemy force with resources, know-how and means to plant IEDs. The frequency of the IEDs being emplaced made overwatch of the area critical; it is easier to prevent emplacement than to defuse the devices, soldiers say.
Knowing the dangers in the area hasn't kept soldiers from searching for their missing comrades.
As of May 21, 2nd Brigade and Iraqi forces had conducted 37 company-level or higher missions. Nineteen U.S and 22 Iraqi army companies are taking part in the search. Apache attack helicopters have run missions 22 hours per day.
Twenty-seven air assault missions had been conducted, delivering soldiers to time-sensitive, intelligence-driven targets. More than 70 individuals with suspected ties to the attack had been detained.
Soldiers continue to fight rising temperatures, walk over uneven land, keep a vigilant watch for IEDs, sift through reeds taller than themselves and wade through canals in hopes of finding their brothers-in-arms.
Tips from local citizens offer hope as the search continues. More than 159 tips have been passed to the coalition. Some lead to nowhere; some advance knowledge as to where the soldiers might be.
"I haven't heard of indicators that make me believe the soldiers are dead," Command Sgt. Maj. Alex Jimenez of the 4-31 said earlier this week. "It gets frustrating that we cannot find them, but we are not losing hope. We will continue searching for our soldiers and doing whatever we can to find them. We will not leave them."
(Army Staff Sgt. Angela McKinzie is assigned to the 10th Mountain Division and Multinational Division Center Public Affairs Office.)
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
Special to American Forces Press Service
May 23, 2007 – It's a unit's worst nightmare: the uncertain fate of a fellow American soldier. The soldiers of the 10th Mountain Division's 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, Fort Drum, N.Y., are focused on finding their missing comrades and returning them home.
Three of the unit's soldiers have been missing since a May 12 ambush. A body found today by Iraqi police may be that of one of the missing soldiers, military officials said, but no confirmation has yet been announced.
Leaders say the missing soldiers, Spc. Alex Jimenez, Pfc. Joseph Anzack and Pvt. Byron Fouty, had survivor characteristics.
"Jimenez and Anzack were both physically and mentally strong -- especially Anzack; he was hard-headed and strong-willed," said Capt. Don Jamoles, former D Company commander. "Jimenez ... had a lot of street smarts."
Jamoles was the commander of the newly formed company for about a year before being selected for a second command in the regiment's Headquarters and Headquarters Company. He was close to all three of the missing soldiers.
"I never thought in a million years that something like this would happen to us," Jamoles said, referring to the missing soldiers as still a part of him. "I lay in bed each night imagining where these men can be, hoping we find something that will bring us closer to them and wishing when I woke up they would be found."
The soldiers were abducted within one of the most contested areas of the brigade's area. Company D is responsible for a sector that runs along the Euphrates River on a stretch of road where insurgents routinely plant improvised explosive devices. The area is rural farmland near a defunct weapons factory, populated by intelligence and Republican Guard officers who were part of Saddam Hussein's regime.
The three factors combine to provide an enemy force with resources, know-how and means to plant IEDs. The frequency of the IEDs being emplaced made overwatch of the area critical; it is easier to prevent emplacement than to defuse the devices, soldiers say.
Knowing the dangers in the area hasn't kept soldiers from searching for their missing comrades.
As of May 21, 2nd Brigade and Iraqi forces had conducted 37 company-level or higher missions. Nineteen U.S and 22 Iraqi army companies are taking part in the search. Apache attack helicopters have run missions 22 hours per day.
Twenty-seven air assault missions had been conducted, delivering soldiers to time-sensitive, intelligence-driven targets. More than 70 individuals with suspected ties to the attack had been detained.
Soldiers continue to fight rising temperatures, walk over uneven land, keep a vigilant watch for IEDs, sift through reeds taller than themselves and wade through canals in hopes of finding their brothers-in-arms.
Tips from local citizens offer hope as the search continues. More than 159 tips have been passed to the coalition. Some lead to nowhere; some advance knowledge as to where the soldiers might be.
"I haven't heard of indicators that make me believe the soldiers are dead," Command Sgt. Maj. Alex Jimenez of the 4-31 said earlier this week. "It gets frustrating that we cannot find them, but we are not losing hope. We will continue searching for our soldiers and doing whatever we can to find them. We will not leave them."
(Army Staff Sgt. Angela McKinzie is assigned to the 10th Mountain Division and Multinational Division Center Public Affairs Office.)
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
DoD Announces Change-In-Status of Army Soldier
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom who was previously listed as Duty Status Whereabouts Unknown.
Pfc. Joseph J. Anzack Jr., 20, of Torrance, Calif., was captured May 12 by enemy forces in Al Taqa, Iraq, when his unit was attacked by insurgents using automatic fire and explosives. His body was recently recovered in Iraq.
The circumstances surrounding his capture and death remain under investigation.
Anzack was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y. For more information in regard to this release the media can contact the Fort Drum public affairs office at (315) 772-8286.
Pfc. Joseph J. Anzack Jr., 20, of Torrance, Calif., was captured May 12 by enemy forces in Al Taqa, Iraq, when his unit was attacked by insurgents using automatic fire and explosives. His body was recently recovered in Iraq.
The circumstances surrounding his capture and death remain under investigation.
Anzack was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y. For more information in regard to this release the media can contact the Fort Drum public affairs office at (315) 772-8286.
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