By Sgt. Sara Wood, USA
American Forces Press Service
Jan. 10, 2007 – The detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, remains a valuable asset in the war on terror as a place to hold enemy combatants and a source of useful intelligence to prevent future terrorist attacks, a top Defense Department official said here today. "It's important during a time of war to have a place where, number one, you can take people off the battlefield and not allow them to go back to the battlefield ... but also, exploit intelligence that they may possess," Charles Stimson, deputy assistant secretary of defense for detainee affairs, said in an interview on C-SPAN. "Guantanamo today remains the key strategic intelligence platform in the war on terror."
This week marks the fifth anniversary of the first arrival of detainees at Guantanamo Bay. About 395 detainees are now in the detention facility, which is co-located on the island with Naval Station Guantanamo Bay.
The detainees at Guantanamo Bay are terrorist trainers, financiers and supporters, and it is important for the U.S. to have a place to hold them until the war on terror is over, Stimson said. He stressed that the law of armed conflict allows any country under the Geneva Conventions to hold enemy combatants, without charging them with crimes, to keep them off the battlefield.
The U.S. has released or transferred 377 detainees to other countries since the detention facility opened, Stimson said. About 100 more are cleared for release and waiting for diplomatic negotiations with their home countries. These detainees were either deemed to no longer be a threat, or other countries agreed to accept them for further detention.
"As the president has said, we don't want to be the world's jailer," Stimson said. "We want other countries to step up and accept responsibilities for detainees during this time of war."
The conditions at Guantanamo are safe and humane, Stimson said. The detainees get to exercise regularly, are fed culturally and religiously appropriate meals, receive excellent medical and dental care, have access to mail and a library, and have the opportunity to practice their religion. Also, the International Committee of the Red Cross has unfettered access to the detainees.
Stimson pointed out that even though unlawful enemy combatants aren't protected by the Geneva Conventions, the U.S. has adopted a high standard of treatment for all detainees. "I think we should be proud as a country that we established that," he said. "We can't lower ourselves to where the enemy would take us; we have to remain the paragon of human rights that we are."
Intelligence yielded from the interrogations continues to be valuable in the war on terror, he said. He gave as an example one incident where Guantanamo detainees identified a high-level Al Qaeda leader.
The Defense Department is slated to submit a manual on military commissions to Congress Jan. 15 that will outline the rules and procedures to be followed in trying detainees charged with war crimes. Once the manual receives approval, military commissions at Guantanamo Bay are expected to continue, Stimson said.
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Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Marine Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Sgt. Aron C. Blum, 22, of Tucson, Ariz., died Dec. 28 at Naval Medical Center, San Diego, Calif., of a non-hostile cause after being evacuated from Al Anbar province, Iraq, on Dec. 8. Blum was assigned to Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 352, Marine Aircraft Group 11, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif.
For further information in regard to this Marine the media can contact the Miramar public affairs office at (858) 577-6000.
Sgt. Aron C. Blum, 22, of Tucson, Ariz., died Dec. 28 at Naval Medical Center, San Diego, Calif., of a non-hostile cause after being evacuated from Al Anbar province, Iraq, on Dec. 8. Blum was assigned to Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 352, Marine Aircraft Group 11, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif.
For further information in regard to this Marine the media can contact the Miramar public affairs office at (858) 577-6000.
White House Official: Iraqi Participation Key to Bush's New Strategy
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
Jan. 10, 2007 – President Bush's new strategy in Iraq will hinge on the Iraqi government and security forces stepping up and making decisions they have avoided, a senior White House official said today. White House communications director Dan Bartlett, speaking on Fox News Channel this morning, said Iraqi leaders have pledged to make these decisions.
The new strategy, which the president will outline during a televised address tonight, will require a short-term increase in U.S. troops and support to the Iraqi government. "But ultimately, the new strategy President Bush is going to talk about tonight is going to give us the best chance for success," Bartlett said. "It's going to give us the best chance to make sure that we wrest control of the security situation in Baghdad."
This will "allow for the type of breathing space that the Iraqis need to get the type of political and economic reconciliation we all know that's necessary for that country to move forward," Bartlett said.
More U.S. troops in the country will require two basic pre-conditions, he said. First, there must be more Iraqi troops on the ground. Second, there must be different, more aggressive rules of engagement for the Iraqi troops. Bartlett said President Bush "would not commit one additional troop to Baghdad if it weren't based upon a new strategy with new outcomes to be expected."
In the past, the Iraqi government made promises to deploy additional troops to hot areas, but they didn't materialize, Bartlett said. Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki promised brigades of Iraqi forces for Operation Together Forward, launched in July, but only one Iraqi brigade actually deployed to Baghdad.
More important is what the Iraqi troops do when they do deploy. "The places where these troops can go and actually conduct operations have to be different," Bartlett said. "We've found too often that certain parts of neighborhoods or communities in Baghdad were considered off-limits. That has to change, too."
He said President Bush "made the conclusion that the Iraqis are going to step up; they are going to do things differently."
Bush is setting clear benchmarks as the Iraqis move forward, Bartlett said. This will prove to the American people that the Iraqis are shouldering the burden of defusing sectarian violence in and around Baghdad, he said. "President Bush will make very clear tonight, as the American people expect him to do, that our commitment is not open-ended," Bartlett said. "We do expect different results from the Iraqis."
Bartlett said the war on terror cannot be won if the United States loses in Iraq. "Al Qaeda is fighting us in Iraq," he said. "Iran has an interest in Iraq. ... Every bad element in the Middle East is trying to defeat us in Iraq. The war on terror cannot be won if we fail in Iraq."
Article sponsored by police and military personnel who have become writers; and professionals involved in criminal justice leadership.
American Forces Press Service
Jan. 10, 2007 – President Bush's new strategy in Iraq will hinge on the Iraqi government and security forces stepping up and making decisions they have avoided, a senior White House official said today. White House communications director Dan Bartlett, speaking on Fox News Channel this morning, said Iraqi leaders have pledged to make these decisions.
The new strategy, which the president will outline during a televised address tonight, will require a short-term increase in U.S. troops and support to the Iraqi government. "But ultimately, the new strategy President Bush is going to talk about tonight is going to give us the best chance for success," Bartlett said. "It's going to give us the best chance to make sure that we wrest control of the security situation in Baghdad."
This will "allow for the type of breathing space that the Iraqis need to get the type of political and economic reconciliation we all know that's necessary for that country to move forward," Bartlett said.
More U.S. troops in the country will require two basic pre-conditions, he said. First, there must be more Iraqi troops on the ground. Second, there must be different, more aggressive rules of engagement for the Iraqi troops. Bartlett said President Bush "would not commit one additional troop to Baghdad if it weren't based upon a new strategy with new outcomes to be expected."
In the past, the Iraqi government made promises to deploy additional troops to hot areas, but they didn't materialize, Bartlett said. Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki promised brigades of Iraqi forces for Operation Together Forward, launched in July, but only one Iraqi brigade actually deployed to Baghdad.
More important is what the Iraqi troops do when they do deploy. "The places where these troops can go and actually conduct operations have to be different," Bartlett said. "We've found too often that certain parts of neighborhoods or communities in Baghdad were considered off-limits. That has to change, too."
He said President Bush "made the conclusion that the Iraqis are going to step up; they are going to do things differently."
Bush is setting clear benchmarks as the Iraqis move forward, Bartlett said. This will prove to the American people that the Iraqis are shouldering the burden of defusing sectarian violence in and around Baghdad, he said. "President Bush will make very clear tonight, as the American people expect him to do, that our commitment is not open-ended," Bartlett said. "We do expect different results from the Iraqis."
Bartlett said the war on terror cannot be won if the United States loses in Iraq. "Al Qaeda is fighting us in Iraq," he said. "Iran has an interest in Iraq. ... Every bad element in the Middle East is trying to defeat us in Iraq. The war on terror cannot be won if we fail in Iraq."
Article sponsored by police and military personnel who have become writers; and professionals involved in criminal justice leadership.
Five Detained in Iraq; Council Meeting Continues Despite Explosions
American Forces Press Service
Jan. 10, 2007 – Six suspected terrorists were detained yesterday in Iraq, and this morning's city council meeting in Mahmudiyah continued despite nearby explosions.
-- Paratroopers from Company D, 3rd Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment, and Iraqi police arrested three suspects yesterday near Haswah. The suspects were taken to the Iskandariyah police station for questioning.
-- Paratroopers from Company A, 1st Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, and Iraqi Police arrested two suspects yesterday near Hay al Askeri.
-- Insurgents detonated explosives inside two trucks near a gas station today in Mahmudiyah, wounding two local residents. Despite the explosion, Mahmudiyah's city council meeting to discuss security, reconciliation and essential service projects in the town continued as planned.
Article sponsored by police and military personnel who have become writers; and professionals involved in criminal justice leadership.
Jan. 10, 2007 – Six suspected terrorists were detained yesterday in Iraq, and this morning's city council meeting in Mahmudiyah continued despite nearby explosions.
-- Paratroopers from Company D, 3rd Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment, and Iraqi police arrested three suspects yesterday near Haswah. The suspects were taken to the Iskandariyah police station for questioning.
-- Paratroopers from Company A, 1st Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, and Iraqi Police arrested two suspects yesterday near Hay al Askeri.
-- Insurgents detonated explosives inside two trucks near a gas station today in Mahmudiyah, wounding two local residents. Despite the explosion, Mahmudiyah's city council meeting to discuss security, reconciliation and essential service projects in the town continued as planned.
Article sponsored by police and military personnel who have become writers; and professionals involved in criminal justice leadership.
Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Sgt. James M. Wosika Jr., 24, of St. Paul, Minn., died Jan. 9 in Fallujah, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his unit while on combat patrol. Wosika was assigned to the 2nd Combined Arms Battalion, 136th Infantry, Crookston, Minn.
For more information in regard to this release the media can contact the Minnesota Army National Guard public affairs office at (651) 282-4684.
Sgt. James M. Wosika Jr., 24, of St. Paul, Minn., died Jan. 9 in Fallujah, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his unit while on combat patrol. Wosika was assigned to the 2nd Combined Arms Battalion, 136th Infantry, Crookston, Minn.
For more information in regard to this release the media can contact the Minnesota Army National Guard public affairs office at (651) 282-4684.
Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Spc. Eric T. Caldwell, 22, of Salisbury, Md., died Jan 7 in Iraq of wounds sustained when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using small arms fire. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.
For more information on this soldier, contact the Fort Hood public affairs office at (254) 287-9993.
Spc. Eric T. Caldwell, 22, of Salisbury, Md., died Jan 7 in Iraq of wounds sustained when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using small arms fire. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.
For more information on this soldier, contact the Fort Hood public affairs office at (254) 287-9993.
Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Spc. Raymond N. Mitchell, III, 21, of West Memphis, Ark., died Jan 6 in Baghdad, Iraq of wounds sustained during route security operations. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.
For more information on this soldier, contact the Fort Drum public affairs office at (315) 772-8286.
Spc. Raymond N. Mitchell, III, 21, of West Memphis, Ark., died Jan 6 in Baghdad, Iraq of wounds sustained during route security operations. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.
For more information on this soldier, contact the Fort Drum public affairs office at (315) 772-8286.
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
Terrorists Killed, Detained in Iraq; Weapons Discovered
American Forces Press Service
Jan. 9, 2007 – At least three insurgents were killed, an al Qaeda cell leader was captured, and other suspected terrorists were detained through several recent operations in Iraq, military officials reported.
-- Soldiers from the 1st Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, with support from coalition forces, are conducting raids today in Baghdad. Three insurgents have been arrested so far in the ongoing operation.
-- Soldiers from Company A, 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, detained seven suspects and discovered a weapons cache yesterday in northern Baghdad.
-- Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 3rd Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army, yesterday discovered five rocket-propelled grenade launchers, seven AK-47 rifles, one sniper rifle, ammunition, and six mortar fuses west of Ghazaliya.
-- Iraqi police provided medical screenings yesterday for children at a southern Ramadi school. Police forces visited classrooms, talked with students and handed out backpacks, Iraqi flags, soccer balls and jerseys, stickers, toys and candy.
-- 5th Iraqi Army troops and Task Force Lightning soldiers killed three insurgents, detained several suspected terrorists and discovered multiple caches Jan. 7 during operations in Tahrir village.
-- 6th Iraqi Army Division forces with coalition advisors captured the cell leader of an illegal armed group Jan. 7 during an operation in the Salaam district of northern Baghdad. The cell leader is responsible for kidnapping and murdering Iraqi civilians and security forces.
-- Following a firefight with terrorists Jan. 7 in Tameem, Iraqi police captured insurgents, confiscated a mortar tube and uncovered a weapons cache.
-- Iraqi army and coalition forces killed several insurgents, detained several suspected terrorists, and discovered several large weapons caches over the past five days during operations near Turki village. The caches contained hundreds of rockets, improvised explosive device-making materials, small-arms munitions and dozens of anti-tank weapons.
-- Iraqi troops working with 1st Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, soldiers discovered an improvised explosive device Jan. 7 while patrolling the fish farm area west of Iskandariyah.
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Jan. 9, 2007 – At least three insurgents were killed, an al Qaeda cell leader was captured, and other suspected terrorists were detained through several recent operations in Iraq, military officials reported.
-- Soldiers from the 1st Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, with support from coalition forces, are conducting raids today in Baghdad. Three insurgents have been arrested so far in the ongoing operation.
-- Soldiers from Company A, 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, detained seven suspects and discovered a weapons cache yesterday in northern Baghdad.
-- Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 3rd Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army, yesterday discovered five rocket-propelled grenade launchers, seven AK-47 rifles, one sniper rifle, ammunition, and six mortar fuses west of Ghazaliya.
-- Iraqi police provided medical screenings yesterday for children at a southern Ramadi school. Police forces visited classrooms, talked with students and handed out backpacks, Iraqi flags, soccer balls and jerseys, stickers, toys and candy.
-- 5th Iraqi Army troops and Task Force Lightning soldiers killed three insurgents, detained several suspected terrorists and discovered multiple caches Jan. 7 during operations in Tahrir village.
-- 6th Iraqi Army Division forces with coalition advisors captured the cell leader of an illegal armed group Jan. 7 during an operation in the Salaam district of northern Baghdad. The cell leader is responsible for kidnapping and murdering Iraqi civilians and security forces.
-- Following a firefight with terrorists Jan. 7 in Tameem, Iraqi police captured insurgents, confiscated a mortar tube and uncovered a weapons cache.
-- Iraqi army and coalition forces killed several insurgents, detained several suspected terrorists, and discovered several large weapons caches over the past five days during operations near Turki village. The caches contained hundreds of rockets, improvised explosive device-making materials, small-arms munitions and dozens of anti-tank weapons.
-- Iraqi troops working with 1st Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, soldiers discovered an improvised explosive device Jan. 7 while patrolling the fish farm area west of Iskandariyah.
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Operations Conducted to Restore Iraqi Control
American Forces Press Service
Jan. 9, 2007 – Early today, about 1,000 Iraqi army and coalition forces began a joint operation in Taleel Square in Baghdad, military officials reported. Soldiers from the 1st Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, with support from coalition forces, are conducting targeted raids to capture multiple targets, disrupt insurgent activity and restore Iraqi security forces' control of North Haifa Street, said Lt. Col. Scott Bleichwehl, spokesman for Multinational Division Baghdad.
"This area has been subject to insurgent activity, which has repeatedly disrupted Iraqi security force operations in central Baghdad," Bleichwehl said.
Joint forces reported receiving small-arms fire, rocket-propelled-grenade and indirect-fire attacks during the operation. The targeted raids resulted in the arrest of 21 suspects. No coalition or Iraqi forces were killed in action as a result of today's operations, officials said.
Attack helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft were used in support of this operation. No coalition fixed-wing aircraft dropped ordnance in support of this operation.
Iraqi security forces remain in the area of today's operations to provide security for the citizens there. Coalition forces will continue operations in support of the Iraqi forces to restore Iraqi security force control and capture members of illegal militias, officials said.
Article sponsored by criminal justice leaders; and military and police personnel who have written books.
Jan. 9, 2007 – Early today, about 1,000 Iraqi army and coalition forces began a joint operation in Taleel Square in Baghdad, military officials reported. Soldiers from the 1st Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, with support from coalition forces, are conducting targeted raids to capture multiple targets, disrupt insurgent activity and restore Iraqi security forces' control of North Haifa Street, said Lt. Col. Scott Bleichwehl, spokesman for Multinational Division Baghdad.
"This area has been subject to insurgent activity, which has repeatedly disrupted Iraqi security force operations in central Baghdad," Bleichwehl said.
Joint forces reported receiving small-arms fire, rocket-propelled-grenade and indirect-fire attacks during the operation. The targeted raids resulted in the arrest of 21 suspects. No coalition or Iraqi forces were killed in action as a result of today's operations, officials said.
Attack helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft were used in support of this operation. No coalition fixed-wing aircraft dropped ordnance in support of this operation.
Iraqi security forces remain in the area of today's operations to provide security for the citizens there. Coalition forces will continue operations in support of the Iraqi forces to restore Iraqi security force control and capture members of illegal militias, officials said.
Article sponsored by criminal justice leaders; and military and police personnel who have written books.
Aircraft Attack Al Qaeda Haven, Ike Moves off Somalia
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
Jan. 9, 2007 – U.S. Air Force AC-130 gunships struck al Qaeda targets in Somalia yesterday, news sources reported last night. The operation allegedly hit al Qaeda concentrations in the southern part of the country, but Pentagon officials did not comment.
The U.S. 5th Fleet moved the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower into the waters off Somalia in an effort to capture al Qaeda terrorists attempting to flee the country, a 5th Fleet spokesman said.
United Nations-recognized Somali government officials said the strikes were aimed at al Qaeda terrorists who planned the attacks against the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998.
The Ethiopian military entered Somalia Dec. 24 with the mission of neutralizing the Council of Islamic Courts, a Muslim extremist group that took power in the Somali capital of Mogadishu. The Ethiopian forces took the capital in 10 days and terrorists and their sympathizers allegedly moved south toward the border with Kenya to escape.
More U.S. ships are moving in to the waters off Somalia to reinforce the maritime interdiction effort there, said U.S. 5th Fleet officials. "Due to rapidly developing events in Somalia, U.S. Central Command has tasked USS Dwight D. Eisenhower to join USS Bunker Hill, USS Ramage, USS Anzio and USS Ashland to support ongoing maritime security operations off the coast of Somalia," said Navy Lt. Cmdr. Charlie Brown, a spokesman for 5th Fleet in Bahrain.
The ships will stop vessels and search them for al Qaeda terrorists attempting to escape from Somalia, officials said.
Press reports said the AC-130 attacks hit an area called Ras Kamboni, a heavily forested area near the Kenyan border. The area is allegedly a terror training base. Press reports said there were casualties in the area, and Somali officials said they had captured 28 suspected al Qaeda terrorists.
Article sponsored by criminal justice leaders; and military and police personnel who have written books.
American Forces Press Service
Jan. 9, 2007 – U.S. Air Force AC-130 gunships struck al Qaeda targets in Somalia yesterday, news sources reported last night. The operation allegedly hit al Qaeda concentrations in the southern part of the country, but Pentagon officials did not comment.
The U.S. 5th Fleet moved the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower into the waters off Somalia in an effort to capture al Qaeda terrorists attempting to flee the country, a 5th Fleet spokesman said.
United Nations-recognized Somali government officials said the strikes were aimed at al Qaeda terrorists who planned the attacks against the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998.
The Ethiopian military entered Somalia Dec. 24 with the mission of neutralizing the Council of Islamic Courts, a Muslim extremist group that took power in the Somali capital of Mogadishu. The Ethiopian forces took the capital in 10 days and terrorists and their sympathizers allegedly moved south toward the border with Kenya to escape.
More U.S. ships are moving in to the waters off Somalia to reinforce the maritime interdiction effort there, said U.S. 5th Fleet officials. "Due to rapidly developing events in Somalia, U.S. Central Command has tasked USS Dwight D. Eisenhower to join USS Bunker Hill, USS Ramage, USS Anzio and USS Ashland to support ongoing maritime security operations off the coast of Somalia," said Navy Lt. Cmdr. Charlie Brown, a spokesman for 5th Fleet in Bahrain.
The ships will stop vessels and search them for al Qaeda terrorists attempting to escape from Somalia, officials said.
Press reports said the AC-130 attacks hit an area called Ras Kamboni, a heavily forested area near the Kenyan border. The area is allegedly a terror training base. Press reports said there were casualties in the area, and Somali officials said they had captured 28 suspected al Qaeda terrorists.
Article sponsored by criminal justice leaders; and military and police personnel who have written books.
Afghan Security Forces Becoming Competent, Capable, General Says
By Sgt. Sara Wood, USA
American Forces Press Service
Jan. 9, 2007 – The continued support of the U.S. and international community to building a strong Afghan army and police force is essential as that country moves forward with social and economic progress, the U.S. general in charge of training Afghan forces said today. "Our ultimate goal here is to assist the nation by building Afghan capacity and capability to secure Afghanistan's territory and provide an Afghan shield for the nation's continued development," said Army Maj. Gen. Robert Durbin, commander of Combined Security Transition Command Afghanistan. Durban spoke in a news conference via satellite from Afghanistan.
"This transition process will take time, but with steadfast U.S. and international support, it will happen," he said.
The Afghan National Army and Afghan National Police continue to make progress and demonstrate self-reliance in planning, preparing and executing security operations, Durbin said. The Afghan National Army is 36,000 strong and on its way to an end-strength of 70,000, he said. The police force is at 50,000 and will grow to 82,000. The country will reach those manpower goals by the end of 2008, he said.
As the Afghan National Army conducts successful operations each day, its soldiers gain confidence and competence, Durbin said. Improved living conditions in the field and in garrison, combined with pay reform and leadership improvements, have resulted in more recruits entering the security forces and lower rates of unauthorized absences, he said.
Under a reform program led by the U.S. and Germany, the Afghan National Police have made great progress, Abdul Hadir Khalid, first deputy minister for security, said at the news conference. The police have had a history of corruption, Khalid acknowledged, but the Interior Ministry has launched several initiatives to eradicate that corruption.
Pay reform has made police salaries more appropriate to the dangerous work they do, and ensures the officers receive every dollar they earn, Khalid said. The newly established internal affairs department enables citizens to report wrongdoing and holds police accountable for their actions, he added. Also, the newly drafted code of conduct reinforces the professional, legal and moral requirements found in the Afghan national constitution, penal code and police regulations.
To further prevent corruption, police recruits are thoroughly screened for past criminal activity and involvement with insurgent organizations, Khalid said.
"There are still many challenges ahead, but they are not insurmountable," Khalid said, speaking through a translator. "The brave and honorable men and women of the Afghan National Police are dedicated to the interior security of Afghanistan and ensuring a future of peace and prosperity."
The Afghan government is dedicated to building a police force representative of all ethnicities and regions, Khalid said. The government is also working to ensure the uniformed police, border police, civil border police and auxiliary police are properly balanced and manned, he said.
The success of police reform in Afghanistan would not have been possible without U.S. support, Khalid said. The U.S. has provided equipment, training and other resources for the qualified men and women Afghanistan is providing, he noted.
Durbin also lauded the partnership between the U.S. and Afghan governments in developing security forces. "We are prevailing against the effects of a prolonged war, tribalism, poverty, illiteracy and the lack of infrastructure," he said. "We're producing an Afghan national security force that is competent and capable of defeating a determined insurgency, while setting the stage for social and economic progress."
Article sponsored by criminal justice leaders; and military and police personnel who have written books.
American Forces Press Service
Jan. 9, 2007 – The continued support of the U.S. and international community to building a strong Afghan army and police force is essential as that country moves forward with social and economic progress, the U.S. general in charge of training Afghan forces said today. "Our ultimate goal here is to assist the nation by building Afghan capacity and capability to secure Afghanistan's territory and provide an Afghan shield for the nation's continued development," said Army Maj. Gen. Robert Durbin, commander of Combined Security Transition Command Afghanistan. Durban spoke in a news conference via satellite from Afghanistan.
"This transition process will take time, but with steadfast U.S. and international support, it will happen," he said.
The Afghan National Army and Afghan National Police continue to make progress and demonstrate self-reliance in planning, preparing and executing security operations, Durbin said. The Afghan National Army is 36,000 strong and on its way to an end-strength of 70,000, he said. The police force is at 50,000 and will grow to 82,000. The country will reach those manpower goals by the end of 2008, he said.
As the Afghan National Army conducts successful operations each day, its soldiers gain confidence and competence, Durbin said. Improved living conditions in the field and in garrison, combined with pay reform and leadership improvements, have resulted in more recruits entering the security forces and lower rates of unauthorized absences, he said.
Under a reform program led by the U.S. and Germany, the Afghan National Police have made great progress, Abdul Hadir Khalid, first deputy minister for security, said at the news conference. The police have had a history of corruption, Khalid acknowledged, but the Interior Ministry has launched several initiatives to eradicate that corruption.
Pay reform has made police salaries more appropriate to the dangerous work they do, and ensures the officers receive every dollar they earn, Khalid said. The newly established internal affairs department enables citizens to report wrongdoing and holds police accountable for their actions, he added. Also, the newly drafted code of conduct reinforces the professional, legal and moral requirements found in the Afghan national constitution, penal code and police regulations.
To further prevent corruption, police recruits are thoroughly screened for past criminal activity and involvement with insurgent organizations, Khalid said.
"There are still many challenges ahead, but they are not insurmountable," Khalid said, speaking through a translator. "The brave and honorable men and women of the Afghan National Police are dedicated to the interior security of Afghanistan and ensuring a future of peace and prosperity."
The Afghan government is dedicated to building a police force representative of all ethnicities and regions, Khalid said. The government is also working to ensure the uniformed police, border police, civil border police and auxiliary police are properly balanced and manned, he said.
The success of police reform in Afghanistan would not have been possible without U.S. support, Khalid said. The U.S. has provided equipment, training and other resources for the qualified men and women Afghanistan is providing, he noted.
Durbin also lauded the partnership between the U.S. and Afghan governments in developing security forces. "We are prevailing against the effects of a prolonged war, tribalism, poverty, illiteracy and the lack of infrastructure," he said. "We're producing an Afghan national security force that is competent and capable of defeating a determined insurgency, while setting the stage for social and economic progress."
Article sponsored by criminal justice leaders; and military and police personnel who have written books.
Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Cpl. Jeremiah J. Johnson, 23, of Vancouver, Wash., died Jan. 6 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when his vehicle rolled over Dec. 26 in Baghdad. Johnson was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson, Alaska.
The incident is under investigation.
For more information on this soldier the media can contact the U.S. Army Alaska public affairs office at (907) 384-1542.
Cpl. Jeremiah J. Johnson, 23, of Vancouver, Wash., died Jan. 6 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when his vehicle rolled over Dec. 26 in Baghdad. Johnson was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson, Alaska.
The incident is under investigation.
For more information on this soldier the media can contact the U.S. Army Alaska public affairs office at (907) 384-1542.
Monday, January 08, 2007
England Tells Students to Build Relationships One at a Time
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
Jan. 8, 2007 – Friendships between nations are abstract ideas that only become real when they are built on relationships and friendships among people, Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England told Muslim high school students visiting the Pentagon today. The students are part of the U.S. State Department's Youth Exchange and Study Program. International students participating in the exchange program live with U.S. families for 10 months. They go to school in local communities and meet Americans of all ages and walks of life in their time in the country.
Students, businesspeople and tourists visiting each others' countries and learning new cultures grow into friendship between nations, England told the 17 students who toured the Pentagon. "You build relationships one at a time," he said.
"It really is up to what individual people do," England added.
The program is not only about what students learn in America by meeting Americans, it's also about what they say when they go back to their nations about their experiences in the United States.
"I have learned that Americans are not really all that different from me," Lynne Ammar, an exchange student from Tunisia, said. "We all want the same things for our families and nations. We should be together in one world."
Another student said she has learned to take what she learns in the media with a grain of salt. "You can't always trust what you see in the media, both the media in my country and the U.S. media," Imane Belhaj, from Morocco, said. "You get only a small part of the story."
She said she has found Americans friendly, courteous and not like they are portrayed in movies, and that is an impression she will bring home with her.
The impression the students leave in America is also important, Abd Ulah al Awadhi, from Kuwait, said. "While I am here I have to remember that I am like an ambassador to Kuwait," he said. "I want people to understand what my country is like and what my people are like. I hope to leave them with a good impression of my people."
"We are like a bridge between the cultures," Soumaya Berrazzouk, from Morocco, said. "People here are very open and friendly. They have opened their houses and their hearts to us. Now we need to go back and talk of our experiences here."
Nationwide, around 600 students are participating in the program. It started in 2002 as an effort for high school students from predominantly Muslim countries to experience life in a democratic society. The students participating in the program are from: Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Syria, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Gaza and the West Bank. Arab Israelis also participate.
Article sponsored by police and military personnel who have authored books; and, criminal justice leadership.
American Forces Press Service
Jan. 8, 2007 – Friendships between nations are abstract ideas that only become real when they are built on relationships and friendships among people, Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England told Muslim high school students visiting the Pentagon today. The students are part of the U.S. State Department's Youth Exchange and Study Program. International students participating in the exchange program live with U.S. families for 10 months. They go to school in local communities and meet Americans of all ages and walks of life in their time in the country.
Students, businesspeople and tourists visiting each others' countries and learning new cultures grow into friendship between nations, England told the 17 students who toured the Pentagon. "You build relationships one at a time," he said.
"It really is up to what individual people do," England added.
The program is not only about what students learn in America by meeting Americans, it's also about what they say when they go back to their nations about their experiences in the United States.
"I have learned that Americans are not really all that different from me," Lynne Ammar, an exchange student from Tunisia, said. "We all want the same things for our families and nations. We should be together in one world."
Another student said she has learned to take what she learns in the media with a grain of salt. "You can't always trust what you see in the media, both the media in my country and the U.S. media," Imane Belhaj, from Morocco, said. "You get only a small part of the story."
She said she has found Americans friendly, courteous and not like they are portrayed in movies, and that is an impression she will bring home with her.
The impression the students leave in America is also important, Abd Ulah al Awadhi, from Kuwait, said. "While I am here I have to remember that I am like an ambassador to Kuwait," he said. "I want people to understand what my country is like and what my people are like. I hope to leave them with a good impression of my people."
"We are like a bridge between the cultures," Soumaya Berrazzouk, from Morocco, said. "People here are very open and friendly. They have opened their houses and their hearts to us. Now we need to go back and talk of our experiences here."
Nationwide, around 600 students are participating in the program. It started in 2002 as an effort for high school students from predominantly Muslim countries to experience life in a democratic society. The students participating in the program are from: Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Syria, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Gaza and the West Bank. Arab Israelis also participate.
Article sponsored by police and military personnel who have authored books; and, criminal justice leadership.
Air Force Casualties
The Department of Defense announced today the death of three airmen who were killed Jan. 7 by a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device while performing duties in the Baghdad area supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. The airmen were assigned to the 775th Civil Engineer Squadron, Hill Air Force Base, Utah.
Killed were:
Tech. Sgt. Timothy R. Weiner, 35, of Tamarac, Fla.
Senior Airman Elizabeth A. Loncki, 23, of New Castle, Del.
Senior Airman Daniel B. Miller Jr., 24, Galesburg, Ill.
For further information related to this release the media can contact the Hill Air Force Base public affairs office at (801) 777-6634 or if after 5 p.m. MST, call (801) 777-3001 and ask for the on-call public affairs representative.
Killed were:
Tech. Sgt. Timothy R. Weiner, 35, of Tamarac, Fla.
Senior Airman Elizabeth A. Loncki, 23, of New Castle, Del.
Senior Airman Daniel B. Miller Jr., 24, Galesburg, Ill.
For further information related to this release the media can contact the Hill Air Force Base public affairs office at (801) 777-6634 or if after 5 p.m. MST, call (801) 777-3001 and ask for the on-call public affairs representative.
Sunday, January 07, 2007
Terrorists Killed in Iraq, 35 Detained; Bomb Damages Tank
American Forces Press Service
Jan. 7, 2007 – Four insurgents were killed, an al Qaeda cell leader was captured and 35 other insurgents were detained through several recent operations in Iraq. A Marine tank also hit a roadside bomb, coalition officials said. Coalition forces killed four terrorists and detained a fifth armed gunman during a morning raid yesterday in Baghdad. The raid targeted terrorists involved in the production of homemade bombs.
When coalition forces arrived at the objective, five armed individuals attempted to flee the scene. The forces tracked four of the individuals to a nearby building where they refused to surrender, officials said. Their subsequent actions were deemed an immediate threat to the forces and Iraqis in the area. The troops reacted by engaging and killing the four terrorists.
The fifth individual, found hiding in a ditch, surrendered to coalition forces.
In Samarra yesterday, members of the 4th Iraqi Army Division, with coalition advisors, captured seven members of a homemade bomb cell during operations.
The suspects are responsible for coordinating and conducting bomb attacks against Iraqi civilians and security forces, officials said. Cell members also are involved in small-arms and mortar attacks in the Samarra area. They are suspected of using their homes and businesses as places to store and sell weapons and explosives to other insurgents in the area.
On Jan. 5, more than two dozen suspects were detained and weapons caches seized in several operations.
In southern Baghdad, coalition forces captured the leader of an al Qaeda terrorist cell, officials said. Tied to senior level al Qaeda leadership, the terrorist allegedly is responsible for coordinating and conducting kidnapping, torture and murders of Iraqi civilians and security forces.
Coalition forces detained an additional person for questioning.
South of Baghdad in Iskandariyah, officials said Iraqi Police special forces, with coalition advisors, captured four suspected insurgents during operations.
The suspects are responsible for coordinating and carrying out kidnapping, murder and small-arms attacks against Iraqi civilians and security forces. They also are suspected of conducting bomb and mortar attacks against Iraqi security forces in the Iskandariyah area.
In the southeastern Baghdad neighborhood of Hadar, elements of the 3rd Battalion, 6th Brigade, 2nd National Police Division, detained four men at a checkpoint.
The men were detained after illegal weapons and terrorist propaganda materials were found in their cars following a search at the police checkpoint, officials said. A sniper rifle, a rocket-propelled grenade launcher, assault rifles, assorted ammunition, weapons magazines and bomb-making materials were recovered from the suspects' two vehicles.
The men are being held for further questioning.
In Ghazaliyah, a western Baghdad neighborhood, coalition forces found and destroyed a cache used for manufacturing and assembling bombs Jan. 5.
Soldiers from Company D, 2nd Battalion, 12th Cavalry Division, attached to the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, found about 200 pounds of explosives in two houses near the Al-Shadra Mosque, officials said.
The first of the two adjacent houses was identified as a homemade bomb facility, while the second was identified as the bomb-assembly site.
In addition to the explosives, the soldiers found washing machine timers, Iraqna cell phone cards, passports, blasting caps, time fuses, detonation cords and numerous physics and engineering books.
After securing the area surrounding the two houses, an explosives disposal team arrived and the team's on-scene commander spoke with a local sheik and community leaders to explain the severity of the situation. The local community leaders agreed to in-place disposal of the items.
The explosives team conducted a controlled detonation. Any collateral damage to surrounding houses was identified and the owners were instructed on the claims process, officials said.
Samples of all suspected explosive material was collected for further analysis.
In Hurriya, a northwestern Baghdad neighborhood, elements of Multinational Division Baghdad, along with Iraqi army elements, conducted clearing operations designed to disrupt insurgent activities and deny urban support zones to terrorists from Jan. 1 to Jan. 5, officials said.
While conducting the operation, elements from the 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, and 1st Battalion, 1st Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, detained 16 suspected insurgents, found seven illegal weapons caches and conducted a civilian medical assistance operation.
Officials said the confiscated caches included rocket propelled-grenade launchers, AK-47 assault rifles with AK-47 ammunition magazines, rifles, machine guns, pistols, mortars, and blocks of C-4 explosives. Rocket-propelled grenades, rocket-propelled grenade stabilizer shafts, and rocket-propelled grenade booster rockets, along with identification cards, maps, insurgent propaganda, and $3.25 million Iraqi Dinar and $2,200 in U.S. currency also were confiscated.
With the support of Task Force 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment, Iraqi troops also aided the community by providing medical care to the local population.
Iraqi medics treated and provided medication to about 2,000 Iraqi civilians during this operation, officials said. Iraqi army personnel handed out blankets to those waiting in line, and passed out candy, soccer balls, stickers and gum to the waiting children.
Elsewhere in Iraq on Jan. 5, a Marine tank was severely damaged when it struck a roadside bomb in Fallujah, officials said. It caught fire but no coalition force casualties have been reported.
Marines cordoned the area and established security around the damaged vehicle to protect local citizens and begin recovery of the vehicle.
Near Ubayday, south of Baghdad, the same day, Iraqi highway patrolmen and paratroopers from 2nd Battalion, 377th Parachute Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, found and destroyed a roadside bomb, officials said.
The Iraqi officers contacted the paratroopers, who requested an explosives detachment. A controlled detonation destroyed the bomb on site.
On Jan. 4, west of Mahmudiyah, soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, 4th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division and Battery A, 2nd Battalion, 15th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), detained two suspects during a joint operation.
The operation targeted bomb-making cells operating near the town. Working on Iraqi army intelligence, troops worked with local residents of the area to help identify and detain the first suspect.
U.S. soldiers, working with aviation support, tracked the second suspect, who was seen fleeing the area. Iraqi army soldiers caught and detained him in a nearby palm grove.
Both suspects are being held for further questioning.
Article sponsored by personnel from the police and military services who have authored books; as well as criminal justice leadership.
Jan. 7, 2007 – Four insurgents were killed, an al Qaeda cell leader was captured and 35 other insurgents were detained through several recent operations in Iraq. A Marine tank also hit a roadside bomb, coalition officials said. Coalition forces killed four terrorists and detained a fifth armed gunman during a morning raid yesterday in Baghdad. The raid targeted terrorists involved in the production of homemade bombs.
When coalition forces arrived at the objective, five armed individuals attempted to flee the scene. The forces tracked four of the individuals to a nearby building where they refused to surrender, officials said. Their subsequent actions were deemed an immediate threat to the forces and Iraqis in the area. The troops reacted by engaging and killing the four terrorists.
The fifth individual, found hiding in a ditch, surrendered to coalition forces.
In Samarra yesterday, members of the 4th Iraqi Army Division, with coalition advisors, captured seven members of a homemade bomb cell during operations.
The suspects are responsible for coordinating and conducting bomb attacks against Iraqi civilians and security forces, officials said. Cell members also are involved in small-arms and mortar attacks in the Samarra area. They are suspected of using their homes and businesses as places to store and sell weapons and explosives to other insurgents in the area.
On Jan. 5, more than two dozen suspects were detained and weapons caches seized in several operations.
In southern Baghdad, coalition forces captured the leader of an al Qaeda terrorist cell, officials said. Tied to senior level al Qaeda leadership, the terrorist allegedly is responsible for coordinating and conducting kidnapping, torture and murders of Iraqi civilians and security forces.
Coalition forces detained an additional person for questioning.
South of Baghdad in Iskandariyah, officials said Iraqi Police special forces, with coalition advisors, captured four suspected insurgents during operations.
The suspects are responsible for coordinating and carrying out kidnapping, murder and small-arms attacks against Iraqi civilians and security forces. They also are suspected of conducting bomb and mortar attacks against Iraqi security forces in the Iskandariyah area.
In the southeastern Baghdad neighborhood of Hadar, elements of the 3rd Battalion, 6th Brigade, 2nd National Police Division, detained four men at a checkpoint.
The men were detained after illegal weapons and terrorist propaganda materials were found in their cars following a search at the police checkpoint, officials said. A sniper rifle, a rocket-propelled grenade launcher, assault rifles, assorted ammunition, weapons magazines and bomb-making materials were recovered from the suspects' two vehicles.
The men are being held for further questioning.
In Ghazaliyah, a western Baghdad neighborhood, coalition forces found and destroyed a cache used for manufacturing and assembling bombs Jan. 5.
Soldiers from Company D, 2nd Battalion, 12th Cavalry Division, attached to the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, found about 200 pounds of explosives in two houses near the Al-Shadra Mosque, officials said.
The first of the two adjacent houses was identified as a homemade bomb facility, while the second was identified as the bomb-assembly site.
In addition to the explosives, the soldiers found washing machine timers, Iraqna cell phone cards, passports, blasting caps, time fuses, detonation cords and numerous physics and engineering books.
After securing the area surrounding the two houses, an explosives disposal team arrived and the team's on-scene commander spoke with a local sheik and community leaders to explain the severity of the situation. The local community leaders agreed to in-place disposal of the items.
The explosives team conducted a controlled detonation. Any collateral damage to surrounding houses was identified and the owners were instructed on the claims process, officials said.
Samples of all suspected explosive material was collected for further analysis.
In Hurriya, a northwestern Baghdad neighborhood, elements of Multinational Division Baghdad, along with Iraqi army elements, conducted clearing operations designed to disrupt insurgent activities and deny urban support zones to terrorists from Jan. 1 to Jan. 5, officials said.
While conducting the operation, elements from the 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, and 1st Battalion, 1st Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, detained 16 suspected insurgents, found seven illegal weapons caches and conducted a civilian medical assistance operation.
Officials said the confiscated caches included rocket propelled-grenade launchers, AK-47 assault rifles with AK-47 ammunition magazines, rifles, machine guns, pistols, mortars, and blocks of C-4 explosives. Rocket-propelled grenades, rocket-propelled grenade stabilizer shafts, and rocket-propelled grenade booster rockets, along with identification cards, maps, insurgent propaganda, and $3.25 million Iraqi Dinar and $2,200 in U.S. currency also were confiscated.
With the support of Task Force 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment, Iraqi troops also aided the community by providing medical care to the local population.
Iraqi medics treated and provided medication to about 2,000 Iraqi civilians during this operation, officials said. Iraqi army personnel handed out blankets to those waiting in line, and passed out candy, soccer balls, stickers and gum to the waiting children.
Elsewhere in Iraq on Jan. 5, a Marine tank was severely damaged when it struck a roadside bomb in Fallujah, officials said. It caught fire but no coalition force casualties have been reported.
Marines cordoned the area and established security around the damaged vehicle to protect local citizens and begin recovery of the vehicle.
Near Ubayday, south of Baghdad, the same day, Iraqi highway patrolmen and paratroopers from 2nd Battalion, 377th Parachute Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, found and destroyed a roadside bomb, officials said.
The Iraqi officers contacted the paratroopers, who requested an explosives detachment. A controlled detonation destroyed the bomb on site.
On Jan. 4, west of Mahmudiyah, soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, 4th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division and Battery A, 2nd Battalion, 15th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), detained two suspects during a joint operation.
The operation targeted bomb-making cells operating near the town. Working on Iraqi army intelligence, troops worked with local residents of the area to help identify and detain the first suspect.
U.S. soldiers, working with aviation support, tracked the second suspect, who was seen fleeing the area. Iraqi army soldiers caught and detained him in a nearby palm grove.
Both suspects are being held for further questioning.
Article sponsored by personnel from the police and military services who have authored books; as well as criminal justice leadership.
Iraqi Army, Coalition Forces Continue To Clear Safe Haven
American Forces Press Service
Jan. 7, 2007 – During ongoing operations south of Balad Ruz, Iraq, soldiers of the 1st Brigade, 5th Iraqi Army, with support from coalition forces, continue to target specific terrorist cells that use the area as a safe haven. The current operations began Jan. 4, with a combined air and ground assault into the outskirts of Turki village.
Iraqi army and coalition force soldiers established mobile and stationary positions along possible escape routes to isolate the area and facilitate searching the area for weapon supplies, bomb-making material and terrorists.
"The terrorists believe we will not attack them in their safe havens and believe they can use these areas to spread violence throughout the region," Col. David W. Sutherland, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division commander, and senior U.S. Army officer in the Diyala province, said. "The 5th Iraqi Army Division believes that we must continue to take the fight to those individuals that use violence against the Iraqi people for their own personal and financial gain.
"The coalition forces will continue to support this Iraqi force," he added.
During the initial hours of the operation, the Iraqi army, with coalition force soldiers supporting, encountered numerous roadside bombs in an attempt to defend these safe havens and slow down the movement of coalition forces. The insurgent efforts were ineffective and the obstacles were cleared.
Additionally, coalition aircraft engaged a number of insurgents in fighting positions, as well as those who were spotted placing roadside bombs along one of the main roads. Several suspects were detained.
"Although the Iraqi army and coalition forces have not encountered heavy resistance as of yet, this operation remains critical for the establishment of a safe and secure environment for the citizens of Diyala," Sutherland said.
"So far, what we have found, and the actions of the enemy, is consistent with our expectations. There have been no surprises, and operations will continue based on the goals of the Iraq army and the government of Diyala," Army Maj. Robert Cain, the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division executive officer, said. "The Iraqi army and coalition forces are here to capture or kill the terrorists and provide security for the citizens of Diyala."
Because the Iraqi army will soon take full responsibility for securing the province, it is vital the soldiers conduct these types of operations, Sutherland said.
"The morale of the Iraqi soldiers is high and they are continuously showing discipline and professionalism when dealing with the local civilians; this includes men, women and children," Sutherland added. "Developing a military force with valid leadership skills comes from training. The Iraqi army is training (and) are ... doing very well," Sutherland added.
(From a Multinational Corps Iraq news release.)
Article sponsored by personnel from the police and military services who have authored books; as well as criminal justice leadership.
Jan. 7, 2007 – During ongoing operations south of Balad Ruz, Iraq, soldiers of the 1st Brigade, 5th Iraqi Army, with support from coalition forces, continue to target specific terrorist cells that use the area as a safe haven. The current operations began Jan. 4, with a combined air and ground assault into the outskirts of Turki village.
Iraqi army and coalition force soldiers established mobile and stationary positions along possible escape routes to isolate the area and facilitate searching the area for weapon supplies, bomb-making material and terrorists.
"The terrorists believe we will not attack them in their safe havens and believe they can use these areas to spread violence throughout the region," Col. David W. Sutherland, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division commander, and senior U.S. Army officer in the Diyala province, said. "The 5th Iraqi Army Division believes that we must continue to take the fight to those individuals that use violence against the Iraqi people for their own personal and financial gain.
"The coalition forces will continue to support this Iraqi force," he added.
During the initial hours of the operation, the Iraqi army, with coalition force soldiers supporting, encountered numerous roadside bombs in an attempt to defend these safe havens and slow down the movement of coalition forces. The insurgent efforts were ineffective and the obstacles were cleared.
Additionally, coalition aircraft engaged a number of insurgents in fighting positions, as well as those who were spotted placing roadside bombs along one of the main roads. Several suspects were detained.
"Although the Iraqi army and coalition forces have not encountered heavy resistance as of yet, this operation remains critical for the establishment of a safe and secure environment for the citizens of Diyala," Sutherland said.
"So far, what we have found, and the actions of the enemy, is consistent with our expectations. There have been no surprises, and operations will continue based on the goals of the Iraq army and the government of Diyala," Army Maj. Robert Cain, the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division executive officer, said. "The Iraqi army and coalition forces are here to capture or kill the terrorists and provide security for the citizens of Diyala."
Because the Iraqi army will soon take full responsibility for securing the province, it is vital the soldiers conduct these types of operations, Sutherland said.
"The morale of the Iraqi soldiers is high and they are continuously showing discipline and professionalism when dealing with the local civilians; this includes men, women and children," Sutherland added. "Developing a military force with valid leadership skills comes from training. The Iraqi army is training (and) are ... doing very well," Sutherland added.
(From a Multinational Corps Iraq news release.)
Article sponsored by personnel from the police and military services who have authored books; as well as criminal justice leadership.
Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Staff Sgt. Charles D. Allen, 28, of Wasilla, Alaska, died Jan. 4 in Baghdad, Iraq, of injuries suffered when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using small arms fire during combat operations. He was assigned to the 296th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.
For further information related to this release, contact the Fort Lewis public affairs office at (253) 967-0152.
Staff Sgt. Charles D. Allen, 28, of Wasilla, Alaska, died Jan. 4 in Baghdad, Iraq, of injuries suffered when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using small arms fire during combat operations. He was assigned to the 296th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.
For further information related to this release, contact the Fort Lewis public affairs office at (253) 967-0152.
Saturday, January 06, 2007
Iraqi Forces Rescue Hostages, Detain Suspects, Capture Weapons
American Forces Press Service
Jan. 5, 2007 – Iraqi soldiers freed two hostages, detained 10 suspects, and seized a weapons cache in several recent incidents throughout Iraq, coalition officials said. Soldiers of the 2nd Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, freed two hostages held by insurgents during a raid yesterday in eastern Baghdad, U.S. military officials said.
The raid also uncovered a weapons cache, including mortars, 60 mm mortar rounds, 130 mm projectiles encased in concrete, homemade bombs and blasting caps.
A day earlier, Iraqi army special forces captured four suspects during operations in Sadr City, a Baghdad neighborhood, officials said. The suspects are believed to be leaders of a kidnapping and murder cell responsible for the deaths of Iraqi civilians.
The Iraqi-led operation, with coalition advisors, targeted men suspected of violence against innocent Iraqis, including kidnapping, illegal trials and executions. They also are suspected of organizing and directing sectarian-based mortar attacks on neighborhoods surrounding Sadr City.
Iraqi forces detained three additional people for questioning.
On Jan. 2, 1st Iraqi Army Division forces, with coalition advisors, captured the suspected leader of an insurgent cell during operations in Ramadi, officials said. The suspect is thought to be responsible for trafficking weapons and homemade bombs used in attacks against Iraqi civilians and security forces.
Officials said the insurgent cell is believed to be using a section along the banks of the Euphrates Canal as a staging area for explosives and weapons handling and distribution. The cell also is suspected of coordinating and conducting small-arms and bomb attacks in the Ramadi area.
Iraqi forces detained two additional suspects for questioning.
Article sponsored by criminal justice leadership; and personnel from the ranks of the military and police service who have become writers.
Jan. 5, 2007 – Iraqi soldiers freed two hostages, detained 10 suspects, and seized a weapons cache in several recent incidents throughout Iraq, coalition officials said. Soldiers of the 2nd Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, freed two hostages held by insurgents during a raid yesterday in eastern Baghdad, U.S. military officials said.
The raid also uncovered a weapons cache, including mortars, 60 mm mortar rounds, 130 mm projectiles encased in concrete, homemade bombs and blasting caps.
A day earlier, Iraqi army special forces captured four suspects during operations in Sadr City, a Baghdad neighborhood, officials said. The suspects are believed to be leaders of a kidnapping and murder cell responsible for the deaths of Iraqi civilians.
The Iraqi-led operation, with coalition advisors, targeted men suspected of violence against innocent Iraqis, including kidnapping, illegal trials and executions. They also are suspected of organizing and directing sectarian-based mortar attacks on neighborhoods surrounding Sadr City.
Iraqi forces detained three additional people for questioning.
On Jan. 2, 1st Iraqi Army Division forces, with coalition advisors, captured the suspected leader of an insurgent cell during operations in Ramadi, officials said. The suspect is thought to be responsible for trafficking weapons and homemade bombs used in attacks against Iraqi civilians and security forces.
Officials said the insurgent cell is believed to be using a section along the banks of the Euphrates Canal as a staging area for explosives and weapons handling and distribution. The cell also is suspected of coordinating and conducting small-arms and bomb attacks in the Ramadi area.
Iraqi forces detained two additional suspects for questioning.
Article sponsored by criminal justice leadership; and personnel from the ranks of the military and police service who have become writers.
British General: 2007 Will Be 'Battle of Wills' in Iraq
By Sgt. Sara Wood, USA
American Forces Press Service
Jan. 5, 2007 – The next year will be an important time in Iraq, when the Iraqi government must take more responsibility for the country and the coalition must continue its commitment to creating a stable, unified Iraq, a top British general in Iraq said today. "In 2007, we really are in an interesting time in which we hope to see the government understanding its responsibilities and having the confidence to step up and take those responsibilities ... (and) the indigenous Iraqi security forces taking the full responsibility for their security," British Army Maj. Gen. Simon Mayall, deputy commander of Multinational Corps Iraq, said in a Pentagon news conference via satellite.
This year will be a battle of wills in Iraq, Mayall said, as the coalition and the majority of Iraqis struggle against those who don't want a democratic, representative society that responds to the rule of law. The stakes are very high, and the Iraqi security forces and government need to see the strong commitment of the coalition as they grow and develop the ability to take over their own country, he said.
"Those people are absolutely relying on us in the coalition to continue to stand by them to give them the confidence to continue to defend the security of the Iraqi people, to develop their competence to do it, and to take forward this shared mission -- to deliver a new future to Iraq," he said.
When the Iraqis will be ready to take over security completely is conditions-based, Mayall said, but the important thing is to keep them in the fight and continue to develop their capabilities. Iraqi units fight alongside coalition forces every day, and they will continue to improve as they are given more responsibility, he said.
The Iraqi security forces are increasing the coalition's capacity, but a surge in troops alone will not be the answer for Iraq, Mayall said. A surge is needed in every element of the counterinsurgency operation, including development of the Iraqi government and ministerial capabilities, and economic development, he said.
"In any counterinsurgency operation, particularly the type of complexity of operation we're in at the moment, the security line of operation cannot and was never designed to deliver the desired end state," he said. "Therefore, around any application of military force, we must assume that the government of Iraq is also stepping up to the plate."
Speaking from the perspective of a British officer, Mayall said he is utterly impressed by the dedication and courage of the U.S. servicemembers in Iraq. Britain remains a staunch ally in the war on terror, he said, and he expressed optimism about Iraq's future.
"I remain utterly confident, with the commitment we have from the Iraqis and ourselves, that we are going to be successful in 2007," he said.
Article sponsored by criminal justice leadership; and personnel from the ranks of the military and police service who have become writers.
American Forces Press Service
Jan. 5, 2007 – The next year will be an important time in Iraq, when the Iraqi government must take more responsibility for the country and the coalition must continue its commitment to creating a stable, unified Iraq, a top British general in Iraq said today. "In 2007, we really are in an interesting time in which we hope to see the government understanding its responsibilities and having the confidence to step up and take those responsibilities ... (and) the indigenous Iraqi security forces taking the full responsibility for their security," British Army Maj. Gen. Simon Mayall, deputy commander of Multinational Corps Iraq, said in a Pentagon news conference via satellite.
This year will be a battle of wills in Iraq, Mayall said, as the coalition and the majority of Iraqis struggle against those who don't want a democratic, representative society that responds to the rule of law. The stakes are very high, and the Iraqi security forces and government need to see the strong commitment of the coalition as they grow and develop the ability to take over their own country, he said.
"Those people are absolutely relying on us in the coalition to continue to stand by them to give them the confidence to continue to defend the security of the Iraqi people, to develop their competence to do it, and to take forward this shared mission -- to deliver a new future to Iraq," he said.
When the Iraqis will be ready to take over security completely is conditions-based, Mayall said, but the important thing is to keep them in the fight and continue to develop their capabilities. Iraqi units fight alongside coalition forces every day, and they will continue to improve as they are given more responsibility, he said.
The Iraqi security forces are increasing the coalition's capacity, but a surge in troops alone will not be the answer for Iraq, Mayall said. A surge is needed in every element of the counterinsurgency operation, including development of the Iraqi government and ministerial capabilities, and economic development, he said.
"In any counterinsurgency operation, particularly the type of complexity of operation we're in at the moment, the security line of operation cannot and was never designed to deliver the desired end state," he said. "Therefore, around any application of military force, we must assume that the government of Iraq is also stepping up to the plate."
Speaking from the perspective of a British officer, Mayall said he is utterly impressed by the dedication and courage of the U.S. servicemembers in Iraq. Britain remains a staunch ally in the war on terror, he said, and he expressed optimism about Iraq's future.
"I remain utterly confident, with the commitment we have from the Iraqis and ourselves, that we are going to be successful in 2007," he said.
Article sponsored by criminal justice leadership; and personnel from the ranks of the military and police service who have become writers.
Task Force Helps Revitalize Iraq's Industries
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
Jan. 5, 2007 – A team of 25 industrial leaders and business analysts is headed to Iraq today to join 35 others already there working to get almost 200 idle Iraqi factories up and running. The industrial revitalization initiative is part of a sweeping plan to get Iraqis back to work, restore their livelihoods and jump-start Iraq's economic base, Paul Brinkley, deputy undersecretary of defense for business transformation, told Pentagon reporters yesterday.
Brinkley said the effort has another equally important objective: to ensure that Iraqis don't turn to terrorism simply because they see no other way to feed their families.
Army Lt. Gen. Peter Chiarelli, commander of Multinational Corps Iraq, told reporters in Baghdad last month there's strong evidence that rampant unemployment is fueling the insurgency. He pointed to the example of a former factory worker who had turned to planting improvised explosive devices for the insurgency so he could feed and care for his family.
Reopening industries and improving job satisfaction among Iraqis would go a long way toward neutralizing the forces giving rise to sectarian violence, Chiarelli told reporters.
"Putting young men and middle-aged men to work would have a tremendous impact on this level of violence we're seeing in and around Baghdad and also in the other provinces," he said.
Operating under the auspices of the Task Force for Improved Business and Stability Operations in Iraq, DoD and other U.S. agencies, Iraqi officials and the corporate world are working to reopen 193 industrial operations once owned by the Iraqi government.
These businesses, which have sat idle since Saddam Hussein's fall in 2003, once employed 10 percent of the Iraqi population, Brinkley said. But their impact on the Iraqi economy was even greater, because private-sector companies provided goods and services to the government-run factories. So when the factories closed their doors, the private companies' customer bases dried up and they, too, were forced to close.
The U.S. government's economic effort in Iraq initially focused on reconstruction, with an assumption that Iraq's private sector would eventually take over the idle government-owned businesses, Brinkley explained. But that never happened.
So the Task Force for Improved Business and Stability Operations in Iraq, which was working to improve DoD contracting operations in Iraq, shifted its focus in May to stepping up the process.
"We quickly came to the conclusion that we had a huge near-idle industrial base, that, reengaged, could put a lot of people back to work and restore normalcy to a sizeable amount of the population," Brinkley said. "So we immediately embarked on turning that industrial base back on."
Initial plans call for opening the first 10 factories quickly, with the estimated $5 million in start-up costs to be paid by the Iraqi government, he said.
Many of those 10 companies, which provide goods and services ranging from building materials to industrial products to clothing and textiles to drugs and medical supplies, are expected to open within the next six months, Brinkley said.
"Our expectation is that every month in 2007, we should be putting thousands of Iraqis back to work across the country," he said. "And if we do that, we will create a whole cascading series of beneficial impacts."
The challenges the task force faces are enough to stump even the most visionary Harvard Business School graduate.
"The work involved is (a) hard, roll-up-your sleeves" effort that requires getting on factory floors with plant mangers to determine what's needed to get it restarted, Brinkley said. "What are the constraints? Does it have supply? Does it have customers? Are the customers ready to buy things? If they don't have customers, how can we generate demand for them? Do they have working capital? Are the ministries ready to infuse working capital into the operation? Those are all the things you deal with in business."
Task force members are rotating into Iraq two weeks out of every month to address these issues and help get the factories running.
"What we are doing is assessing these factories," Brinkley said. "We are bringing in expertise. We are bringing international industry to bear to create demand for these factories."
But Brinkley emphasized that the goal is for the Iraqi government, not the United States, to fund the effort. "We want this to have an Iraqi face. This is Iraq's industry," Brinkley said. "And we want Iraq to be involved in getting it restarted, and they are extremely supportive of this."
Once the factories are opened, Brinkley said the U.S. military will contract with them as much as possible for goods and services supporting U.S. military operations in Iraq. Most of this business, which amounts to about $4 billion a year, currently goes to companies outside Iraq.
This will enable the United States to continue supporting its deployed troops in a way that reduces the logistical burden but also stimulates economic growth in Iraq, he said.
"We've set a collective objective that we would like to see 25 percent of that $4 billion flowing into the Iraqi economy within a year," he said.
As this effort moves forward, Brinkley acknowledged that newly reopened factories have the potential to become terrorist targets. Task force members, however, are optimistic that newly reemployed local workers will help prevent violence that threatens their livelihoods.
Brinkley noted that even in the most violent areas of Iraq, many of the empty factories went untouched by insurgents and looters alike. In some cases, new equipment, computers and inventory remained in place, a sign, he said, that local leaders protected them against damage or theft because they recognized their value to the community.
"That's a good story because what we think is chaotic is actually controlled," he said. "Somebody has made it clear, 'Don't touch that factory.' That's a good sign. We can get that factory turned back on."
This initial effort will have "a huge cascading effect" in Iraq, where a single breadwinner supports 13 other people. By comparison, the average U.S. worker supports four people, he said.
Ultimately, Brinkley said economic progress in Iraq will help drive other forms of progress forward. Reopening factories isn't the full answer, he said, but it is an important part of the overall strategy for success. "It's a piece of the puzzle," he said.
When Iraqis have the opportunity to return to their jobs and provide for their families, no longer will terrorism appear to be their only financial option, he said. When this happens, "an insurgent (will) become a zealot, not just someone trying to make a living," he said.
Article sponsored by criminal justice leadership; and personnel from the ranks of the military and police service who have become writers.
American Forces Press Service
Jan. 5, 2007 – A team of 25 industrial leaders and business analysts is headed to Iraq today to join 35 others already there working to get almost 200 idle Iraqi factories up and running. The industrial revitalization initiative is part of a sweeping plan to get Iraqis back to work, restore their livelihoods and jump-start Iraq's economic base, Paul Brinkley, deputy undersecretary of defense for business transformation, told Pentagon reporters yesterday.
Brinkley said the effort has another equally important objective: to ensure that Iraqis don't turn to terrorism simply because they see no other way to feed their families.
Army Lt. Gen. Peter Chiarelli, commander of Multinational Corps Iraq, told reporters in Baghdad last month there's strong evidence that rampant unemployment is fueling the insurgency. He pointed to the example of a former factory worker who had turned to planting improvised explosive devices for the insurgency so he could feed and care for his family.
Reopening industries and improving job satisfaction among Iraqis would go a long way toward neutralizing the forces giving rise to sectarian violence, Chiarelli told reporters.
"Putting young men and middle-aged men to work would have a tremendous impact on this level of violence we're seeing in and around Baghdad and also in the other provinces," he said.
Operating under the auspices of the Task Force for Improved Business and Stability Operations in Iraq, DoD and other U.S. agencies, Iraqi officials and the corporate world are working to reopen 193 industrial operations once owned by the Iraqi government.
These businesses, which have sat idle since Saddam Hussein's fall in 2003, once employed 10 percent of the Iraqi population, Brinkley said. But their impact on the Iraqi economy was even greater, because private-sector companies provided goods and services to the government-run factories. So when the factories closed their doors, the private companies' customer bases dried up and they, too, were forced to close.
The U.S. government's economic effort in Iraq initially focused on reconstruction, with an assumption that Iraq's private sector would eventually take over the idle government-owned businesses, Brinkley explained. But that never happened.
So the Task Force for Improved Business and Stability Operations in Iraq, which was working to improve DoD contracting operations in Iraq, shifted its focus in May to stepping up the process.
"We quickly came to the conclusion that we had a huge near-idle industrial base, that, reengaged, could put a lot of people back to work and restore normalcy to a sizeable amount of the population," Brinkley said. "So we immediately embarked on turning that industrial base back on."
Initial plans call for opening the first 10 factories quickly, with the estimated $5 million in start-up costs to be paid by the Iraqi government, he said.
Many of those 10 companies, which provide goods and services ranging from building materials to industrial products to clothing and textiles to drugs and medical supplies, are expected to open within the next six months, Brinkley said.
"Our expectation is that every month in 2007, we should be putting thousands of Iraqis back to work across the country," he said. "And if we do that, we will create a whole cascading series of beneficial impacts."
The challenges the task force faces are enough to stump even the most visionary Harvard Business School graduate.
"The work involved is (a) hard, roll-up-your sleeves" effort that requires getting on factory floors with plant mangers to determine what's needed to get it restarted, Brinkley said. "What are the constraints? Does it have supply? Does it have customers? Are the customers ready to buy things? If they don't have customers, how can we generate demand for them? Do they have working capital? Are the ministries ready to infuse working capital into the operation? Those are all the things you deal with in business."
Task force members are rotating into Iraq two weeks out of every month to address these issues and help get the factories running.
"What we are doing is assessing these factories," Brinkley said. "We are bringing in expertise. We are bringing international industry to bear to create demand for these factories."
But Brinkley emphasized that the goal is for the Iraqi government, not the United States, to fund the effort. "We want this to have an Iraqi face. This is Iraq's industry," Brinkley said. "And we want Iraq to be involved in getting it restarted, and they are extremely supportive of this."
Once the factories are opened, Brinkley said the U.S. military will contract with them as much as possible for goods and services supporting U.S. military operations in Iraq. Most of this business, which amounts to about $4 billion a year, currently goes to companies outside Iraq.
This will enable the United States to continue supporting its deployed troops in a way that reduces the logistical burden but also stimulates economic growth in Iraq, he said.
"We've set a collective objective that we would like to see 25 percent of that $4 billion flowing into the Iraqi economy within a year," he said.
As this effort moves forward, Brinkley acknowledged that newly reopened factories have the potential to become terrorist targets. Task force members, however, are optimistic that newly reemployed local workers will help prevent violence that threatens their livelihoods.
Brinkley noted that even in the most violent areas of Iraq, many of the empty factories went untouched by insurgents and looters alike. In some cases, new equipment, computers and inventory remained in place, a sign, he said, that local leaders protected them against damage or theft because they recognized their value to the community.
"That's a good story because what we think is chaotic is actually controlled," he said. "Somebody has made it clear, 'Don't touch that factory.' That's a good sign. We can get that factory turned back on."
This initial effort will have "a huge cascading effect" in Iraq, where a single breadwinner supports 13 other people. By comparison, the average U.S. worker supports four people, he said.
Ultimately, Brinkley said economic progress in Iraq will help drive other forms of progress forward. Reopening factories isn't the full answer, he said, but it is an important part of the overall strategy for success. "It's a piece of the puzzle," he said.
When Iraqis have the opportunity to return to their jobs and provide for their families, no longer will terrorism appear to be their only financial option, he said. When this happens, "an insurgent (will) become a zealot, not just someone trying to make a living," he said.
Article sponsored by criminal justice leadership; and personnel from the ranks of the military and police service who have become writers.
Friday, January 05, 2007
Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Sgt. Thomas E. Vandling Jr., 26, of Pittsburgh, Pa., died Jan. 1 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle while on combat patrol. Vandling was assigned to the 303rd Psychological Operations Company, Oakdale, Pa., a subordinate unit of the U.S. Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command (Airborne), Fort Bragg, N.C.
For more information on this soldier the media can contact Tina Beller at the U.S. Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command public affairs office at (910) 432-7714.
Sgt. Thomas E. Vandling Jr., 26, of Pittsburgh, Pa., died Jan. 1 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle while on combat patrol. Vandling was assigned to the 303rd Psychological Operations Company, Oakdale, Pa., a subordinate unit of the U.S. Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command (Airborne), Fort Bragg, N.C.
For more information on this soldier the media can contact Tina Beller at the U.S. Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command public affairs office at (910) 432-7714.
U.S. Department of Justice grant funds creation of the Champlain College Center for Digital Investigation
Champlain College has created a regional center for computer forensics with major funding from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). On December 28, Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), who helped secure the funding, joined Champlain College President David F. Finney on campus to discuss the important role of the new Champlain College Center for Digital Investigation (C3DI), which received a $650,000 grant from the DOJ's Bureau of Justice Assistance.
The new center has been developed to advance three major initiatives. First, two new Champlain faculty members work with federal, state and local law enforcement investigators, performing digital investigations and adding capacity to law enforcement agencies in Vermont. Based at the Burlington Police Department, these investigators sift through digital evidence found on computers, cell phones, iPods and other digital devices so that crucial pieces of evidence can be applied to criminal investigations.
Secondly, these two new faculty members also share their professional experience as they teach courses in Champlain’s Computer & Digital Forensics program. And lastly, the College is creating new online training opportunities that will be available to members of law enforcement in Vermont and across the country.
”Local, state and federal law enforcement officials have seen an explosion of complex electronic crimes,” said Leahy, a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. Leahy also is the incoming chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which oversees federal anti-crime programs, and he has led on digital security and privacy issues. “In a time when computers hold the key to everything from terrorist plots to accounting scandals, understanding e-crime and digital forensics is crucial for today’s federal, state and local law enforcement officers and our civilian cyber security personnel. The digital forensics education curriculum that Champlain College has put together is right on point in helping law enforcement professionals succeed in countering cyber criminals. This grant will help the College expand its outreach to the public sector, building a rare and important partnership between academia and law enforcement to improve our effectiveness against these crimes.”
Champlain College President David F. Finney said, “We’re thrilled that the federal government is supporting Champlain’s efforts to both educate professionals in computer forensics and directly support law enforcement activities. Senator Leahy and his staff have been extremely helpful in furthering our outreach. It’s clear that our country needs innovative programs to fight crime today, and Champlain is well-positioned to deliver leading-edge programs both face-to-face and over the Internet.”
The director of the new center is Associate Professor Gary C. Kessler, who also directs Champlain’s Computer & Digital Forensics and Information Security degree programs. Robert Edwards, director of Champlain’s Criminal Justice program, was named associate director of C3DI.
“Computer forensics and digital investigations have become an integral part of police work in the new millennium,” Kessler said. “Computers are now as much a part of the modern law enforcement officer’s daily routine as the baton, sidearm, radio and handcuffs.”
The Center funds two part-time digital forensics examiner positions to assist Vermont law enforcement in criminal digital investigations. Reporting to the Vermont Internet Crimes Task Force and housed at the Burlington Police Department, these new positions increase the state’s digital evidence examination capacity by about 20 percent, Kessler estimated.
Today, many crimes have computer-based evidence and Vermont has just a handful of examiners. Burlington Police Chief Thomas Tremblay said, “This program and partnership are innovative and necessary given the limited resources and funding available to local law enforcement to take on new and highly technical responsibilities.”
The new, part-time examiners spend the other part of their week on the Champlain campus teaching students in the College’s three-year-old Computer & Digital Forensics program -- the first bachelor’s degree program of its kind in New England and the only such program in the nation offered online. These instructors teach on campus and online in positions that are funded for three years.
The grant also supports an online training initiative that allows Champlain College to share its expertise with law enforcement from Seattle to Boston. The College is creating online programs that train law enforcement in computer forensics through the Vermont Police Academy and Vermont Internet Crimes Task Force, as well as through two national law enforcement training organizations.
These organizations currently conduct face-to-face training -- which requires officers to travel to major cities for training. “We all agree that it’s possible to reach about 98 percent of American law enforcement if we create online training in appropriate topics, and it’s more cost effective when it is provided online,” Kessler said.
Currently, Champlain’s Computer & Digital Forensics program enrolls approximately 150 students -- nearly half are traditional, on-campus students and the rest are enrolled online from as far away as California and Texas. Some of the online students are already members of the law enforcement community and they work their online education around their careers.
This is Champlain’s second federal grant for computer forensics education. In 2004, the U.S. Department of Justice's National Institute of Justice awarded Champlain College a $185,000 grant to further develop the college’s digital forensics program. Champlain’s program was hailed as the national educational model for undergraduate computer forensics education.
Article reprinted with permission (K. Surette) and sponsored by Criminal Justice leadership; and, police and military personnel who have written books.
The new center has been developed to advance three major initiatives. First, two new Champlain faculty members work with federal, state and local law enforcement investigators, performing digital investigations and adding capacity to law enforcement agencies in Vermont. Based at the Burlington Police Department, these investigators sift through digital evidence found on computers, cell phones, iPods and other digital devices so that crucial pieces of evidence can be applied to criminal investigations.
Secondly, these two new faculty members also share their professional experience as they teach courses in Champlain’s Computer & Digital Forensics program. And lastly, the College is creating new online training opportunities that will be available to members of law enforcement in Vermont and across the country.
”Local, state and federal law enforcement officials have seen an explosion of complex electronic crimes,” said Leahy, a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. Leahy also is the incoming chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which oversees federal anti-crime programs, and he has led on digital security and privacy issues. “In a time when computers hold the key to everything from terrorist plots to accounting scandals, understanding e-crime and digital forensics is crucial for today’s federal, state and local law enforcement officers and our civilian cyber security personnel. The digital forensics education curriculum that Champlain College has put together is right on point in helping law enforcement professionals succeed in countering cyber criminals. This grant will help the College expand its outreach to the public sector, building a rare and important partnership between academia and law enforcement to improve our effectiveness against these crimes.”
Champlain College President David F. Finney said, “We’re thrilled that the federal government is supporting Champlain’s efforts to both educate professionals in computer forensics and directly support law enforcement activities. Senator Leahy and his staff have been extremely helpful in furthering our outreach. It’s clear that our country needs innovative programs to fight crime today, and Champlain is well-positioned to deliver leading-edge programs both face-to-face and over the Internet.”
The director of the new center is Associate Professor Gary C. Kessler, who also directs Champlain’s Computer & Digital Forensics and Information Security degree programs. Robert Edwards, director of Champlain’s Criminal Justice program, was named associate director of C3DI.
“Computer forensics and digital investigations have become an integral part of police work in the new millennium,” Kessler said. “Computers are now as much a part of the modern law enforcement officer’s daily routine as the baton, sidearm, radio and handcuffs.”
The Center funds two part-time digital forensics examiner positions to assist Vermont law enforcement in criminal digital investigations. Reporting to the Vermont Internet Crimes Task Force and housed at the Burlington Police Department, these new positions increase the state’s digital evidence examination capacity by about 20 percent, Kessler estimated.
Today, many crimes have computer-based evidence and Vermont has just a handful of examiners. Burlington Police Chief Thomas Tremblay said, “This program and partnership are innovative and necessary given the limited resources and funding available to local law enforcement to take on new and highly technical responsibilities.”
The new, part-time examiners spend the other part of their week on the Champlain campus teaching students in the College’s three-year-old Computer & Digital Forensics program -- the first bachelor’s degree program of its kind in New England and the only such program in the nation offered online. These instructors teach on campus and online in positions that are funded for three years.
The grant also supports an online training initiative that allows Champlain College to share its expertise with law enforcement from Seattle to Boston. The College is creating online programs that train law enforcement in computer forensics through the Vermont Police Academy and Vermont Internet Crimes Task Force, as well as through two national law enforcement training organizations.
These organizations currently conduct face-to-face training -- which requires officers to travel to major cities for training. “We all agree that it’s possible to reach about 98 percent of American law enforcement if we create online training in appropriate topics, and it’s more cost effective when it is provided online,” Kessler said.
Currently, Champlain’s Computer & Digital Forensics program enrolls approximately 150 students -- nearly half are traditional, on-campus students and the rest are enrolled online from as far away as California and Texas. Some of the online students are already members of the law enforcement community and they work their online education around their careers.
This is Champlain’s second federal grant for computer forensics education. In 2004, the U.S. Department of Justice's National Institute of Justice awarded Champlain College a $185,000 grant to further develop the college’s digital forensics program. Champlain’s program was hailed as the national educational model for undergraduate computer forensics education.
Article reprinted with permission (K. Surette) and sponsored by Criminal Justice leadership; and, police and military personnel who have written books.
Iraqi, Coalition Troops Detain Suspects, Find Weapons
American Forces Press Service
Jan. 4, 2007 – Iraqi and coalition forces detained five suspected terrorists and found numerous weapons caches in operations throughout Iraq today and in recent days, military officials reported. Iraqi army troops from the 5th Special Troops Company, 2nd Brigade, 9th Iraqi Army Division, teamed with soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 37th Field Artillery Regiment, and Macedonian forces to find three weapons caches today in Fehamah, a village near Taji.
The Iraqi-led operations involved a cordon-and-knock mission and cache searches conducted after coalition forces observed suspicious activity in the area, officials said.
The 37th Field Artillery Regiment soldiers found one of the caches while searching a car parked in the village and the other caches while searching homes in the area. Some of the items found during the operation included mortar tubes, mortar rounds, rockets, rocket launchers and a video camera.
Elsewhere in Iraq, officials reported that soldiers from the 4th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, and the 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division(Light Infantry), detained three suspected terrorists during an operation in Albu Farris Jan. 1.
The operation, coined "Terminator Lasso," was conducted to detain an improvised explosive device cell in Abu Farris. The combined force air assaulted into the target area and searched specified locations for IED-making materials and individuals linked to attacks in the area.
During the operation, Iraqi troops entered a mosque, with permission from the imam, near the targeted location. No contraband was found and the soldiers left the mosque after thanking the imam for his support.
At the target house, the soldiers discovered a false wall containing IED timers, triggers and detonators and two shovels. They detained the owner of the house for further questioning.
On the return route, the troops found two men at a known IED trigger area and detained the two suspected triggermen for questioning. One was found with a 9 mm pistol and the other with a camera flash IED detonator.
In another operation, soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, 4th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, and the 2nd Battalion, 15th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), along with the Rasheed Iraqi police, detained two suspected terrorists and found IED-making materials during an operation in Rasheed Jan. 1.
The operation was conducted following a tip identifying a possible IED cell based out of Rasheed.
The troops and Iraqi police found bomb-making materials in a Rasheed residence. The items uncovered included two shovels, electronic circuit boards, various wires and telephone, cell phones and radio parts. The radio and phone parts were consistent with those typically used in fabricating remote-controlled IED detonators. Two gas masks were also found in the house.
The detainees were taken into custody for further questioning.
Separately, Marine engineers attached to 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 5, uncovered 12 large caches during Operation River Sweep west of Habbaniyah Jan. 1.
"The importance of the find deals directly with the insurgents' ability to wage anti-coalition force insurgent warfare," said 1st Lt. David Bradt, the 3/2 engineer platoon commander. "By taking away the materials that the insurgents use to conduct attacks, be they IEDs, indirect fire, or small-arms fire engagements, we are making the local area that much safer for Marines and Iraqis."
The engineers, who were operating in concert with elements of the 1st Iraqi Army Division and 3/2, discovered the stockpiles in a combined cache hunt designed to interrupt insurgent activity in the area.
The Marines discovered three Soviet-made hand grenades, four type 86P grenades, two TM 57 antitank mines, two 57 mm high explosive antitank rockets, one 107 mm high-explosive rocket, 14 120 mm high-explosive mortars, eight 122 mm high-explosive projectiles, one 160 mm high-explosive mortar, 12 130 mm high-explosive projectiles, 100 7.62 X 54 rounds, 12 warheads, five 50 kg bombs, four acetylene tanks, one 60 mm high-explosive mortar and one guided missile.
The Marines destroyed all of the caches.
Elsewhere in Iraq, soldiers from the 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, "Polar Bears," 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), captured and extracted two anti-aircraft systems during a combat operation in Yusufiyah Jan. 1, officials reported.
The operation, dubbed "Polar Pounce," was intended to seize anti-aircraft weapons identified by aircraft earlier in the afternoon.
Soldiers of the 2nd Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 2nd BCT found the two 57 mm anti-aircraft weapons and evacuated them from the area. During the same operation, soldiers of Task Force Iron Claw discovered an IED made from a 120 mm mortar, a bottle of homemade explosives and a crushed wire initiator as they were clearing the route for the crane and trucks to load and extract the guns. They took the guns to Patrol Base Yusufiyah.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice leadership; and, police and military personnel who have written books.
Jan. 4, 2007 – Iraqi and coalition forces detained five suspected terrorists and found numerous weapons caches in operations throughout Iraq today and in recent days, military officials reported. Iraqi army troops from the 5th Special Troops Company, 2nd Brigade, 9th Iraqi Army Division, teamed with soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 37th Field Artillery Regiment, and Macedonian forces to find three weapons caches today in Fehamah, a village near Taji.
The Iraqi-led operations involved a cordon-and-knock mission and cache searches conducted after coalition forces observed suspicious activity in the area, officials said.
The 37th Field Artillery Regiment soldiers found one of the caches while searching a car parked in the village and the other caches while searching homes in the area. Some of the items found during the operation included mortar tubes, mortar rounds, rockets, rocket launchers and a video camera.
Elsewhere in Iraq, officials reported that soldiers from the 4th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, and the 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division(Light Infantry), detained three suspected terrorists during an operation in Albu Farris Jan. 1.
The operation, coined "Terminator Lasso," was conducted to detain an improvised explosive device cell in Abu Farris. The combined force air assaulted into the target area and searched specified locations for IED-making materials and individuals linked to attacks in the area.
During the operation, Iraqi troops entered a mosque, with permission from the imam, near the targeted location. No contraband was found and the soldiers left the mosque after thanking the imam for his support.
At the target house, the soldiers discovered a false wall containing IED timers, triggers and detonators and two shovels. They detained the owner of the house for further questioning.
On the return route, the troops found two men at a known IED trigger area and detained the two suspected triggermen for questioning. One was found with a 9 mm pistol and the other with a camera flash IED detonator.
In another operation, soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, 4th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, and the 2nd Battalion, 15th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), along with the Rasheed Iraqi police, detained two suspected terrorists and found IED-making materials during an operation in Rasheed Jan. 1.
The operation was conducted following a tip identifying a possible IED cell based out of Rasheed.
The troops and Iraqi police found bomb-making materials in a Rasheed residence. The items uncovered included two shovels, electronic circuit boards, various wires and telephone, cell phones and radio parts. The radio and phone parts were consistent with those typically used in fabricating remote-controlled IED detonators. Two gas masks were also found in the house.
The detainees were taken into custody for further questioning.
Separately, Marine engineers attached to 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 5, uncovered 12 large caches during Operation River Sweep west of Habbaniyah Jan. 1.
"The importance of the find deals directly with the insurgents' ability to wage anti-coalition force insurgent warfare," said 1st Lt. David Bradt, the 3/2 engineer platoon commander. "By taking away the materials that the insurgents use to conduct attacks, be they IEDs, indirect fire, or small-arms fire engagements, we are making the local area that much safer for Marines and Iraqis."
The engineers, who were operating in concert with elements of the 1st Iraqi Army Division and 3/2, discovered the stockpiles in a combined cache hunt designed to interrupt insurgent activity in the area.
The Marines discovered three Soviet-made hand grenades, four type 86P grenades, two TM 57 antitank mines, two 57 mm high explosive antitank rockets, one 107 mm high-explosive rocket, 14 120 mm high-explosive mortars, eight 122 mm high-explosive projectiles, one 160 mm high-explosive mortar, 12 130 mm high-explosive projectiles, 100 7.62 X 54 rounds, 12 warheads, five 50 kg bombs, four acetylene tanks, one 60 mm high-explosive mortar and one guided missile.
The Marines destroyed all of the caches.
Elsewhere in Iraq, soldiers from the 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, "Polar Bears," 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), captured and extracted two anti-aircraft systems during a combat operation in Yusufiyah Jan. 1, officials reported.
The operation, dubbed "Polar Pounce," was intended to seize anti-aircraft weapons identified by aircraft earlier in the afternoon.
Soldiers of the 2nd Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 2nd BCT found the two 57 mm anti-aircraft weapons and evacuated them from the area. During the same operation, soldiers of Task Force Iron Claw discovered an IED made from a 120 mm mortar, a bottle of homemade explosives and a crushed wire initiator as they were clearing the route for the crane and trucks to load and extract the guns. They took the guns to Patrol Base Yusufiyah.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice leadership; and, police and military personnel who have written books.
Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Pvt. David E. Dietrich, 21, of Marysville, Pa., died Dec. 29 in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, of wounds suffered when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using small arms fire while on combat patrol. Dietrich was assigned to the 1st Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Friedberg, Germany.
For more information on this soldier the media can contact the 1st Armored Division public affairs office at 011-49-611-705-4859.
Pvt. David E. Dietrich, 21, of Marysville, Pa., died Dec. 29 in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, of wounds suffered when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using small arms fire while on combat patrol. Dietrich was assigned to the 1st Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Friedberg, Germany.
For more information on this soldier the media can contact the 1st Armored Division public affairs office at 011-49-611-705-4859.
Thursday, January 04, 2007
Caldwell: Iraqi Government Will Control Its Ground Forces by Year's End
By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service
Jan. 3, 2007 – The Iraqi government will have command-and-control of all of its ground forces by the end of 2007, a senior U.S. military officer based in Baghdad predicted today. The year 2007 "is truly the year of transition and adaptation" for Iraq, Army Maj. Gen. William B. Caldwell IV, Multinational Force Iraq spokesman, told reporters at a news conference in Baghdad.
All Iraqi army divisions will be under Iraqi Ground Forces Command by summertime, Caldwell said. And, all Iraqi provinces, he said, will go back to Iraqi provincial control by the fall.
"So that by the end of the year 2007, a significant year of transition, the multinational force and the U.S. mission here in Iraq will be truly in support of the efforts of the government of Iraq and not commanding and controlling those things, but working as a support mechanism," Caldwell said.
Meanwhile, President George Bush and his advisors are putting the finishing touches on a new U.S. strategy for Iraq. The president is expected to announce the new plan sometime before his State of the Union address, slated for Jan. 23.
The Feb. 22 terrorist bombing of the Golden Mosque religious shrine in Samarra triggered a surge of Sunni-Shiite sectarian violence across Iraq in 2006, a development that has led to the formulation of a new U.S. strategy for Iraq, Caldwell said.
Caldwell pointed out that, despite the violence, the Iraqis have made considerable advances in the past year.
"Iraqis achieved many accomplishments in 2006 that serve as the foundation for future progress," Caldwell pointed out. Over the course of the past year Iraq seated its first democratically-elected permanent government, he said, and the nation also produced a national unity government that represents Iraqis of all religious sects and tribes.
"Iraqis have stepped up and begun taking responsibility for their own security," Caldwell said, noting that responsibility for security in Muthanna, Dhi Qar and Najaf provinces has been transferred to Iraqi provincial control.
"The Iraqi army and police now have overall responsibility for all law enforcement and security activities in those provinces (and) answer to their respective provincial governors and councils," he said.
Just one of Iraq's 10 army divisions was responsible for operations within its own territory at the beginning of last year. Today, 80 percent of Iraq's army divisions are responsible for their own battle space, he said.
Yet, Iraq continues to be plagued by high levels of unacceptable violence, Caldwell said, noting the mayhem has cost the lives of thousands of innocent Iraqis.
And, more than 800 U.S. servicemen and women gave their lives in service in Iraq over the past year, he said.
"The loss of every single one of these brave Americans is a terrible tragedy for a family somewhere," Caldwell said. "Even as we continue to work to secure Iraq and build a better future for the people of this region, we extend our deepest condolences for their loss and for our eternal gratitude to these families for the sacrifice of their loved ones."
The Iraqis and their coalition partners face significant challenges in 2007, Caldwell said. The Iraqis must increase the capabilities and efficiency in their army and police units, he said, while their government must continue to work to reconcile and unify different segments of the population.
Multinational Force Iraq is committed to assisting the Iraqi government by conducting operations and developing Iraqi security forces to provide the stability needed so that Iraq's new political processes can mature, Caldwell said.
"Coalition forces remain dedicated to this mission, and we have not given up on the Iraqis," Caldwell said. "We cannot write off a country where people have not given up on themselves."
The United States has been fighting terrorism and extremism since the 1983 bombing of the U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut, Lebanon, where 241 servicemembers, mostly Marines, died, Caldwell said. Iraq is another battleground, he said, that is pitting the forces of freedom against those of terrorism and extremism.
"In partnership with the Iraqi people, we are fighting to demonstrate that there is an alternative besides tyranny and extremism for the people of this region," Caldwell said.
Article sponsored by criminal justice leadership; and, police and military personnel who have become authors.
American Forces Press Service
Jan. 3, 2007 – The Iraqi government will have command-and-control of all of its ground forces by the end of 2007, a senior U.S. military officer based in Baghdad predicted today. The year 2007 "is truly the year of transition and adaptation" for Iraq, Army Maj. Gen. William B. Caldwell IV, Multinational Force Iraq spokesman, told reporters at a news conference in Baghdad.
All Iraqi army divisions will be under Iraqi Ground Forces Command by summertime, Caldwell said. And, all Iraqi provinces, he said, will go back to Iraqi provincial control by the fall.
"So that by the end of the year 2007, a significant year of transition, the multinational force and the U.S. mission here in Iraq will be truly in support of the efforts of the government of Iraq and not commanding and controlling those things, but working as a support mechanism," Caldwell said.
Meanwhile, President George Bush and his advisors are putting the finishing touches on a new U.S. strategy for Iraq. The president is expected to announce the new plan sometime before his State of the Union address, slated for Jan. 23.
The Feb. 22 terrorist bombing of the Golden Mosque religious shrine in Samarra triggered a surge of Sunni-Shiite sectarian violence across Iraq in 2006, a development that has led to the formulation of a new U.S. strategy for Iraq, Caldwell said.
Caldwell pointed out that, despite the violence, the Iraqis have made considerable advances in the past year.
"Iraqis achieved many accomplishments in 2006 that serve as the foundation for future progress," Caldwell pointed out. Over the course of the past year Iraq seated its first democratically-elected permanent government, he said, and the nation also produced a national unity government that represents Iraqis of all religious sects and tribes.
"Iraqis have stepped up and begun taking responsibility for their own security," Caldwell said, noting that responsibility for security in Muthanna, Dhi Qar and Najaf provinces has been transferred to Iraqi provincial control.
"The Iraqi army and police now have overall responsibility for all law enforcement and security activities in those provinces (and) answer to their respective provincial governors and councils," he said.
Just one of Iraq's 10 army divisions was responsible for operations within its own territory at the beginning of last year. Today, 80 percent of Iraq's army divisions are responsible for their own battle space, he said.
Yet, Iraq continues to be plagued by high levels of unacceptable violence, Caldwell said, noting the mayhem has cost the lives of thousands of innocent Iraqis.
And, more than 800 U.S. servicemen and women gave their lives in service in Iraq over the past year, he said.
"The loss of every single one of these brave Americans is a terrible tragedy for a family somewhere," Caldwell said. "Even as we continue to work to secure Iraq and build a better future for the people of this region, we extend our deepest condolences for their loss and for our eternal gratitude to these families for the sacrifice of their loved ones."
The Iraqis and their coalition partners face significant challenges in 2007, Caldwell said. The Iraqis must increase the capabilities and efficiency in their army and police units, he said, while their government must continue to work to reconcile and unify different segments of the population.
Multinational Force Iraq is committed to assisting the Iraqi government by conducting operations and developing Iraqi security forces to provide the stability needed so that Iraq's new political processes can mature, Caldwell said.
"Coalition forces remain dedicated to this mission, and we have not given up on the Iraqis," Caldwell said. "We cannot write off a country where people have not given up on themselves."
The United States has been fighting terrorism and extremism since the 1983 bombing of the U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut, Lebanon, where 241 servicemembers, mostly Marines, died, Caldwell said. Iraq is another battleground, he said, that is pitting the forces of freedom against those of terrorism and extremism.
"In partnership with the Iraqi people, we are fighting to demonstrate that there is an alternative besides tyranny and extremism for the people of this region," Caldwell said.
Article sponsored by criminal justice leadership; and, police and military personnel who have become authors.
Six Insurgents Captured, Weapons Cache Discovered
American Forces Press Service
Jan. 3, 2007 – Six terrorists, including two IED cell members, were captured in Iraq yesterday, and troops discovered a weapons cache.
-- Special Iraqi Police forces, with coalition advisors, detained three suspects during operations yesterday near Hit, Iraq. One detainee is allegedly a member of a bombing cell conducting attacks against Iraqi civilians and security forces.
-- Coalition forces captured a suspected insurgent during operations in Baghdad yesterday. The suspect is allegedly part of an insurgent network responsible for car bombing attacks in the Baghdad area. The suspect is also believed to have recently made arrangements to purchase explosives used for car bombing attacks, military officials said.
-- U.S. Army soldiers of the 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, and elements of 6th Brigade, 2nd Iraqi National Police Division, rescued two hostages and detained the two kidnappers yesterday during a raid in the al-Doura neighborhood.
-- Paratroopers of Company C, 1st Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, found a large amount of 23 mortar rounds and 33 propellant sticks yesterday while on patrol near Bahbahani, Iraq. An explosive ordnance team arrived and conducted a controlled detonation, destroying the munitions.
Article sponsored by criminal justice leadership; and, police and military personnel who have become authors.
Jan. 3, 2007 – Six terrorists, including two IED cell members, were captured in Iraq yesterday, and troops discovered a weapons cache.
-- Special Iraqi Police forces, with coalition advisors, detained three suspects during operations yesterday near Hit, Iraq. One detainee is allegedly a member of a bombing cell conducting attacks against Iraqi civilians and security forces.
-- Coalition forces captured a suspected insurgent during operations in Baghdad yesterday. The suspect is allegedly part of an insurgent network responsible for car bombing attacks in the Baghdad area. The suspect is also believed to have recently made arrangements to purchase explosives used for car bombing attacks, military officials said.
-- U.S. Army soldiers of the 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, and elements of 6th Brigade, 2nd Iraqi National Police Division, rescued two hostages and detained the two kidnappers yesterday during a raid in the al-Doura neighborhood.
-- Paratroopers of Company C, 1st Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, found a large amount of 23 mortar rounds and 33 propellant sticks yesterday while on patrol near Bahbahani, Iraq. An explosive ordnance team arrived and conducted a controlled detonation, destroying the munitions.
Article sponsored by criminal justice leadership; and, police and military personnel who have become authors.
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
U.S. Role in Saddam's Execution Limited to Transport, General Says
By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service
Jan. 3, 2007 – U.S. involvement in the Dec. 29 execution of Saddam Hussein amounted to providing helicopter transport at the request of the Iraqi government, a U.S. military spokesman said in Baghdad today. Army Maj. Gen. William B. Caldwell IV emphasized to reporters that all aspects of the execution were a sovereign Iraqi matter.
Caldwell explained that while the U.S. military had maintained physical control over Saddam during his incarceration, the Iraqi government had legal custody of the deposed dictator throughout that time. Whenever transport was required - to bring Saddam to his courtroom appearances, for example - the U.S. military provided the transport at the request of the Iraqi government.
When the Iraqi government asked that Saddam be transported to his execution site, the general said, normal transport procedures were followed.
"I guess the most important thing to know is that we continued operating just as we always have, dealing with the logistics, specifically both the security and the transportation of Saddam; that is, the routine matter that we've been doing ever since we took physical control of him," Caldwell said.
After U.S. military police delivered Saddam to a holding room near the execution site at a Baghdad prison and appropriate legal paperwork was signed, American authorities "had absolutely nothing to do with any of the (execution) procedures or any of the control mechanisms or anything from that point forward," Caldwell said.
News reports say Saddam was taunted by some observers just before he was hanged and that others present may have taken cell-phone-video images of the execution. Some of that purported video has circulated on the Internet and portions of it have been broadcast by media outlets. The Iraqi government has called for an investigation of the matter, Caldwell said. News reports today say an Iraqi official has been arrested for allegedly taking images of the execution with a cell phone camera.
"We had absolutely nothing to do whatsoever with the facility where the execution took place," Caldwell emphasized. "We were not involved in any search of any people, we had nobody present, we did not dictate any requirements that had to be followed. ... The multinational force had absolutely no direct involvement with that whatsoever."
After the execution, Caldwell said, the Iraqi government requested U.S. helicopter support to fly some Iraqis from Baghdad to Tikrit. The Iraqis loaded Saddam's body into a helicopter, he said, and the former dictator's remains and they were transported north.
Caldwell acknowledged that coalition officials would not have made all the same decisions regarding the execution, but pointed out that those decisions were the Iraqi government's to make. "This is a sovereign nation; they made the decisions they made," he said. "But we, as a coalition force, would have done it differently."
Saddam was tried and found guilty of crimes against humanity by an Iraqi court. An appeals court upheld the former dictator's conviction and death sentence for his complicity in the murder of 148 people living in the Iraqi city of Dujail in 1982.
Article sponsored by criminal justice leadership; and, police and military personnel who have become authors.
American Forces Press Service
Jan. 3, 2007 – U.S. involvement in the Dec. 29 execution of Saddam Hussein amounted to providing helicopter transport at the request of the Iraqi government, a U.S. military spokesman said in Baghdad today. Army Maj. Gen. William B. Caldwell IV emphasized to reporters that all aspects of the execution were a sovereign Iraqi matter.
Caldwell explained that while the U.S. military had maintained physical control over Saddam during his incarceration, the Iraqi government had legal custody of the deposed dictator throughout that time. Whenever transport was required - to bring Saddam to his courtroom appearances, for example - the U.S. military provided the transport at the request of the Iraqi government.
When the Iraqi government asked that Saddam be transported to his execution site, the general said, normal transport procedures were followed.
"I guess the most important thing to know is that we continued operating just as we always have, dealing with the logistics, specifically both the security and the transportation of Saddam; that is, the routine matter that we've been doing ever since we took physical control of him," Caldwell said.
After U.S. military police delivered Saddam to a holding room near the execution site at a Baghdad prison and appropriate legal paperwork was signed, American authorities "had absolutely nothing to do with any of the (execution) procedures or any of the control mechanisms or anything from that point forward," Caldwell said.
News reports say Saddam was taunted by some observers just before he was hanged and that others present may have taken cell-phone-video images of the execution. Some of that purported video has circulated on the Internet and portions of it have been broadcast by media outlets. The Iraqi government has called for an investigation of the matter, Caldwell said. News reports today say an Iraqi official has been arrested for allegedly taking images of the execution with a cell phone camera.
"We had absolutely nothing to do whatsoever with the facility where the execution took place," Caldwell emphasized. "We were not involved in any search of any people, we had nobody present, we did not dictate any requirements that had to be followed. ... The multinational force had absolutely no direct involvement with that whatsoever."
After the execution, Caldwell said, the Iraqi government requested U.S. helicopter support to fly some Iraqis from Baghdad to Tikrit. The Iraqis loaded Saddam's body into a helicopter, he said, and the former dictator's remains and they were transported north.
Caldwell acknowledged that coalition officials would not have made all the same decisions regarding the execution, but pointed out that those decisions were the Iraqi government's to make. "This is a sovereign nation; they made the decisions they made," he said. "But we, as a coalition force, would have done it differently."
Saddam was tried and found guilty of crimes against humanity by an Iraqi court. An appeals court upheld the former dictator's conviction and death sentence for his complicity in the murder of 148 people living in the Iraqi city of Dujail in 1982.
Article sponsored by criminal justice leadership; and, police and military personnel who have become authors.
Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Spc. Luis G. Ayala, 21, of South Gate, Calif., died Dec. 28 in Taji, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his unit while on combat patrol. Ayala was assigned to the 2nd Squadron, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.
For more information in regard to this release the media can contact the Fort Hood public affairs office at (254) 287-9993.
Spc. Luis G. Ayala, 21, of South Gate, Calif., died Dec. 28 in Taji, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his unit while on combat patrol. Ayala was assigned to the 2nd Squadron, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.
For more information in regard to this release the media can contact the Fort Hood public affairs office at (254) 287-9993.
Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Pfc. Alan R. Blohm, 21, of Kenai, Alaska, died Dec. 31 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his unit while on combat patrol. Blohm was assigned to the 425th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 4th Airborne Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson, Alaska.
For more information on this soldier the media can contact the U.S. Army Alaska public affairs office at (907) 384-1542.
Pfc. Alan R. Blohm, 21, of Kenai, Alaska, died Dec. 31 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his unit while on combat patrol. Blohm was assigned to the 425th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 4th Airborne Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson, Alaska.
For more information on this soldier the media can contact the U.S. Army Alaska public affairs office at (907) 384-1542.
Army Casualties
The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died Dec. 31 in Baqubah, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated while they were conducting a combat patrol. Both soldiers were assigned to the 215th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.
Killed were:
Cpl. Jonathan E. Schiller, 20, of Ottumwa, Iowa.
Spc. Richard A. Smith, 20, of Grand Prairie, Texas.
For more information about these soldiers the media can contact the Fort Hood public affairs office at (254) 287-0104
Killed were:
Cpl. Jonathan E. Schiller, 20, of Ottumwa, Iowa.
Spc. Richard A. Smith, 20, of Grand Prairie, Texas.
For more information about these soldiers the media can contact the Fort Hood public affairs office at (254) 287-0104
Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Sgt. John M. Sullivan, 22, of Hixon, Tenn., died Dec. 30 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle while on combat patrol. Sullivan was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 17th Field Artillery, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.
For more information on this soldier the media can contact the Fort Carson public affairs office at (719) 526-1264; after hours at (719) 526-5500.
Sgt. John M. Sullivan, 22, of Hixon, Tenn., died Dec. 30 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle while on combat patrol. Sullivan was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 17th Field Artillery, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.
For more information on this soldier the media can contact the Fort Carson public affairs office at (719) 526-1264; after hours at (719) 526-5500.
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
Raids in Iraq Yield Terrorists, Terror Leaders, Weapons
American Forces Press Service
Jan. 2, 2007 – Nine terrorists, including an al-Qaeda leader, were killed during raids conducted by coalition forces in Baghdad today and yesterday. Also, one terrorist was wounded, and three were detained during the raids. A known al-Qaeda weapons dealer was among those killed during today's Baghdad raid, according to officials. Another terrorist was wounded in the action, while two more were detained. The wounded terrorist was provided first aid and transported to a nearby medical facility. Coalition forces had targeted the weapons dealer, whose body was identified by his wife.
In other news, coalition troops killed six terrorists and detained one suspect during a fierce morning firefight in Baghdad yesterday, officials reported.
Intelligence reports indicated the targeted location was used as a possible al Qaeda in Iraq safe house for terrorists to conduct operational planning.
While approaching the targeted area, coalition troops were attacked with heavy automatic weapons fire and hand grenades from the top of several nearby buildings, officials said. Coalition forces returned fire, killing two terrorists. Several armed men fled to a third building.
Coalition forces received fire from the top of the third building and returned fire, officials reported. Coalition forces were able to establish a foothold in one of the adjacent buildings, killing four more terrorists and detaining one.
In other news, 1st Iraqi Army Division forces, with coalition advisors, captured a suspected insurgent during operations in Na'Amiyah, near Fallujah, yesterday. Officials said the detainee is suspected of providing improvised explosive devices to al Qaeda in Iraq terrorists. The suspect is also implicated in kidnapping Iraqi civilians for ransom and having close ties to al Qaeda in Iraq leaders.
Also, soldiers from the 2nd and 4th Iraqi Army Divisions, with coalition advisors, detained two suspects during operations in Ash Sharqat in the northern Salah Ad Din province, officials reported.
One of the detainees is suspected of leading a cell that supported insurgent and al Qaeda in Iraq operations, providing weapons and supplies that helped them carry out attacks against Iraqi civilians and security forces.
Earlier during the past weekend, U.S. soldiers with the 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team uncovered a site in eastern Baghdad suspected of being used by insurgents to make improvised explosive devices during a Dec. 31 patrol.
Officials reported that the troops found wires, timers, explosives and other items consistent with making IEDs. Two flash-bang grenades were also recovered. U.S. military personnel confiscated the seized items.
In other weekend events, Special Iraqi Police Forces, with coalition advisors, captured three suspected members of an al Qaeda in Iraq terrorist cell during Dec. 31 operations southwest of Mosul.
Officials said the suspects are responsible for kidnapping and murdering Iraqi civilians and security forces and are believed to be involved in car bombing attacks in and around Mosul. They are reportedly linked to foreign fighters and facilitate their violent, criminal operations in the area.
Also on Dec. 31, a joint Iraqi and coalition operation resulted in the capture of six individual, officials reported.
Soldiers of the 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, and a squad from the 4th Battalion, 4th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, conducted a joint search-and-attack operation near Al-Thobat, about four kilometers southwest of Yusufiyah, officials reported.
The operation targeted three separate objectives near the village, where IED cells were suspected of operating and finding safe haven.
Elements of Company C, 4-31 and Troop A, 2nd Squadron, 5th Cavalry Regiment, paired with the Iraqi Army squad to detain the suspects. Two of the men were wanted for their connection to IED operations in the area. The other four individuals were detained for their belligerence when the two wanted men were confronted. Officials said the detainees are being held for further questioning.
In other developments, soldiers of the Iraqi Army's 7th Division detained two suspects during operations Dec. 31 near Karabilah to capture the leaders of an insurgent group.
Officials said the group is responsible for small-arms attacks and IED emplacements and attacks in the Al Qa'im area targeting Iraqi security forces and coalition forces. The group is also suspected of helping foreign fighters move into Iraq and is tied closely to the al Qaeda in Iraq terror network.
Article sponsored by criminal justice leadership; and, police and military personnel who have become writers.
Jan. 2, 2007 – Nine terrorists, including an al-Qaeda leader, were killed during raids conducted by coalition forces in Baghdad today and yesterday. Also, one terrorist was wounded, and three were detained during the raids. A known al-Qaeda weapons dealer was among those killed during today's Baghdad raid, according to officials. Another terrorist was wounded in the action, while two more were detained. The wounded terrorist was provided first aid and transported to a nearby medical facility. Coalition forces had targeted the weapons dealer, whose body was identified by his wife.
In other news, coalition troops killed six terrorists and detained one suspect during a fierce morning firefight in Baghdad yesterday, officials reported.
Intelligence reports indicated the targeted location was used as a possible al Qaeda in Iraq safe house for terrorists to conduct operational planning.
While approaching the targeted area, coalition troops were attacked with heavy automatic weapons fire and hand grenades from the top of several nearby buildings, officials said. Coalition forces returned fire, killing two terrorists. Several armed men fled to a third building.
Coalition forces received fire from the top of the third building and returned fire, officials reported. Coalition forces were able to establish a foothold in one of the adjacent buildings, killing four more terrorists and detaining one.
In other news, 1st Iraqi Army Division forces, with coalition advisors, captured a suspected insurgent during operations in Na'Amiyah, near Fallujah, yesterday. Officials said the detainee is suspected of providing improvised explosive devices to al Qaeda in Iraq terrorists. The suspect is also implicated in kidnapping Iraqi civilians for ransom and having close ties to al Qaeda in Iraq leaders.
Also, soldiers from the 2nd and 4th Iraqi Army Divisions, with coalition advisors, detained two suspects during operations in Ash Sharqat in the northern Salah Ad Din province, officials reported.
One of the detainees is suspected of leading a cell that supported insurgent and al Qaeda in Iraq operations, providing weapons and supplies that helped them carry out attacks against Iraqi civilians and security forces.
Earlier during the past weekend, U.S. soldiers with the 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team uncovered a site in eastern Baghdad suspected of being used by insurgents to make improvised explosive devices during a Dec. 31 patrol.
Officials reported that the troops found wires, timers, explosives and other items consistent with making IEDs. Two flash-bang grenades were also recovered. U.S. military personnel confiscated the seized items.
In other weekend events, Special Iraqi Police Forces, with coalition advisors, captured three suspected members of an al Qaeda in Iraq terrorist cell during Dec. 31 operations southwest of Mosul.
Officials said the suspects are responsible for kidnapping and murdering Iraqi civilians and security forces and are believed to be involved in car bombing attacks in and around Mosul. They are reportedly linked to foreign fighters and facilitate their violent, criminal operations in the area.
Also on Dec. 31, a joint Iraqi and coalition operation resulted in the capture of six individual, officials reported.
Soldiers of the 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, and a squad from the 4th Battalion, 4th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, conducted a joint search-and-attack operation near Al-Thobat, about four kilometers southwest of Yusufiyah, officials reported.
The operation targeted three separate objectives near the village, where IED cells were suspected of operating and finding safe haven.
Elements of Company C, 4-31 and Troop A, 2nd Squadron, 5th Cavalry Regiment, paired with the Iraqi Army squad to detain the suspects. Two of the men were wanted for their connection to IED operations in the area. The other four individuals were detained for their belligerence when the two wanted men were confronted. Officials said the detainees are being held for further questioning.
In other developments, soldiers of the Iraqi Army's 7th Division detained two suspects during operations Dec. 31 near Karabilah to capture the leaders of an insurgent group.
Officials said the group is responsible for small-arms attacks and IED emplacements and attacks in the Al Qa'im area targeting Iraqi security forces and coalition forces. The group is also suspected of helping foreign fighters move into Iraq and is tied closely to the al Qaeda in Iraq terror network.
Article sponsored by criminal justice leadership; and, police and military personnel who have become writers.
Navy Begins Investigation Into Iraqi Soldier's Death
American Forces Press Service
Jan. 2, 2007 – Naval Criminal Investigation Command has launched an investigation into a Dec. 30 incident in which an Iraqi soldier was killed during an altercation with a Marine at a post at the Fallujah Government Center, Multinational Force Iraq officials announced. The Marine, assigned to 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 5, has been assigned to administrative duties. The Iraqi soldier was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 1st Iraqi Army Division.
The Marines and Iraqi soldiers from both units have manned combined security posts since arrival of the Marine unit several months ago.
"Marines and Iraqis from the two units continue to live, eat and fight alongside each other," said Marine Lt. Col. Bryan Salas, a coalition spokesman. "This will not impact our mission to continue the transition of the security responsibility to the Iraqi Army."
Seven hundred Iraqi police, 3,000 Iraqi soldiers, and about 300 Marines are operating in Fallujah, officials said. This compares to March 2005, when 3,000 Marines and only 300 members of the Iraqi security forces were serving there.
Article sponsored by criminal justice leadership; and, police and military personnel who have become writers.
Jan. 2, 2007 – Naval Criminal Investigation Command has launched an investigation into a Dec. 30 incident in which an Iraqi soldier was killed during an altercation with a Marine at a post at the Fallujah Government Center, Multinational Force Iraq officials announced. The Marine, assigned to 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 5, has been assigned to administrative duties. The Iraqi soldier was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 1st Iraqi Army Division.
The Marines and Iraqi soldiers from both units have manned combined security posts since arrival of the Marine unit several months ago.
"Marines and Iraqis from the two units continue to live, eat and fight alongside each other," said Marine Lt. Col. Bryan Salas, a coalition spokesman. "This will not impact our mission to continue the transition of the security responsibility to the Iraqi Army."
Seven hundred Iraqi police, 3,000 Iraqi soldiers, and about 300 Marines are operating in Fallujah, officials said. This compares to March 2005, when 3,000 Marines and only 300 members of the Iraqi security forces were serving there.
Article sponsored by criminal justice leadership; and, police and military personnel who have become writers.
Army Casualties
The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died Dec. 29 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near their vehicle during combat operations.
Killed were:
Sgt. Lawrence J. Carter, 25, of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Schweinfurt, Germany.
Pfc. William R. Newgard, 20, of Arlington Heights, Ill. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Schweinfurt, Germany.
For more information about these soldiers, contact the 1st Armored Division public affairs office at 011-49-611-705-4859.
Killed were:
Sgt. Lawrence J. Carter, 25, of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Schweinfurt, Germany.
Pfc. William R. Newgard, 20, of Arlington Heights, Ill. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Schweinfurt, Germany.
For more information about these soldiers, contact the 1st Armored Division public affairs office at 011-49-611-705-4859.
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