American Forces Press Service
Jan. 14, 2007 – Coalition representatives met Jan. 12 with members of the newly formed Khost Reform Association at a forward base in Khost province, Afghanistan, to discuss the group's focus on national unity and reconstruction. The association was formed in November 2006, founded by retired military commanders, university professors and former provincial governor. Its goal is to increase cooperation, education and reconstruction throughout Khost province.
Association officials said the organization will accept people from any religious or ethnic background, as long as they support democracy, desire to help reconstruct Afghanistan and do not participate in terrorist, antigovernment or anti-coalition activities.
"Scholars only join the academic groups. Only mullahs join the mullah groups. The former mujahideen have their groups, but only former mujahideen join," said Fazil Jan, the association's chief, former governor of Helmand province and now a university professor. "Anybody can join us; our organization does not have a flavor of politics."
Coalition officials say they welcome the desire these Afghan citizens have taken to help secure their country's future.
"The meeting was a productive discussion between a diverse group of people who want to help rebuild Afghanistan," said Col. Tom Collins, Combined Forces Command Afghanistan spokesman. "These gentlemen offer a clear indication that the Afghan people are willing to put aside differences to work for the future of Afghanistan through education and reconstruction."
Wazir Badshah, a university professor, noted that democracy in Afghanistan will take time until people are educated enough to defend themselves. He said the people of Khost "are very upset" about suicide bombers being trained to carry out attacks against their citizens. Only education, reconstruction and jobs can counter such extremism, he said.
Yusif Antazar, the group's education representative, offered his perspective on peace and security for the future of Afghanistan. "Anybody can fight, but no man can bring peace and unity by himself," Antazar said. "Anyone can work for his own profit; but, to bring unity is hard. We want, through our partnership, to bring great unity. Our wishes cannot succeed until we have unity."
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Sunday, January 14, 2007
82nd Airborne Medics Get Blessing Before Moving Into Iraq
By Sgt. Mike Pryor, USA
Special to American Forces Press Service
Jan. 14, 2007 – Soldiers throughout history have marched into battle fortified by the prayers of their spiritual leaders. But the healers who care for those soldiers when they fall got a special blessing here Jan. 12 as they prepare to move with their 82nd Airborne Division into Iraq. The 82nd Airborne Division's 2nd Brigade Combat Team held a service here to bless the brigade's medical personnel before they deploy.
The 2nd BCT is expected to deploy into Baghdad soon to help reclaim neighborhoods controlled by insurgents. Paratroopers from the 2nd BCT's 1st Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment say they are ready for that fight, but that the constant training they are receiving here is helping ensure they stay prepared.
Maj. Jeffrey Hawkins, the brigade chaplain, said the event was planned to honor and support the medics and strengthen the bond between the 2nd BCT's chaplains and medics. "There are special bricks that get put in the rucksack of a caregiver. They carry a burden that not everybody has," he said. "We wanted to honor that."
The blessing took place at the post chapel on a bitterly cold, rainy night. Some of the medics who attended had just come from training in the field, and were still wearing their wet, muddy body armor. But the atmosphere inside the chapel was warm and friendly, with handshakes, backslaps and hugs exchanged freely.
The service was short. After prayers and the recitation of the Medic's Creed, the lights were dimmed and, in the flickering candlelight, Chaplain Capt. Rodney Gilliam gave a benediction to the assembled group.
"It just gives them a little spiritual ammunition to go with their ballistic ammo," Hawkins said afterwards.
After the service, the medical personnel who attended said they were proud and grateful to the ministry team for including them.
"It's always nice when people can stop and recognize what the medics do," said 1st Lt. Erin Crofford, a medical evacuation platoon leader with Co. C, 407th Brigade Support Battalion.
Crofford said it was logical that the chaplains and medics should come together, since they often work closely in combat. "Wherever you find medics, chaplains are close by," she said.
Pfc. Timothy Schilz, a medic with Co. C, 407th Brigade Support Battalion, said he was glad for the opportunity to share a special moment with the team. "There's nothing better than chaplains and medics coming together. There is a bond there," Schilz said.
Article sponsored by military and police personnel who have published books, articles and blogs; and criminal justice leadership online.
Special to American Forces Press Service
Jan. 14, 2007 – Soldiers throughout history have marched into battle fortified by the prayers of their spiritual leaders. But the healers who care for those soldiers when they fall got a special blessing here Jan. 12 as they prepare to move with their 82nd Airborne Division into Iraq. The 82nd Airborne Division's 2nd Brigade Combat Team held a service here to bless the brigade's medical personnel before they deploy.
The 2nd BCT is expected to deploy into Baghdad soon to help reclaim neighborhoods controlled by insurgents. Paratroopers from the 2nd BCT's 1st Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment say they are ready for that fight, but that the constant training they are receiving here is helping ensure they stay prepared.
Maj. Jeffrey Hawkins, the brigade chaplain, said the event was planned to honor and support the medics and strengthen the bond between the 2nd BCT's chaplains and medics. "There are special bricks that get put in the rucksack of a caregiver. They carry a burden that not everybody has," he said. "We wanted to honor that."
The blessing took place at the post chapel on a bitterly cold, rainy night. Some of the medics who attended had just come from training in the field, and were still wearing their wet, muddy body armor. But the atmosphere inside the chapel was warm and friendly, with handshakes, backslaps and hugs exchanged freely.
The service was short. After prayers and the recitation of the Medic's Creed, the lights were dimmed and, in the flickering candlelight, Chaplain Capt. Rodney Gilliam gave a benediction to the assembled group.
"It just gives them a little spiritual ammunition to go with their ballistic ammo," Hawkins said afterwards.
After the service, the medical personnel who attended said they were proud and grateful to the ministry team for including them.
"It's always nice when people can stop and recognize what the medics do," said 1st Lt. Erin Crofford, a medical evacuation platoon leader with Co. C, 407th Brigade Support Battalion.
Crofford said it was logical that the chaplains and medics should come together, since they often work closely in combat. "Wherever you find medics, chaplains are close by," she said.
Pfc. Timothy Schilz, a medic with Co. C, 407th Brigade Support Battalion, said he was glad for the opportunity to share a special moment with the team. "There's nothing better than chaplains and medics coming together. There is a bond there," Schilz said.
Article sponsored by military and police personnel who have published books, articles and blogs; and criminal justice leadership online.
Ongoing Operations in Iraq Net Insurgents, Weapons Caches
American Forces Press Service
Jan. 14, 2007 – Coalition officials in Iraq reported today continued success by U.S., coalition and Iraqi troops in capturing terrorists and destroying weapons caches planned to support their operations. In Risalah today, special Iraqi army forces elements detained 19 men during operations to capture an illegal armed group leader allegedly responsible for coordinating violent attacks against Iraqi civilians and coalition forces, officials said.
Iraqi forces, with coalition advisors, targeted a suspect who reportedly aids and coordinates the kidnapping and murder of innocent Iraqis, conducts makeshift bomb and mortar attacks against coalition forces, and traffics weapons in the area to
further sectarian violence and attacks against the Iraqi government.
In eastern Baghdad today, Multinational Division Baghdad troops captured 10 suspected insurgents, including a high-value target, officials said. Soldiers with the 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team made the capture as part of "Operation Howard," an effort to help the Iraqis secure the area.
The soldiers also recovered two grenades, multiple vests and machine guns with magazines.
Near Fallujah today, Iraqi army forces detained six men in two operations focused on capturing al Qaeda in Iraq members responsible for coordinating and aiding attacks against Iraqi and coalition forces.
The two Iraqi-led operations targeted suspects who reportedly facilitate makeshift bomb attacks from Baghdad to Fallujah and are involved in weapons trafficking, officials said.
Also today, Iraqi National Police and soldiers from Multinational Division Baghdad netted nine suspects as well as several weapons, ammunition and a makeshift bomb in Baghdad's al-Doura district, military officials reported. The discovery resulted from operations aimed at disrupting activity by terrorists and illegally armed militias.
In central Baghdad, Iraqi army troops are continuing operations on North Haifa Street in the city's Karkh district, officials reported.
The effort follows a Jan. 9 combined operation with Iraqi army and coalition forces to disrupt insurgent activity and restore Iraqi security force control of the area. Soldiers from the 1st Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, continue to hold a portion of North Haifa Street near Taleel Square, and so far have killed seven insurgents and detained three other suspects, officials said.
In Balad, Iraqi national police and Iraqi Special Forces captured three known insurgents today during a meeting at the Mahdi Mosque. Officials said the captured insurgents have been known to use prayer times as a cover for planning attacks against Iraqi and coalition forces.
The U.S. 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, stood ready to assist the Iraqi forces with a quick reaction force, but their assistance was not needed, officials said.
Yesterday, Iraqi security forces led a joint raid on an insurgent stronghold and detained eight insurgents in Al Haswah.
The Iraqi-led raid targeted a suspected insurgent safe house believed used to attack Iraqi and coalition forces, and store munitions and bomb-making materials. The safe house was destroyed to prevent future attacks. In addition to the eight suspects, the raid netted propaganda material, homemade explosive materials, a rifle and a bomb transport truck.
In Tal Afar, four were killed and a cache of weapons seized Jan. 11 after members of the Iraqi police received small-arms fire in the city and fought back against the insurgents. Soldiers from C Troop, 3rd Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, also responded to the call, officials reported.
A rocket-propelled grenade, rocket boosters and 60mm mortars were seized and destroyed by an explosive ordinance disposal team.
In Balad on Jan. 12, special Iraqi army forces and Iraqi national police detained
the imam of the al-Mahdi Mosque during operations targeting suspected illegal armed group figures involved in kidnapping, murder and other violent crimes against Iraqi civilians, officials reported. Coaliton forces advisors assisted in the operation.
The imam is suspected of leading the group and condoning the killing of men, women and children and other illegal activity through the issuance of fatwas, officials said. He allegedly allows use of the mosque as a base of operations for the group and as a place for interrogations, torture and murder.
No damage to the mosque occurred during the operation and no Iraqi civilians, Iraqi forces or coalition forces were reported injured.
Near Tikrit on Jan. 12, soldiers of the 4th Iraqi Army Division working with coalition advisors captured an insurgent responsible for providing funds, weapons and supplies to insurgent cells, officials reported.
The insurgent also aids bombing attacks on security forces in the Tikrit area by providing insurgent cells with explosives and components used to make bombs, officials said.
In al Doura on Jan. 12, Iraqi special security force members captured two leaders of an insurgent cell during operations with coalition advisers. Officials said the captured insurgents are allegedly responsible for coordinating and conducting car bombing attacks against Iraqi civilians in Sadr City. They also are implicated in carrying out other car bombing and makeshift bomb attacks on Iraqi security forces in the Baghdad area.
In Ramadi, officials said a month-long operation that recently wrapped up netted 31 caches of weapons, explosives, and ammunition, while gaining the support of four more tribes in the city. During "Operation Squeeze Play," 44 enemy combatants were killed and 172 suspected insurgents were detained.
The operation, which began Dec. 1, was carried out by Iraqi army soldiers and police and U.S. soldiers and Marines. Operating in central Ramadi and areas north and east of the city, they helped clear out known anti-Iraqi safe havens and led to the establishment of four Iraqi police sub-stations, officials said.
The operation resulted in the seizure of hundreds of weapons and explosives, including mortar systems, mortar rounds, explosives, rocket-propelled grenade launchers, rifles, grenades, mines, artillery rounds, rockets and other items used to attack Ramadi's security forces and civilians.
Article sponsored by military and police personnel who have published books, articles and blogs; and criminal justice leadership online.
Jan. 14, 2007 – Coalition officials in Iraq reported today continued success by U.S., coalition and Iraqi troops in capturing terrorists and destroying weapons caches planned to support their operations. In Risalah today, special Iraqi army forces elements detained 19 men during operations to capture an illegal armed group leader allegedly responsible for coordinating violent attacks against Iraqi civilians and coalition forces, officials said.
Iraqi forces, with coalition advisors, targeted a suspect who reportedly aids and coordinates the kidnapping and murder of innocent Iraqis, conducts makeshift bomb and mortar attacks against coalition forces, and traffics weapons in the area to
further sectarian violence and attacks against the Iraqi government.
In eastern Baghdad today, Multinational Division Baghdad troops captured 10 suspected insurgents, including a high-value target, officials said. Soldiers with the 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team made the capture as part of "Operation Howard," an effort to help the Iraqis secure the area.
The soldiers also recovered two grenades, multiple vests and machine guns with magazines.
Near Fallujah today, Iraqi army forces detained six men in two operations focused on capturing al Qaeda in Iraq members responsible for coordinating and aiding attacks against Iraqi and coalition forces.
The two Iraqi-led operations targeted suspects who reportedly facilitate makeshift bomb attacks from Baghdad to Fallujah and are involved in weapons trafficking, officials said.
Also today, Iraqi National Police and soldiers from Multinational Division Baghdad netted nine suspects as well as several weapons, ammunition and a makeshift bomb in Baghdad's al-Doura district, military officials reported. The discovery resulted from operations aimed at disrupting activity by terrorists and illegally armed militias.
In central Baghdad, Iraqi army troops are continuing operations on North Haifa Street in the city's Karkh district, officials reported.
The effort follows a Jan. 9 combined operation with Iraqi army and coalition forces to disrupt insurgent activity and restore Iraqi security force control of the area. Soldiers from the 1st Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, continue to hold a portion of North Haifa Street near Taleel Square, and so far have killed seven insurgents and detained three other suspects, officials said.
In Balad, Iraqi national police and Iraqi Special Forces captured three known insurgents today during a meeting at the Mahdi Mosque. Officials said the captured insurgents have been known to use prayer times as a cover for planning attacks against Iraqi and coalition forces.
The U.S. 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, stood ready to assist the Iraqi forces with a quick reaction force, but their assistance was not needed, officials said.
Yesterday, Iraqi security forces led a joint raid on an insurgent stronghold and detained eight insurgents in Al Haswah.
The Iraqi-led raid targeted a suspected insurgent safe house believed used to attack Iraqi and coalition forces, and store munitions and bomb-making materials. The safe house was destroyed to prevent future attacks. In addition to the eight suspects, the raid netted propaganda material, homemade explosive materials, a rifle and a bomb transport truck.
In Tal Afar, four were killed and a cache of weapons seized Jan. 11 after members of the Iraqi police received small-arms fire in the city and fought back against the insurgents. Soldiers from C Troop, 3rd Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, also responded to the call, officials reported.
A rocket-propelled grenade, rocket boosters and 60mm mortars were seized and destroyed by an explosive ordinance disposal team.
In Balad on Jan. 12, special Iraqi army forces and Iraqi national police detained
the imam of the al-Mahdi Mosque during operations targeting suspected illegal armed group figures involved in kidnapping, murder and other violent crimes against Iraqi civilians, officials reported. Coaliton forces advisors assisted in the operation.
The imam is suspected of leading the group and condoning the killing of men, women and children and other illegal activity through the issuance of fatwas, officials said. He allegedly allows use of the mosque as a base of operations for the group and as a place for interrogations, torture and murder.
No damage to the mosque occurred during the operation and no Iraqi civilians, Iraqi forces or coalition forces were reported injured.
Near Tikrit on Jan. 12, soldiers of the 4th Iraqi Army Division working with coalition advisors captured an insurgent responsible for providing funds, weapons and supplies to insurgent cells, officials reported.
The insurgent also aids bombing attacks on security forces in the Tikrit area by providing insurgent cells with explosives and components used to make bombs, officials said.
In al Doura on Jan. 12, Iraqi special security force members captured two leaders of an insurgent cell during operations with coalition advisers. Officials said the captured insurgents are allegedly responsible for coordinating and conducting car bombing attacks against Iraqi civilians in Sadr City. They also are implicated in carrying out other car bombing and makeshift bomb attacks on Iraqi security forces in the Baghdad area.
In Ramadi, officials said a month-long operation that recently wrapped up netted 31 caches of weapons, explosives, and ammunition, while gaining the support of four more tribes in the city. During "Operation Squeeze Play," 44 enemy combatants were killed and 172 suspected insurgents were detained.
The operation, which began Dec. 1, was carried out by Iraqi army soldiers and police and U.S. soldiers and Marines. Operating in central Ramadi and areas north and east of the city, they helped clear out known anti-Iraqi safe havens and led to the establishment of four Iraqi police sub-stations, officials said.
The operation resulted in the seizure of hundreds of weapons and explosives, including mortar systems, mortar rounds, explosives, rocket-propelled grenade launchers, rifles, grenades, mines, artillery rounds, rockets and other items used to attack Ramadi's security forces and civilians.
Article sponsored by military and police personnel who have published books, articles and blogs; and criminal justice leadership online.
Coalition Targets Iranian Influence in Northern Iraq
American Forces Press Service
Jan. 14, 2007 – As part of their ongoing effort to target Iranian influence in northern Iraq, coalition forces continue investigating the activities of five Iranian nationals detained in Irbil, Iraq, Jan. 11, officials in Baghdad said today. Preliminary results revealed the five detainees are connected to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard - Qods Force, an organization known to provide funds, weapons, improvised explosive device technology and training to extremist groups attempting to destabilize the Iraqi government and attack coalition forces, they reported.
Officials said efforts will continue to target all who break the law, attack coalition force or attempt to undermine the Iraqi government.
The facility in which the detention took place has been described by various Iraqi officials as an Iranian liaison office, but it did not enjoy the diplomatic status of a consulate, Iraqi and U.S. officials said.
The multinational force, in keeping with U.S. policy, will continue to disrupt logistical support to extremists that originate from outside Iraq, they said. These initiatives are part of a broader plan officials said includes diplomatic efforts designed to support the Iraqi government, protect the Iraqi people and seek assistance from neighboring nations.
Today on "Fox News Sunday," Vice President Dick Cheney also touched on Iran's involvement in Iraq, saying the Iranians use the terrorist organization Hezbollah "as a surrogate" in an attempt to topple democratically elected governments in the region.
"The threat that Iran represents is growing. It's multi-dimensional, and it is in fact a concern to everybody in the region," he said. "We do not want them doing what they can to destabilize the situation inside Iraq."
Article sponsored by military and police personnel who have published books, articles and blogs; and criminal justice leadership online.
Jan. 14, 2007 – As part of their ongoing effort to target Iranian influence in northern Iraq, coalition forces continue investigating the activities of five Iranian nationals detained in Irbil, Iraq, Jan. 11, officials in Baghdad said today. Preliminary results revealed the five detainees are connected to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard - Qods Force, an organization known to provide funds, weapons, improvised explosive device technology and training to extremist groups attempting to destabilize the Iraqi government and attack coalition forces, they reported.
Officials said efforts will continue to target all who break the law, attack coalition force or attempt to undermine the Iraqi government.
The facility in which the detention took place has been described by various Iraqi officials as an Iranian liaison office, but it did not enjoy the diplomatic status of a consulate, Iraqi and U.S. officials said.
The multinational force, in keeping with U.S. policy, will continue to disrupt logistical support to extremists that originate from outside Iraq, they said. These initiatives are part of a broader plan officials said includes diplomatic efforts designed to support the Iraqi government, protect the Iraqi people and seek assistance from neighboring nations.
Today on "Fox News Sunday," Vice President Dick Cheney also touched on Iran's involvement in Iraq, saying the Iranians use the terrorist organization Hezbollah "as a surrogate" in an attempt to topple democratically elected governments in the region.
"The threat that Iran represents is growing. It's multi-dimensional, and it is in fact a concern to everybody in the region," he said. "We do not want them doing what they can to destabilize the situation inside Iraq."
Article sponsored by military and police personnel who have published books, articles and blogs; and criminal justice leadership online.
Gates Talks With British Allies About Afghanistan, Iraq
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
Jan. 14, 2007 – Continued progress in Afghanistan and details of President Bush's new way forward in Iraq were the topics of discussion today as Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates met with British leaders here. Recognizing Britain's tremendous contributions to the war on terror, Gates met with Prime Minister Tony Blair at 10 Downing Street and Defense Minister Des Browne at the Lancaster House here.
The British have more than 7,000 troops in Iraq and more than 5,000 in Afghanistan. Over the weekend, British forces lost soldiers in both Afghanistan and Iraq.
Gates said in his previous government service he had a good, close working relationship with America's British allies and that he looks forward to the same sort of relationship as defense secretary.
The secretary, who announced during a short statement following his meeting with Browne that he will travel to Afghanistan in a few days, wants to speak with British and NATO leaders about what the allies there can do to thwart the Taliban's threatened spring offensive, a senior defense official said on background. Gates also wants to discuss what further steps can be taken to strengthen the Afghan government, the official said.
Gates wants to make sure NATO stays on top of the situation in Afghanistan. The Afghan people and the allies have "had a real victory there," and "don't want to - through negligence - see the situation deteriorate," the official said.
There is a threat of a Taliban offensive against Afghan and NATO forces. Recently, Afghan and NATO forces killed more than 150 Taliban fighters trying to come into Afghanistan from Pakistan. Officials said they see a "fair amount" of Taliban activity in the southern portion of Afghanistan. And historically, the Afghans fight in the spring, summer and fall and regroup during the very harsh winter.
Although the Taliban suffered severe setbacks in 2006, there was a higher level of activity and violence during the year, the official said. "We just want to ensure we can put them back in the box," he said.
Gates will also discuss what the alliance can do an alliance to strengthen the Afghan government. Construction and reconstruction are keys to progress in the country, the official said.
The other theme Gates will discuss is Iraq and the regional security implications of operations in Iraq. Here in London, the secretary wants to hear more of the British thinking about conditions in Iraq, the official said.
Gates will discuss some aspects of President Bush's strategic plan with the British allies, the official said. One aspect that will receive a lot of attention is the Iraqi government's lead in the operation. The Iraqi government wants the lead and its officials are asserting themselves, said the senior official. Iraq has promised three brigades of troops for Baghdad, and Iraqi officials promised a hands-off approach for military forces in the city. Forces will be able to go into any neighborhood without restriction.
The official said Iraqi failures in the past had more to do with a lack of capacity and capability than lack of will. The Iraqi government has been in power less than a year, and the political system has not matured to the point where it can deliver yet, he said.
Congress' questioning of Gates and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice late last week reflects that representatives and senators are frustrated with the status quo, the official said.
But the congressional panels also realize how high the stakes are in Iraq. Not a single representative or senator said that "failure is acceptable or that failure will not have severe strategic consequences to the United States," the official said.
Article sponsored by military and police personnel who have published books, articles and blogs; and criminal justice leadership online.
American Forces Press Service
Jan. 14, 2007 – Continued progress in Afghanistan and details of President Bush's new way forward in Iraq were the topics of discussion today as Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates met with British leaders here. Recognizing Britain's tremendous contributions to the war on terror, Gates met with Prime Minister Tony Blair at 10 Downing Street and Defense Minister Des Browne at the Lancaster House here.
The British have more than 7,000 troops in Iraq and more than 5,000 in Afghanistan. Over the weekend, British forces lost soldiers in both Afghanistan and Iraq.
Gates said in his previous government service he had a good, close working relationship with America's British allies and that he looks forward to the same sort of relationship as defense secretary.
The secretary, who announced during a short statement following his meeting with Browne that he will travel to Afghanistan in a few days, wants to speak with British and NATO leaders about what the allies there can do to thwart the Taliban's threatened spring offensive, a senior defense official said on background. Gates also wants to discuss what further steps can be taken to strengthen the Afghan government, the official said.
Gates wants to make sure NATO stays on top of the situation in Afghanistan. The Afghan people and the allies have "had a real victory there," and "don't want to - through negligence - see the situation deteriorate," the official said.
There is a threat of a Taliban offensive against Afghan and NATO forces. Recently, Afghan and NATO forces killed more than 150 Taliban fighters trying to come into Afghanistan from Pakistan. Officials said they see a "fair amount" of Taliban activity in the southern portion of Afghanistan. And historically, the Afghans fight in the spring, summer and fall and regroup during the very harsh winter.
Although the Taliban suffered severe setbacks in 2006, there was a higher level of activity and violence during the year, the official said. "We just want to ensure we can put them back in the box," he said.
Gates will also discuss what the alliance can do an alliance to strengthen the Afghan government. Construction and reconstruction are keys to progress in the country, the official said.
The other theme Gates will discuss is Iraq and the regional security implications of operations in Iraq. Here in London, the secretary wants to hear more of the British thinking about conditions in Iraq, the official said.
Gates will discuss some aspects of President Bush's strategic plan with the British allies, the official said. One aspect that will receive a lot of attention is the Iraqi government's lead in the operation. The Iraqi government wants the lead and its officials are asserting themselves, said the senior official. Iraq has promised three brigades of troops for Baghdad, and Iraqi officials promised a hands-off approach for military forces in the city. Forces will be able to go into any neighborhood without restriction.
The official said Iraqi failures in the past had more to do with a lack of capacity and capability than lack of will. The Iraqi government has been in power less than a year, and the political system has not matured to the point where it can deliver yet, he said.
Congress' questioning of Gates and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice late last week reflects that representatives and senators are frustrated with the status quo, the official said.
But the congressional panels also realize how high the stakes are in Iraq. Not a single representative or senator said that "failure is acceptable or that failure will not have severe strategic consequences to the United States," the official said.
Article sponsored by military and police personnel who have published books, articles and blogs; and criminal justice leadership online.
Saturday, January 13, 2007
Bush: Iraqis Must Help Stem Sectarian Violence
By Steven Donald Smith
American Forces Press Service
Jan. 13, 2007 – For the new U.S. strategy in Iraq to succeed, Iraqis must work in concert with American military forces toward ending sectarian violence, President Bush said today during his weekly radio address. "Their leaders understand this, and they are stepping forward to do it," the president said. "But they need our help, and it is in our interests to provide that help."
Bush said ending sectarian violence and providing security for the Iraqi people would help foster a political solution to the country's problems. During a Jan. 10 televised address to the nation, the president laid out a new strategy to help Iraq's fledgling democratic government. He said 20,000 additional U.S. troops will be inserted into Baghdad and Anbar province, and the Iraqi government will deploy 18 Iraqi army and national police brigades across Baghdad's nine districts.
Bush acknowledged during his radio address that 2006 was a difficult year in Iraq and ongoing sectarian violence is making progress there difficult. "The terrorists and insurgents fought to reverse the extraordinary democratic gains the Iraqis have made," he said.
In February, extremists bombed the holy Shia Golden Mosque in Samarra in an effort to provoke reprisals that would set off a sectarian conflict, he said.
The changes in U.S. strategy in Iraq would help the Iraqis in four main areas, the president explained. First, U.S. forces will help the Iraqis secure Baghdad. This is vital because 80 percent of Iraq's sectarian violence occurs within 30 miles of the capital city, he said.
"The new plan to secure Baghdad fixes the problems that prevented previous operations from succeeding," he said. "This time, there will be adequate Iraqi and U.S. forces to hold the areas that have been cleared."
Iraqi and U.S. forces will have a "green light" to enter areas that are home to those fueling sectarian violence, he said, and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has pledged that political or sectarian interference with security operations will not be tolerated.
Second, U.S. forces will step up the fight against al Qaeda in its home base of Anbar province. Because local tribal leaders in Iraq recently began to show their willingness to take on al Qaeda, U.S. military commanders believe now is a good opportunity to deal a serious blow to the terrorists, Bush said.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice Leadership; and, police and military personnel who have become authors and written books, articles and more.
American Forces Press Service
Jan. 13, 2007 – For the new U.S. strategy in Iraq to succeed, Iraqis must work in concert with American military forces toward ending sectarian violence, President Bush said today during his weekly radio address. "Their leaders understand this, and they are stepping forward to do it," the president said. "But they need our help, and it is in our interests to provide that help."
Bush said ending sectarian violence and providing security for the Iraqi people would help foster a political solution to the country's problems. During a Jan. 10 televised address to the nation, the president laid out a new strategy to help Iraq's fledgling democratic government. He said 20,000 additional U.S. troops will be inserted into Baghdad and Anbar province, and the Iraqi government will deploy 18 Iraqi army and national police brigades across Baghdad's nine districts.
Bush acknowledged during his radio address that 2006 was a difficult year in Iraq and ongoing sectarian violence is making progress there difficult. "The terrorists and insurgents fought to reverse the extraordinary democratic gains the Iraqis have made," he said.
In February, extremists bombed the holy Shia Golden Mosque in Samarra in an effort to provoke reprisals that would set off a sectarian conflict, he said.
The changes in U.S. strategy in Iraq would help the Iraqis in four main areas, the president explained. First, U.S. forces will help the Iraqis secure Baghdad. This is vital because 80 percent of Iraq's sectarian violence occurs within 30 miles of the capital city, he said.
"The new plan to secure Baghdad fixes the problems that prevented previous operations from succeeding," he said. "This time, there will be adequate Iraqi and U.S. forces to hold the areas that have been cleared."
Iraqi and U.S. forces will have a "green light" to enter areas that are home to those fueling sectarian violence, he said, and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has pledged that political or sectarian interference with security operations will not be tolerated.
Second, U.S. forces will step up the fight against al Qaeda in its home base of Anbar province. Because local tribal leaders in Iraq recently began to show their willingness to take on al Qaeda, U.S. military commanders believe now is a good opportunity to deal a serious blow to the terrorists, Bush said.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice Leadership; and, police and military personnel who have become authors and written books, articles and more.
Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Cpl. Stephen J. Raderstorf, 21, of Peoria, Ariz., died Jan. 7 in Balad, Iraq, of wounds sustained during combat operations. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.
The incident is under investigation.
For further information on this soldier, contact the Fort Hood public affairs office at (254) 287-9993.
Cpl. Stephen J. Raderstorf, 21, of Peoria, Ariz., died Jan. 7 in Balad, Iraq, of wounds sustained during combat operations. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.
The incident is under investigation.
For further information on this soldier, contact the Fort Hood public affairs office at (254) 287-9993.
Friday, January 12, 2007
Security Plan Focuses on Broader Region, Officials Say
By Sgt. Sara Wood, USA
American Forces Press Service
Jan. 12, 2007 – U.S. interests in the Middle East go well beyond Iraq, and to walk away from the commitments in Iraq would be damaging to U.S. credibility, a senior defense official said yesterday, speaking on background to reporters. "Our allies that we work with and our coalition partners that we work with are watching us very carefully," he said.
The deployments of the USS Stennis Carrier Strike Group and the 3rd Battalion, 43rd Air Defense Regiment, which the Defense Department announced yesterday, are focused on this broader, region-based strategy, a senior military official, also speaking on background, said.
The deployment of the Stennis will mark the second time since 2001 that two carrier strike groups will be in the region, the military official said. This is an important way to show U.S. commitment and strength, he said, noting that the strike group will be actively involved in combat operations. The air defense regiment will show U.S. commitment to regional allies that may face ballistic missile threats, he said.
Success in Iraq largely depends on stabilizing the region, the military official said. "There's virtually no bit of the Middle East that you can take in isolation of its neighbors or its region," he said.
Militarily, the new Iraq security plan only changes a few things in Iraq, the military official said. The main change is that the U.S. has accepted the importance of Baghdad as the center of gravity in the fight for Iraq, he said. This means a strong commitment to helping the Iraqi security forces provide security for the city, he explained.
"What that comes down to, in a nutshell, is getting out in front of the sectarian violence spike that has been ongoing now since the Samarra bombing almost a year ago -- getting to a point where we can be in front of it and secure neighborhoods, rather than being solely reactive," he said.
While focusing on Baghdad, the U.S. will continue to put pressure on the Sunni-based insurgency in Anbar province and the al Qaeda in Iraq network and will accelerate efforts to transition security responsibilities to Iraqis, the military official said.
An important part of transitioning security responsibilities to Iraqis is the essential tripling of U.S. advisors to Iraqi units that is included in the plan, the military official said. This increase will allow the advisors to cover more of the Iraqi battalions and provide better training, he said. He added that it will give the advisors more ability to protect themselves, rather than relying on the Iraqi units for their personal security.
The U.S. goal remains, as it always has been, to transition responsibility for Iraq to Iraqis, the defense official said. Iraqi security forces are not to the point where they can operate independently, he said, but with the coalition support in place, Iraqi forces will be sufficient to take the lead in operations in Baghdad.
The continued progress of the Iraqi security forces and the transfer of all responsibility for the country depend on the commitment of the Iraqi government, the defense official said. "All of the work that we're doing with the military will be for naught if we have not used that military shield that is being provided to make progress inside the country," he said. "The Iraqis themselves are going to be at the lead of this."
The U.S. will closely monitor the progress of the Iraqi government, gauging how well it is keeping its commitments, the official said. These commitments include providing adequate numbers of qualified security forces, and lifting operational restrictions on U.S. forces that have impeded efforts in the past, he said.
"They've made some commitments; we've made some commitments too," he said. "It is clear that our level of commitment will also be gauged by their level of commitment."
The official was echoing statements made by Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates in testimony before the House Armed Services Committee yesterday. "I want you to know that the timetable for the introduction of additional U.S. forces will provide ample opportunity early on, and before many of the additional U.S. troops arrive in Iraq, to evaluate the progress of this endeavor and whether the Iraqis are fulfilling their commitments to us," Gates said.
The additional U.S. forces Gates was referring to are the more than 20,000 troops President Bush announced he is sending to Baghdad and Anbar province in an effort to quell violence.
This article sponsored by military and police personnel who have become writers and criminal justice leadership.
American Forces Press Service
Jan. 12, 2007 – U.S. interests in the Middle East go well beyond Iraq, and to walk away from the commitments in Iraq would be damaging to U.S. credibility, a senior defense official said yesterday, speaking on background to reporters. "Our allies that we work with and our coalition partners that we work with are watching us very carefully," he said.
The deployments of the USS Stennis Carrier Strike Group and the 3rd Battalion, 43rd Air Defense Regiment, which the Defense Department announced yesterday, are focused on this broader, region-based strategy, a senior military official, also speaking on background, said.
The deployment of the Stennis will mark the second time since 2001 that two carrier strike groups will be in the region, the military official said. This is an important way to show U.S. commitment and strength, he said, noting that the strike group will be actively involved in combat operations. The air defense regiment will show U.S. commitment to regional allies that may face ballistic missile threats, he said.
Success in Iraq largely depends on stabilizing the region, the military official said. "There's virtually no bit of the Middle East that you can take in isolation of its neighbors or its region," he said.
Militarily, the new Iraq security plan only changes a few things in Iraq, the military official said. The main change is that the U.S. has accepted the importance of Baghdad as the center of gravity in the fight for Iraq, he said. This means a strong commitment to helping the Iraqi security forces provide security for the city, he explained.
"What that comes down to, in a nutshell, is getting out in front of the sectarian violence spike that has been ongoing now since the Samarra bombing almost a year ago -- getting to a point where we can be in front of it and secure neighborhoods, rather than being solely reactive," he said.
While focusing on Baghdad, the U.S. will continue to put pressure on the Sunni-based insurgency in Anbar province and the al Qaeda in Iraq network and will accelerate efforts to transition security responsibilities to Iraqis, the military official said.
An important part of transitioning security responsibilities to Iraqis is the essential tripling of U.S. advisors to Iraqi units that is included in the plan, the military official said. This increase will allow the advisors to cover more of the Iraqi battalions and provide better training, he said. He added that it will give the advisors more ability to protect themselves, rather than relying on the Iraqi units for their personal security.
The U.S. goal remains, as it always has been, to transition responsibility for Iraq to Iraqis, the defense official said. Iraqi security forces are not to the point where they can operate independently, he said, but with the coalition support in place, Iraqi forces will be sufficient to take the lead in operations in Baghdad.
The continued progress of the Iraqi security forces and the transfer of all responsibility for the country depend on the commitment of the Iraqi government, the defense official said. "All of the work that we're doing with the military will be for naught if we have not used that military shield that is being provided to make progress inside the country," he said. "The Iraqis themselves are going to be at the lead of this."
The U.S. will closely monitor the progress of the Iraqi government, gauging how well it is keeping its commitments, the official said. These commitments include providing adequate numbers of qualified security forces, and lifting operational restrictions on U.S. forces that have impeded efforts in the past, he said.
"They've made some commitments; we've made some commitments too," he said. "It is clear that our level of commitment will also be gauged by their level of commitment."
The official was echoing statements made by Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates in testimony before the House Armed Services Committee yesterday. "I want you to know that the timetable for the introduction of additional U.S. forces will provide ample opportunity early on, and before many of the additional U.S. troops arrive in Iraq, to evaluate the progress of this endeavor and whether the Iraqis are fulfilling their commitments to us," Gates said.
The additional U.S. forces Gates was referring to are the more than 20,000 troops President Bush announced he is sending to Baghdad and Anbar province in an effort to quell violence.
This article sponsored by military and police personnel who have become writers and criminal justice leadership.
U.S. Air Assets Support Strike in Afghanistan's Bermel District
American Forces Press Service
Jan. 12, 2007 – Numerous air assets from U.S. Central Command supported NATO and Afghan forces in Afghanistan's Paktika province Jan. 10, killing as many as 150 insurgents, U.S. Central Command officials said. U. S. Central Command Air Force supported International Security Assistance Force and Afghan National Army forces with intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, air refueling and strike aircraft. They also expended precision munitions, missile and cannon rounds on a significant number of insurgents in the Bermel district of Paktika province, officials said.
ISAF battle damage estimates indicate as many as 150 insurgents were killed.
"The use of our combined air assets with their persistence, precision and lethality is a perfect example of the flexibility and combat capability of our coalition forces. We find and track the insurgents with our intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, and then target them with precise effect," said Air Force Maj. Gen. William L. "Dutch" Holland, U.S. Central Command Air Forces deputy commander.
Holland also serves as commander of U. S. Central Command's Deputy Combined Forces Air Component.
Two large groups of insurgents had been observed infiltrating Paktika province from Pakistan. The insurgents were monitored, tracked and subsequently engaged in Afghanistan, through the coordinated use of both air and ground fire in a series of engagements along the sparsely populated border region of Bermel district, U.S. officials said.
The insurgents had been observed gathering in Pakistan and had crossed the border before launching an attack against ANA and ISAF forces in the region. According to an ISAF press release, Pakistani military liaison officers were kept fully informed throughout the operation.
"Air strikes in support of this operation were a success because of the combined efforts of our aircrews and the ISAF and ANA ground forces working in concert to shut down the insurgents' ability to operate in the Bermel district," Holland said.
"U.S. CENTAF and the combined air component commander forces are committed to helping the Afghan people establish a safe and secure country," he said.
(From a U.S. Central Command Air Forces Forward news release.)
This article sponsored by military and police personnel who have become writers and criminal justice leadership.
Jan. 12, 2007 – Numerous air assets from U.S. Central Command supported NATO and Afghan forces in Afghanistan's Paktika province Jan. 10, killing as many as 150 insurgents, U.S. Central Command officials said. U. S. Central Command Air Force supported International Security Assistance Force and Afghan National Army forces with intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, air refueling and strike aircraft. They also expended precision munitions, missile and cannon rounds on a significant number of insurgents in the Bermel district of Paktika province, officials said.
ISAF battle damage estimates indicate as many as 150 insurgents were killed.
"The use of our combined air assets with their persistence, precision and lethality is a perfect example of the flexibility and combat capability of our coalition forces. We find and track the insurgents with our intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, and then target them with precise effect," said Air Force Maj. Gen. William L. "Dutch" Holland, U.S. Central Command Air Forces deputy commander.
Holland also serves as commander of U. S. Central Command's Deputy Combined Forces Air Component.
Two large groups of insurgents had been observed infiltrating Paktika province from Pakistan. The insurgents were monitored, tracked and subsequently engaged in Afghanistan, through the coordinated use of both air and ground fire in a series of engagements along the sparsely populated border region of Bermel district, U.S. officials said.
The insurgents had been observed gathering in Pakistan and had crossed the border before launching an attack against ANA and ISAF forces in the region. According to an ISAF press release, Pakistani military liaison officers were kept fully informed throughout the operation.
"Air strikes in support of this operation were a success because of the combined efforts of our aircrews and the ISAF and ANA ground forces working in concert to shut down the insurgents' ability to operate in the Bermel district," Holland said.
"U.S. CENTAF and the combined air component commander forces are committed to helping the Afghan people establish a safe and secure country," he said.
(From a U.S. Central Command Air Forces Forward news release.)
This article sponsored by military and police personnel who have become writers and criminal justice leadership.
Insurgents Killed, Detained in Iraq; Iraqi Police Gain Recruits
American Forces Press Service
Jan. 12, 2007 – Coalition forces killed three insurgents and detained a dozen more over the past three days in Iraq, and Iraqi police forces netted 301 new recruits.
-- Soldiers of Troop C, 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, detained three suspected insurgents today and discovered a large cache containing various small-arms munitions, a bullet proof vest, a spool of wire and other improvised explosive device-making material while patrolling a town south of Baghdad.
-- Coalition forces detained six suspected insurgents yesterday during security operations in Irbil. One detainee was released and five remain in custody.
-- Soldiers of Company A, 1st Battalion, 77th Armor Regiment, attached to 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, killed three insurgents Jan. 10 in western Baghdad with the aid of attack helicopters.
-- Soldiers of the 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment "Golden Dragons," 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, with coalition forces, detained three suspected terrorists and seized six weapons caches during a two-day combat operation Jan. 10-11 near Yusufiyah.
-- During recruiting drives Jan. 10 in Fallujah and Habbaniyah, the Fallujah Police District enlisted 102 Iraqi men and the Habbaniyah Police District enlisted 199. The Iraqi recruits will be shipped to the Jordanian International Police Training College, joining 550 recruits from other parts of the province, to learn law enforcement fundamentals during a six-week course. The recruits will undergo supplemental training sessions when they return to their home districts.
-- An Iraqi soldier was killed Jan. 10 in Anbar province when a 13-year-old Iraqi boy detonated the improvised explosive device he was carrying. It is not known if the boy knew he was carrying an IED. This is the second incident where a 13 year old was used to carry out an IED attack on security forces in Anbar province, U.S. officials said.
(Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq and Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)
This article sponsored by military and police personnel who have become writers and criminal justice leadership.
Jan. 12, 2007 – Coalition forces killed three insurgents and detained a dozen more over the past three days in Iraq, and Iraqi police forces netted 301 new recruits.
-- Soldiers of Troop C, 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, detained three suspected insurgents today and discovered a large cache containing various small-arms munitions, a bullet proof vest, a spool of wire and other improvised explosive device-making material while patrolling a town south of Baghdad.
-- Coalition forces detained six suspected insurgents yesterday during security operations in Irbil. One detainee was released and five remain in custody.
-- Soldiers of Company A, 1st Battalion, 77th Armor Regiment, attached to 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, killed three insurgents Jan. 10 in western Baghdad with the aid of attack helicopters.
-- Soldiers of the 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment "Golden Dragons," 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, with coalition forces, detained three suspected terrorists and seized six weapons caches during a two-day combat operation Jan. 10-11 near Yusufiyah.
-- During recruiting drives Jan. 10 in Fallujah and Habbaniyah, the Fallujah Police District enlisted 102 Iraqi men and the Habbaniyah Police District enlisted 199. The Iraqi recruits will be shipped to the Jordanian International Police Training College, joining 550 recruits from other parts of the province, to learn law enforcement fundamentals during a six-week course. The recruits will undergo supplemental training sessions when they return to their home districts.
-- An Iraqi soldier was killed Jan. 10 in Anbar province when a 13-year-old Iraqi boy detonated the improvised explosive device he was carrying. It is not known if the boy knew he was carrying an IED. This is the second incident where a 13 year old was used to carry out an IED attack on security forces in Anbar province, U.S. officials said.
(Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq and Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)
This article sponsored by military and police personnel who have become writers and criminal justice leadership.
Department Builds on Stryker Experience to Support Extended Guard Unit
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
Jan. 12, 2007 – Tapping into lessons learned after an active-duty unit in Alaska had its deployment in Iraq extended, the Defense Department is rushing assets to Minnesota to help families of deployed Guardsmen who learned yesterday of their extension, a senior defense official said today. Thomas F. Hall, assistant secretary of defense for reserve affairs, said DoD will offer "a very vigorous" support program for members of the Minnesota Army National Guard's 1st Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division, and their families. DoD announced yesterday that the unit, deployed to Iraq since March 2006, will have its tour extended up to 125 days.
Hall said the Defense Department will jump through hoops to assist troops and families affected by the extension and ensure the Guardsmen's employers know about it.
Teams of experts, including counselors, are already en route to Minnesota to lend assistance, Hall said. In addition, the state's Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve network is on line, ready to work with civilian employers affected by the extension.
The family-support program will be patterned much after the one that supported families of the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team from Alaska when it received notice just as it was wrapping up its one-year deployment that it would be extended four months.
The Army quickly opened new family assistance centers at Fort Wainwright and Fort Richardson to help families deal with nonrefundable airline tickets, powers of attorney that were about to expire, moving concerns and mental health issues when the Stryker Brigade learned of the extension in August. The Army augmented local support staff with child psychologists, adolescent counselors and specially trained chaplains with advanced degrees in family counseling. The post even chartered a plane and offered spouses a free shopping trip to Anchorage, providing child care while they were gone.
Ashley McCulloh, whose husband, Capt. Timothy McCulloh, was among the Stryker Brigade troops extended, said the Army's response helped make the best of a very difficult situation. "They responded quickly and made sure families knew that they were concerned and they cared," McCulloh told American Forces Press Service.
Hall said today that DoD learned a lot from the Styker Brigade's experience and will apply it with the Minnesota National Guard unit. "We have a good model, and we are providing every bit of support that the state, the governor and the adjutant general needs in Minnesota," he said.
DoD officials are working with the state adjutant general, the division commander and elements of the 34th Infantry Division to find out exactly what assistance they need, Hall said.
Many of the same civilian counselors who worked with the Stryker Brigade families after their unit extension will deploy to Minnesota to help Guard families there. "They are very experienced, superb individuals, and they are going to be the ones we put on site to help," Hall said.
This article sponsored by military and police personnel who have become writers and criminal justice leadership.
American Forces Press Service
Jan. 12, 2007 – Tapping into lessons learned after an active-duty unit in Alaska had its deployment in Iraq extended, the Defense Department is rushing assets to Minnesota to help families of deployed Guardsmen who learned yesterday of their extension, a senior defense official said today. Thomas F. Hall, assistant secretary of defense for reserve affairs, said DoD will offer "a very vigorous" support program for members of the Minnesota Army National Guard's 1st Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division, and their families. DoD announced yesterday that the unit, deployed to Iraq since March 2006, will have its tour extended up to 125 days.
Hall said the Defense Department will jump through hoops to assist troops and families affected by the extension and ensure the Guardsmen's employers know about it.
Teams of experts, including counselors, are already en route to Minnesota to lend assistance, Hall said. In addition, the state's Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve network is on line, ready to work with civilian employers affected by the extension.
The family-support program will be patterned much after the one that supported families of the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team from Alaska when it received notice just as it was wrapping up its one-year deployment that it would be extended four months.
The Army quickly opened new family assistance centers at Fort Wainwright and Fort Richardson to help families deal with nonrefundable airline tickets, powers of attorney that were about to expire, moving concerns and mental health issues when the Stryker Brigade learned of the extension in August. The Army augmented local support staff with child psychologists, adolescent counselors and specially trained chaplains with advanced degrees in family counseling. The post even chartered a plane and offered spouses a free shopping trip to Anchorage, providing child care while they were gone.
Ashley McCulloh, whose husband, Capt. Timothy McCulloh, was among the Stryker Brigade troops extended, said the Army's response helped make the best of a very difficult situation. "They responded quickly and made sure families knew that they were concerned and they cared," McCulloh told American Forces Press Service.
Hall said today that DoD learned a lot from the Styker Brigade's experience and will apply it with the Minnesota National Guard unit. "We have a good model, and we are providing every bit of support that the state, the governor and the adjutant general needs in Minnesota," he said.
DoD officials are working with the state adjutant general, the division commander and elements of the 34th Infantry Division to find out exactly what assistance they need, Hall said.
Many of the same civilian counselors who worked with the Stryker Brigade families after their unit extension will deploy to Minnesota to help Guard families there. "They are very experienced, superb individuals, and they are going to be the ones we put on site to help," Hall said.
This article sponsored by military and police personnel who have become writers and criminal justice leadership.
*Breaking News* Blast rips through U.S. embassy compound in Athens
An explosion ripped through the U.S. embassy compound in central Athens on Friday, a police source said.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Bush Outlines New Strategy for Course Ahead in Iraq
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
Jan. 10, 2007 – President Bush's new strategy for Iraq, announced tonight in a televised speech to the nation, includes more than 20,000 additional U.S. troops on the ground in Baghdad and Anbar province, increased responsibility for the Iraqi government and Iraqi security forces, and more diplomatic and economic initiatives. Bush, speaking from the White House, said his new strategy "will change America's course in Iraq and help us succeed in the fight against terror."
The president acknowledged that the situation in Iraq has changed dramatically since the bombing of the Golden Mosque in Samarra in February 2006. The sectarian violence it ignited has overwhelmed political gains Iraqis have achieved and created an "unacceptable" situation in Iraq, he said.
The most urgent priority in Iraq is to stop the violence and create the stability needed for the country's new government to succeed, the president said.
Toward this end, Bush announced tonight that the Iraqi government has committed 18 Iraqi army and national police brigades to deploy across Baghdad's nine districts and work in concert with local police.
To help the Iraqis succeed in their mission, Bush said he has committed five additional U.S. military brigades to Baghdad and 4,000 more troops in Anbar province, the most restive parts of Iraq. He noted that 80 percent of all violence in Iraq occurs within 30 miles of the capital city and that Anbar province has become al Qaeda's new home base.
The U.S. troops will embed with Iraqi formations and operate alongside them, helping them clear and secure neighborhoods, protect the local population and ensure that they are able to provide the security Baghdad needs, he said.
Bush said military commanders who have reviewed his new plan say it addresses the two principal reasons past efforts to secure Baghdad failed.
"Here are the differences," the president said. "In earlier operations, Iraqi and American forces cleared many neighborhoods of terrorists and insurgents, but when our forces moved on to other targets, the killers returned. This time, we will have the force levels we need to hold the areas that have been cleared."
Also, Bush said, political and sectarian interference during past operations prevented Iraqi and American forces from going into neighborhoods that are home to the people fueling sectarian violence. "This time, Iraqi and American forces will have a green light to enter these neighborhoods, and Prime Minister (Nouri al-) Maliki has pledged that political or sectarian interference will not be tolerated," he said.
Ultimately, Bush said "only the Iraqis can end the sectarian violence and secure their people." But, he added, the Iraqi government has an aggressive plan to accomplish that.
The president said bumping up the U.S. troop presence now will help the Iraqis succeed. "If we increase our support at this crucial moment and help the Iraqis break the current cycle of violence, we can hasten the day our troops begin coming home," he said.
Bush said he has made it clear to Maliki that the U.S. commitment is not open-ended and that his government must step up to the plate. "If the Iraqi government does not follow through on its promises, it will lose the support of the American people, and it will lose the support of the Iraqi people," the president said. "Now is the time to act. The prime minister understands this."
Bush cautioned that the new strategy won't bring an immediate end to violence. "Our enemies in Iraq will make every effort to ensure that our television screens are filled with images of death and suffering," he said. "Yet over time, we can expect to see Iraqi troops chasing down murderers, fewer brazen acts of terror, and growing trust and cooperation from Baghdad's residents."
When that happens, Iraqis will gain confidence in their leaders, and the government will be able to make progress in other critical areas, he said. "Most of Iraq's Sunni and Shiia want to live together in peace," the president said. "And reducing the violence in Baghdad will help make reconciliation possible."
Bush emphasized that a successful strategy for Iraq goes beyond military operations. "Ordinary Iraqi citizens must see that military operations are accompanied by visible improvements in their neighborhoods and communities," he said. "So America will hold the Iraqi government to the benchmarks it has announced."
These benchmarks include the Iraqi government:
-- Taking responsibility for security in all of Iraq's provinces by November;
-- Passing legislation to share oil revenues among all Iraqis, giving every Iraqi citizen a stake in the country's economy;
-- Spending $10 billion of its own money on reconstruction and infrastructure projects that create new jobs;
-- Holding local provincial elections later this year to empower local leaders; and
-- Reforming de-Baathification laws to allow more Iraqis to reenter political life and establish a fair process for considering amendments to Iraq's constitution.
The United States will change its approach to help the Iraqi government as it works to meet these benchmarks, the president said. It will:
-- Embed more U.S. advisors in Iraqi army units and partner a coalition brigade with every Iraqi army division;
-- Help the Iraqis build a larger and better-equipped army and accelerate the training of Iraqi forces;
-- Give U.S. commanders and civilians greater flexibility to spend funds for economic assistance;
-- Double the number of provincial reconstruction teams that help local Iraqi communities pursue reconciliation, strengthen moderates and speed the transition to self-reliance; and
-- Appoint a reconstruction coordinator in Baghdad to ensure better results for economic assistance being spent in Iraq.
As the United States makes these changes, the president said, it will continue to pursue terrorists seeking to establish a new safe haven in Iraq. "America's men and women in uniform took away al Qaeda's safe haven in Afghanistan, and we will not allow them to re-establish it in Iraq," he said.
Part of this effort is confronting Iran and Syria, which Bush said allow terrorists and insurgents to use their territory to move in and out of Iraq, and generating support for Iraq's success among its regional neighbors.
Bush said he's confident that the new strategy will help put Iraq on the path for victory. That victory, he said, "will bring something new in the Arab world: a functioning democracy that polices its territory, upholds the rule of law, respects fundamental human liberties and answers to its people."
A democratic Iraq won't be perfect, Bush said, "but it will be a country that fights terrorists instead of harboring them, and it will help bring a future of peace and security for our children and grandchildren."
Bush said the struggle taking place in Iraq "will determine the direction of the global war on terror and our safety here at home."
"The challenge playing out across the broader Middle East is more than a military conflict," he said. "It is the decisive ideological struggle of our time.
"In the long run," he added, "the most realistic way to protect the American people is to provide a hopeful alternative to the hateful ideology of the enemy by advancing liberty across a troubled region."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice leadership; and, police and military writers who have become authors of books.
American Forces Press Service
Jan. 10, 2007 – President Bush's new strategy for Iraq, announced tonight in a televised speech to the nation, includes more than 20,000 additional U.S. troops on the ground in Baghdad and Anbar province, increased responsibility for the Iraqi government and Iraqi security forces, and more diplomatic and economic initiatives. Bush, speaking from the White House, said his new strategy "will change America's course in Iraq and help us succeed in the fight against terror."
The president acknowledged that the situation in Iraq has changed dramatically since the bombing of the Golden Mosque in Samarra in February 2006. The sectarian violence it ignited has overwhelmed political gains Iraqis have achieved and created an "unacceptable" situation in Iraq, he said.
The most urgent priority in Iraq is to stop the violence and create the stability needed for the country's new government to succeed, the president said.
Toward this end, Bush announced tonight that the Iraqi government has committed 18 Iraqi army and national police brigades to deploy across Baghdad's nine districts and work in concert with local police.
To help the Iraqis succeed in their mission, Bush said he has committed five additional U.S. military brigades to Baghdad and 4,000 more troops in Anbar province, the most restive parts of Iraq. He noted that 80 percent of all violence in Iraq occurs within 30 miles of the capital city and that Anbar province has become al Qaeda's new home base.
The U.S. troops will embed with Iraqi formations and operate alongside them, helping them clear and secure neighborhoods, protect the local population and ensure that they are able to provide the security Baghdad needs, he said.
Bush said military commanders who have reviewed his new plan say it addresses the two principal reasons past efforts to secure Baghdad failed.
"Here are the differences," the president said. "In earlier operations, Iraqi and American forces cleared many neighborhoods of terrorists and insurgents, but when our forces moved on to other targets, the killers returned. This time, we will have the force levels we need to hold the areas that have been cleared."
Also, Bush said, political and sectarian interference during past operations prevented Iraqi and American forces from going into neighborhoods that are home to the people fueling sectarian violence. "This time, Iraqi and American forces will have a green light to enter these neighborhoods, and Prime Minister (Nouri al-) Maliki has pledged that political or sectarian interference will not be tolerated," he said.
Ultimately, Bush said "only the Iraqis can end the sectarian violence and secure their people." But, he added, the Iraqi government has an aggressive plan to accomplish that.
The president said bumping up the U.S. troop presence now will help the Iraqis succeed. "If we increase our support at this crucial moment and help the Iraqis break the current cycle of violence, we can hasten the day our troops begin coming home," he said.
Bush said he has made it clear to Maliki that the U.S. commitment is not open-ended and that his government must step up to the plate. "If the Iraqi government does not follow through on its promises, it will lose the support of the American people, and it will lose the support of the Iraqi people," the president said. "Now is the time to act. The prime minister understands this."
Bush cautioned that the new strategy won't bring an immediate end to violence. "Our enemies in Iraq will make every effort to ensure that our television screens are filled with images of death and suffering," he said. "Yet over time, we can expect to see Iraqi troops chasing down murderers, fewer brazen acts of terror, and growing trust and cooperation from Baghdad's residents."
When that happens, Iraqis will gain confidence in their leaders, and the government will be able to make progress in other critical areas, he said. "Most of Iraq's Sunni and Shiia want to live together in peace," the president said. "And reducing the violence in Baghdad will help make reconciliation possible."
Bush emphasized that a successful strategy for Iraq goes beyond military operations. "Ordinary Iraqi citizens must see that military operations are accompanied by visible improvements in their neighborhoods and communities," he said. "So America will hold the Iraqi government to the benchmarks it has announced."
These benchmarks include the Iraqi government:
-- Taking responsibility for security in all of Iraq's provinces by November;
-- Passing legislation to share oil revenues among all Iraqis, giving every Iraqi citizen a stake in the country's economy;
-- Spending $10 billion of its own money on reconstruction and infrastructure projects that create new jobs;
-- Holding local provincial elections later this year to empower local leaders; and
-- Reforming de-Baathification laws to allow more Iraqis to reenter political life and establish a fair process for considering amendments to Iraq's constitution.
The United States will change its approach to help the Iraqi government as it works to meet these benchmarks, the president said. It will:
-- Embed more U.S. advisors in Iraqi army units and partner a coalition brigade with every Iraqi army division;
-- Help the Iraqis build a larger and better-equipped army and accelerate the training of Iraqi forces;
-- Give U.S. commanders and civilians greater flexibility to spend funds for economic assistance;
-- Double the number of provincial reconstruction teams that help local Iraqi communities pursue reconciliation, strengthen moderates and speed the transition to self-reliance; and
-- Appoint a reconstruction coordinator in Baghdad to ensure better results for economic assistance being spent in Iraq.
As the United States makes these changes, the president said, it will continue to pursue terrorists seeking to establish a new safe haven in Iraq. "America's men and women in uniform took away al Qaeda's safe haven in Afghanistan, and we will not allow them to re-establish it in Iraq," he said.
Part of this effort is confronting Iran and Syria, which Bush said allow terrorists and insurgents to use their territory to move in and out of Iraq, and generating support for Iraq's success among its regional neighbors.
Bush said he's confident that the new strategy will help put Iraq on the path for victory. That victory, he said, "will bring something new in the Arab world: a functioning democracy that polices its territory, upholds the rule of law, respects fundamental human liberties and answers to its people."
A democratic Iraq won't be perfect, Bush said, "but it will be a country that fights terrorists instead of harboring them, and it will help bring a future of peace and security for our children and grandchildren."
Bush said the struggle taking place in Iraq "will determine the direction of the global war on terror and our safety here at home."
"The challenge playing out across the broader Middle East is more than a military conflict," he said. "It is the decisive ideological struggle of our time.
"In the long run," he added, "the most realistic way to protect the American people is to provide a hopeful alternative to the hateful ideology of the enemy by advancing liberty across a troubled region."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice leadership; and, police and military writers who have become authors of books.
Forces Strike Insurgents Near Afghan-Pakistani Border
Special to American Forces Press Service
Jan. 11, 2007 – Troops from NATO's International Security Assistance Force and Afghan National Army soldiers engaged and killed a significant number of insurgents last night in Afghanistan's Bermel district, in Paktika province, NATO officials reported. Initial post-battle assessments indicate as many as 150 insurgents were killed, officials said.
Two large groups of insurgents were observed infiltrating Paktika province from Pakistan. The insurgents were monitored, tracked and subsequently engaged after they entered Afghanistan, through the coordinated use of both air and ground fire in a series of engagements along the sparsely populated border region of Bermel district, officials said.
The insurgents had been observed gathering in Pakistan and had crossed the border prior to launching an attack against ANA and ISAF forces in the region. Pakistani military liaison officers were kept fully informed throughout the operation, officials said.
"The enemy cannot hide from Afghan and ISAF forces," said Army Maj. Gen. Benjamin Freakley, ISAF Regional Command-East commander. "Day and night, we're employing every available means to search for, identify and destroy the enemies of Afghanistan.
"Last night was a good example of the effects the combined efforts of ISAF and Afghan forces can bring to bear on the enemy," the general said.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice leadership; and, police and military writers who have become authors of books.
Jan. 11, 2007 – Troops from NATO's International Security Assistance Force and Afghan National Army soldiers engaged and killed a significant number of insurgents last night in Afghanistan's Bermel district, in Paktika province, NATO officials reported. Initial post-battle assessments indicate as many as 150 insurgents were killed, officials said.
Two large groups of insurgents were observed infiltrating Paktika province from Pakistan. The insurgents were monitored, tracked and subsequently engaged after they entered Afghanistan, through the coordinated use of both air and ground fire in a series of engagements along the sparsely populated border region of Bermel district, officials said.
The insurgents had been observed gathering in Pakistan and had crossed the border prior to launching an attack against ANA and ISAF forces in the region. Pakistani military liaison officers were kept fully informed throughout the operation, officials said.
"The enemy cannot hide from Afghan and ISAF forces," said Army Maj. Gen. Benjamin Freakley, ISAF Regional Command-East commander. "Day and night, we're employing every available means to search for, identify and destroy the enemies of Afghanistan.
"Last night was a good example of the effects the combined efforts of ISAF and Afghan forces can bring to bear on the enemy," the general said.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice leadership; and, police and military writers who have become authors of books.
More Provincial Reconstruction Teams to Stand Up in Iraq
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
Jan. 11, 2007 – President Bush's new strategy for Iraq includes expanding the number of provincial reconstruction teams from 10 to at least 18 in order to better support political and economic progress, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said during a news conference today. Rice joined Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates in discussing some of the measures President Bush outlined in last night's address to the nation about the new way forward in Iraq. The plan includes 20,000 more U.S. troops on the ground, increased responsibility for the Iraqi government and Iraqi security forces, and more diplomatic and economic initiatives.
"We will double the number of provincial reconstruction teams," Bush announced last night. "These teams bring together military and civilian experts to help local Iraqi communities pursue reconciliation, strengthen the moderates, and speed the transition to Iraqi self-reliance."
Rice told reporters today the State Department, which oversees PRTs in Iraq, is ready to move forward with this effort, with emphasis on the parts of Iraq where the teams are needed most.
"In Baghdad, we will go from one PRT to six, and in Anbar province, from one to three, because local leaders are taking encouraging steps there to confront violent extremists and to build hope for their people," she said.
Getting more experts into Iraqi provinces to assist the leaders there "will enhance and diversify our chances of success in Iraq," she said.
"The logic behind PRTs is simple," Rice said. "Success in Iraq relies on more than military efforts; it requires robust political and economic progress.
"Our military operations must be fully supported and integrated with our civilian and diplomatic efforts across the entire U.S. government to help Iraqis clear, hold and build throughout all of Iraq," she said.
Gates told reporters Bush's new plan offers a better balance of U.S. military and non-military efforts than in the past. "We cannot succeed in Iraq without the important non-military elements Secretary Rice just mentioned," he said.
The PRT concept was first successfully applied in Afghanistan after the Taliban government was removed from power, Robert Tillery, the chief of staff from the (Iraq) National Coordination Team who works with provincial PRTs throughout Iraq, told reporters in Baghdad during an October news conference.
PRTs in Iraq "enforce and bolster the ability of the provincial governments to lead and to respond to the needs of their people," he explained.
"By helping local governments more effectively address the needs of their citizens, they will gain the support of their people," Tillery said. "Citizen support and confidence in government institutions is critical to a successful democracy."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice leadership; and, police and military writers who have become authors of books.
American Forces Press Service
Jan. 11, 2007 – President Bush's new strategy for Iraq includes expanding the number of provincial reconstruction teams from 10 to at least 18 in order to better support political and economic progress, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said during a news conference today. Rice joined Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates in discussing some of the measures President Bush outlined in last night's address to the nation about the new way forward in Iraq. The plan includes 20,000 more U.S. troops on the ground, increased responsibility for the Iraqi government and Iraqi security forces, and more diplomatic and economic initiatives.
"We will double the number of provincial reconstruction teams," Bush announced last night. "These teams bring together military and civilian experts to help local Iraqi communities pursue reconciliation, strengthen the moderates, and speed the transition to Iraqi self-reliance."
Rice told reporters today the State Department, which oversees PRTs in Iraq, is ready to move forward with this effort, with emphasis on the parts of Iraq where the teams are needed most.
"In Baghdad, we will go from one PRT to six, and in Anbar province, from one to three, because local leaders are taking encouraging steps there to confront violent extremists and to build hope for their people," she said.
Getting more experts into Iraqi provinces to assist the leaders there "will enhance and diversify our chances of success in Iraq," she said.
"The logic behind PRTs is simple," Rice said. "Success in Iraq relies on more than military efforts; it requires robust political and economic progress.
"Our military operations must be fully supported and integrated with our civilian and diplomatic efforts across the entire U.S. government to help Iraqis clear, hold and build throughout all of Iraq," she said.
Gates told reporters Bush's new plan offers a better balance of U.S. military and non-military efforts than in the past. "We cannot succeed in Iraq without the important non-military elements Secretary Rice just mentioned," he said.
The PRT concept was first successfully applied in Afghanistan after the Taliban government was removed from power, Robert Tillery, the chief of staff from the (Iraq) National Coordination Team who works with provincial PRTs throughout Iraq, told reporters in Baghdad during an October news conference.
PRTs in Iraq "enforce and bolster the ability of the provincial governments to lead and to respond to the needs of their people," he explained.
"By helping local governments more effectively address the needs of their citizens, they will gain the support of their people," Tillery said. "Citizen support and confidence in government institutions is critical to a successful democracy."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice leadership; and, police and military writers who have become authors of books.
Gates Supports President's New Iraq Strategy on Capitol Hill
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
Jan. 11, 2007 – President Bush's plan for the way ahead in Iraq recognizes the importance of victory and encompasses all the elements of national power required to achieve it, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told the House Armed Services Committee today. Gates said the strategy, which Bush announced in a televised address last night, represents close cooperation with the Iraqi government and puts more responsibility on it to bring a stop to sectarian violence.
Commanders on the ground, including Lt. Gen. David Petraeus, Bush's nominee for command of Multinational Force Iraq, consider the strategy "a sound plan" that can work if the Iraqi government follows through on its commitments and non-military aspects of the strategy are put into place, Gates said.
The new strategy follows "prolonged and extremely candid conversations" between U.S. and Iraqi leaders that left Bush, Ambassador Zalmay Khalilizad and Gen. George Casey Jr., Multinational Force Iraq commander, "persuaded (the Iraqis) have the will and capacity to act against all instigators of violence in Baghdad," Gates reported.
"This is, I think, the pivot point in Iraq as the Iraqi government insists on assuming the mantle of leadership in the effort to regain control of its own capital," he told the committee.
Gates emphasized that increasing the U.S. troop presence in Iraq will be linked directly to the Iraqis' demonstration that they will live up to this commitment. "I want you to know that the timetable for the introduction of additional U.S. forces will provide ample opportunity early on - and before many of the additional U.S. troops arrive in Iraq - to evaluate the progress of this endeavor and whether the Iraqis are fulfilling their commitments to us," he said.
Bush's plan calls for increasing not just the military forces in Iraq, but other aspects of the war effort, including those in the economic, governance and political areas, Gates said. "Overcoming the challenges in Iraq cannot be achieved simply by military means - no matter how large or sustained - without progress by the Iraqis in addressing the underlying issues dividing the country," he said.
In evaluating this strategy, Gates said it's important to keep in mind the consequences of failure in Iraq. "Multiple administrations of both political parties have concluded that what happens in Southwest Asia, the Gulf region and the Middle East is of vital interest to the security and prosperity of the American people," he said. "As I said in my confirmation hearing, developments in Iraq over the next year or two will shape the future of the Middle East and impact global geopolitics for a long time to come."
Regardless of what people think about the decision to go to war in Iraq or the conduct of the war so far, there's broad agreement that failure there would be "a calamity for our nation of lasting historical consequence," Gates said.
Left unchecked, the violence in Iraq could spread outside its borders and draw other states into a regional conflagration, he said. He pointed to the challenges the U.S. and other free nations would face: an emboldened and strengthened Iran; a safe haven and base of operations for jihadist networks in the heart of the Middle East; a humiliating defeat in the overall campaign against violent extremism worldwide; and an undermining of U.S. credibility.
"The actors in this region - both friends and adversaries - are watching closely what we do in Iraq and will draw conclusions about our resolve and the reliability of our commitments," Gates said. "And should we withdraw prematurely, we could well leave chaos and the disintegration of Iraq behind us. Further, governments in the region are already asking themselves: If the Americans withdraw in defeat from Iraq, just how much farther, and from where else, might we withdraw?"
Gates told the committee he would never have accepted his post if he didn't believe the outcome in Iraq would have a profound and long-lived impact on the national interest.
"Mistakes have certainly been made by the United States in Iraq, just like in virtually every war in human history," he said. "That is the nature of war. But however we got to this moment, the stakes now are incalculable."
Gates encouraged Congress to join military leaders in supporting the new plan. "Your senior military officers in Iraq and in Washington believe in the efficacy of the strategy outlined by the president last night," he said. "Our senior military officers have worked closely with the Iraqis to develop this plan The impetus to add U.S. forces came initially from our commanders, there," he said.
"It would be a sublime, yet historic, irony if those who believe the views of the military professionals were neglected at the onset of this war were now to dismiss the views of the military as irrelevant or wrong," he said.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice leadership; and, police and military writers who have become authors of books.
American Forces Press Service
Jan. 11, 2007 – President Bush's plan for the way ahead in Iraq recognizes the importance of victory and encompasses all the elements of national power required to achieve it, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told the House Armed Services Committee today. Gates said the strategy, which Bush announced in a televised address last night, represents close cooperation with the Iraqi government and puts more responsibility on it to bring a stop to sectarian violence.
Commanders on the ground, including Lt. Gen. David Petraeus, Bush's nominee for command of Multinational Force Iraq, consider the strategy "a sound plan" that can work if the Iraqi government follows through on its commitments and non-military aspects of the strategy are put into place, Gates said.
The new strategy follows "prolonged and extremely candid conversations" between U.S. and Iraqi leaders that left Bush, Ambassador Zalmay Khalilizad and Gen. George Casey Jr., Multinational Force Iraq commander, "persuaded (the Iraqis) have the will and capacity to act against all instigators of violence in Baghdad," Gates reported.
"This is, I think, the pivot point in Iraq as the Iraqi government insists on assuming the mantle of leadership in the effort to regain control of its own capital," he told the committee.
Gates emphasized that increasing the U.S. troop presence in Iraq will be linked directly to the Iraqis' demonstration that they will live up to this commitment. "I want you to know that the timetable for the introduction of additional U.S. forces will provide ample opportunity early on - and before many of the additional U.S. troops arrive in Iraq - to evaluate the progress of this endeavor and whether the Iraqis are fulfilling their commitments to us," he said.
Bush's plan calls for increasing not just the military forces in Iraq, but other aspects of the war effort, including those in the economic, governance and political areas, Gates said. "Overcoming the challenges in Iraq cannot be achieved simply by military means - no matter how large or sustained - without progress by the Iraqis in addressing the underlying issues dividing the country," he said.
In evaluating this strategy, Gates said it's important to keep in mind the consequences of failure in Iraq. "Multiple administrations of both political parties have concluded that what happens in Southwest Asia, the Gulf region and the Middle East is of vital interest to the security and prosperity of the American people," he said. "As I said in my confirmation hearing, developments in Iraq over the next year or two will shape the future of the Middle East and impact global geopolitics for a long time to come."
Regardless of what people think about the decision to go to war in Iraq or the conduct of the war so far, there's broad agreement that failure there would be "a calamity for our nation of lasting historical consequence," Gates said.
Left unchecked, the violence in Iraq could spread outside its borders and draw other states into a regional conflagration, he said. He pointed to the challenges the U.S. and other free nations would face: an emboldened and strengthened Iran; a safe haven and base of operations for jihadist networks in the heart of the Middle East; a humiliating defeat in the overall campaign against violent extremism worldwide; and an undermining of U.S. credibility.
"The actors in this region - both friends and adversaries - are watching closely what we do in Iraq and will draw conclusions about our resolve and the reliability of our commitments," Gates said. "And should we withdraw prematurely, we could well leave chaos and the disintegration of Iraq behind us. Further, governments in the region are already asking themselves: If the Americans withdraw in defeat from Iraq, just how much farther, and from where else, might we withdraw?"
Gates told the committee he would never have accepted his post if he didn't believe the outcome in Iraq would have a profound and long-lived impact on the national interest.
"Mistakes have certainly been made by the United States in Iraq, just like in virtually every war in human history," he said. "That is the nature of war. But however we got to this moment, the stakes now are incalculable."
Gates encouraged Congress to join military leaders in supporting the new plan. "Your senior military officers in Iraq and in Washington believe in the efficacy of the strategy outlined by the president last night," he said. "Our senior military officers have worked closely with the Iraqis to develop this plan The impetus to add U.S. forces came initially from our commanders, there," he said.
"It would be a sublime, yet historic, irony if those who believe the views of the military professionals were neglected at the onset of this war were now to dismiss the views of the military as irrelevant or wrong," he said.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice leadership; and, police and military writers who have become authors of books.
New Guantanamo Facility Safer for Guards, More Comfortable for Detainees
By Kathleen T. Rhem
American Forces Press Service
Jan. 11, 2007 – Five years after the first detainees from the war on terror arrived at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, a new state-of-the-art facility there is making duty safer for guards and more comfortable for detainees. Camp 6, which became operational in December and cost $38 million to build, now houses roughly 160 of the 395 or so detainees at Guantanamo Bay, Navy Rear Adm. Harry Harris Jr., commander of Joint Task Force Guantanamo Bay, said in an interview here today.
The air-conditioned facility, modeled on the most modern and efficient prisons in the United States, is more comfortable for detainees. It allows them to have more room and privacy than earlier facilities used at Guantanamo and is similar to Camp 5, another modern facility built in 2004. "It's much better across the board than the facilities from which they came," Harris said of Camp 6.
More importantly, Camp 6 makes it harder for detainees to assault guards, Harris said.
In 2006, detainees assaulted guards with bodily fluids more than 400 times. The cells in older camps were made of mesh fencing, which made it possible for detainees to pelt guards with feces, urine and other bodily fluids. "Assault by bodily fluids is a serious issue," Harris said. "Just last month we had a guard get hit directly in the mouth with a feces-vomit cocktail."
He called such assaults "serious health business" for the guards, and said Camp 6's enclosed cells make it much harder for detainees to commit them.
"Camp 6 gives the detainees more privacy, a larger living space and a much better air-conditioned environment. So Camp 6 is better for the detainees, which ... falls in line with our principal mission of safe and humane care and custody," Harris said. "And at the same time, it falls into our mission of safety and securely of the Americans who work inside the wire."
The most dangerous detainees and those who have been charged under the military commissions process are held in Camp 6, Harris said. About 100 other dangerous detainees, including those who hold the highest intelligence value, are held in Camp 5.
Two other older camps are still in use elsewhere in Guantanamo Bay. About 35 detainees are still in Camp 4, which was modeled on medium-security facilities and allows detainees communal living arrangements and more comfort items. Many more detainees were held in this camp before a riot in May resulted in more than $500,000 damage to the camp.
Because of space considerations while repairs and renovations continue on Camp 4, about 100 detainees still are held in Camp 1, which is not air conditioned and makes it easier for detainees to assault guards because of the open-mesh fencing used in the cells. "Once Camp 4 is finished -- and it should be finished this spring -- we'll be able to offload many of the detainees in Camp 1 into Camp 4," Harris said. "But at the end of the day, we will still have a need for Camp 1 to some degree."
Despite the personal attacks and stressful conditions of working with dangerous enemy combatants "inside the wire," guards there are "performing magnificently," Harris said.
"I believe they're doing a difficult job in a dangerous place, and they're doing it with honor and integrity," he said. "I think Americans who care to look into the issue would be proud of the work that ... young men and women in the military and civilians that are working inside the wire (are doing) face to face with the enemy every day."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice leadership; and, police and military writers who have become authors of books.
American Forces Press Service
Jan. 11, 2007 – Five years after the first detainees from the war on terror arrived at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, a new state-of-the-art facility there is making duty safer for guards and more comfortable for detainees. Camp 6, which became operational in December and cost $38 million to build, now houses roughly 160 of the 395 or so detainees at Guantanamo Bay, Navy Rear Adm. Harry Harris Jr., commander of Joint Task Force Guantanamo Bay, said in an interview here today.
The air-conditioned facility, modeled on the most modern and efficient prisons in the United States, is more comfortable for detainees. It allows them to have more room and privacy than earlier facilities used at Guantanamo and is similar to Camp 5, another modern facility built in 2004. "It's much better across the board than the facilities from which they came," Harris said of Camp 6.
More importantly, Camp 6 makes it harder for detainees to assault guards, Harris said.
In 2006, detainees assaulted guards with bodily fluids more than 400 times. The cells in older camps were made of mesh fencing, which made it possible for detainees to pelt guards with feces, urine and other bodily fluids. "Assault by bodily fluids is a serious issue," Harris said. "Just last month we had a guard get hit directly in the mouth with a feces-vomit cocktail."
He called such assaults "serious health business" for the guards, and said Camp 6's enclosed cells make it much harder for detainees to commit them.
"Camp 6 gives the detainees more privacy, a larger living space and a much better air-conditioned environment. So Camp 6 is better for the detainees, which ... falls in line with our principal mission of safe and humane care and custody," Harris said. "And at the same time, it falls into our mission of safety and securely of the Americans who work inside the wire."
The most dangerous detainees and those who have been charged under the military commissions process are held in Camp 6, Harris said. About 100 other dangerous detainees, including those who hold the highest intelligence value, are held in Camp 5.
Two other older camps are still in use elsewhere in Guantanamo Bay. About 35 detainees are still in Camp 4, which was modeled on medium-security facilities and allows detainees communal living arrangements and more comfort items. Many more detainees were held in this camp before a riot in May resulted in more than $500,000 damage to the camp.
Because of space considerations while repairs and renovations continue on Camp 4, about 100 detainees still are held in Camp 1, which is not air conditioned and makes it easier for detainees to assault guards because of the open-mesh fencing used in the cells. "Once Camp 4 is finished -- and it should be finished this spring -- we'll be able to offload many of the detainees in Camp 1 into Camp 4," Harris said. "But at the end of the day, we will still have a need for Camp 1 to some degree."
Despite the personal attacks and stressful conditions of working with dangerous enemy combatants "inside the wire," guards there are "performing magnificently," Harris said.
"I believe they're doing a difficult job in a dangerous place, and they're doing it with honor and integrity," he said. "I think Americans who care to look into the issue would be proud of the work that ... young men and women in the military and civilians that are working inside the wire (are doing) face to face with the enemy every day."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice leadership; and, police and military writers who have become authors of books.
Bush Discusses New Iraq Strategy During Fort Benning Visit
By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service
Jan. 11, 2007 – President Bush visited Fort Benning, Ga., today to share thoughts on his new strategy for the war in Iraq with the soldiers there, but not before offering them his praise. "Everywhere the warriors from this base serve, you leave your mark, and I believe it will be a legacy of hope and of freedom and peace," he said.
Fort Benning is home to the U.S. Army Infantry School.
Bush acknowledged the situation in Iraq is difficult and much different than he'd anticipated it would be at this point. Failure, however, is not an option, he told the crowd.
"One of the wisest comments I've heard about this battle in Iraq was made by General John Abizaid," he said. "He told me, 'Mr. President, if we were to fail in Iraq, the enemy would follow us here to America.'
"If we were to leave before the job is done, if we were to fail in Iraq, Iran would be emboldened in its pursuit of nuclear weapons, (and) our enemies would have safe havens from which to launch attacks," he said. "That is why we must, and we will, succeed in Iraq."
To ensure success, the president said he is committing more than 20,000 additional troops to the fight, including five brigades to Baghdad and 4,000 troops to Anbar province to help provide security in those areas. The numbers will help ensure that an area, once cleared of insurgents, can be held, he said.
But bigger numbers alone aren't enough to succeed, he said. The troops need a clear mission, which they will have.
The plan also calls for the Iraqi government to appoint a military commander for Baghdad, he told the troops.
"The other thing that's going to have to happen is that the government of Iraq must exhibit the will necessary to succeed. It's one thing to develop a plan; it's another thing to see it through," he said. "I have made it clear that the patience of the American people is not unlimited, and now is the time to act, ... not only for our sake; it's time to act for the sake of people in Iraq."
Bush said he was heartened by the Iraqi government's pledge to spend $10 billion of its oil revenues for quality-of-life improvements it recognizes are just as important as security. Also encouraging, he said, was Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri-al Maliki's ultimatum to illegal armies to lay down their weapons or face justice.
That's the kind of leadership that the Iraqi people expect, Bush said.
"We expect to see them fulfill the benchmarks that they laid out for their people," he said. "We're going to help them."
As part of the new strategy, U.S. troops will work alongside Iraqi units to help them take the lead in securing their neighborhoods. They will ensure the Iraqi forces left behind to secure a cleared area will be capable of doing so, he said.
Bush cautioned the crowd that the new strategy won't yield immediate results, however. "The American people have got to understand that suicide bombings won't stop immediately," he said. "Yet, over time, we can expect to see positive results. Daily life will improve, (and) the Iraqis will gain confidence in their leaders."
Bush acknowledged his new plan calls for some units to deploy earlier than scheduled, and some will have their deployments extended longer than originally anticipated. He promised, however, that he and Congress will provide all the resources the troops needed to win the war.
Victory will take patience, determination and sacrifice, the president said, but he expressed confidence the U.S. and its military will prevail against terrorism. "I know we're going to face difficulties as we take on this important duty... and so do you," he told the soldiers. "We have defied the pessimists and we will do so again in this first battle of the 21st century."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice leadership; and, police and military writers who have become authors of books.
American Forces Press Service
Jan. 11, 2007 – President Bush visited Fort Benning, Ga., today to share thoughts on his new strategy for the war in Iraq with the soldiers there, but not before offering them his praise. "Everywhere the warriors from this base serve, you leave your mark, and I believe it will be a legacy of hope and of freedom and peace," he said.
Fort Benning is home to the U.S. Army Infantry School.
Bush acknowledged the situation in Iraq is difficult and much different than he'd anticipated it would be at this point. Failure, however, is not an option, he told the crowd.
"One of the wisest comments I've heard about this battle in Iraq was made by General John Abizaid," he said. "He told me, 'Mr. President, if we were to fail in Iraq, the enemy would follow us here to America.'
"If we were to leave before the job is done, if we were to fail in Iraq, Iran would be emboldened in its pursuit of nuclear weapons, (and) our enemies would have safe havens from which to launch attacks," he said. "That is why we must, and we will, succeed in Iraq."
To ensure success, the president said he is committing more than 20,000 additional troops to the fight, including five brigades to Baghdad and 4,000 troops to Anbar province to help provide security in those areas. The numbers will help ensure that an area, once cleared of insurgents, can be held, he said.
But bigger numbers alone aren't enough to succeed, he said. The troops need a clear mission, which they will have.
The plan also calls for the Iraqi government to appoint a military commander for Baghdad, he told the troops.
"The other thing that's going to have to happen is that the government of Iraq must exhibit the will necessary to succeed. It's one thing to develop a plan; it's another thing to see it through," he said. "I have made it clear that the patience of the American people is not unlimited, and now is the time to act, ... not only for our sake; it's time to act for the sake of people in Iraq."
Bush said he was heartened by the Iraqi government's pledge to spend $10 billion of its oil revenues for quality-of-life improvements it recognizes are just as important as security. Also encouraging, he said, was Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri-al Maliki's ultimatum to illegal armies to lay down their weapons or face justice.
That's the kind of leadership that the Iraqi people expect, Bush said.
"We expect to see them fulfill the benchmarks that they laid out for their people," he said. "We're going to help them."
As part of the new strategy, U.S. troops will work alongside Iraqi units to help them take the lead in securing their neighborhoods. They will ensure the Iraqi forces left behind to secure a cleared area will be capable of doing so, he said.
Bush cautioned the crowd that the new strategy won't yield immediate results, however. "The American people have got to understand that suicide bombings won't stop immediately," he said. "Yet, over time, we can expect to see positive results. Daily life will improve, (and) the Iraqis will gain confidence in their leaders."
Bush acknowledged his new plan calls for some units to deploy earlier than scheduled, and some will have their deployments extended longer than originally anticipated. He promised, however, that he and Congress will provide all the resources the troops needed to win the war.
Victory will take patience, determination and sacrifice, the president said, but he expressed confidence the U.S. and its military will prevail against terrorism. "I know we're going to face difficulties as we take on this important duty... and so do you," he told the soldiers. "We have defied the pessimists and we will do so again in this first battle of the 21st century."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice leadership; and, police and military writers who have become authors of books.
Pace Describes Military Portion of Bush Strategy
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
Jan. 11, 2007 – Marine Corps Gen. Peter Pace, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the House Armed Services Committee today he believes President Bush's new Iraq strategy will succeed. "I am of conviction that this military plan - properly part of the new political emphasis and new economic plus-up - can provide the success we are looking for," Pace told the representatives.
The chairman joined Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates in detailing to the committee the military aspects of the plan President Bush unveiled last night.
Pace said the plan, which calls for more than 21,000 additional American soldiers, is the result of consultations with U.S. commanders in Iraq and the region. More importantly, he said, Iraqi officials have agreed to the plan and came up with important parts of it on their own.
"The No. 1 difference between this plan and others is the political environment in which it will be implemented," Pace said. Baghdad is the center of gravity in Iraq, he said, and that is where most of the U.S. troops will go.
The Iraqi government has appointed a military commander for Baghdad. Two deputy commanders - one for east of the Tigris River and one for the area west of the river - will command nine districts in the city.
In addition, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki has promised to move three extra Iraqi army brigades to Baghdad. All told, the Iraqi government will deploy Iraqi army and national police brigades in these districts. In total, 18 Iraqi army and national police brigades will operate along with local police.
An American battalion will work in each of these nine districts, Pace said. "In each sector, there will be three or four police stations that will serve as a hub of operations," he said. Iraqi and coalition forces will launch daily patrols and raids, plan strategies and maintain a presence in the sectors. They will gain the trust of the people of Baghdad, Pace said.
Pace said the increase will enable more American trainers to embed with Iraqi units. He said a troop-to-task-ratio analysis showed more American troops need to be in Baghdad to make all this happen.
The chairman said it is crucial that the commander "have freedom of operations to do what he must do to enforce the rule of law for all."
Iraqi leaders have promised there will be no political interference with those troops on the ground who are carrying out their mission. "The rule of law and the rules of engagement will refer to all criminals, no matter which community they come from," Pace said. "The communities will all be treated the same."
The plan calls for moving 4,000 troops into the Sunni-dominated Anbar province to reinforce successes there. "The Sunni sheikhs in that region have led the way in fighting al Qaeda," Pace said. "They have recruited their own sons in the thousands to join their local police forces; in fact, about 1,000 Sunni youngsters right now are in Jordan at the police academy."
These additional U.S. forces in Anbar will allow those sheikhs and the Iraqi armed forces to move out against al Qaeda and help impose order in the province, Pace said.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice leadership; and, police and military writers who have become authors of books.
American Forces Press Service
Jan. 11, 2007 – Marine Corps Gen. Peter Pace, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the House Armed Services Committee today he believes President Bush's new Iraq strategy will succeed. "I am of conviction that this military plan - properly part of the new political emphasis and new economic plus-up - can provide the success we are looking for," Pace told the representatives.
The chairman joined Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates in detailing to the committee the military aspects of the plan President Bush unveiled last night.
Pace said the plan, which calls for more than 21,000 additional American soldiers, is the result of consultations with U.S. commanders in Iraq and the region. More importantly, he said, Iraqi officials have agreed to the plan and came up with important parts of it on their own.
"The No. 1 difference between this plan and others is the political environment in which it will be implemented," Pace said. Baghdad is the center of gravity in Iraq, he said, and that is where most of the U.S. troops will go.
The Iraqi government has appointed a military commander for Baghdad. Two deputy commanders - one for east of the Tigris River and one for the area west of the river - will command nine districts in the city.
In addition, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki has promised to move three extra Iraqi army brigades to Baghdad. All told, the Iraqi government will deploy Iraqi army and national police brigades in these districts. In total, 18 Iraqi army and national police brigades will operate along with local police.
An American battalion will work in each of these nine districts, Pace said. "In each sector, there will be three or four police stations that will serve as a hub of operations," he said. Iraqi and coalition forces will launch daily patrols and raids, plan strategies and maintain a presence in the sectors. They will gain the trust of the people of Baghdad, Pace said.
Pace said the increase will enable more American trainers to embed with Iraqi units. He said a troop-to-task-ratio analysis showed more American troops need to be in Baghdad to make all this happen.
The chairman said it is crucial that the commander "have freedom of operations to do what he must do to enforce the rule of law for all."
Iraqi leaders have promised there will be no political interference with those troops on the ground who are carrying out their mission. "The rule of law and the rules of engagement will refer to all criminals, no matter which community they come from," Pace said. "The communities will all be treated the same."
The plan calls for moving 4,000 troops into the Sunni-dominated Anbar province to reinforce successes there. "The Sunni sheikhs in that region have led the way in fighting al Qaeda," Pace said. "They have recruited their own sons in the thousands to join their local police forces; in fact, about 1,000 Sunni youngsters right now are in Jordan at the police academy."
These additional U.S. forces in Anbar will allow those sheikhs and the Iraqi armed forces to move out against al Qaeda and help impose order in the province, Pace said.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice leadership; and, police and military writers who have become authors of books.
'Surge' Extends Minnesota Guard Unit's Iraq Tour
By Sgt. Jim Greenhill, USA
Special to American Forces Press Service
Jan. 11, 2007 – At least 4,000 National Guard citizen-soldiers may spend an extra four months in Iraq as part of the president's troop increase announced yesterday. The Minnesota Army National Guard's 1st Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division, will have its Iraq tour extended up to 125 days, the Defense Department announced today.
The announcement affects about 3,000 Minnesota Guard members. The extension until August also affects more than 1,000 Guard members from Arizona, Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, North Carolina, Nebraska and other states who are deployed with the 1st Brigade. In all, about 4,000 Guard members are affected, Army Lt. Col. Kevin Olson, public affairs officer for the Minnesota National Guard, said.
"The 1st Brigade, which consists of the Minnesota National Guard and a number of other National Guard units, were selected because of their agility and their ability to get the job done right," Olson said. "Our citizen-soldiers are perfectly magnificent."
The 1st Brigade represents a fraction of the more than 25,000 National Guard members in Iraq, National Guard Bureau officials said.
The Pentagon announcement of the 1st Brigade's extension came one day after President George W. Bush announced in an address to the nation that he had committed more than 20,000 additional American troops to Iraq, most of them to Baghdad.
"We acknowledge that it is a sacrifice for our families and places a great deal of burden on them," Olson said.
The Minnesota National Guard is reaching out aggressively to support affected families, he said. Those efforts include military family life consultants working with struggling families and a full-time mental health coordinator who Olson said is energizing mental health providers across the state to support deployed Guard members' families.
Army Lt. Gen. H Steven Blum, chief of the National Guard Bureau, told The Hill, the newspaper of Congress, today that Guard members would be ready to serve if called upon to support the president's new strategy. "If the nation needs us, we will do it," Blum said.
The National Guard has responded to every call for forces since Sept. 11, 2001, with more than 200,000 citizen-soldiers and -airmen already mobilized for operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.
"The Guard and reserve have been wonderful in the way that they've performed their assignments," Marine Corps Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said at the White House today.
"The increase in military forces will be phased in," Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said today. "It will not unfold overnight. There will be no 'D-Day.' It won't look like the Gulf War."
The 1st Brigade was sent to Iraq in March in Minnesota's largest deployment since World War II. The brigade's theater-immersion training began in the fall of 2005, and the unit was scheduled to serve in Iraq for one year.
Since the terrorist attacks of Sept.11, 2001, the National Guard has been engaged in operations around the world, serving on the ground in Bosnia, Kosovo, the Sinai, the Horn of Africa, and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, among other places.
Simultaneously, the National Guard has continued its homeland mission, fighting fires, responding to winter storm rescue and other missions to support the nation's governors. In early 2005, more than half the combat power in Iraq came from the National Guard. The same year, more than 50,000 Guard members from all 54 states and territories made history with their response to Hurricane Katrina.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice leadership; and, police and military writers who have become authors of books.
Special to American Forces Press Service
Jan. 11, 2007 – At least 4,000 National Guard citizen-soldiers may spend an extra four months in Iraq as part of the president's troop increase announced yesterday. The Minnesota Army National Guard's 1st Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division, will have its Iraq tour extended up to 125 days, the Defense Department announced today.
The announcement affects about 3,000 Minnesota Guard members. The extension until August also affects more than 1,000 Guard members from Arizona, Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, North Carolina, Nebraska and other states who are deployed with the 1st Brigade. In all, about 4,000 Guard members are affected, Army Lt. Col. Kevin Olson, public affairs officer for the Minnesota National Guard, said.
"The 1st Brigade, which consists of the Minnesota National Guard and a number of other National Guard units, were selected because of their agility and their ability to get the job done right," Olson said. "Our citizen-soldiers are perfectly magnificent."
The 1st Brigade represents a fraction of the more than 25,000 National Guard members in Iraq, National Guard Bureau officials said.
The Pentagon announcement of the 1st Brigade's extension came one day after President George W. Bush announced in an address to the nation that he had committed more than 20,000 additional American troops to Iraq, most of them to Baghdad.
"We acknowledge that it is a sacrifice for our families and places a great deal of burden on them," Olson said.
The Minnesota National Guard is reaching out aggressively to support affected families, he said. Those efforts include military family life consultants working with struggling families and a full-time mental health coordinator who Olson said is energizing mental health providers across the state to support deployed Guard members' families.
Army Lt. Gen. H Steven Blum, chief of the National Guard Bureau, told The Hill, the newspaper of Congress, today that Guard members would be ready to serve if called upon to support the president's new strategy. "If the nation needs us, we will do it," Blum said.
The National Guard has responded to every call for forces since Sept. 11, 2001, with more than 200,000 citizen-soldiers and -airmen already mobilized for operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.
"The Guard and reserve have been wonderful in the way that they've performed their assignments," Marine Corps Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said at the White House today.
"The increase in military forces will be phased in," Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said today. "It will not unfold overnight. There will be no 'D-Day.' It won't look like the Gulf War."
The 1st Brigade was sent to Iraq in March in Minnesota's largest deployment since World War II. The brigade's theater-immersion training began in the fall of 2005, and the unit was scheduled to serve in Iraq for one year.
Since the terrorist attacks of Sept.11, 2001, the National Guard has been engaged in operations around the world, serving on the ground in Bosnia, Kosovo, the Sinai, the Horn of Africa, and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, among other places.
Simultaneously, the National Guard has continued its homeland mission, fighting fires, responding to winter storm rescue and other missions to support the nation's governors. In early 2005, more than half the combat power in Iraq came from the National Guard. The same year, more than 50,000 Guard members from all 54 states and territories made history with their response to Hurricane Katrina.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice leadership; and, police and military writers who have become authors of books.
Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Pfc. Ryan R. Berg, 19, of Sabine Pass, Texas, died Jan. 9 in Baqubah, Iraq, of wounds suffered when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using small arms fire. Berg was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 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.
Pfc. Ryan R. Berg, 19, of Sabine Pass, Texas, died Jan. 9 in Baqubah, Iraq, of wounds suffered when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using small arms fire. Berg was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 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.
Maj. Michael L. Mundell, 47, of Brandenburg, Ky., died Jan. 5 in Fallujah, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle during combat operations. Mundell was assigned to the 1st Brigade, 108th Division (Institutional Training), Spartanburg, S.C.
For further information in regard to this release the media can contact the Army Human Resources Command public affairs office at (703) 325-8856.
Maj. Michael L. Mundell, 47, of Brandenburg, Ky., died Jan. 5 in Fallujah, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle during combat operations. Mundell was assigned to the 1st Brigade, 108th Division (Institutional Training), Spartanburg, S.C.
For further information in regard to this release the media can contact the Army Human Resources Command public affairs office at (703) 325-8856.
Secretary Gates Recommends End Strength Increases
Today the Secretary of Defense announced he has recommended to the President a permanent increase to the end strength of the U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps. His proposal is for an increase of 92,000 personnel over the next five years: 65,000 soldiers and 27,000 Marines.
The proposal would make permanent the temporary increase of 30,000 soldiers and 5,000 Marines. Furthermore, it recommends an annual increase of 7,000 soldiers and 5,000 Marines until the Army reaches a level of 547,000 and the Marine Corps reaches a level of 202,000.
This increased combat capability will provide the necessary forces for success in the long war on terror.
The proposal would make permanent the temporary increase of 30,000 soldiers and 5,000 Marines. Furthermore, it recommends an annual increase of 7,000 soldiers and 5,000 Marines until the Army reaches a level of 547,000 and the Marine Corps reaches a level of 202,000.
This increased combat capability will provide the necessary forces for success in the long war on terror.
Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Pfc. Ming Sun, 20, of Cathedral City, Calif., died Jan. 9 in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, of wounds suffered when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using small arms fire during combat patrol operations. Sun was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.
For more information in regard to this release the media can contact the Fort Carson public affairs office at (719) 526-3420; after hours call (719) 526-5500.
Pfc. Ming Sun, 20, of Cathedral City, Calif., died Jan. 9 in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, of wounds suffered when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using small arms fire during combat patrol operations. Sun was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.
For more information in regard to this release the media can contact the Fort Carson public affairs office at (719) 526-3420; after hours call (719) 526-5500.
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
CBR Weapons and WMD Terrorism News- January 10, 2007
Study: People outside Senate office infected with anthrax
“A Navy-led analysis of the anthrax attack on Sen. Tom Daschle's office in October 2001 has uncovered evidence that anthrax spores released in the Hart Senate Office Building infected people outside the building. The researchers could not pinpoint where the four exposed people worked or where they encountered the airborne spores. They apparently fought off infection without getting sick, but they turned up in a group of 20 people who were ‘outside the building and presumed to be unexposed,’ says the study in the Jan. 15 Journal of Infectious Diseases. ‘We couldn't believe it,’ says Navy Cmdr. Daniel Freilich, one of the study's authors.” (USA Today, 08Jan07, Steve Sternberg)
http://www.usatoday.com
/news/health/2007-01-08
-anthrax-usat_x.htm
City [of Cambridge] Objects to BU [Boston University] Biolab Building
“The Cambridge City Council voted unanimously Monday to oppose the construction of a Boston University BioSafety Level (BSL) 4 biodefense laboratory, a category of facility intended to house the most dangerous and least understood biological pathogens. During lengthy public comment at the meeting, four area professors, a Boston city councilor, former gubernatorial candidate Grace C. Ross ’83, and a group of singing grandmothers voiced their objections to the facility, saying that the lab would endanger both its South End location and neighboring communities. Although the Council vote cannot stop the construction, members said they were concerned that the effects of a pathogen leak would go beyond Boston city limits.” (The Harvard Crimson, 10Jan07, Nicholas K. Tabor)
http://www.thecrimson.com
/printerfriendly.aspx?ref=516593
New York City Mayor Michael R.] Bloomberg Criticizes Security Fund
Distribution
“Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg criticized the way federal antiterrorism money is distributed, testifying today at a crowded Senate hearing that New York City had been shortchanged compared with other cities, given too little money for bioterrorism preparedness and denied financing to upgrade its communication systems. The mayor testified before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee… The mayor said the city received just $4.34 per capita for bioterrorism in the fiscal year that ended on Sept. 30, putting it 27th of 54 states and cities eligible for such money. … At one point, responding a question from Senator Barack Obama, Democrat of Illinois, Mr. Bloomberg said: ‘Our corn crop is very important. We can’t eat in this country without it. But homeland security monies shouldn’t go to protect the corn crop because that’s not what terrorists are going to try to attack.’” (The New York Times, 09Jan07, Sewell Chan)
http://www.nytimes.com
/2007/01/09/washington/
09cnd-homeland.html
Man gets five years for Patton threat
“A man who sent a threatening letter in 2003 to then [Kentucky] Gov. Paul Patton has been sentenced to five years in prison, according to U.S. Attorney Amul Thapar. Aaron Rivers, 34, originally from London, received the sentence in U.S. District Court Monday. He also got three years of supervised release and was ordered to pay a $100 assessment. Rivers wrote a threatening letter to Patton in November 2003 that said, ‘ANTHRAX, Die American official.’” (The State Journal, 09Jan07)
http://www.state-journal.com
/news/printer_friendly/145837
CDC awards $3.7 million to improve public health and healthcare information sharing for disease detection
“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has announced $3.7 million in new grants designed to enhance healthcare information in an effort to improve the detection and response to emerging public health threats. The new grants will fund studies at three new Centers of Excellence in Public Health Informatics located at New York City Department of Health and Hygiene; the University of Utah, Salt Lake City; and Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland.” (CDC Press Release,
08Jan07, Department of Health and Human Services)
http://www.cdc.gov/od/oc
/media/pressrel/2007/r070108.htm
Russian MPs urge new U.S. colleagues to ratify key treaties
“Members of Russia's lower house of parliament passed an appeal Wednesday to their new colleagues in the U.S. Congress, urging them to intensify efforts to ratify key international treaties. …Members of Russia's State Duma called on U.S. lawmakers to ratify treaties on nuclear tests, biological weapons and the Kyoto Protocol, and to cease to apply the Jackson-Vanik amendment to Russia. Duma deputies, who opened the spring session Wednesday, said the U.S. was entering 2007 with a new lawmaking setup, and expressed their hope that Congress would ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty and support international efforts to control implementation of the 1972 Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention.” (RIA Novosti, 10Jan07)
http://en.rian.ru/russi
a/20070110/58836820.html
Kentucky ready to fight to get weapons out
“For more than 60 years, some of the world's most dangerous weapons have been stored in earth-covered igloos, just a gust of wind away from putting thousands of students at Eastern Kentucky University at risk. After a quarter-century of protest and debate, the community was eagerly awaiting federal government action to destroy these instruments of mass destruction, with a $2 billion plant under construction to do the work safely. But late last year the Pentagon announced it did not have the money to finish the project in time. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are costing so much that the government can't fully fund the destruction of unused weapons from past wars, officials said.” (Charlotte Observer; 09Jan07; E.A. Torriero, Chicago Tribune)
http://www.charlotte.com
/mld/charlotte/news/nation/16416200.htm
OSHA [Occupational Safety and Health Administration] awards ‘Star’ status to Umatilla Chemical Agent Disposal Facility for safety and health commitment
“The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has recognized the Umatilla Chemical Agent Disposal Facility (UMCDF) for its exemplary performance and commitment to safety and health. OSHA recently approved UMCDF’s application for ‘Star’ status in the OSHA Voluntary Protection Program (VPP). (U.S. Army Chemical Materials Agency, 08Jan07) http://www.cma.army.mil
/docviewerframe.aspx?docid=003676357
Study Finds Progress Made in Stemming “Dirty Bomb” Threat
“Despite limited funding from both Moscow and Washington, a cooperative program to secure radiation sources in Russia that could be used in radiological ‘dirty bombs’ has made a ‘very good start,’ according to a study by the National Research Council. The three-year look at the joint threat reduction program determined that initial ‘quick security fixes’ have been important and should continue.” (Global Security Newswire,
08Jan07, Jon Fox)
http://www.nti.org
/d_newswire/issues/2007_1_8.html - 20CAAB59
British Detectives know Litvinenko killers
“British detectives, after weeks of investigation, reportedly are ‘100 percent’ certain they know who poisoned Russian spy-turned-reporter Alexander Litvinenko. Litvinenko died Nov. 23 in a London hospital after being exposed to radioactive polonoium-210. Scotland Yard sent nine detectives to Moscow before Christmas to conduct interviews and they are to submit their report to the Crown Prosecution Service, the Mirror reported Monday. ‘We are 100 percent sure who administered the poison, where and how,’ a police source told the newspaper, which said that Russian authorities were not likely to send the two suspected killers to Britain for trial.” (The Washington Times, 08Jan07, UPI)
http://washingtontimes.com
/upi/20070108-125045-8464r.htm
Russian businessman linked to poisoned ex-security agent says he’s out of hospital
“A Russian businessman linked to the poisoning death of former security agent Alexander Litvinenko said Tuesday he had been released from a Moscow hospital, where he reportedly was being treated for radiation exposure. Andrei Lugovoi, who was questioned last month by Russian and British investigators, told The Associated Press that he was out of the hospital and was ‘resting,’ but did not elaborate. He said he would make no further comment until Sunday.” (International Herald Tribune, 09Jan07, AP)
http://www.iht.com/articles
/ap/2007/01/09/europe/EU-GEN-Russia-Poisoned-Spy.php
Nuclear risk could be an inside job
“The comment by the Prime Minister, John Howard, in November about nuclear energy as ‘one weapon in the armoury’ in the fight against climate change now has an unfortunate ring to it in light of the recent news that a home-grown terrorist group allegedly planned to attack the Lucas Heights nuclear reactor with rocket launchers from an Australian armoury.” (The Sydney Morning Herald, 09Jan07, Charles Ferguson)
http://www.smh.com.au
/news/opinion/nuclear-r
isk-could-be-an-inside-jo
b/2007/01/08/1168104921045.html\
House OKs reforms urged by 9/11 panel
“House Democrats yesterday passed a bill that strengthens the homeland security reforms recommended by the September 11 commission, but Republicans said the legislation could undermine a program designed to slow the proliferation of technology used to make weapons of mass destruction. The bill, which passed by a vote of 299-128, would increase the role of the United Nations in the Proliferation Security Initiative by asking the world body to force countries to agree to searches and seizures of ships and aircraft for the technology. …The proliferation initiative announced by President Bush in 2003 is a voluntary working group of more than 70 countries investigating and stopping the trade and acquisition of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons technology by terrorists and rogue states. The member countries also interdict ships and aircraft that carry such materials.” (The Washington Times, 10Jan07, Brian DeBose)
http://washingtontimes.com
/functions/print.php?StoryID=2
0070110-124235-7884r
Repeal of Nunn-Lugar Restrictions Introduced in the Senate and House
“U.S. Sen. Dick Lugar yesterday introduced legislation to remove restrictions on the Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction Program. Similar legislation passed the Senate in the last Congress, but failed to be approved by the House. Temporary waiver of the restrictions has been allowed but has created a maze of paperwork that distracts from the program’s mission of destroying nuclear, biological and chemical weapons.”
(American Chronicle, 09Jan07, Congressional Desk)
http://www.americanchronicle.com
/articles/viewArticle.asp?articleID=18872
City [of Chicago] to get $12.8 mil. In Homeland Security funds
“Chicago is one of eight cities that will receive funding from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for transit security, the federal agency announced Tuesday. According to a release from the department, Chicago was in line to receive $12.8 million in transit security funding in 2007. ‘Grant funding priorities include securing underground and underwater systems, reducing the risks of improvised explosive devices and radiological, chemical and biological weapons, as well as training, exercises and public awareness campaigns,’ the release said. Other cities and areas receiving transit security grants are the New York-Connecticut-New Jersey region ($61 million), the District of Columbia region ($18.2 million), Boston ($15.3 million), the San Francisco Bay area ($13.8 million), Philadelphia ($9.7 million), Atlanta ($3.4 million) and the Greater Los Angeles area ($7 million).” (Chicago Sun-Times, 09Jan07, STNG Wire Reports)
http://www.suntimes.com
/news/metro/204114,hom
eland010907.articleprint
Article sponsored by police and military personnel who have become writers; and professionals involved in criminal justice leadership.
“A Navy-led analysis of the anthrax attack on Sen. Tom Daschle's office in October 2001 has uncovered evidence that anthrax spores released in the Hart Senate Office Building infected people outside the building. The researchers could not pinpoint where the four exposed people worked or where they encountered the airborne spores. They apparently fought off infection without getting sick, but they turned up in a group of 20 people who were ‘outside the building and presumed to be unexposed,’ says the study in the Jan. 15 Journal of Infectious Diseases. ‘We couldn't believe it,’ says Navy Cmdr. Daniel Freilich, one of the study's authors.” (USA Today, 08Jan07, Steve Sternberg)
http://www.usatoday.com
/news/health/2007-01-08
-anthrax-usat_x.htm
City [of Cambridge] Objects to BU [Boston University] Biolab Building
“The Cambridge City Council voted unanimously Monday to oppose the construction of a Boston University BioSafety Level (BSL) 4 biodefense laboratory, a category of facility intended to house the most dangerous and least understood biological pathogens. During lengthy public comment at the meeting, four area professors, a Boston city councilor, former gubernatorial candidate Grace C. Ross ’83, and a group of singing grandmothers voiced their objections to the facility, saying that the lab would endanger both its South End location and neighboring communities. Although the Council vote cannot stop the construction, members said they were concerned that the effects of a pathogen leak would go beyond Boston city limits.” (The Harvard Crimson, 10Jan07, Nicholas K. Tabor)
http://www.thecrimson.com
/printerfriendly.aspx?ref=516593
New York City Mayor Michael R.] Bloomberg Criticizes Security Fund
Distribution
“Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg criticized the way federal antiterrorism money is distributed, testifying today at a crowded Senate hearing that New York City had been shortchanged compared with other cities, given too little money for bioterrorism preparedness and denied financing to upgrade its communication systems. The mayor testified before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee… The mayor said the city received just $4.34 per capita for bioterrorism in the fiscal year that ended on Sept. 30, putting it 27th of 54 states and cities eligible for such money. … At one point, responding a question from Senator Barack Obama, Democrat of Illinois, Mr. Bloomberg said: ‘Our corn crop is very important. We can’t eat in this country without it. But homeland security monies shouldn’t go to protect the corn crop because that’s not what terrorists are going to try to attack.’” (The New York Times, 09Jan07, Sewell Chan)
http://www.nytimes.com
/2007/01/09/washington/
09cnd-homeland.html
Man gets five years for Patton threat
“A man who sent a threatening letter in 2003 to then [Kentucky] Gov. Paul Patton has been sentenced to five years in prison, according to U.S. Attorney Amul Thapar. Aaron Rivers, 34, originally from London, received the sentence in U.S. District Court Monday. He also got three years of supervised release and was ordered to pay a $100 assessment. Rivers wrote a threatening letter to Patton in November 2003 that said, ‘ANTHRAX, Die American official.’” (The State Journal, 09Jan07)
http://www.state-journal.com
/news/printer_friendly/145837
CDC awards $3.7 million to improve public health and healthcare information sharing for disease detection
“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has announced $3.7 million in new grants designed to enhance healthcare information in an effort to improve the detection and response to emerging public health threats. The new grants will fund studies at three new Centers of Excellence in Public Health Informatics located at New York City Department of Health and Hygiene; the University of Utah, Salt Lake City; and Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland.” (CDC Press Release,
08Jan07, Department of Health and Human Services)
http://www.cdc.gov/od/oc
/media/pressrel/2007/r070108.htm
Russian MPs urge new U.S. colleagues to ratify key treaties
“Members of Russia's lower house of parliament passed an appeal Wednesday to their new colleagues in the U.S. Congress, urging them to intensify efforts to ratify key international treaties. …Members of Russia's State Duma called on U.S. lawmakers to ratify treaties on nuclear tests, biological weapons and the Kyoto Protocol, and to cease to apply the Jackson-Vanik amendment to Russia. Duma deputies, who opened the spring session Wednesday, said the U.S. was entering 2007 with a new lawmaking setup, and expressed their hope that Congress would ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty and support international efforts to control implementation of the 1972 Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention.” (RIA Novosti, 10Jan07)
http://en.rian.ru/russi
a/20070110/58836820.html
Kentucky ready to fight to get weapons out
“For more than 60 years, some of the world's most dangerous weapons have been stored in earth-covered igloos, just a gust of wind away from putting thousands of students at Eastern Kentucky University at risk. After a quarter-century of protest and debate, the community was eagerly awaiting federal government action to destroy these instruments of mass destruction, with a $2 billion plant under construction to do the work safely. But late last year the Pentagon announced it did not have the money to finish the project in time. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are costing so much that the government can't fully fund the destruction of unused weapons from past wars, officials said.” (Charlotte Observer; 09Jan07; E.A. Torriero, Chicago Tribune)
http://www.charlotte.com
/mld/charlotte/news/nation/16416200.htm
OSHA [Occupational Safety and Health Administration] awards ‘Star’ status to Umatilla Chemical Agent Disposal Facility for safety and health commitment
“The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has recognized the Umatilla Chemical Agent Disposal Facility (UMCDF) for its exemplary performance and commitment to safety and health. OSHA recently approved UMCDF’s application for ‘Star’ status in the OSHA Voluntary Protection Program (VPP). (U.S. Army Chemical Materials Agency, 08Jan07) http://www.cma.army.mil
/docviewerframe.aspx?docid=003676357
Study Finds Progress Made in Stemming “Dirty Bomb” Threat
“Despite limited funding from both Moscow and Washington, a cooperative program to secure radiation sources in Russia that could be used in radiological ‘dirty bombs’ has made a ‘very good start,’ according to a study by the National Research Council. The three-year look at the joint threat reduction program determined that initial ‘quick security fixes’ have been important and should continue.” (Global Security Newswire,
08Jan07, Jon Fox)
http://www.nti.org
/d_newswire/issues/2007_1_8.html - 20CAAB59
British Detectives know Litvinenko killers
“British detectives, after weeks of investigation, reportedly are ‘100 percent’ certain they know who poisoned Russian spy-turned-reporter Alexander Litvinenko. Litvinenko died Nov. 23 in a London hospital after being exposed to radioactive polonoium-210. Scotland Yard sent nine detectives to Moscow before Christmas to conduct interviews and they are to submit their report to the Crown Prosecution Service, the Mirror reported Monday. ‘We are 100 percent sure who administered the poison, where and how,’ a police source told the newspaper, which said that Russian authorities were not likely to send the two suspected killers to Britain for trial.” (The Washington Times, 08Jan07, UPI)
http://washingtontimes.com
/upi/20070108-125045-8464r.htm
Russian businessman linked to poisoned ex-security agent says he’s out of hospital
“A Russian businessman linked to the poisoning death of former security agent Alexander Litvinenko said Tuesday he had been released from a Moscow hospital, where he reportedly was being treated for radiation exposure. Andrei Lugovoi, who was questioned last month by Russian and British investigators, told The Associated Press that he was out of the hospital and was ‘resting,’ but did not elaborate. He said he would make no further comment until Sunday.” (International Herald Tribune, 09Jan07, AP)
http://www.iht.com/articles
/ap/2007/01/09/europe/EU-GEN-Russia-Poisoned-Spy.php
Nuclear risk could be an inside job
“The comment by the Prime Minister, John Howard, in November about nuclear energy as ‘one weapon in the armoury’ in the fight against climate change now has an unfortunate ring to it in light of the recent news that a home-grown terrorist group allegedly planned to attack the Lucas Heights nuclear reactor with rocket launchers from an Australian armoury.” (The Sydney Morning Herald, 09Jan07, Charles Ferguson)
http://www.smh.com.au
/news/opinion/nuclear-r
isk-could-be-an-inside-jo
b/2007/01/08/1168104921045.html\
House OKs reforms urged by 9/11 panel
“House Democrats yesterday passed a bill that strengthens the homeland security reforms recommended by the September 11 commission, but Republicans said the legislation could undermine a program designed to slow the proliferation of technology used to make weapons of mass destruction. The bill, which passed by a vote of 299-128, would increase the role of the United Nations in the Proliferation Security Initiative by asking the world body to force countries to agree to searches and seizures of ships and aircraft for the technology. …The proliferation initiative announced by President Bush in 2003 is a voluntary working group of more than 70 countries investigating and stopping the trade and acquisition of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons technology by terrorists and rogue states. The member countries also interdict ships and aircraft that carry such materials.” (The Washington Times, 10Jan07, Brian DeBose)
http://washingtontimes.com
/functions/print.php?StoryID=2
0070110-124235-7884r
Repeal of Nunn-Lugar Restrictions Introduced in the Senate and House
“U.S. Sen. Dick Lugar yesterday introduced legislation to remove restrictions on the Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction Program. Similar legislation passed the Senate in the last Congress, but failed to be approved by the House. Temporary waiver of the restrictions has been allowed but has created a maze of paperwork that distracts from the program’s mission of destroying nuclear, biological and chemical weapons.”
(American Chronicle, 09Jan07, Congressional Desk)
http://www.americanchronicle.com
/articles/viewArticle.asp?articleID=18872
City [of Chicago] to get $12.8 mil. In Homeland Security funds
“Chicago is one of eight cities that will receive funding from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for transit security, the federal agency announced Tuesday. According to a release from the department, Chicago was in line to receive $12.8 million in transit security funding in 2007. ‘Grant funding priorities include securing underground and underwater systems, reducing the risks of improvised explosive devices and radiological, chemical and biological weapons, as well as training, exercises and public awareness campaigns,’ the release said. Other cities and areas receiving transit security grants are the New York-Connecticut-New Jersey region ($61 million), the District of Columbia region ($18.2 million), Boston ($15.3 million), the San Francisco Bay area ($13.8 million), Philadelphia ($9.7 million), Atlanta ($3.4 million) and the Greater Los Angeles area ($7 million).” (Chicago Sun-Times, 09Jan07, STNG Wire Reports)
http://www.suntimes.com
/news/metro/204114,hom
eland010907.articleprint
Article sponsored by police and military personnel who have become writers; and professionals involved in criminal justice leadership.
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