By Sgt. Sara Wood, USA
American Forces Press Service
May 3, 2007 – U.S. and coalition troops have made significant progress in improving the security situation in Iraq, but the Iraqi government and other U.S. government agencies need to act more quickly to improve the political situation and build infrastructure needed to sustain the country, the commander of U.S. Central Command said in congressional testimony today. "Time is of the essence, and it's right now," Navy Adm. William J. Fallon told members of the Senate Armed Services Committee. "My perception is that we need actions right now that are going to show results in the very near term, over the next six months, say, that can be a direct follow-on to the security push that's ongoing."
One of the biggest challenges CENTCOM leaders face is ensuring that U.S. government efforts are coordinated after the initial security push so political and economic initiatives are carried out properly, Fallon said. To that end, CENTCOM is working closely with the State Department and is deploying new provincial reconstruction teams that are closely aligned with the military leadership on the ground.
Beyond U.S. involvement, success in Iraq depends largely on the actions of the Iraqi government, Fallon said. While the government has made progress in some key areas, it has not moved fast enough on key issues that support the U.S. effort in Iraq, he said.
"I think that making sure the leadership in Iraq understands that we don't have unlimited time, that we must move forward, that they're going to have to make these tough decisions, is important," Fallon said. "I understand it's complex; I understand it's challenging. But they are going to have to make the kind of progress that will give the people in this country the confidence that they can believe in this government."
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and other leaders are working on achieving benchmarks they set for themselves for political progress, Fallon said, and ongoing security operations are important to give them a stable environment in which to operate. He noted that Maliki faces a serious challenge in dealing with the country as a whole instead of with sectarian divisions. Maliki himself doesn't have a lot of experience dealing with people from different sectarian groups, and he has to take into consideration the long history of ethnic divisions in Iraq, Fallon said.
Right now, the largest destabilizer in Iraq is the ability of Sunni insurgent groups allied with al Qaeda to conduct large-scale car-bomb attacks, Fallon said. These attacks are aimed at inciting sectarian violence and give Shiites a reason to caution Maliki about reaching out to Sunnis, he said. Breaking the link between these Sunni groups and al Qaeda could prove to produce a substantial turn of events in the country, he said.
"We need to convince (Maliki) that taking steps to give some sense of inclusion to the Sunnis so they will then lessen their support for al Qaeda would be the biggest and most important thing that could happen in the political realm of this country," Fallon said.
Since taking command of CENTCOM about six weeks ago, Fallon said his main focus for Iraq has been supporting Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of Multinational Force Iraq, as he implements a new strategy on the ground. However, Fallon said he also has his staff thinking about the future of U.S. involvement in Iraq, such as what the enduring force will look like and when that transition might occur.
"I envision that we will want to be and we will be asked to be in Iraq for some period of time with some representation of U.S. capability, just as we do in other countries," he said.
Long-term success in Iraq depends not only on internal efforts within the country, but also on external support from neighboring countries, Fallon said. He expressed optimism about the launch of the International Compact with Iraq and the Expanded Neighbors of Iraq Ministerial, with diplomats from more than 50 countries coming together this week in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.
"This place doesn't exist by itself in another galaxy," Fallon said. "The influence of the neighbors, certainly very unhelpful from two of them in the recent past, but the willingness of others to come and assist Iraq, is critical."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Friday, May 04, 2007
Gates: Department Will Shield Troops from Funding Shortfall
By Fred W. Baker III
American Forces Press Service
May 3, 2007 – The Defense Department will take "every action necessary for as long as possible," to ensure that troops fighting in Iraq are not affected by the delay in approval of its supplemental war funding, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said yesterday. The longer the supplemental funding goes unapproved, the greater the financial disruptions on the Army, but most of those will be absorbed as monies are transferred from accounts for U.S. construction, training, hiring and travel and funneled to supporting the war, Gates told Pentagon reporters.
President Bush on May 1 vetoed an emergency war-funding bill that included timelines for withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq.
The $124 billion bill, passed by Congress last week, would have funded the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, but also included domestic spending measures and called for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq beginning by October, with the goal of getting all combat forces out of Iraq by March 2008.
Bush called the bill unacceptable because it mandates artificial timelines for troop withdrawal, which he said would embolden the enemy and discourage the Iraqi people.
Gates responded to questions by reporters on the impact of a delay in approving supplemental funding after a briefing announcing a newly created oversight committee for wounded warrior care in the military.
He said that preset timelines for troop withdrawal would be a mistake. Insurgents would simply wait for U.S. troops to withdraw while bolstering their forces in anticipation, Gates said.
"If you pick a certain date and say the troops are coming out on a certain date, everybody basically just gets to sit back and say, 'OK, we got 90 or 100 days that we've got to wait,'" Gates said.
"All that al Qaeda and Jaysh al-Mahdi and all the rest have to do is say, 'You know, We've got X days until these guys are gone. So husband your resources. All we have to do is make the run for the money in a specific period of time,'" Gates said. "As long as there's some uncertainty about that, it seems to me that they don't have that luxury."
Gates conceded, though, that the debate over a troop withdrawal is "useful in terms of letting the Iraqis fully understand the impatience here at home and the importance of their getting on with their domestic reconciliation and the importance of the political reconciliation to the success of the enterprise in Iraq."
The president requested a $93.4 billion emergency supplemental measure in February to cover the cost of operations in the war on terror for the remainder of fiscal 2007. This was in addition to the $70 billion Congress previously had provided. The supplemental budget provides $39.3 billion to sustain warfighting operations, including supplies, support and maintenance, according to documents released by the Defense Department.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
May 3, 2007 – The Defense Department will take "every action necessary for as long as possible," to ensure that troops fighting in Iraq are not affected by the delay in approval of its supplemental war funding, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said yesterday. The longer the supplemental funding goes unapproved, the greater the financial disruptions on the Army, but most of those will be absorbed as monies are transferred from accounts for U.S. construction, training, hiring and travel and funneled to supporting the war, Gates told Pentagon reporters.
President Bush on May 1 vetoed an emergency war-funding bill that included timelines for withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq.
The $124 billion bill, passed by Congress last week, would have funded the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, but also included domestic spending measures and called for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq beginning by October, with the goal of getting all combat forces out of Iraq by March 2008.
Bush called the bill unacceptable because it mandates artificial timelines for troop withdrawal, which he said would embolden the enemy and discourage the Iraqi people.
Gates responded to questions by reporters on the impact of a delay in approving supplemental funding after a briefing announcing a newly created oversight committee for wounded warrior care in the military.
He said that preset timelines for troop withdrawal would be a mistake. Insurgents would simply wait for U.S. troops to withdraw while bolstering their forces in anticipation, Gates said.
"If you pick a certain date and say the troops are coming out on a certain date, everybody basically just gets to sit back and say, 'OK, we got 90 or 100 days that we've got to wait,'" Gates said.
"All that al Qaeda and Jaysh al-Mahdi and all the rest have to do is say, 'You know, We've got X days until these guys are gone. So husband your resources. All we have to do is make the run for the money in a specific period of time,'" Gates said. "As long as there's some uncertainty about that, it seems to me that they don't have that luxury."
Gates conceded, though, that the debate over a troop withdrawal is "useful in terms of letting the Iraqis fully understand the impatience here at home and the importance of their getting on with their domestic reconciliation and the importance of the political reconciliation to the success of the enterprise in Iraq."
The president requested a $93.4 billion emergency supplemental measure in February to cover the cost of operations in the war on terror for the remainder of fiscal 2007. This was in addition to the $70 billion Congress previously had provided. The supplemental budget provides $39.3 billion to sustain warfighting operations, including supplies, support and maintenance, according to documents released by the Defense Department.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Coalition's 'Operation Rat Trap' Targets al Qaeda in Iraq
By John D. Banusiewicz
American Forces Press Service
May 3, 2007 – Coalition forces have been targeting al Qaeda in Iraq over the last six days in a series of raids dubbed "Operation Rat Trap," a senior spokesman told reporters in Baghdad today. Army Maj. Gen. William Caldwell said coalition forces have no information that would substantiate the rumored -- and widely reported -- deaths of terrorist leaders Abu Ayyub al-Masri or Abu Omar al-Baghdadi. In fact, the general added, coalition officials don't know who Baghdadi is.
However, Caldwell said, coalition forces killed Muharib Abdul Latif, al Qaeda in Iraq's chief propagandist, at about 2 a.m. May 1. After coalition forces confirmed Latif's identity, they released the body to a member of his tribe for proper burial.
A subsequent encounter at an Iraqi security checkpoint may have led to reports that Baghdadi had been killed, Caldwell said.
Latif was a close associate of Masri, the leader of al Qaeda in Iraq, Caldwell said, and he was involved in numerous high-profile kidnappings, including those of journalist Jill Carroll and missionary Tom Fox.
"Based on multiple detainee debriefings, we know that he was responsible for the transportation and movement of Jill Carroll from her various hiding places (and that) he was responsible for the propaganda and ransom videos from the Jill Carroll kidnapping," Caldwell said.
In addition, (Latif) was the last one known to have had personal custody of Tom Fox before his death, Caldwell said.
"We also know he was involved in the kidnapping of two Germans in January of 2006," Caldwell continued. "Between May and September of 2006, we know he was working as a money and foreign facilitator for (al Qaeda in Iraq) in Syria."
Latif then made his way back into Iraq and took over as the minister of information for al Qaeda, Caldwell said.
While coalition officials are aware of reports that Masri was killed and that his body was turned over to coalition forces, the general said, they have no evidence to that effect.
"I know there's been a couple announcements that somebody did kill Ayyub al-Masri," he said. "We do not have nor do we know anybody that has in their possession right now either a person alive or dead that we can do DNA analysis or photo identification on at this point. We just don't have any information or knowledge of that. I am aware, though, of the claims that have been made. I've read them in the press reporting. But we cannot do any independent confirmation of that ourselves as of this point."
Regarding Baghdadi, the general told reporters that coalition officials not only have no evidence that Baghdadi is dead, but also don't even know whether he exists. "We're not really sure who that is," he said. "There's a lot of discussion about a person called al-Baghdadi, but we actually have no knowledge who that might be."
Coalition forces will continue to target al Qaeda in Iraq, Caldwell said. "Al Qaeda continues to use indiscriminate targeting against civilians," he said. "We've said during the month of April somewhere between 1,500 to 2,000 innocent Iraqi civilians were either killed or injured through the use of car bombs and suicide vests, so this is an important operation to take on."
In Iraq's Anbar province, Caldwell said, terrorists no longer are welcome.
"From the efforts by the local tribe leaders taking on al Qaeda and saying that their tactics, their methods, the means by which they intimidate people, the indiscriminate killings against innocent civilians, their use of chlorine car bombs that they do use -- it's just something they're not going to tolerate any more," Caldwell said. "That's a decision they've made, and they are not allowing al Qaeda to operate freely as they once did out in that area."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
May 3, 2007 – Coalition forces have been targeting al Qaeda in Iraq over the last six days in a series of raids dubbed "Operation Rat Trap," a senior spokesman told reporters in Baghdad today. Army Maj. Gen. William Caldwell said coalition forces have no information that would substantiate the rumored -- and widely reported -- deaths of terrorist leaders Abu Ayyub al-Masri or Abu Omar al-Baghdadi. In fact, the general added, coalition officials don't know who Baghdadi is.
However, Caldwell said, coalition forces killed Muharib Abdul Latif, al Qaeda in Iraq's chief propagandist, at about 2 a.m. May 1. After coalition forces confirmed Latif's identity, they released the body to a member of his tribe for proper burial.
A subsequent encounter at an Iraqi security checkpoint may have led to reports that Baghdadi had been killed, Caldwell said.
Latif was a close associate of Masri, the leader of al Qaeda in Iraq, Caldwell said, and he was involved in numerous high-profile kidnappings, including those of journalist Jill Carroll and missionary Tom Fox.
"Based on multiple detainee debriefings, we know that he was responsible for the transportation and movement of Jill Carroll from her various hiding places (and that) he was responsible for the propaganda and ransom videos from the Jill Carroll kidnapping," Caldwell said.
In addition, (Latif) was the last one known to have had personal custody of Tom Fox before his death, Caldwell said.
"We also know he was involved in the kidnapping of two Germans in January of 2006," Caldwell continued. "Between May and September of 2006, we know he was working as a money and foreign facilitator for (al Qaeda in Iraq) in Syria."
Latif then made his way back into Iraq and took over as the minister of information for al Qaeda, Caldwell said.
While coalition officials are aware of reports that Masri was killed and that his body was turned over to coalition forces, the general said, they have no evidence to that effect.
"I know there's been a couple announcements that somebody did kill Ayyub al-Masri," he said. "We do not have nor do we know anybody that has in their possession right now either a person alive or dead that we can do DNA analysis or photo identification on at this point. We just don't have any information or knowledge of that. I am aware, though, of the claims that have been made. I've read them in the press reporting. But we cannot do any independent confirmation of that ourselves as of this point."
Regarding Baghdadi, the general told reporters that coalition officials not only have no evidence that Baghdadi is dead, but also don't even know whether he exists. "We're not really sure who that is," he said. "There's a lot of discussion about a person called al-Baghdadi, but we actually have no knowledge who that might be."
Coalition forces will continue to target al Qaeda in Iraq, Caldwell said. "Al Qaeda continues to use indiscriminate targeting against civilians," he said. "We've said during the month of April somewhere between 1,500 to 2,000 innocent Iraqi civilians were either killed or injured through the use of car bombs and suicide vests, so this is an important operation to take on."
In Iraq's Anbar province, Caldwell said, terrorists no longer are welcome.
"From the efforts by the local tribe leaders taking on al Qaeda and saying that their tactics, their methods, the means by which they intimidate people, the indiscriminate killings against innocent civilians, their use of chlorine car bombs that they do use -- it's just something they're not going to tolerate any more," Caldwell said. "That's a decision they've made, and they are not allowing al Qaeda to operate freely as they once did out in that area."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Air Force Team in Afghanistan Aims High on Low Terrain
By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service
May 3, 2007 – Far below their accustomed bird's-eye view of Afghanistan, about 240 U.S. airmen with boots on the ground there are working to build vital infrastructure as members of provincial reconstruction teams. Twenty-four PRTs are stationed across Afghanistan, and in April 2006, the Air Force began leading six of the teams. Each is made up of about 90 members, including 40 active-duty airmen and 50 active and reserve-component soldiers. Soldiers mainly provide each team's protection while airmen like Capt. Rockie K. Wilson, team leader for the Qalat PRT, manage highway, hospital and government construction projects.
"Airmen are in the fight," Wilson told reporters at the Pentagon today. "We are part of the global war on terrorism right there with our Army, Navy and Marine counterparts."
The international community established interdisciplinary PRTs as "transitional structures" to improve Afghanistan's security through reconstruction and economic development. Teams assist local authorities, non-government agencies and United Nations agencies in support of the country's elected government.
"What a PRT ultimately is there for is to provide the outreach, provide the legitimacy of the government of Afghanistan, to help facilitate ... the overall governance of their areas and their people," he said.
Wilson said the infrastructure mission in Afghanistan is making progress, though Taliban intimidation presents a significant challenge.
"While I was there I was overseeing the construction of about 70 miles of road, a number of bridges and different facility projects pushing out into these areas where the government has had difficulty in the past," Wilson said.
Working from August to December 2006 alongside his Afghan counterpart, known as "Engineer Nassir," Wilson led his PRT as it built an important highway beginning in Qalat, located about 100 miles northwest of Kandahar, and ending in Mizan. This 70-mile transportation artery crossed three Afghan districts and "extended the outreach" of government-sponsored public works projects, Wilson said.
Besides the infrastructure projects he managed while deployed, Wilson also oversaw the construction of a conference center, a hospital and its dormitory, a fire station and the governor's guest house.
For their labor, Afghan construction workers are paid "a couple bucks a day" in cash wages that are disbursed when workers meet milestones set by the PRT, Wilson said. "The construction cost (in Afghanistan) is very low compared to what you'll see here," he said. "To us it was not much, but to them it was a very nice sum of money."
Some higher-wage construction projects require laborers to work in dangerous areas, making workers vulnerable to Taliban assault. While en route to one such building site in Khaki, Afghanistan, Taliban fighters ambushed Wilson's convoy and killed an Afghan servicemember.
The Taliban "paid dearly that day," he said.
Afghanistan has an unemployment rate of roughly 40 percent, according to the Central Intelligence Agency's 2005 estimate, and though Afghan laborers can face intimidation from Taliban operatives, construction work in the country is highly coveted.
To meet and mold this prospective labor pool, the Qalat PRT set up a trade school to teach 10- to 15-year-old boys carpentry, welding, concrete mixing and other construction trades, Wilson said, allowing them to work "hand in hand."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
May 3, 2007 – Far below their accustomed bird's-eye view of Afghanistan, about 240 U.S. airmen with boots on the ground there are working to build vital infrastructure as members of provincial reconstruction teams. Twenty-four PRTs are stationed across Afghanistan, and in April 2006, the Air Force began leading six of the teams. Each is made up of about 90 members, including 40 active-duty airmen and 50 active and reserve-component soldiers. Soldiers mainly provide each team's protection while airmen like Capt. Rockie K. Wilson, team leader for the Qalat PRT, manage highway, hospital and government construction projects.
"Airmen are in the fight," Wilson told reporters at the Pentagon today. "We are part of the global war on terrorism right there with our Army, Navy and Marine counterparts."
The international community established interdisciplinary PRTs as "transitional structures" to improve Afghanistan's security through reconstruction and economic development. Teams assist local authorities, non-government agencies and United Nations agencies in support of the country's elected government.
"What a PRT ultimately is there for is to provide the outreach, provide the legitimacy of the government of Afghanistan, to help facilitate ... the overall governance of their areas and their people," he said.
Wilson said the infrastructure mission in Afghanistan is making progress, though Taliban intimidation presents a significant challenge.
"While I was there I was overseeing the construction of about 70 miles of road, a number of bridges and different facility projects pushing out into these areas where the government has had difficulty in the past," Wilson said.
Working from August to December 2006 alongside his Afghan counterpart, known as "Engineer Nassir," Wilson led his PRT as it built an important highway beginning in Qalat, located about 100 miles northwest of Kandahar, and ending in Mizan. This 70-mile transportation artery crossed three Afghan districts and "extended the outreach" of government-sponsored public works projects, Wilson said.
Besides the infrastructure projects he managed while deployed, Wilson also oversaw the construction of a conference center, a hospital and its dormitory, a fire station and the governor's guest house.
For their labor, Afghan construction workers are paid "a couple bucks a day" in cash wages that are disbursed when workers meet milestones set by the PRT, Wilson said. "The construction cost (in Afghanistan) is very low compared to what you'll see here," he said. "To us it was not much, but to them it was a very nice sum of money."
Some higher-wage construction projects require laborers to work in dangerous areas, making workers vulnerable to Taliban assault. While en route to one such building site in Khaki, Afghanistan, Taliban fighters ambushed Wilson's convoy and killed an Afghan servicemember.
The Taliban "paid dearly that day," he said.
Afghanistan has an unemployment rate of roughly 40 percent, according to the Central Intelligence Agency's 2005 estimate, and though Afghan laborers can face intimidation from Taliban operatives, construction work in the country is highly coveted.
To meet and mold this prospective labor pool, the Qalat PRT set up a trade school to teach 10- to 15-year-old boys carpentry, welding, concrete mixing and other construction trades, Wilson said, allowing them to work "hand in hand."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Steady Progress Continues Despite Challenges in Iraq, General Says
By Sgt. Sara Wood, USA
American Forces Press Service
May 3, 2007 – Though they face daily challenges that will continue, U.S. forces remain dedicated to the fight in Iraq and are making steady progress, the deputy director for operations on the Joint Staff said here today. Three of the five additional combat brigades slated for the Baghdad security plan have arrived and are operating with Iraqi security forces, Army Brig. Gen. Perry L. Wiggins told Pentagon reporters in a news conference. "We are seeing early indications of steady progress. It's not often flashy, but it's the sort of progress that can make a difference over time," Wiggins said.
Since the Baghdad security plan began, sectarian murders in the city are down by two-thirds, and the number of tips from Iraqi citizens leading to weapons caches has increased dramatically, Wiggins said. Through these tips and cache finds, U.S. forces are learning more about the insurgent networks and how they operate and are funded. The networks often involve foreign influence, and some are tied to Iran, he said.
Despite the progress made, the number of high-profile attacks on civilians in Iraq continues to rise, Wiggins said. These attacks are carried out by al Qaeda to incite sectarian violence, and preventing them is a top priority for the coalition, he said.
"We're working hard to enhance security, and we're working hard to better secure the areas where people live and meet, as well as go after the networks that support these attacks," Wiggins said.
Wiggins cited Anbar province as an example of progress in Iraq. There, the tribal sheikhs have decided to turn against al Qaeda and put a stop to indiscriminate killing, he said. "The key element has been the local population, predominantly the Sunni Arabs, who have stepped up and taken a more active role to secure their own destiny," he said.
While everyone would like to see faster progress on the part of the Iraqi government, coalition forces remain dedicated to the mission in Iraq, and Iraqi security forces continue to show their dedication as well, Wiggins said. Iraqi security forces lost more than 300 people in April, but have remained committed to their duty and the hope for a peaceful Iraq, he said.
Wiggins conceded that April was a tough month for U.S. forces in Iraq, as more than 100 servicemembers were killed. There will undoubtedly be challenging days ahead, he said, but "we remain dedicated to the fight."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
May 3, 2007 – Though they face daily challenges that will continue, U.S. forces remain dedicated to the fight in Iraq and are making steady progress, the deputy director for operations on the Joint Staff said here today. Three of the five additional combat brigades slated for the Baghdad security plan have arrived and are operating with Iraqi security forces, Army Brig. Gen. Perry L. Wiggins told Pentagon reporters in a news conference. "We are seeing early indications of steady progress. It's not often flashy, but it's the sort of progress that can make a difference over time," Wiggins said.
Since the Baghdad security plan began, sectarian murders in the city are down by two-thirds, and the number of tips from Iraqi citizens leading to weapons caches has increased dramatically, Wiggins said. Through these tips and cache finds, U.S. forces are learning more about the insurgent networks and how they operate and are funded. The networks often involve foreign influence, and some are tied to Iran, he said.
Despite the progress made, the number of high-profile attacks on civilians in Iraq continues to rise, Wiggins said. These attacks are carried out by al Qaeda to incite sectarian violence, and preventing them is a top priority for the coalition, he said.
"We're working hard to enhance security, and we're working hard to better secure the areas where people live and meet, as well as go after the networks that support these attacks," Wiggins said.
Wiggins cited Anbar province as an example of progress in Iraq. There, the tribal sheikhs have decided to turn against al Qaeda and put a stop to indiscriminate killing, he said. "The key element has been the local population, predominantly the Sunni Arabs, who have stepped up and taken a more active role to secure their own destiny," he said.
While everyone would like to see faster progress on the part of the Iraqi government, coalition forces remain dedicated to the mission in Iraq, and Iraqi security forces continue to show their dedication as well, Wiggins said. Iraqi security forces lost more than 300 people in April, but have remained committed to their duty and the hope for a peaceful Iraq, he said.
Wiggins conceded that April was a tough month for U.S. forces in Iraq, as more than 100 servicemembers were killed. There will undoubtedly be challenging days ahead, he said, but "we remain dedicated to the fight."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Marine Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Lance Cpl. Johnathan E. Kirk, 25, of Belhaven, N.C., died May 1 from wounds received while conducting combat operations on April 23 in Al Anbar province, Iraq. Kirk was assigned to 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
For more information in regard to this release the media can contact the Camp Lejeune Public Affairs Office at (910) 451-7440.
Lance Cpl. Johnathan E. Kirk, 25, of Belhaven, N.C., died May 1 from wounds received while conducting combat operations on April 23 in Al Anbar province, Iraq. Kirk was assigned to 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
For more information in regard to this release the media can contact the Camp Lejeune Public Affairs Office at (910) 451-7440.
Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
1st Lt. Colby J. Umbrell, 26, of Doylestown, Pa., died May 3 in Musayyib, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson, Alaska.
For more information in regard to this release the media can contact the U.S. Army, Alaska, public affairs office at (907) 384-1542.
1st Lt. Colby J. Umbrell, 26, of Doylestown, Pa., died May 3 in Musayyib, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson, Alaska.
For more information in regard to this release the media can contact the U.S. Army, Alaska, public affairs office at (907) 384-1542.
Improved Security Helps Iraq's Political Progress, U.S. Ambassador Says
By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service
May 2, 2007 – The ongoing surge of U.S. and Iraqi security forces into Baghdad and parts of western Iraq is designed to tamp down insurgent violence and provide enough time for the fledgling government to sort out pressing political issues, the senior U.S. diplomat in Iraq said yesterday. "Security buys time," Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker told reporters at a Baghdad news conference. However, he emphasized, any improvement in security must go hand-in-hand with Iraqi government efforts to bring together disaffected elements of the population, namely the Sunnis and Shiites.
Crocker previously served in Baghdad as the first director for governance for the Coalition Provisional Authority between May and August 2003. He succeeded Zalmay Khalilzad as ambassador to Iraq on March 29. Khalilzad is now the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.
Achieving security in Iraq is "not an end in and of itself," Crocker explained. The Iraqis, he said, need time to institute "a political process to move forward with meaningful national reconciliation, which is why we pay so much attention to issues like de-Baathification reform, constitutional reform, hydrocarbon legislation, and so forth."
Crocker's principal mission in Baghdad, he said, is to assist and support the Iraqi government's national reconciliation efforts. The more numerous Shiite Muslims within Iraq's population were systematically persecuted under the regime of the late dictator Saddam Hussein, who was a Sunni Arab. Much of today's violence in Iraq is staged by Sunni insurgents who lost power after Saddam's government collapsed during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Achieving reconciliation between Sunnis and Shiites will greatly assist the Iraqi government "to move ahead with the fulfillment of what they and we have all worked so hard for, which is a democratic, stable, secure Iraq that is a source of positive development in the region and beyond," Crocker said.
Meetings between Iraqi and neighboring-country ministers slated later this week in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, are "critically important to Iraq's long-term success, as well," Crocker pointed out. The United States' top diplomat, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, also will be in Sharm El Sheikh.
"I'm encouraged by the fact that all of Iraq's neighbors have agreed that they will be at the table at a senior level in Sharm El Sheikh," Crocker said, noting that representatives from 60 countries are expected to attend.
The behavior of Iraq's neighbors "will have a crucial bearing on what happens inside Iraq," Crocker pointed out. And, it's therefore desirable, he added, that Iraq's neighbors "commit themselves to constructive roles and not destructive ones."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
May 2, 2007 – The ongoing surge of U.S. and Iraqi security forces into Baghdad and parts of western Iraq is designed to tamp down insurgent violence and provide enough time for the fledgling government to sort out pressing political issues, the senior U.S. diplomat in Iraq said yesterday. "Security buys time," Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker told reporters at a Baghdad news conference. However, he emphasized, any improvement in security must go hand-in-hand with Iraqi government efforts to bring together disaffected elements of the population, namely the Sunnis and Shiites.
Crocker previously served in Baghdad as the first director for governance for the Coalition Provisional Authority between May and August 2003. He succeeded Zalmay Khalilzad as ambassador to Iraq on March 29. Khalilzad is now the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.
Achieving security in Iraq is "not an end in and of itself," Crocker explained. The Iraqis, he said, need time to institute "a political process to move forward with meaningful national reconciliation, which is why we pay so much attention to issues like de-Baathification reform, constitutional reform, hydrocarbon legislation, and so forth."
Crocker's principal mission in Baghdad, he said, is to assist and support the Iraqi government's national reconciliation efforts. The more numerous Shiite Muslims within Iraq's population were systematically persecuted under the regime of the late dictator Saddam Hussein, who was a Sunni Arab. Much of today's violence in Iraq is staged by Sunni insurgents who lost power after Saddam's government collapsed during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Achieving reconciliation between Sunnis and Shiites will greatly assist the Iraqi government "to move ahead with the fulfillment of what they and we have all worked so hard for, which is a democratic, stable, secure Iraq that is a source of positive development in the region and beyond," Crocker said.
Meetings between Iraqi and neighboring-country ministers slated later this week in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, are "critically important to Iraq's long-term success, as well," Crocker pointed out. The United States' top diplomat, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, also will be in Sharm El Sheikh.
"I'm encouraged by the fact that all of Iraq's neighbors have agreed that they will be at the table at a senior level in Sharm El Sheikh," Crocker said, noting that representatives from 60 countries are expected to attend.
The behavior of Iraq's neighbors "will have a crucial bearing on what happens inside Iraq," Crocker pointed out. And, it's therefore desirable, he added, that Iraq's neighbors "commit themselves to constructive roles and not destructive ones."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Army Casualties
The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died May 2 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when their vehicle struck an improvised explosive device. They were assigned to the 4th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.
Killed were:
1st Lt. Ryan P. Jones, 23, of Massachusetts.
Spc. Astor A. Sunsin-Pineda, 20, of Long Beach, Calif.
For further information on these soldiers, contact the Fort Riley public affairs office at (785) 239-3410.
Killed were:
1st Lt. Ryan P. Jones, 23, of Massachusetts.
Spc. Astor A. Sunsin-Pineda, 20, of Long Beach, Calif.
For further information on these soldiers, contact the Fort Riley public affairs office at (785) 239-3410.
Bush: Al Qaeda Cannot Gain Safe Haven in Iraq
By Sgt. Sara Wood, USA
American Forces Press Service
May 2, 2007 – The decision America faces in Iraq is not whether to take sides in a sectarian civil war, but whether to continue the fight against al Qaeda, the organization that attacked the United States on Sept. 11, 2001, and is now threatening stability in Iraq and the entire Middle East, President Bush said here today. "I fully recognize what happens in Iraq matters here at home," Bush said at a meeting of the Associated General Contractors of America. "The recent attacks are not the revenge killings that some have called a civil war; they are a systematic assault on the entire nation. Al Qaeda is public enemy No. 1 in Iraq, and all people of that society ought to come together and recognize the threat, unite against the threat, and reconcile their differences."
U.S. forces have a new strategy to fight al Qaeda in Iraq, and the early stages of that strategy are encouraging, but the terrorists are bound to fight back, Bush said. In the past few weeks, al Qaeda has stepped up its campaign of high-profile suicide-bomb attacks, which are designed to reignite sectarian violence, discourage Iraqi citizens, and break U.S. support for the war, he said.
"The terrorists will continue to fight back. In other words, they understand what they're doing," Bush said. "And casualties are likely to stay high. Yet, day by day, block by block, we are steadfast in helping Iraqi leaders counter the terrorists, protect their people, and reclaim the capital. And if I didn't think it was necessary for the security of the country, I wouldn't put our kids in harm's way."
As the Baghdad security plan unfolds, U.S. forces will not be able to prevent every terrorist attack, Bush cautioned. However, he said, the plan is designed to shrink the areas where al Qaeda can operate, gather more intelligence about their presence, and allow American and Iraqi forces to dismantle their network.
The new security plan is still in its early stages, Bush noted, as Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of Multinational Force Iraq, hasn't received all the reinforcements he asked for. Last night, Bush vetoed an emergency war-funding bill that included deadlines for withdrawing troops from Iraq, and today he reiterated his calls to Congress to give Petraeus more time to implement the new plan and gauge its success.
"This issue of Iraq and this war on terror deserves a serious discussion across the United States," Bush said. "We don't agree on every issue, but one of the things I have heard here in Washington is that people understand the consequences of failure in Iraq. If we were to leave Iraq before the government can defend itself, there would be a security vacuum."
A security vacuum in Iraq would allow extremists to move in and take control, using the country's significant natural resources to fund their objectives, Bush said. Al Qaeda terrorists would not be content simply to see U.S. forces leave Iraq, he said, but would see withdrawal as a sign of weakness and would attack America on its own soil.
"There would be no benefit in allowing chaos to spill out of Iraq and into the broader Middle East. There would be no benefit in emboldening Iran and endangering our allies in the region. And there would be no benefit in allowing the same terrorist network that attacked America on 9/11 to gain a safe haven from which to attack us again," Bush said. "Even if you think it was a mistake to go into Iraq, it would be a far greater mistake to pull out now."
Success in the war on terror is going to be difficult and will require sacrifice, but Americans must not forget the potential positive outcomes of success, Bush said. He pointed to Japan, which was once a sworn enemy of the United States and is now a close ally, as an example of "the possibilities of liberty to change history."
"We fully understand that the long-term way to protect America is to defeat an ideology of hate with an ideology of hope," he said. "I learned firsthand the power of liberty to transform an enemy into an ally."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
May 2, 2007 – The decision America faces in Iraq is not whether to take sides in a sectarian civil war, but whether to continue the fight against al Qaeda, the organization that attacked the United States on Sept. 11, 2001, and is now threatening stability in Iraq and the entire Middle East, President Bush said here today. "I fully recognize what happens in Iraq matters here at home," Bush said at a meeting of the Associated General Contractors of America. "The recent attacks are not the revenge killings that some have called a civil war; they are a systematic assault on the entire nation. Al Qaeda is public enemy No. 1 in Iraq, and all people of that society ought to come together and recognize the threat, unite against the threat, and reconcile their differences."
U.S. forces have a new strategy to fight al Qaeda in Iraq, and the early stages of that strategy are encouraging, but the terrorists are bound to fight back, Bush said. In the past few weeks, al Qaeda has stepped up its campaign of high-profile suicide-bomb attacks, which are designed to reignite sectarian violence, discourage Iraqi citizens, and break U.S. support for the war, he said.
"The terrorists will continue to fight back. In other words, they understand what they're doing," Bush said. "And casualties are likely to stay high. Yet, day by day, block by block, we are steadfast in helping Iraqi leaders counter the terrorists, protect their people, and reclaim the capital. And if I didn't think it was necessary for the security of the country, I wouldn't put our kids in harm's way."
As the Baghdad security plan unfolds, U.S. forces will not be able to prevent every terrorist attack, Bush cautioned. However, he said, the plan is designed to shrink the areas where al Qaeda can operate, gather more intelligence about their presence, and allow American and Iraqi forces to dismantle their network.
The new security plan is still in its early stages, Bush noted, as Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of Multinational Force Iraq, hasn't received all the reinforcements he asked for. Last night, Bush vetoed an emergency war-funding bill that included deadlines for withdrawing troops from Iraq, and today he reiterated his calls to Congress to give Petraeus more time to implement the new plan and gauge its success.
"This issue of Iraq and this war on terror deserves a serious discussion across the United States," Bush said. "We don't agree on every issue, but one of the things I have heard here in Washington is that people understand the consequences of failure in Iraq. If we were to leave Iraq before the government can defend itself, there would be a security vacuum."
A security vacuum in Iraq would allow extremists to move in and take control, using the country's significant natural resources to fund their objectives, Bush said. Al Qaeda terrorists would not be content simply to see U.S. forces leave Iraq, he said, but would see withdrawal as a sign of weakness and would attack America on its own soil.
"There would be no benefit in allowing chaos to spill out of Iraq and into the broader Middle East. There would be no benefit in emboldening Iran and endangering our allies in the region. And there would be no benefit in allowing the same terrorist network that attacked America on 9/11 to gain a safe haven from which to attack us again," Bush said. "Even if you think it was a mistake to go into Iraq, it would be a far greater mistake to pull out now."
Success in the war on terror is going to be difficult and will require sacrifice, but Americans must not forget the potential positive outcomes of success, Bush said. He pointed to Japan, which was once a sworn enemy of the United States and is now a close ally, as an example of "the possibilities of liberty to change history."
"We fully understand that the long-term way to protect America is to defeat an ideology of hate with an ideology of hope," he said. "I learned firsthand the power of liberty to transform an enemy into an ally."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
General Impressed with Agencies' Collaboration in Homeland Defense
By Carmen L. Gleason
American Forces Press Service
May 2, 2007 – The United States should be confident that the Defense Department is working toward better solutions to challenges like natural disasters and threats on the nation's security, the top general for planning, organizing and executing homeland defense and civil support missions said today. As U.S. Northern Command launches a 19-day preparedness exercise dubbed "Ardent Sentry/Northern Edge" with the Department of Homeland Defense, Air Force Gen. Victor E. Renuart Jr. said he's "pleasantly impressed" that all involved agencies are working toward a successful collaboration.
"The defense of the homeland is everyone's top priority," Renuart said. "We're part of a team made up of local, state and federal agencies, as well as the individual (National) Guards in each state and the Department of Defense."
The exercise, which started April 30 and runs to May 18, is the largest and most complex exercise undertaken by the Northern Command. Field training exercises will be integrated with command and control entities to simulate disasters such as hurricanes and terrorists using nuclear weapons within the continental United States, the general said.
The primary exercise events will take place in Indiana and New England, as well as Alaska and its adjacent waters. North American Aerospace Defense Command will conduct simulated and live-flying events over multiple locations in the United States and Canada.
Although each state has an internal capability to use first responders and National Guard troops, active-duty troops also are participating in the exercise to offer expanded capability.
Renuart, who took command of Northern Command on March 23, said active-duty servicemembers can offer "niche capabilities" in areas such as communications and mobility. "Our job is to ensure that state and federal agencies succeed almost without having to ask for help," he said.
Since the U.S. military is heavily involved with forces deployed overseas, Renuart said, the availability of air resources to move things around could become an issue, depending on the size of the event.
"The active-duty resources allows us the capabilities like helicopters for search-and-rescue operations or moving around small federal response teams and fixed-wing aircraft of a more local nature, like C-130s to move larger pieces of equipment," he said.
He said the exercise will help NORTHCOM not only understand individual states' capabilities but also see how each state views its availability to respond and position the niche capabilities that the active-duty military may be able to provide on short notice.
"We can look at a number of recent events and find great rationale for having these kinds of exercises," Renuart said. "And certainly Hurricane Katrina was the most significant of those; that really opened our eyes."
The general said that the United States learned from the significance and number of complications following Hurricane Katrina.
"We had not done as good of a job at planning ahead of time for an event that was not only significant for a local area, like New Orleans, but across a broad area of multiple states," he said.
Within the past two years, NORTHCOM has worked to create more opportunities to share information with the Department of Homeland Security and other state and federal agencies to improve the ability to collaborate, interact and prepare for emergencies, he said.
"(The exercise) gives us the chance to see if the plans we have in place are well thought out, if (organizations) are properly equipped, and if the troops -- whether they be first response or follow-on medical teams -- have the appropriate training," Renuart said. "And it allows us to look at a spectrum of planning, integration and collaboration with state and federal agencies to ensure that (Defense Department) resources have the proper training and equipment to be value added to this kind of scenario."
Renuart said he knows the exercise will reveal shortfalls within the system, but added that he is eager to budget, fund and train to close the seams and gaps that may exist today to improve training and real-life scenarios tomorrow.
"We have to impress upon all the participants that, in order for the nation to succeed at providing a secure homeland, all the elements of the government have to work together and do it in a way that takes advantage of the synergy of the collaborative work as opposed to individuals having to work alone," he said. "It's a mission we can't afford to fall short on."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
May 2, 2007 – The United States should be confident that the Defense Department is working toward better solutions to challenges like natural disasters and threats on the nation's security, the top general for planning, organizing and executing homeland defense and civil support missions said today. As U.S. Northern Command launches a 19-day preparedness exercise dubbed "Ardent Sentry/Northern Edge" with the Department of Homeland Defense, Air Force Gen. Victor E. Renuart Jr. said he's "pleasantly impressed" that all involved agencies are working toward a successful collaboration.
"The defense of the homeland is everyone's top priority," Renuart said. "We're part of a team made up of local, state and federal agencies, as well as the individual (National) Guards in each state and the Department of Defense."
The exercise, which started April 30 and runs to May 18, is the largest and most complex exercise undertaken by the Northern Command. Field training exercises will be integrated with command and control entities to simulate disasters such as hurricanes and terrorists using nuclear weapons within the continental United States, the general said.
The primary exercise events will take place in Indiana and New England, as well as Alaska and its adjacent waters. North American Aerospace Defense Command will conduct simulated and live-flying events over multiple locations in the United States and Canada.
Although each state has an internal capability to use first responders and National Guard troops, active-duty troops also are participating in the exercise to offer expanded capability.
Renuart, who took command of Northern Command on March 23, said active-duty servicemembers can offer "niche capabilities" in areas such as communications and mobility. "Our job is to ensure that state and federal agencies succeed almost without having to ask for help," he said.
Since the U.S. military is heavily involved with forces deployed overseas, Renuart said, the availability of air resources to move things around could become an issue, depending on the size of the event.
"The active-duty resources allows us the capabilities like helicopters for search-and-rescue operations or moving around small federal response teams and fixed-wing aircraft of a more local nature, like C-130s to move larger pieces of equipment," he said.
He said the exercise will help NORTHCOM not only understand individual states' capabilities but also see how each state views its availability to respond and position the niche capabilities that the active-duty military may be able to provide on short notice.
"We can look at a number of recent events and find great rationale for having these kinds of exercises," Renuart said. "And certainly Hurricane Katrina was the most significant of those; that really opened our eyes."
The general said that the United States learned from the significance and number of complications following Hurricane Katrina.
"We had not done as good of a job at planning ahead of time for an event that was not only significant for a local area, like New Orleans, but across a broad area of multiple states," he said.
Within the past two years, NORTHCOM has worked to create more opportunities to share information with the Department of Homeland Security and other state and federal agencies to improve the ability to collaborate, interact and prepare for emergencies, he said.
"(The exercise) gives us the chance to see if the plans we have in place are well thought out, if (organizations) are properly equipped, and if the troops -- whether they be first response or follow-on medical teams -- have the appropriate training," Renuart said. "And it allows us to look at a spectrum of planning, integration and collaboration with state and federal agencies to ensure that (Defense Department) resources have the proper training and equipment to be value added to this kind of scenario."
Renuart said he knows the exercise will reveal shortfalls within the system, but added that he is eager to budget, fund and train to close the seams and gaps that may exist today to improve training and real-life scenarios tomorrow.
"We have to impress upon all the participants that, in order for the nation to succeed at providing a secure homeland, all the elements of the government have to work together and do it in a way that takes advantage of the synergy of the collaborative work as opposed to individuals having to work alone," he said. "It's a mission we can't afford to fall short on."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Arizona Team Expressing Appreciation for Troops
The Arizona Diamondbacks baseball team is using its May 6 game against the New York Mets to say thank you to the nation's troops. The team has declared May 6 "Military Appreciation Day," and is providing free game tickets to all holders of a valid military identification card.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Thursday, May 03, 2007
Coalition, Iraqi Forces Detain 39 Suspects, Discover Weapons Caches
American Forces Press Service
May 3, 2007 – Coalition and Iraqi forces nabbed 39 suspected insurgents and seized weapons caches during operations in Iraq over the past three days, military officials said. Coalition forces detained eight suspected terrorists during two separate overnight raids north of Karmah. The suspects allegedly are involved in facilitating foreign fighters and are linked to an improvised-explosive-device network known to use chlorine in its attacks, military officials said. During the raid, troops discovered IED-making materials and a double-barreled anti-aircraft weapon and mount, which they destroyed on site.
"Every time we eliminate another member of the deadly IED networks in Iraq, the people of Iraq are one step closer to a safer existence," said Army Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, a Multinational Force Iraq spokesman.
During raids in Sadr City this morning, coalition forces detained two suspects who allegedly belong to the secret cell of a terrorist network that helps transport terrorist recruits, weapons and explosively formed penetrators from Iran to Iraq. Intelligence reports also indicate the secret cell has ties to a kidnapping network that conducts attacks in Iraq.
"This and other recent operations in the region highlight the deliberate, methodical dismantlement of terrorist networks in Iraq and those who contribute to their illegal actions," Garver said.
In southern Baghdad, paratroopers from the 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, detained three men last night when the van they were driving stopped about 1,600 feet from a security checkpoint. When the paratroopers approached the vehicle to investigate, the men in the van opened fire. In the ensuing firefight, one of the insurgents was wounded and treated at the scene by a medic.
The paratroopers took the three suspects into custody and are holding them for further questioning.
In Mosul yesterday, coalition forces raided four buildings as part of two related operations. When troops searched the buildings, they detained three suspected terrorists that intelligence sources link to arms trafficking, a car-bomb network and attacks against Iraqi and coalition forces.
In Anbar province yesterday, coalition forces followed intelligence leads to several buildings believed to be senior al Qaeda in Iraq safe houses. When coalition forces cleared and searched the buildings, they detained 10 individuals suspected of working with al Qaeda.
During a separate raid yesterday in Baghdad, coalition forces detained two suspects allegedly responsible for operating an IED cell, military officials said.
"We're steadily dismantling the al Qaeda network, including the IED network that has been so deadly to the Iraqi people," Garver said.
In the Iraqi capital May 1, Iraqi special operations forces conducted an early morning operation, capturing five suspects suspected of building car bombs and carrying out death squad murders. With coalition advisors present, Iraqi special operations forces raided several residences in the Aamel neighborhood in southwestern Baghdad. Small-arms fire was exchanged, and the primary suspects were detained. Iraqi forces also detained six other suspicious individuals at the target location and seized a cache with five sniper rifles, ammunition and electronic communication devices.
The primary targets of this operation are alleged to be involved in an insurgent network responsible for conducting attacks against local civilians, Iraqi security forces and coalition forces in the Baghdad area, military officials said. No Iraqi or coalition forces were injured during this operation.
(Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq and Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
May 3, 2007 – Coalition and Iraqi forces nabbed 39 suspected insurgents and seized weapons caches during operations in Iraq over the past three days, military officials said. Coalition forces detained eight suspected terrorists during two separate overnight raids north of Karmah. The suspects allegedly are involved in facilitating foreign fighters and are linked to an improvised-explosive-device network known to use chlorine in its attacks, military officials said. During the raid, troops discovered IED-making materials and a double-barreled anti-aircraft weapon and mount, which they destroyed on site.
"Every time we eliminate another member of the deadly IED networks in Iraq, the people of Iraq are one step closer to a safer existence," said Army Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, a Multinational Force Iraq spokesman.
During raids in Sadr City this morning, coalition forces detained two suspects who allegedly belong to the secret cell of a terrorist network that helps transport terrorist recruits, weapons and explosively formed penetrators from Iran to Iraq. Intelligence reports also indicate the secret cell has ties to a kidnapping network that conducts attacks in Iraq.
"This and other recent operations in the region highlight the deliberate, methodical dismantlement of terrorist networks in Iraq and those who contribute to their illegal actions," Garver said.
In southern Baghdad, paratroopers from the 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, detained three men last night when the van they were driving stopped about 1,600 feet from a security checkpoint. When the paratroopers approached the vehicle to investigate, the men in the van opened fire. In the ensuing firefight, one of the insurgents was wounded and treated at the scene by a medic.
The paratroopers took the three suspects into custody and are holding them for further questioning.
In Mosul yesterday, coalition forces raided four buildings as part of two related operations. When troops searched the buildings, they detained three suspected terrorists that intelligence sources link to arms trafficking, a car-bomb network and attacks against Iraqi and coalition forces.
In Anbar province yesterday, coalition forces followed intelligence leads to several buildings believed to be senior al Qaeda in Iraq safe houses. When coalition forces cleared and searched the buildings, they detained 10 individuals suspected of working with al Qaeda.
During a separate raid yesterday in Baghdad, coalition forces detained two suspects allegedly responsible for operating an IED cell, military officials said.
"We're steadily dismantling the al Qaeda network, including the IED network that has been so deadly to the Iraqi people," Garver said.
In the Iraqi capital May 1, Iraqi special operations forces conducted an early morning operation, capturing five suspects suspected of building car bombs and carrying out death squad murders. With coalition advisors present, Iraqi special operations forces raided several residences in the Aamel neighborhood in southwestern Baghdad. Small-arms fire was exchanged, and the primary suspects were detained. Iraqi forces also detained six other suspicious individuals at the target location and seized a cache with five sniper rifles, ammunition and electronic communication devices.
The primary targets of this operation are alleged to be involved in an insurgent network responsible for conducting attacks against local civilians, Iraqi security forces and coalition forces in the Baghdad area, military officials said. No Iraqi or coalition forces were injured during this operation.
(Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq and Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Pfc. Katie M. Soenksen, 19, of Davenport, Iowa, died May 2 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near her vehicle. She was assigned to the 410th Military Police Company, 720th Military Police Battalion, 89th Military Police Brigade, 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; after hours (254) 291-2591.
Pfc. Katie M. Soenksen, 19, of Davenport, Iowa, died May 2 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near her vehicle. She was assigned to the 410th Military Police Company, 720th Military Police Battalion, 89th Military Police Brigade, 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; after hours (254) 291-2591.
Five Enemy Fighters Killed, Four Captured in Afghanistan
American Forces Press Service
May 2, 2007 – Coalition and Afghan forces killed five enemy fighters and detained four others in Afghanistan over the past three days, military officials reported. Afghan and coalition forces captured a man this morning while raiding a house in the Tani district of Khowst province. Inside the house, combined forces netted AK-47 assault rifles and military-style load-bearing vests.
Credible evidence led the forces to the detainee, a suspected operative in the Haqqani network, responsible for facilitating suicide bombing attacks in the province, military officials said.
"Facilitators like this are simply cowards, exploiting impressionable people for their own purposes," said Army Maj. Christopher Belcher, a Combined Joint Task Force 82 spokesman.
No shots were fired, and no one was injured during the operation.
While manning a checkpoint 50 miles northeast of Qalat yesterday, Afghan border police and coalition forces engaged three vehicles approaching at high speeds that refused to slow down after appropriate warnings.
Once stopped, eight men exited the vehicles and began firing at the checkpoint. Combined forces returned fire, killing five. The three others managed to escape during the firefight. There were no Afghan civilians in the vehicles, and there were no injuries to Afghan or coalition forces.
"Enemy insurgents are attempting to slip through established security checkpoints to conduct illegal and terrorist activities," Belcher said. "With the assistance of the Afghan people, Afghan boarder police and coalition forces will be able to put a stop to all insurgent activity in the area."
Afghan national police and coalition forces detained three well-known improvised explosive device facilitators April 30 during a combat operation targeting a Taliban IED cell northwest of Khowst city in the Saberi district of Khowst province. Combined forces mounted an air assault into Zambar village and nabbed Haji Nazir, Nazir Khan and another individual known only as Latif, in three separate compounds.
The three suspects are believed to be mid-level Taliban leaders involved in Taliban fighter recruiting and financing, and they are the alleged masterminds behind an IED cell operating in the Sabari district, military officials said.
No shots were fired during the successful mission and there were no injuries to any Afghan civilians reported.
"The information gained from these three individuals will assist us in detaining other key Taliban leaders," Belcher said. "We will continue to pursue and interdict Taliban leaders who threaten the people of Afghanistan.
"Taliban leaders have two choices," he continued. "Stop fighting and reconcile with the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, or face elimination by Afghan national security and coalition forces."
(Compiled from Combined Joint Task Force 82 news releases.)
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
May 2, 2007 – Coalition and Afghan forces killed five enemy fighters and detained four others in Afghanistan over the past three days, military officials reported. Afghan and coalition forces captured a man this morning while raiding a house in the Tani district of Khowst province. Inside the house, combined forces netted AK-47 assault rifles and military-style load-bearing vests.
Credible evidence led the forces to the detainee, a suspected operative in the Haqqani network, responsible for facilitating suicide bombing attacks in the province, military officials said.
"Facilitators like this are simply cowards, exploiting impressionable people for their own purposes," said Army Maj. Christopher Belcher, a Combined Joint Task Force 82 spokesman.
No shots were fired, and no one was injured during the operation.
While manning a checkpoint 50 miles northeast of Qalat yesterday, Afghan border police and coalition forces engaged three vehicles approaching at high speeds that refused to slow down after appropriate warnings.
Once stopped, eight men exited the vehicles and began firing at the checkpoint. Combined forces returned fire, killing five. The three others managed to escape during the firefight. There were no Afghan civilians in the vehicles, and there were no injuries to Afghan or coalition forces.
"Enemy insurgents are attempting to slip through established security checkpoints to conduct illegal and terrorist activities," Belcher said. "With the assistance of the Afghan people, Afghan boarder police and coalition forces will be able to put a stop to all insurgent activity in the area."
Afghan national police and coalition forces detained three well-known improvised explosive device facilitators April 30 during a combat operation targeting a Taliban IED cell northwest of Khowst city in the Saberi district of Khowst province. Combined forces mounted an air assault into Zambar village and nabbed Haji Nazir, Nazir Khan and another individual known only as Latif, in three separate compounds.
The three suspects are believed to be mid-level Taliban leaders involved in Taliban fighter recruiting and financing, and they are the alleged masterminds behind an IED cell operating in the Sabari district, military officials said.
No shots were fired during the successful mission and there were no injuries to any Afghan civilians reported.
"The information gained from these three individuals will assist us in detaining other key Taliban leaders," Belcher said. "We will continue to pursue and interdict Taliban leaders who threaten the people of Afghanistan.
"Taliban leaders have two choices," he continued. "Stop fighting and reconcile with the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, or face elimination by Afghan national security and coalition forces."
(Compiled from Combined Joint Task Force 82 news releases.)
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Coalition Forces Kill Seven, Nab 21; Car Bomb, Weapons Destroyed
American Forces Press Service
May 1, 2007 – Coalition forces killed seven suspected terrorists, detained 21 others, and destroyed a car bomb and weapons during operations in Iraq over the past two days. Intelligence reports led coalition forces this morning to targets linked to senior al Qaeda leaders west of Taji. During an operation there, terrorists engaged ground forces with small-arms fire, military officials said.
Using appropriate self-defense measures, coalition forces engaged the armed men, killing five and detaining six suspects. Coalition forces found weapons and grenades, which they destroyed on site.
In a separate raid west of Taji this morning, coalition forces captured five suspected terrorists.
Elsewhere in Iraq today, coalition forces north of Samarra nabbed seven suspects with alleged ties to senior leaders in al Qaeda and detained two other suspects in Mosul.
"These operations will affect al Qaeda in Iraq's ability to operate effectively against the people of Iraq and provide us with more information to disrupt their activities," said Army Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, a Multinational Force Iraq spokesperson.
Soldiers of the 2nd Battalion, 4th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, discovered a car bomb today along a highway in northern Mahmudiyah. The Iraqi soldiers contacted U.S. troops from the 2nd Battalion, 15th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, who cordoned off the area and escorted the explosive ordnance disposal team to the site. The explosive ordnance team executed a controlled detonation of the car bomb. The incident is under investigation.
Near the Iraqi capital yesterday, coalition forces launched an early morning air strike, killing two insurgents as they attempted to set an improvised explosive device on a local street in the Kamiz al-Hajj neighborhood, 20 miles north of Baghdad. No civilians were injured during the air strike. Collateral damage was minimal due to the location and precision of the strike, U.S. officials said.
In Lutifiyah yesterday, soldiers of the 1st Battalion, 4th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, detained three suspected terrorists and discovered a weapons and ammunition cache during a routine combat operation.
While searching a house in the neighborhood, soldiers discovered the cache, which contained two hand grenades, two AK-47 assault rifles and four magazines. The suspected terrorists were detained for being in the house with the weapons and are currently being held for further questioning. The items were destroyed during a controlled detonation by an explosive ordnance team.
In Khalis yesterday, a suicide bomber attacked a funeral, killing about 16 local citizens and wounding at least 24 others.
"Al Qaeda will stop at nothing to inflict pain and spread hatred," said Col. David W. Sutherland, senior U.S. Army officer in Diyala province. "This includes resorting to attacking a sacred event in the Islamic culture. This is recognized by the people in this province, and they will not be swayed in their efforts to achieve security.
"More and more, the people are turning to the Iraqi security forces with information as indicated by a 163 percent increase in Tips Hotline calls over the past two months," he said.
The Iraqi army and police responded to the attack to provide medical care, security and recovery assets. Local ambulances transferred the wounded citizens to the Baghdad and Khalis hospitals.
"The first responders' reaction was quick, organized, and efficient, and the city leaders did not need any coalition force support," Sutherland said. "This is an indicator of the increased effectiveness of the local security forces working together."
A car bomb detonated around 10 a.m. yesterday in the Karkh Security District of Baghdad, just outside Forward Operating Base Prosperity. Soldiers from Company B, 4th Battalion, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, quickly responded to the scene with Iraqi security forces and the Iraqi fire department.
Eyewitnesses told coalition and Iraqi security forces that a 15-passenger van drove onto an underpass leading into a traffic circle. The van came to a stop and the driver quickly exited, fleeing the scene as the vehicle detonated.
Five Iraqi civilians were wounded in the explosion. Three civilian vehicles also were damaged, and one coalition checkpoint suffered minor window damage but no injuries to personnel. The blast left a large hole in a paved section of the traffic circle. Iraqi and coalition forces cordoned off the area and secured the blast site.
(Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq and Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
May 1, 2007 – Coalition forces killed seven suspected terrorists, detained 21 others, and destroyed a car bomb and weapons during operations in Iraq over the past two days. Intelligence reports led coalition forces this morning to targets linked to senior al Qaeda leaders west of Taji. During an operation there, terrorists engaged ground forces with small-arms fire, military officials said.
Using appropriate self-defense measures, coalition forces engaged the armed men, killing five and detaining six suspects. Coalition forces found weapons and grenades, which they destroyed on site.
In a separate raid west of Taji this morning, coalition forces captured five suspected terrorists.
Elsewhere in Iraq today, coalition forces north of Samarra nabbed seven suspects with alleged ties to senior leaders in al Qaeda and detained two other suspects in Mosul.
"These operations will affect al Qaeda in Iraq's ability to operate effectively against the people of Iraq and provide us with more information to disrupt their activities," said Army Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, a Multinational Force Iraq spokesperson.
Soldiers of the 2nd Battalion, 4th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, discovered a car bomb today along a highway in northern Mahmudiyah. The Iraqi soldiers contacted U.S. troops from the 2nd Battalion, 15th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, who cordoned off the area and escorted the explosive ordnance disposal team to the site. The explosive ordnance team executed a controlled detonation of the car bomb. The incident is under investigation.
Near the Iraqi capital yesterday, coalition forces launched an early morning air strike, killing two insurgents as they attempted to set an improvised explosive device on a local street in the Kamiz al-Hajj neighborhood, 20 miles north of Baghdad. No civilians were injured during the air strike. Collateral damage was minimal due to the location and precision of the strike, U.S. officials said.
In Lutifiyah yesterday, soldiers of the 1st Battalion, 4th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, detained three suspected terrorists and discovered a weapons and ammunition cache during a routine combat operation.
While searching a house in the neighborhood, soldiers discovered the cache, which contained two hand grenades, two AK-47 assault rifles and four magazines. The suspected terrorists were detained for being in the house with the weapons and are currently being held for further questioning. The items were destroyed during a controlled detonation by an explosive ordnance team.
In Khalis yesterday, a suicide bomber attacked a funeral, killing about 16 local citizens and wounding at least 24 others.
"Al Qaeda will stop at nothing to inflict pain and spread hatred," said Col. David W. Sutherland, senior U.S. Army officer in Diyala province. "This includes resorting to attacking a sacred event in the Islamic culture. This is recognized by the people in this province, and they will not be swayed in their efforts to achieve security.
"More and more, the people are turning to the Iraqi security forces with information as indicated by a 163 percent increase in Tips Hotline calls over the past two months," he said.
The Iraqi army and police responded to the attack to provide medical care, security and recovery assets. Local ambulances transferred the wounded citizens to the Baghdad and Khalis hospitals.
"The first responders' reaction was quick, organized, and efficient, and the city leaders did not need any coalition force support," Sutherland said. "This is an indicator of the increased effectiveness of the local security forces working together."
A car bomb detonated around 10 a.m. yesterday in the Karkh Security District of Baghdad, just outside Forward Operating Base Prosperity. Soldiers from Company B, 4th Battalion, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, quickly responded to the scene with Iraqi security forces and the Iraqi fire department.
Eyewitnesses told coalition and Iraqi security forces that a 15-passenger van drove onto an underpass leading into a traffic circle. The van came to a stop and the driver quickly exited, fleeing the scene as the vehicle detonated.
Five Iraqi civilians were wounded in the explosion. Three civilian vehicles also were damaged, and one coalition checkpoint suffered minor window damage but no injuries to personnel. The blast left a large hole in a paved section of the traffic circle. Iraqi and coalition forces cordoned off the area and secured the blast site.
(Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq and Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
Gates: Officials Expected Rise in Violence as Security Plan Unfolds
By Sgt. Sara Wood, USA
American Forces Press Service
May 1, 2007 – Commanders on the ground expected the rise in violence that has accompanied the U.S. troop surge into Baghdad, and the new security plan there will take time to be effective, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here today. "I think it's a sad reality, but I think we anticipated that there would be, in some respects, an increase in the violence, and particularly in the belts around Baghdad, as we pushed the bad guys out of some of the neighborhoods where we had not been active in a long time, or the Iraqi security forces for that matter," Gates said at a news conference following a meeting with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Japan's defense and foreign ministers.
Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, the commander of Multinational Force Iraq, has expected this rise in violence and has said since the beginning of the Baghdad security plan that it will take months, not weeks, to take effect, Gates said. Al Qaeda is coming on strong and using more large car bombs to try to thwart the progress of the Iraqi government and incite sectarian violence, he said.
Addressing the war on terror, Rice said that terrorists will always fight back when they are pursued. The struggle against terrorism will be difficult and long, but the United States and its allies have made real progress on some fronts, she said.
"We'll continue to fight that war," she said. "We're making considerable progress. But perhaps the most important difference between now and 2001 is that I think we really do have a global and international community that is determined to fight terrorism and extremism, that is determined to share information, share intelligence, work together."
Rice cited the examples of NATO's work in Afghanistan, Japan's contributions to humanitarian projects in Iraq, and the strong international response to terrorism as proof of progress in the war on terror.
"It may take some time to defeat the terrorists, but we are in a much stronger position now because there really is an international coalition that's devoted to that cause," she said.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
May 1, 2007 – Commanders on the ground expected the rise in violence that has accompanied the U.S. troop surge into Baghdad, and the new security plan there will take time to be effective, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here today. "I think it's a sad reality, but I think we anticipated that there would be, in some respects, an increase in the violence, and particularly in the belts around Baghdad, as we pushed the bad guys out of some of the neighborhoods where we had not been active in a long time, or the Iraqi security forces for that matter," Gates said at a news conference following a meeting with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Japan's defense and foreign ministers.
Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, the commander of Multinational Force Iraq, has expected this rise in violence and has said since the beginning of the Baghdad security plan that it will take months, not weeks, to take effect, Gates said. Al Qaeda is coming on strong and using more large car bombs to try to thwart the progress of the Iraqi government and incite sectarian violence, he said.
Addressing the war on terror, Rice said that terrorists will always fight back when they are pursued. The struggle against terrorism will be difficult and long, but the United States and its allies have made real progress on some fronts, she said.
"We'll continue to fight that war," she said. "We're making considerable progress. But perhaps the most important difference between now and 2001 is that I think we really do have a global and international community that is determined to fight terrorism and extremism, that is determined to share information, share intelligence, work together."
Rice cited the examples of NATO's work in Afghanistan, Japan's contributions to humanitarian projects in Iraq, and the strong international response to terrorism as proof of progress in the war on terror.
"It may take some time to defeat the terrorists, but we are in a much stronger position now because there really is an international coalition that's devoted to that cause," she said.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Bush: Coalition Standing Strong in Face of Terror, Yielding Results
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
May 1, 2007 – More than 90 nations around the world that have joined the United States in fighting terrorism and stemming its spread are helping build a more peaceful future for generations to come, President Bush said today in Tampa, Fla. "We appreciate your countries' contributions to this enormous challenge in the 21st century," Bush said in an address to the U.S. Central Command Coalition Conference at MacDill Air Force Base.
"CENTCOM's Coalition Village is a welcome reminder that in the fight against radicals and extremists and murders of the innocent, we stand as one," he said.
Together, he said, the countries represented in the village have helped liberate millions of people and kept millions more safe.
Bush compared the fight against terrorism to the Cold War, when the United States and its allies held firmly against communism, even when victory seemed elusive. "Once again it is vital that allies, despite occasional disagreements, hold firm against vicious and determined enemies," he said.
The president praised countries that have stepped up to the plate to work together in the face of this threat. "An era of new threats requires new forms of engagement, new strategies and new tactics," he said. "So we've reinvigorated historic alliances such as NATO and formed new and dynamic coalitions to address the dangers of our time."
These alliances are paying off in countering terrorism, he said. The United States and its allies have shared intelligence that has helped thwart many attacks. They uncovered and stopped terrorist conspiracies targeting embassies in Yemen and Singapore and ships in the Straits of Hormuz and Gibraltar. They stopped a Southeast Asian terrorist cell grooming operatives. They stopped an al Qaeda cell seeking to develop anthrax. British authorities disrupted a plot to blow up U.S.-bound aircraft flying over the Atlantic.
In addition, coalition forces working together have captured or killed key terror network leaders, the president said. Philippine forces killed top leaders of an al Qaeda affiliate. Spanish police captured fugitives wanted in connection with the Madrid train bombings. Terror cells have been broken up in Britain, Canada, Denmark, Italy, France, Indonesia, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Turkey.
Bush warned against settling for these victories. "We must stay on the offense," he said. "We must defeat the enemy overseas so we don't have to face them in our countries."
The president cited initiatives the United States and its allies have undertaken to foil terrorist efforts, including:
-- Shutting down funding channels and freezing assets to make it difficult to finance attacks;
-- Imposing measures to identify terrorist financers and prevent them from using the international system to fund their efforts;
-- Training local forces to conduct counterterrorism activities in their own regions;
-- Taking steps to stop terrorists from obtaining weapons of mass destruction;
-- Working to stop shipments of WMD materials through the Proliferation Security Initiative; and
-- Confronting adversaries who threaten international security around the world, including in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Bush cited the coalition's success in freeing Afghanistan from Taliban and al Qaeda oppression and helping it build a new democracy in the Middle East.
"Just as America and our allies are standing together in Afghanistan, a determined coalition is committed to winning the fight in Iraq," he said.
Leaving Iraq too soon would have lasting repercussions in the region and world, he said. Radicals and extremists would be emboldened, better able to attract new recruits, and left to believe that they could strike free nations anywhere.
"Failure in Iraq should be unacceptable to the civilized world," he said. "The risks are enormous."
Bush praised the coalition of more than 30 countries supporting operations in Iraq. Seventeen NATO nations have contributed forces or been part of the NATO training mission to help the Iraqis. In addition, Georgia recently agreed to contribute 2,000 troops.
By helping ensure a free Iraq and by working to ensure its long-term stability, these countries are laying the foundation for a peaceful future, he said.
Achieving that goal won't be easy, he said, just as it wasn't easy for past generations to fight oppression.
"These are difficult times. These are tough times," the president said. "These are times that test the resolve of free people. These are times that require hard work and courage and faith in the ability of liberty to yield the peace we want."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
May 1, 2007 – More than 90 nations around the world that have joined the United States in fighting terrorism and stemming its spread are helping build a more peaceful future for generations to come, President Bush said today in Tampa, Fla. "We appreciate your countries' contributions to this enormous challenge in the 21st century," Bush said in an address to the U.S. Central Command Coalition Conference at MacDill Air Force Base.
"CENTCOM's Coalition Village is a welcome reminder that in the fight against radicals and extremists and murders of the innocent, we stand as one," he said.
Together, he said, the countries represented in the village have helped liberate millions of people and kept millions more safe.
Bush compared the fight against terrorism to the Cold War, when the United States and its allies held firmly against communism, even when victory seemed elusive. "Once again it is vital that allies, despite occasional disagreements, hold firm against vicious and determined enemies," he said.
The president praised countries that have stepped up to the plate to work together in the face of this threat. "An era of new threats requires new forms of engagement, new strategies and new tactics," he said. "So we've reinvigorated historic alliances such as NATO and formed new and dynamic coalitions to address the dangers of our time."
These alliances are paying off in countering terrorism, he said. The United States and its allies have shared intelligence that has helped thwart many attacks. They uncovered and stopped terrorist conspiracies targeting embassies in Yemen and Singapore and ships in the Straits of Hormuz and Gibraltar. They stopped a Southeast Asian terrorist cell grooming operatives. They stopped an al Qaeda cell seeking to develop anthrax. British authorities disrupted a plot to blow up U.S.-bound aircraft flying over the Atlantic.
In addition, coalition forces working together have captured or killed key terror network leaders, the president said. Philippine forces killed top leaders of an al Qaeda affiliate. Spanish police captured fugitives wanted in connection with the Madrid train bombings. Terror cells have been broken up in Britain, Canada, Denmark, Italy, France, Indonesia, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Turkey.
Bush warned against settling for these victories. "We must stay on the offense," he said. "We must defeat the enemy overseas so we don't have to face them in our countries."
The president cited initiatives the United States and its allies have undertaken to foil terrorist efforts, including:
-- Shutting down funding channels and freezing assets to make it difficult to finance attacks;
-- Imposing measures to identify terrorist financers and prevent them from using the international system to fund their efforts;
-- Training local forces to conduct counterterrorism activities in their own regions;
-- Taking steps to stop terrorists from obtaining weapons of mass destruction;
-- Working to stop shipments of WMD materials through the Proliferation Security Initiative; and
-- Confronting adversaries who threaten international security around the world, including in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Bush cited the coalition's success in freeing Afghanistan from Taliban and al Qaeda oppression and helping it build a new democracy in the Middle East.
"Just as America and our allies are standing together in Afghanistan, a determined coalition is committed to winning the fight in Iraq," he said.
Leaving Iraq too soon would have lasting repercussions in the region and world, he said. Radicals and extremists would be emboldened, better able to attract new recruits, and left to believe that they could strike free nations anywhere.
"Failure in Iraq should be unacceptable to the civilized world," he said. "The risks are enormous."
Bush praised the coalition of more than 30 countries supporting operations in Iraq. Seventeen NATO nations have contributed forces or been part of the NATO training mission to help the Iraqis. In addition, Georgia recently agreed to contribute 2,000 troops.
By helping ensure a free Iraq and by working to ensure its long-term stability, these countries are laying the foundation for a peaceful future, he said.
Achieving that goal won't be easy, he said, just as it wasn't easy for past generations to fight oppression.
"These are difficult times. These are tough times," the president said. "These are times that test the resolve of free people. These are times that require hard work and courage and faith in the ability of liberty to yield the peace we want."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Bush Vetoes War-Funding Bill
By Sgt. Sara Wood, USA
American Forces Press Service
May 1, 2007 – President Bush today vetoed an emergency war-funding bill that includes timelines for withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq, calling on members of Congress to put politics aside and give the troops the funding they need to accomplish their mission. "Here in Washington, we have our differences on the way forward in Iraq, and we will debate them openly," Bush said in a televised address to the nation after vetoing the bill. "But whatever our differences, surely we can agree that our troops are worthy of this funding, and that we have a responsibility to give it to them without further delay."
The $124 billion bill, passed by Congress last week, funds the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, but also includes domestic spending measures and calls for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq beginning by October, with the goal of getting all combat forces out of Iraq by March 2008.
Bush called the bill unacceptable because it mandates artificial timelines for troop withdrawal, which he said would embolden the enemy and discourage the Iraqi people.
"I believe setting a deadline for withdrawal would demoralize the Iraqi people, would encourage killers across the broader Middle East, and send a signal that America will not keep its commitments," he said. "Setting a deadline for withdrawal is setting a date for failure, and that would be irresponsible."
The bill would also put restrictions on commanders in the field, which would be "a prescription for chaos and confusion," Bush said. In addition, the bill is loaded with billions of dollars in non-emergency spending unrelated to the war on terror.
Army Gen. David H. Petraeus just took command of U.S. forces in Iraq, and he is implementing a new strategy that will take time to produce results, Bush said. He asked members of Congress, who unanimously confirmed Petraeus' nomination as commander of Multinational Force Iraq, to give his strategy time to succeed.
Bush noted that the Baghdad security plan has already produced some important successes. Among other things, Iraqi and coalition forces have closed down an al Qaeda car-bomb network, captured a Shiia militia leader implicated in the kidnapping and killing of American soldiers, and broken up a death squad that had terrorized hundreds of residents in a Baghdad neighborhood.
There has also been a decrease in sectarian killing in Baghdad since January, Bush said. However, he said, this improvement has been overshadowed by a rise in spectacular car-bomb attacks, which are the work of al Qaeda. Bush echoed Petraeus' earlier comments that Iraq is the central front in al Qaeda's global campaign.
"Al Qaeda's role makes ... the conflict in Iraq far more complex than a simple fight between Iraqis," Bush said. "It's true that not everyone taking innocent life in Iraq wants to attack America here at home, but many do. Many also belong to the same terrorist network that attacked us on September the 11th, 2001, and wants to attack us here at home again. We saw the death and destruction al Qaeda inflicted on our people when they were permitted a safe haven in Afghanistan. For the security of the American people, we must not allow al Qaeda to establish a new safe haven in Iraq."
Bush said that he has invited Congressional leaders from both parties to the White House tomorrow to discuss a new war-funding bill. The need to act is urgent, he said, as delayed war funding will force the military to shift money from training programs to the troops in combat and cut back on buying new equipment or repairing existing equipment.
"Without a war-funding bill, we add to the uncertainty felt by our military families," he said. "Our troops and their families deserve better, and their elected leaders can do better."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
May 1, 2007 – President Bush today vetoed an emergency war-funding bill that includes timelines for withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq, calling on members of Congress to put politics aside and give the troops the funding they need to accomplish their mission. "Here in Washington, we have our differences on the way forward in Iraq, and we will debate them openly," Bush said in a televised address to the nation after vetoing the bill. "But whatever our differences, surely we can agree that our troops are worthy of this funding, and that we have a responsibility to give it to them without further delay."
The $124 billion bill, passed by Congress last week, funds the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, but also includes domestic spending measures and calls for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq beginning by October, with the goal of getting all combat forces out of Iraq by March 2008.
Bush called the bill unacceptable because it mandates artificial timelines for troop withdrawal, which he said would embolden the enemy and discourage the Iraqi people.
"I believe setting a deadline for withdrawal would demoralize the Iraqi people, would encourage killers across the broader Middle East, and send a signal that America will not keep its commitments," he said. "Setting a deadline for withdrawal is setting a date for failure, and that would be irresponsible."
The bill would also put restrictions on commanders in the field, which would be "a prescription for chaos and confusion," Bush said. In addition, the bill is loaded with billions of dollars in non-emergency spending unrelated to the war on terror.
Army Gen. David H. Petraeus just took command of U.S. forces in Iraq, and he is implementing a new strategy that will take time to produce results, Bush said. He asked members of Congress, who unanimously confirmed Petraeus' nomination as commander of Multinational Force Iraq, to give his strategy time to succeed.
Bush noted that the Baghdad security plan has already produced some important successes. Among other things, Iraqi and coalition forces have closed down an al Qaeda car-bomb network, captured a Shiia militia leader implicated in the kidnapping and killing of American soldiers, and broken up a death squad that had terrorized hundreds of residents in a Baghdad neighborhood.
There has also been a decrease in sectarian killing in Baghdad since January, Bush said. However, he said, this improvement has been overshadowed by a rise in spectacular car-bomb attacks, which are the work of al Qaeda. Bush echoed Petraeus' earlier comments that Iraq is the central front in al Qaeda's global campaign.
"Al Qaeda's role makes ... the conflict in Iraq far more complex than a simple fight between Iraqis," Bush said. "It's true that not everyone taking innocent life in Iraq wants to attack America here at home, but many do. Many also belong to the same terrorist network that attacked us on September the 11th, 2001, and wants to attack us here at home again. We saw the death and destruction al Qaeda inflicted on our people when they were permitted a safe haven in Afghanistan. For the security of the American people, we must not allow al Qaeda to establish a new safe haven in Iraq."
Bush said that he has invited Congressional leaders from both parties to the White House tomorrow to discuss a new war-funding bill. The need to act is urgent, he said, as delayed war funding will force the military to shift money from training programs to the troops in combat and cut back on buying new equipment or repairing existing equipment.
"Without a war-funding bill, we add to the uncertainty felt by our military families," he said. "Our troops and their families deserve better, and their elected leaders can do better."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Nearly 100 Detained in Iraq; Weapons Caches Found, Destroyed
American Forces Press Service
April 30, 2007 – Coalition forces nabbed about 94 suspects and discovered several weapons caches during raids across Iraq in the past three days. Coalition forces detained 11 suspected al Qaeda in Iraq members today, nabbing 10 suspects in Samarra and another in Baghdad. Intelligence reports indicate the suspect detained in the Iraqi capital was part of a local operation to acquire bomb-making materials, military officials said.
"Almost every day, ... al Qaeda in Iraq uses explosives to kill and maim innocent Iraqis and the security forces striving to protect them," said Army Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, a Multinational Force Iraq spokesman. "Removing these explosives and the terrorists who use them is a top priority."
Army soldiers attached to the 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment "Polar Bears," and the 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment "Golden Dragons" of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, discovered two improvised explosive devices and a weapons cache southwest of Baghdad today.
The first IED was discovered by 2-69 Armor soldiers southwest of Yusufiyah at 9:35 a.m.. While conducting a dismounted patrol, soldiers of Company D, 4-31 Infantry, discovered another IED near Rushdi Mullah at 10:05 a.m.
In another operation, the Golden Dragons found a weapons cache near Rushdi Mullah that contained three rocket-propelled-grenade rounds, a bag filled with unknown types of explosives, three bags of crystalline powder, and three large blasting caps. An explosive ordnance team destroyed the cache and IEDs during a controlled detonation.
During a raid in Basra today, Iraqi special operations Forces detained Sayyid Sallih al-Jezzaani, the alleged leader of a rogue Jaysh al-Madhi militia element. Military officials said he is linked to death squad activities and attacks against coalition forces in the region.
Jezzaani is also responsible for funding and arming insurgents and assisting in recruiting new militia members. He is also connected to the February murder of two Iraqi interpreters who worked with coalition forces.
As Iraqi and coalition forces arrived in the district of Abilla in Basra, enemy forces fired rocket-propelled grenades and detonated improvised explosive devices on the assault force. No fire was returned as the assault force proceeded to their objective.
Iraqi special operations forces with coalition advisors found Jezzaani equipped with body armor and a weapon; he offered no resistance while being captured. Seven other suspicious individuals were also detained during the operation. No Iraqi or coalition forces were injured during this operation.
In a massive synchronized effort yesterday, coalition forces captured 72 suspected terrorists and discovered bomb-making materials during overnight operations targeting the al Qaeda in Iraq network. Troops raided targets in Anbar and Salah ad Din provinces, and operations in Samarra alone yielded 36 individuals with alleged ties to al Qaeda terrorists.
Near Karmah, intelligence reports led coalition forces to 20 5-gallon drums of nitric acid and other bomb-making materials, military officials said.
"Coalition operations like these continue to chip away at the al Qaeda in Iraq network, and we will continue to target them as long as they continue to injure and kill the innocent people of Iraq," Garver said.
Iraq security forces with support from 2nd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division soldiers detained several individuals during an operation in the Kadamiyah area yesterday targeting several high-value individuals. The detainees were turned over to the Iraqi security forces.
In other news from Iraq, an explosion rocked the Hiyyaniyah district of Basra yesterday around 10:20 p.m., killing six civilians and wounding several others. Coalition forces said the explosion is likely to have been an accidental detonation during movement and transportation of explosives in an automobile. The incident is under investigation.
The al Hiyyaniyah district is known to be under the influence of the Jaysh al-Mahdi militia, which intimidates local people to further its own agenda, military officials said. No coalition forces were injured during the explosion.
Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers foiled an insurgent plot to target an all-girls' school north of Baghdad with numerous improvised explosive devices April 28.
Soldiers with 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, discovered a command wire leading from the school's outer perimeter to one of the rooms at the Huda Girls' School, in Tarmiyah, Iraq. Inside the room, the cavalry troops discovered five artillery shell explosives. Insurgents had also buried two large explosive-filled propane tanks under the school's floor and placed numerous projectiles underneath electrical conduits in front of each classroom.
The unit believes al Qaeda extremists operating in the area are responsible for the placing the explosives in an attempt to hinder the progress the local government has made to improve citizens' lives. The reconstructed school, a project led by the local Tarmiyah government, was scheduled to open in the coming weeks. This is the second time this month explosives have been found in the facility.
"This is a testimony of how little the al Qaeda of Iraq truly care about the citizens of Iraq," said Army Lt. Col. Scott Efflandt, commander of 2-8th Cavalry.
An explosive ordnance disposal team transported all of the explosive rounds from the school for disposal.
(Information compiled from Multinational Force Iraq and Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
April 30, 2007 – Coalition forces nabbed about 94 suspects and discovered several weapons caches during raids across Iraq in the past three days. Coalition forces detained 11 suspected al Qaeda in Iraq members today, nabbing 10 suspects in Samarra and another in Baghdad. Intelligence reports indicate the suspect detained in the Iraqi capital was part of a local operation to acquire bomb-making materials, military officials said.
"Almost every day, ... al Qaeda in Iraq uses explosives to kill and maim innocent Iraqis and the security forces striving to protect them," said Army Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, a Multinational Force Iraq spokesman. "Removing these explosives and the terrorists who use them is a top priority."
Army soldiers attached to the 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment "Polar Bears," and the 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment "Golden Dragons" of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, discovered two improvised explosive devices and a weapons cache southwest of Baghdad today.
The first IED was discovered by 2-69 Armor soldiers southwest of Yusufiyah at 9:35 a.m.. While conducting a dismounted patrol, soldiers of Company D, 4-31 Infantry, discovered another IED near Rushdi Mullah at 10:05 a.m.
In another operation, the Golden Dragons found a weapons cache near Rushdi Mullah that contained three rocket-propelled-grenade rounds, a bag filled with unknown types of explosives, three bags of crystalline powder, and three large blasting caps. An explosive ordnance team destroyed the cache and IEDs during a controlled detonation.
During a raid in Basra today, Iraqi special operations Forces detained Sayyid Sallih al-Jezzaani, the alleged leader of a rogue Jaysh al-Madhi militia element. Military officials said he is linked to death squad activities and attacks against coalition forces in the region.
Jezzaani is also responsible for funding and arming insurgents and assisting in recruiting new militia members. He is also connected to the February murder of two Iraqi interpreters who worked with coalition forces.
As Iraqi and coalition forces arrived in the district of Abilla in Basra, enemy forces fired rocket-propelled grenades and detonated improvised explosive devices on the assault force. No fire was returned as the assault force proceeded to their objective.
Iraqi special operations forces with coalition advisors found Jezzaani equipped with body armor and a weapon; he offered no resistance while being captured. Seven other suspicious individuals were also detained during the operation. No Iraqi or coalition forces were injured during this operation.
In a massive synchronized effort yesterday, coalition forces captured 72 suspected terrorists and discovered bomb-making materials during overnight operations targeting the al Qaeda in Iraq network. Troops raided targets in Anbar and Salah ad Din provinces, and operations in Samarra alone yielded 36 individuals with alleged ties to al Qaeda terrorists.
Near Karmah, intelligence reports led coalition forces to 20 5-gallon drums of nitric acid and other bomb-making materials, military officials said.
"Coalition operations like these continue to chip away at the al Qaeda in Iraq network, and we will continue to target them as long as they continue to injure and kill the innocent people of Iraq," Garver said.
Iraq security forces with support from 2nd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division soldiers detained several individuals during an operation in the Kadamiyah area yesterday targeting several high-value individuals. The detainees were turned over to the Iraqi security forces.
In other news from Iraq, an explosion rocked the Hiyyaniyah district of Basra yesterday around 10:20 p.m., killing six civilians and wounding several others. Coalition forces said the explosion is likely to have been an accidental detonation during movement and transportation of explosives in an automobile. The incident is under investigation.
The al Hiyyaniyah district is known to be under the influence of the Jaysh al-Mahdi militia, which intimidates local people to further its own agenda, military officials said. No coalition forces were injured during the explosion.
Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers foiled an insurgent plot to target an all-girls' school north of Baghdad with numerous improvised explosive devices April 28.
Soldiers with 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, discovered a command wire leading from the school's outer perimeter to one of the rooms at the Huda Girls' School, in Tarmiyah, Iraq. Inside the room, the cavalry troops discovered five artillery shell explosives. Insurgents had also buried two large explosive-filled propane tanks under the school's floor and placed numerous projectiles underneath electrical conduits in front of each classroom.
The unit believes al Qaeda extremists operating in the area are responsible for the placing the explosives in an attempt to hinder the progress the local government has made to improve citizens' lives. The reconstructed school, a project led by the local Tarmiyah government, was scheduled to open in the coming weeks. This is the second time this month explosives have been found in the facility.
"This is a testimony of how little the al Qaeda of Iraq truly care about the citizens of Iraq," said Army Lt. Col. Scott Efflandt, commander of 2-8th Cavalry.
An explosive ordnance disposal team transported all of the explosive rounds from the school for disposal.
(Information compiled from Multinational Force Iraq and Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
136 Taliban Fighters Killed, Two Detained in Afghanistan
American Forces Press Service
April 30, 2007 – Coalition forces killed 136 Taliban combatants and captured two suspects during operations in Afghanistan over the past four days. During a raid this morning in the Khowst district of Khowst province, coalition forces detained two men at a suspected al Qaeda safe house. Upon arriving at the site, coalition forces discovered the men trying to hide an automatic weapon, ammunition and military-style load-bearing vests.
The raid was conducted based on credible reports of recent sightings of militants and weapons at the compound, military officials said. The detainees will be questioned to determine their identities and their affiliation with violent extremists in the area. No shots were fired, and there were no injuries during the operation.
U.S. Special Forces soldiers, accompanied by Afghan National Police and other coalition members, identified and engaged several Taliban fighting positions 37 miles south of Shindand, in Herat province, while conducting a reconnaissance patrol yesterday.
After gaining intelligence describing Taliban activity in the Zerkoh Valley, coalition and Afghan National Police forces maneuvered into positions to pinpoint and attack the Taliban fighters. Once in position, coalition and Afghan National Police forces initiated the attack on the enemy positions with mortars, small arms and rocket propelled grenades.
A few hours later, additional coalition and Afghan National Army reinforcements arrived. A coalition aircraft was requested and dropped multiple munitions on several identified enemy locations. As Taliban fighters attempted to flee, an AC-130 gunship engaged and killed 26 enemy fighters on both sides of the river valley. A total of seven enemy positions were destroyed, and 87 Taliban fighters were killed during the 14-hour engagement.
Forty-eight hours earlier and under the cover of darkness, U.S. Special Forces and Afghan National Police patrolling near the village of Parmakan, in the Zerkoh Valley, received small-arms and rocket-propelled-grenade fire from more than 70 Taliban fighters.
During the engagement, 49 Taliban fighters, including two local Taliban leaders, were killed by a combination of small-arms fire and close-air support. As was previously reported on April 27, one U.S. Army soldier was killed in the engagement.
Every precaution was taken to prevent injury to innocent Afghan civilians during the two battles, and there were no civilian injuries reported, U.S. officials said.
"Taliban fighters are no match for ANP and coalition forces," said Army Maj. Chris Belcher, a Combined Joint Task Force 82 spokesman. "We will intensify our operations to rid Afghanistan of all Taliban and foreign fighters who harm innocent Afghan civilians and threaten the government of Afghanistan."
(Compiled from Combined Joint Task Force 82 news releases.)
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
April 30, 2007 – Coalition forces killed 136 Taliban combatants and captured two suspects during operations in Afghanistan over the past four days. During a raid this morning in the Khowst district of Khowst province, coalition forces detained two men at a suspected al Qaeda safe house. Upon arriving at the site, coalition forces discovered the men trying to hide an automatic weapon, ammunition and military-style load-bearing vests.
The raid was conducted based on credible reports of recent sightings of militants and weapons at the compound, military officials said. The detainees will be questioned to determine their identities and their affiliation with violent extremists in the area. No shots were fired, and there were no injuries during the operation.
U.S. Special Forces soldiers, accompanied by Afghan National Police and other coalition members, identified and engaged several Taliban fighting positions 37 miles south of Shindand, in Herat province, while conducting a reconnaissance patrol yesterday.
After gaining intelligence describing Taliban activity in the Zerkoh Valley, coalition and Afghan National Police forces maneuvered into positions to pinpoint and attack the Taliban fighters. Once in position, coalition and Afghan National Police forces initiated the attack on the enemy positions with mortars, small arms and rocket propelled grenades.
A few hours later, additional coalition and Afghan National Army reinforcements arrived. A coalition aircraft was requested and dropped multiple munitions on several identified enemy locations. As Taliban fighters attempted to flee, an AC-130 gunship engaged and killed 26 enemy fighters on both sides of the river valley. A total of seven enemy positions were destroyed, and 87 Taliban fighters were killed during the 14-hour engagement.
Forty-eight hours earlier and under the cover of darkness, U.S. Special Forces and Afghan National Police patrolling near the village of Parmakan, in the Zerkoh Valley, received small-arms and rocket-propelled-grenade fire from more than 70 Taliban fighters.
During the engagement, 49 Taliban fighters, including two local Taliban leaders, were killed by a combination of small-arms fire and close-air support. As was previously reported on April 27, one U.S. Army soldier was killed in the engagement.
Every precaution was taken to prevent injury to innocent Afghan civilians during the two battles, and there were no civilian injuries reported, U.S. officials said.
"Taliban fighters are no match for ANP and coalition forces," said Army Maj. Chris Belcher, a Combined Joint Task Force 82 spokesman. "We will intensify our operations to rid Afghanistan of all Taliban and foreign fighters who harm innocent Afghan civilians and threaten the government of Afghanistan."
(Compiled from Combined Joint Task Force 82 news releases.)
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Taliban's Influence Waning in Southern Afghanistan , NATO General Says
By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service
April 30, 2007 – Ongoing NATO military and reconstruction operations are helping erode Taliban militants' power in southern Afghanistan, a senior Dutch officer said today. The behavior of the Afghan people is perhaps the most convincing indicator of the Taliban's waning influence in southern Afghanistan, Royal Netherlands Army Maj. Gen. Ton van Loon told Pentagon reporters during a satellite-carried news conference.
"We experience success every time (International Security Assistance Force) troops stand back after securing an area and witness local elders extend their authority," said van Loon, the commander of NATO's International Security Assistance Force Regional Command South. His command boasts 11,500 troops, including 2,000 Dutch forces.
That success is evident "when religious scholars and elders feel safe enough to freely express their disdain for Taliban militants," the general said.
Afghan village leaders are telling followers "that Taliban extremists can no longer be referred to as Muslims, due to their ruthless actions," van Loon said.
Security is being provided by NATO's Operation Achilles, launched March 6 against Taliban fighters operating in northern Helmand province, van Loon said.
An increasingly flexible and robust Afghan National Army and Police force is adding to the Taliban's discomfort, van Loon said, noting more than 1,000 Afghan soldiers and police were deployed to Helmand province in April.
It's also reported that many Afghans, with minimal government or NATO assistance, are themselves ejecting the Taliban from their areas, van Loon noted.
However, military action is sometimes the only way to defeat the Taliban, as the militants "are too fanatic for compromises," he said. Taliban extremists were "severely diminished" in the Panjwai and Zari districts of Kandahar province after operations Medusa and Bazooka, which were conducted last summer and into the fall and winter, van Loon said.
After repeated poundings during stand-up fights with NATO and Afghan security forces, he said, the Taliban have taken to fading into the shadows and employing hit-and-run guerrilla tactics. The enemy is increasingly using improvised explosive devices and suicide bombers, he said.
"We need to maintain pressure and continue to conduct stabilization operations in the south on our terms," van Loon said.
He said Operation Achilles was initiated to set security conditions for one of Afghanistan's largest reconstruction projects, the Kajaki Dam. Once completed, the dam will increase electric power for residents, industries and commerce in southern Afghanistan, he said, and it also will improve the water supply for community and irrigation purposes.
The general's troops have fought many successful engagements against the Taliban since van Loon took command in November, he said, and noted he is slated to depart Afghanistan soon.
"They have demonstrated professionalism and restraint during the planning and execution of difficult and complex counterinsurgency missions," van Loon said of his troops. "I commend them all and want each and every soldier under my command to know that it was an honor for me to lead them."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
April 30, 2007 – Ongoing NATO military and reconstruction operations are helping erode Taliban militants' power in southern Afghanistan, a senior Dutch officer said today. The behavior of the Afghan people is perhaps the most convincing indicator of the Taliban's waning influence in southern Afghanistan, Royal Netherlands Army Maj. Gen. Ton van Loon told Pentagon reporters during a satellite-carried news conference.
"We experience success every time (International Security Assistance Force) troops stand back after securing an area and witness local elders extend their authority," said van Loon, the commander of NATO's International Security Assistance Force Regional Command South. His command boasts 11,500 troops, including 2,000 Dutch forces.
That success is evident "when religious scholars and elders feel safe enough to freely express their disdain for Taliban militants," the general said.
Afghan village leaders are telling followers "that Taliban extremists can no longer be referred to as Muslims, due to their ruthless actions," van Loon said.
Security is being provided by NATO's Operation Achilles, launched March 6 against Taliban fighters operating in northern Helmand province, van Loon said.
An increasingly flexible and robust Afghan National Army and Police force is adding to the Taliban's discomfort, van Loon said, noting more than 1,000 Afghan soldiers and police were deployed to Helmand province in April.
It's also reported that many Afghans, with minimal government or NATO assistance, are themselves ejecting the Taliban from their areas, van Loon noted.
However, military action is sometimes the only way to defeat the Taliban, as the militants "are too fanatic for compromises," he said. Taliban extremists were "severely diminished" in the Panjwai and Zari districts of Kandahar province after operations Medusa and Bazooka, which were conducted last summer and into the fall and winter, van Loon said.
After repeated poundings during stand-up fights with NATO and Afghan security forces, he said, the Taliban have taken to fading into the shadows and employing hit-and-run guerrilla tactics. The enemy is increasingly using improvised explosive devices and suicide bombers, he said.
"We need to maintain pressure and continue to conduct stabilization operations in the south on our terms," van Loon said.
He said Operation Achilles was initiated to set security conditions for one of Afghanistan's largest reconstruction projects, the Kajaki Dam. Once completed, the dam will increase electric power for residents, industries and commerce in southern Afghanistan, he said, and it also will improve the water supply for community and irrigation purposes.
The general's troops have fought many successful engagements against the Taliban since van Loon took command in November, he said, and noted he is slated to depart Afghanistan soon.
"They have demonstrated professionalism and restraint during the planning and execution of difficult and complex counterinsurgency missions," van Loon said of his troops. "I commend them all and want each and every soldier under my command to know that it was an honor for me to lead them."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Army Casualties
The Department of Defense announced today the death of three soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
They died Apr. 28 in Salman Pak, Iraq, of wounds suffered when their vehicle was struck with an improvised explosive device and small arms fire during combat operations. They were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Benning, Ga.
Killed were:
Sgt. Glenn D. Hicks Jr., 24, of College Station, Texas.
Pfc. Jay-D H. Ornsby-Adkins, 21, of Ione, Calif.
Pvt. Cole E. Spencer, 21, of Gays, Ill.
For more information in regard to this release the media can contact the Fort Benning public affairs office at (706) 545-3512; after hours, call (706) 545-2218.
They died Apr. 28 in Salman Pak, Iraq, of wounds suffered when their vehicle was struck with an improvised explosive device and small arms fire during combat operations. They were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Benning, Ga.
Killed were:
Sgt. Glenn D. Hicks Jr., 24, of College Station, Texas.
Pfc. Jay-D H. Ornsby-Adkins, 21, of Ione, Calif.
Pvt. Cole E. Spencer, 21, of Gays, Ill.
For more information in regard to this release the media can contact the Fort Benning public affairs office at (706) 545-3512; after hours, call (706) 545-2218.
Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Sgt. Norman L. Tollett, 30, of Columbus, Ohio, died Apr. 28, in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using small arms fire during combat patrol operations. Tollett was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.
For more information in regard to this release the media can contact the 82nd Airborne Division public affairs office at (910) 432-0661.
Sgt. Norman L. Tollett, 30, of Columbus, Ohio, died Apr. 28, in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using small arms fire during combat patrol operations. Tollett was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.
For more information in regard to this release the media can contact the 82nd Airborne Division public affairs office at (910) 432-0661.
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Staff Sgt. Michael D. Thomas, 34, of Seffner, Fla., died Apr. 27 in Hirat Province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using rocket propelled grenades and small arms fire. Thomas was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg, N.C.
For more information in regard to this release the media can contact the U.S. Army Special Operations Command public affairs office at (910) 432-6005.
Staff Sgt. Michael D. Thomas, 34, of Seffner, Fla., died Apr. 27 in Hirat Province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using rocket propelled grenades and small arms fire. Thomas was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg, N.C.
For more information in regard to this release the media can contact the U.S. Army Special Operations Command public affairs office at (910) 432-6005.
Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Spc. Daniel F. Mehringer, 20, of Morgantown, W.Va., died Apr. 27 in Bagram, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered from a non-combat related incident. His death is under investigation. Mehringer was assigned to Division Special Troops Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.
For more information in regard to this release the media can contact the 82nd Airborne Division public affairs office at (910) 432-0661.
Spc. Daniel F. Mehringer, 20, of Morgantown, W.Va., died Apr. 27 in Bagram, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered from a non-combat related incident. His death is under investigation. Mehringer was assigned to Division Special Troops Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.
For more information in regard to this release the media can contact the 82nd Airborne Division public affairs office at (910) 432-0661.
Marine Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Sgt. Peter Woodall, 25, of Sarasota, Fla. Woodall died April 27 while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to 8th Engineer Support Battalion, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
For more information in regard to this release the media can contact the 2nd Marine Logistics Group public affairs office at (910) 451-3538
Sgt. Peter Woodall, 25, of Sarasota, Fla. Woodall died April 27 while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to 8th Engineer Support Battalion, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
For more information in regard to this release the media can contact the 2nd Marine Logistics Group public affairs office at (910) 451-3538
Five U.S. Servicemembers Killed in Iraq; DoD Identifies Previous Casualties
American Forces Press Service
April 30, 2007 – Four U.S. soldiers and one Marine died in Iraq over the past three days, and one soldier was wounded, military officials reported. The Defense Department released the identities of three soldiers and one Marine who died recently.
-- Three Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers died yesterday and another was wounded when an improvised explosive device struck their vehicle in eastern Baghdad. An Iraqi interpreter also was killed in the attack.
-- One Multinational Force West Marine was killed yesterday while conducting combat operations in Anbar province.
-- One Multinational Division Baghdad soldier was killed April 28 when a combat patrol was attacked with small-arms fire in eastern Baghdad. The servicemembers' names are being withheld pending notification of next of kin.
Meanwhile, the Defense Department released the identities of three Army soldiers and a Marine killed recently supporting U.S. operations abroad.
-- Army Staff Sgt. Michael D. Thomas, 34, of Seffner, Fla., died April 27 in Hirat province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using rocket-propelled grenades and small-arms fire. Thomas was assigned to 1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg, N.C.
-- Marine Sgt. Peter Woodall, 25, of Sarasota, Fla., died April 27 in Anbar province, Iraq, while conducting combat operations. He was assigned to 8th Engineer Support Battalion, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
-- Army Spc. Daniel F. Mehringer, 20, of Morgantown, W.Va., died April 27 in Bagram, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered from a non-combat-related incident. His death is under investigation.
-- Army Pfc. Nicholas E. Riehl, 21, of Shiocton, Wis., died April 27 in Fallujah, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his unit. He was assigned to the 5th Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga.
(Compiled from Multinational Corps Iraq and Defense Department news releases.)
April 30, 2007 – Four U.S. soldiers and one Marine died in Iraq over the past three days, and one soldier was wounded, military officials reported. The Defense Department released the identities of three soldiers and one Marine who died recently.
-- Three Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers died yesterday and another was wounded when an improvised explosive device struck their vehicle in eastern Baghdad. An Iraqi interpreter also was killed in the attack.
-- One Multinational Force West Marine was killed yesterday while conducting combat operations in Anbar province.
-- One Multinational Division Baghdad soldier was killed April 28 when a combat patrol was attacked with small-arms fire in eastern Baghdad. The servicemembers' names are being withheld pending notification of next of kin.
Meanwhile, the Defense Department released the identities of three Army soldiers and a Marine killed recently supporting U.S. operations abroad.
-- Army Staff Sgt. Michael D. Thomas, 34, of Seffner, Fla., died April 27 in Hirat province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using rocket-propelled grenades and small-arms fire. Thomas was assigned to 1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg, N.C.
-- Marine Sgt. Peter Woodall, 25, of Sarasota, Fla., died April 27 in Anbar province, Iraq, while conducting combat operations. He was assigned to 8th Engineer Support Battalion, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
-- Army Spc. Daniel F. Mehringer, 20, of Morgantown, W.Va., died April 27 in Bagram, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered from a non-combat-related incident. His death is under investigation.
-- Army Pfc. Nicholas E. Riehl, 21, of Shiocton, Wis., died April 27 in Fallujah, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his unit. He was assigned to the 5th Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga.
(Compiled from Multinational Corps Iraq and Defense Department news releases.)
'Arrowhead Division' Commander Reports Operation Arrowhead Strike 9 Successes
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
April 30, 2007 – A major clearing operation that wrapped up last week in Baghdad succeeded in preventing 3,200 roadside bombs, jailing 42 terrorists, and seizing enough weapons and explosives to outfit an enemy infantry battalion, the commander of the 2nd Infantry Division's 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team reported today. Army Col. Steven Townsend described sweeping success in Operation Arrowhead Strike 9, which kicked off March 20 to clear west-central Baghdad's Mansour security district.
The unit's ninth brigade-level operation since arriving in Baghdad in December "significantly reduced insurgent activity" in the region in support of the Task Force Dagger ground forces operating there, Townsend told Pentagon reporters via videoconference from Camp Liberty.
The "Arrowhead Brigade" soldiers worked hand in hand throughout the 36-day campaign with the 2nd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, which controls the battle space, and Iraqi forces.
Townsend tallied the operation's gains: three confirmed terrorists killed in close combat, 161 suspects detained for questioning, with 42 of them placed in long-term detention. Two kidnap victims were rescued, after being found chained in empty houses. "Both had been tortured and would surely have been executed eventually," Townsend said.
The most impressive yield of the operation came in terms of 92 weapons caches found during the operation, he said. The troops captured and destroyed 356 small arms, mortars and or rocket-propelled grenades, 147 explosive munitions, three car bombs, two suicide vests, and 143 completed or partial roadside bombs.
Some of these munitions were from Iran, China and former Warsaw Pact countries, but it wasn't possible to tell how long they had been in Iraq, he said.
In addition, the troops captured a roadside bomb electronics factory that held components for up to 3,200 additional bombs, and destroyed three homemade explosives factories found in abandoned homes, Townsend said.
But the real significance of Operation Arrowhead Strike 9, he said, extends far beyond the actual weapons, bomb-making materials and suspects captured. "All of this success enabled the Daggar Brigade and the Iraqi Karkh Area Command to make progress in a more meaningful way," he said.
Townsend cited signs of that progress. Killings and mortar attacks in the district have "dropped off significantly" and Iraqis are moving on with their day-to-day lives. They're cleaning trash and sewage from the streets, reopening markets and moving about on the streets in greater numbers.
They're also taking a stand against violence, he reported, providing more leads through phone and e-mail tip lines.
"This success did not come without a cost," he noted. Two Arrowhead brigade soldiers and an Iraqi army soldier died during the operation, and a Stryker vehicle was lost to a roadside bomb.
Since moving into Baghdad to replace the outgoing 172nd Stryker Brigade, the Arrowhead Brigade has assumed a two-fold security mission, Townsend explained. It serves as Multinational Division Baghdad's strike force, a mobile, offensively oriented force that disrupts insurgent activity and clears areas of the capital where insurgents are operating. At the same time, it serves as Multinational Corps Iraq's operational reserve, ready to respond to threats anywhere in Iraq.
Its most important job, he said, is to reinforce troops operating on the ground.
"In my view, it is the battle space owners who do all the heavy lifting here in Baghdad," Townsend said. "They are living among the people, patrolling the toughest places in Baghdad day in and day out, and working on supporting Iraqis' efforts in all four of our main lines of operation: security, transition, economics and governance."
The "Arrowhead Brigade," home-based at Fort Lewis, Wash., holds a long list of "firsts" in the Army, Townsend noted. It was the Army's first Stryker brigade, its first Stryker brigade to deploy for combat and its first Styker brigade to return for a second deployment to Iraq.
Nearly half the unit's 4,000 soldiers are veterans of its first deployment, he said.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
April 30, 2007 – A major clearing operation that wrapped up last week in Baghdad succeeded in preventing 3,200 roadside bombs, jailing 42 terrorists, and seizing enough weapons and explosives to outfit an enemy infantry battalion, the commander of the 2nd Infantry Division's 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team reported today. Army Col. Steven Townsend described sweeping success in Operation Arrowhead Strike 9, which kicked off March 20 to clear west-central Baghdad's Mansour security district.
The unit's ninth brigade-level operation since arriving in Baghdad in December "significantly reduced insurgent activity" in the region in support of the Task Force Dagger ground forces operating there, Townsend told Pentagon reporters via videoconference from Camp Liberty.
The "Arrowhead Brigade" soldiers worked hand in hand throughout the 36-day campaign with the 2nd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, which controls the battle space, and Iraqi forces.
Townsend tallied the operation's gains: three confirmed terrorists killed in close combat, 161 suspects detained for questioning, with 42 of them placed in long-term detention. Two kidnap victims were rescued, after being found chained in empty houses. "Both had been tortured and would surely have been executed eventually," Townsend said.
The most impressive yield of the operation came in terms of 92 weapons caches found during the operation, he said. The troops captured and destroyed 356 small arms, mortars and or rocket-propelled grenades, 147 explosive munitions, three car bombs, two suicide vests, and 143 completed or partial roadside bombs.
Some of these munitions were from Iran, China and former Warsaw Pact countries, but it wasn't possible to tell how long they had been in Iraq, he said.
In addition, the troops captured a roadside bomb electronics factory that held components for up to 3,200 additional bombs, and destroyed three homemade explosives factories found in abandoned homes, Townsend said.
But the real significance of Operation Arrowhead Strike 9, he said, extends far beyond the actual weapons, bomb-making materials and suspects captured. "All of this success enabled the Daggar Brigade and the Iraqi Karkh Area Command to make progress in a more meaningful way," he said.
Townsend cited signs of that progress. Killings and mortar attacks in the district have "dropped off significantly" and Iraqis are moving on with their day-to-day lives. They're cleaning trash and sewage from the streets, reopening markets and moving about on the streets in greater numbers.
They're also taking a stand against violence, he reported, providing more leads through phone and e-mail tip lines.
"This success did not come without a cost," he noted. Two Arrowhead brigade soldiers and an Iraqi army soldier died during the operation, and a Stryker vehicle was lost to a roadside bomb.
Since moving into Baghdad to replace the outgoing 172nd Stryker Brigade, the Arrowhead Brigade has assumed a two-fold security mission, Townsend explained. It serves as Multinational Division Baghdad's strike force, a mobile, offensively oriented force that disrupts insurgent activity and clears areas of the capital where insurgents are operating. At the same time, it serves as Multinational Corps Iraq's operational reserve, ready to respond to threats anywhere in Iraq.
Its most important job, he said, is to reinforce troops operating on the ground.
"In my view, it is the battle space owners who do all the heavy lifting here in Baghdad," Townsend said. "They are living among the people, patrolling the toughest places in Baghdad day in and day out, and working on supporting Iraqis' efforts in all four of our main lines of operation: security, transition, economics and governance."
The "Arrowhead Brigade," home-based at Fort Lewis, Wash., holds a long list of "firsts" in the Army, Townsend noted. It was the Army's first Stryker brigade, its first Stryker brigade to deploy for combat and its first Styker brigade to return for a second deployment to Iraq.
Nearly half the unit's 4,000 soldiers are veterans of its first deployment, he said.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
