American Forces Press Service
Dec. 8, 2008 - Afghan and coalition forces killed six militants during a security patrol yesterday in the Sangin district of Afghanistan's Helmand province, military officials reported. The combined forces positively identified an armed enemy reconnaissance element posing an imminent threat to the patrol and engaged it with small-arms fire, killing two militants.
In a separate incident, the combined forces received small-arms fire from militants in a concealed position along the patrol route. Troops responded with small-arms fire and killed four militants.
Coalition forces found and destroyed two roadside bombs in separate locations on the route, a road frequently traveled by local villagers, officials said.
In Jalalabad City in Afghanistan's Nangahar province, Afghan National Army commandos, assisted by coalition forces, detained suspected suicide-bombing facilitator Zia Rahman.
After receiving credible information from local officials on an impending assassination plot against the Nangarhar provincial governor, the Afghan commandos raided a Taliban safe house in Jalalabad City.
Within minutes of entering the home, the commandos detained Rahman, also known as Hamid, who is believed responsible for transporting and training the potential suicide bomber. During the operation, the commandos also safeguarded 41 men, women and children, officials said. Rahman tested positive for explosive residue.
Rahman also has been linked to several suicide vehicle-bomb attacks in Nangarhar province, including one in November that resulted in a U.S. servicemember being killed in action in Bati Kot.
(Compiled from U.S. Forces Afghanistan news releases.)
Monday, December 08, 2008
Troops Capture Iranian-backed Terrorists in Iraq
American Forces Press Service
Dec. 8, 2008 - Coalition forces apprehended three alleged Kataib Hezbollah terrorists in two operations early today in Baghdad's Rusafa district, military officials reported. Kataib Hezbollah is believed to be a surrogate group operating in Iraq on behalf of the Quds Force of Iran's Revolutionary Guard, coalition officials said.
During the first operation, coalition forces acted on intelligence information to captured three suspected Kataib Hezbollah members believed to be responsible for recent attacks against Iraqi civilians and Iraqi and coalition forces. In a separate operation in Rusafa today, forces targeted a suspected militant believed to be responsible for collecting intelligence information on Iraqi and coalition forces. The wanted man also is believed to be involved in attacks against coalition forces. He identified himself to forces and was apprehended without incident.
Also today, an operation near Baghdad netted a wanted man and three additional suspects believed to be his associates. The suspected terrorist is believed to be associated with al-Qaida in Iraq leaders in Anbar province.
In Ramadi today, coalition forces captured another suspected terrorist believed to be associated with Anbar-area al-Qaida in Iraq leaders.
In operations yesterday:
-- A wanted man who is believed to have transported explosives and other weapons for al-Qaida in Iraq was captured near Abu Ghraib, west of Baghdad. The suspected terrorist also is believed to have connections to numerous al-Qaida in Iraq operatives in the area.
-- Coalition forces captured a suspected terrorist in Beiji, south of Mosul. He is believed to coordinate suicide attacks in the Tigris River Valley and allegedly was seeking materials to build suicide vests. Two additional suspects were detained for further questioning.
-- Forces detained two suspects during an operation targeting al-Qaida in Iraq foreign-terrorist facilitation networks in Mosul.
-- Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers found a weapons cache in southern Baghdad's Rashid district. After receiving a tip from a concerned citizen, the soldiers found three rocket-propelled grenade launchers at a house in the Hadar community.
(Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq and Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)
Dec. 8, 2008 - Coalition forces apprehended three alleged Kataib Hezbollah terrorists in two operations early today in Baghdad's Rusafa district, military officials reported. Kataib Hezbollah is believed to be a surrogate group operating in Iraq on behalf of the Quds Force of Iran's Revolutionary Guard, coalition officials said.
During the first operation, coalition forces acted on intelligence information to captured three suspected Kataib Hezbollah members believed to be responsible for recent attacks against Iraqi civilians and Iraqi and coalition forces. In a separate operation in Rusafa today, forces targeted a suspected militant believed to be responsible for collecting intelligence information on Iraqi and coalition forces. The wanted man also is believed to be involved in attacks against coalition forces. He identified himself to forces and was apprehended without incident.
Also today, an operation near Baghdad netted a wanted man and three additional suspects believed to be his associates. The suspected terrorist is believed to be associated with al-Qaida in Iraq leaders in Anbar province.
In Ramadi today, coalition forces captured another suspected terrorist believed to be associated with Anbar-area al-Qaida in Iraq leaders.
In operations yesterday:
-- A wanted man who is believed to have transported explosives and other weapons for al-Qaida in Iraq was captured near Abu Ghraib, west of Baghdad. The suspected terrorist also is believed to have connections to numerous al-Qaida in Iraq operatives in the area.
-- Coalition forces captured a suspected terrorist in Beiji, south of Mosul. He is believed to coordinate suicide attacks in the Tigris River Valley and allegedly was seeking materials to build suicide vests. Two additional suspects were detained for further questioning.
-- Forces detained two suspects during an operation targeting al-Qaida in Iraq foreign-terrorist facilitation networks in Mosul.
-- Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers found a weapons cache in southern Baghdad's Rashid district. After receiving a tip from a concerned citizen, the soldiers found three rocket-propelled grenade launchers at a house in the Hadar community.
(Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq and Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)
General Leaving Northern Iraq Notes 'Monumental' Progress
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
Dec. 8, 2008 - Citing "monumental" improvements since his soldiers arrived in Iraq last year, the outgoing commander of Multinational Division North today credited his troops, Iraqi security forces and the Iraqi people with creating a historic turnaround. Army Maj. Gen. Mark P. Hertling and his 1st Armored Division soldiers arrived in Iraq just as the troop surge was taking effect in Baghdad and "the awakening movement" was beginning to push al-Qaida out of Anbar province.
"I told our units that we were arriving at a critical time and that our actions, one way or another, would make history," he told Pentagon reporters via videoconference from Contingency Operating Base Speicher near Tikrit, Iraq.
The situation then was dire. Enemy attacks had hit 1,800 a month, the Iraqis had little trust in their central government, and unemployment was "staggering," Hertling said. "For every two steps forward, we assessed, they were making one step back."
"When we arrived, our task was to decrease violence, partner with the Iraqi security forces as well as local and governmental leaders, and grow the nation's economy," he said. "We saw our roles as allies with the Iraqi people, working with them to change their communities and stop those who sought to destroy them."
Hertling, who redeploys with his soldiers tomorrow to Wurzberg, Germany, pointed to broad indicators of progress across a region the size of Connecticut, New Jersey, Maryland and Vermont combined. Violence is down dramatically, Iraqi security forces are gaining in numbers and capability, the local economy is improving and the Iraqi government is making strides, he said.
"I believe the changes in northern Iraq over the last 15 months have been monumental," he said, citing the combination of "heroic and courageous actions" by coalition troops and civilians assigned to provincial reconstruction teams, actions of the Iraqi security forces and patriotic Iraqi leaders and civilians.
"I've watched them make miracle[s] happen," he said.
Hertling conceded that the picture isn't all rosy, and that challenges remain. "There are still enemies that need to be destroyed," he said, noting that "anywhere in this country has the potential of falling back under the control of al-Qaida."
"It's a nefarious, evil group of individuals, and they will continue to attempt to conduct the kinds of attacks that kill innocent civilians, wherever we give them the opportunity," he said.
Meanwhile, the Iraqi government "is still very fragile," and needs to "polish the representative process and methods of infrastructure repair," he said.
But despite these challenges, Hertling said, he's witnessed a major transformation during his time in Iraq that shows promise for a new future.
"The most dramatic change is one that only we get to see over here – and that's now a new hope in the eyes of the Iraqi people," he said.
The progress in the region he commanded came at a big cost, Hertling noted, with 104 U.S. soldiers killed and 891 wounded, and big Iraqi losses as well. "At every memorial, we rededicate ourselves to our motto, 'Make these sacrifices matter," he said.
Army Maj. Gen. Robert L. Caslen Jr., Hertling's classmate at the U.S. Military Academy who commands the 25th Infantry Division, will assume responsibility for Multinational Division North during a ceremony tomorrow. The 25th Division headquarters and the division's 3rd Brigade Combat Team are expected to serve in Iraq for a year under the new deployment cycles that took effect while Hertling's soldiers were in Iraq.
American Forces Press Service
Dec. 8, 2008 - Citing "monumental" improvements since his soldiers arrived in Iraq last year, the outgoing commander of Multinational Division North today credited his troops, Iraqi security forces and the Iraqi people with creating a historic turnaround. Army Maj. Gen. Mark P. Hertling and his 1st Armored Division soldiers arrived in Iraq just as the troop surge was taking effect in Baghdad and "the awakening movement" was beginning to push al-Qaida out of Anbar province.
"I told our units that we were arriving at a critical time and that our actions, one way or another, would make history," he told Pentagon reporters via videoconference from Contingency Operating Base Speicher near Tikrit, Iraq.
The situation then was dire. Enemy attacks had hit 1,800 a month, the Iraqis had little trust in their central government, and unemployment was "staggering," Hertling said. "For every two steps forward, we assessed, they were making one step back."
"When we arrived, our task was to decrease violence, partner with the Iraqi security forces as well as local and governmental leaders, and grow the nation's economy," he said. "We saw our roles as allies with the Iraqi people, working with them to change their communities and stop those who sought to destroy them."
Hertling, who redeploys with his soldiers tomorrow to Wurzberg, Germany, pointed to broad indicators of progress across a region the size of Connecticut, New Jersey, Maryland and Vermont combined. Violence is down dramatically, Iraqi security forces are gaining in numbers and capability, the local economy is improving and the Iraqi government is making strides, he said.
"I believe the changes in northern Iraq over the last 15 months have been monumental," he said, citing the combination of "heroic and courageous actions" by coalition troops and civilians assigned to provincial reconstruction teams, actions of the Iraqi security forces and patriotic Iraqi leaders and civilians.
"I've watched them make miracle[s] happen," he said.
Hertling conceded that the picture isn't all rosy, and that challenges remain. "There are still enemies that need to be destroyed," he said, noting that "anywhere in this country has the potential of falling back under the control of al-Qaida."
"It's a nefarious, evil group of individuals, and they will continue to attempt to conduct the kinds of attacks that kill innocent civilians, wherever we give them the opportunity," he said.
Meanwhile, the Iraqi government "is still very fragile," and needs to "polish the representative process and methods of infrastructure repair," he said.
But despite these challenges, Hertling said, he's witnessed a major transformation during his time in Iraq that shows promise for a new future.
"The most dramatic change is one that only we get to see over here – and that's now a new hope in the eyes of the Iraqi people," he said.
The progress in the region he commanded came at a big cost, Hertling noted, with 104 U.S. soldiers killed and 891 wounded, and big Iraqi losses as well. "At every memorial, we rededicate ourselves to our motto, 'Make these sacrifices matter," he said.
Army Maj. Gen. Robert L. Caslen Jr., Hertling's classmate at the U.S. Military Academy who commands the 25th Infantry Division, will assume responsibility for Multinational Division North during a ceremony tomorrow. The 25th Division headquarters and the division's 3rd Brigade Combat Team are expected to serve in Iraq for a year under the new deployment cycles that took effect while Hertling's soldiers were in Iraq.
Deployed Soldier Meets Wrestling Diva He Once Tried to Recruit
By Army Spc. Tiffany Evans
Special to American Forces Press Service
Iraq, Dec. 8, 2008 - Iraq can seem like a world away to deployed troops -- certainly not the place you would expect to run into someone from back home. But sometimes it is a small world, even in Iraq. Or so it seemed to Army Sgt. Kenneth Cisson, a task force squad leader, when he met up with World Wrestling Entertainment diva Kelly Kelly on Dec. 5. Kelly had just finished a show with the WWE Superstars here when Cisson saw her for the first time in two years. Cisson and Kelly are both from Jacksonville, Fla., and Cisson tried to recruit her into the Army while working at her high school.
"I remember trying to talk her into joining the Guard or reserves for extra money while she was in college," Cisson said of working at Kelly's high school during her senior year.
Little did he know after he left Jacksonville that Kelly had become famous through the WWE. His cousin called him and told him the news.
"I never imagined her as a wrestler; she was a cheerleader and worked as a waitress back home," Cisson said. "I found out she was one of the divas coming and hoped I would get the chance to see her."
They did see each other after the event and caught up on their hometown, people they knew and what's been going on in each other's lives since they last saw each other.
"Watching the show and running into Kelly was like a breath from home," Cisson said. "I went to the show with my squad to support these entertainers who love us enough to come visit while we are deployed, and in the process, I got to see a hometown girl who made it famous."
(Spc. Tiffany Evans serves in the Multinational Division Center public affairs office.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
Iraq, Dec. 8, 2008 - Iraq can seem like a world away to deployed troops -- certainly not the place you would expect to run into someone from back home. But sometimes it is a small world, even in Iraq. Or so it seemed to Army Sgt. Kenneth Cisson, a task force squad leader, when he met up with World Wrestling Entertainment diva Kelly Kelly on Dec. 5. Kelly had just finished a show with the WWE Superstars here when Cisson saw her for the first time in two years. Cisson and Kelly are both from Jacksonville, Fla., and Cisson tried to recruit her into the Army while working at her high school.
"I remember trying to talk her into joining the Guard or reserves for extra money while she was in college," Cisson said of working at Kelly's high school during her senior year.
Little did he know after he left Jacksonville that Kelly had become famous through the WWE. His cousin called him and told him the news.
"I never imagined her as a wrestler; she was a cheerleader and worked as a waitress back home," Cisson said. "I found out she was one of the divas coming and hoped I would get the chance to see her."
They did see each other after the event and caught up on their hometown, people they knew and what's been going on in each other's lives since they last saw each other.
"Watching the show and running into Kelly was like a breath from home," Cisson said. "I went to the show with my squad to support these entertainers who love us enough to come visit while we are deployed, and in the process, I got to see a hometown girl who made it famous."
(Spc. Tiffany Evans serves in the Multinational Division Center public affairs office.)
Unity of Command in Afghanistan: A Forsaken Principle of War
This Carlisle Paper discusses the traditional importance of unity of command in American doctrine and practice from World War I until now, and how this principle has been forsaken in the evolution of military command for Afghanistan. It examines the unprecedented departure from the principle of unity of command in Afghanistan in 2006, when Combined Forces Command-Afghanistan passed control of the ground fight to the International Security Assistance Force, and operations became split between several unified or “supreme” commanders in charge of U.S. Central Command, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and U.S. Special Operations Command. It argues for a renewal of understanding of the importance of unity of command, and recommends that the United States revert to the application of this principle by amending the Unified Command Plan to invest one “supreme commander” with responsibility for the current Operation ENDURING FREEDOM Joint Operations Area.
READ ON
http://www.strategicstudiesinstitute.army.mil/pubs/display.cfm?PubID=889
READ ON
http://www.strategicstudiesinstitute.army.mil/pubs/display.cfm?PubID=889
The 2006 Lebanon Campaign and the Future of Warfare: Implications for Army and Defense Policy
Many now see future warfare as a matter of nonstate actors employing irregular methods against Western states. This expectation has given rise to a range of sweeping proposals for transforming the U.S. military to meet such threats. In this context, Hezbollah’s 2006 campaign in southern Lebanon has been receiving increasing attention as a prominent recent example of a nonstate actor fighting a Westernized state. In particular, critics of irregular-warfare transformation often cite the 2006 case as evidence that non-state actors can nevertheless wage conventional warfare in state-like ways. This monograph assesses this claim via a detailed analysis of Hezbollah’s military behavior, coupled with deductive inference from observable Hezbollah behavior in the field to findings for their larger strategic intent for the campaign.
READ ON
http://www.strategicstudiesinstitute.army.mil/pubs/display.cfm?PubID=882
READ ON
http://www.strategicstudiesinstitute.army.mil/pubs/display.cfm?PubID=882
Joint Report Cites Potential Causes for Future Flashpoints
American Forces Press Service
Dec. 8, 2008 - Regional conflicts driven by competition for food, water and energy, increased urbanization and the possibility that nonstate actors could obtain high-tech components for enhancing lower-tech weapons are among the global challenges U.S. joint military leaders likely will face over the next quarter-century, a senior officer said here today. These scenarios are part of the Joint Operating Environment 2008 report recently issued by Norfolk, Va.,-based U.S. Joint Forces Command, Navy Rear Adm. John M. Richardson told American Forces Press Service and Pentagon Channel reporters.
The report outlines potential threats and opportunities U.S. joint forces may confront during the next eight to 25 years, said Richardson, JFCOM's strategy and policy director.
The character of future joint military operations is going to change, Richardson said, as "the strategic landscape changes, as the enemy adapts, as new technologies come on, as resources become more scarce."
The report states that 5 billion of the 8 billion people of the world in the 2030s likely could live in cities, Richardson said. Such a circumstance, he said, increases the opportunity for conflict. Joint warfighters, therefore, should be studying the challenges of carrying out military operations in densely-populated cities, he said.
Conducting military operations in urban environments is different and challenging, Richardson said, because enemies can blend in among the population and unintended civilian casualties are more likely.
Another potential future challenge, he said, involves nonstate actors or terrorists obtaining relatively inexpensive, commercially available global positioning systems to enhance the guidance systems of older rockets and missile systems.
"Now we have GPS devices that we can stick on our windshield, and we have the computer programming that would allow you to work out the most expeditious or optimum route from point to point," Richardson explained. "They are much smaller, they're miniaturized; you can put them on rocket systems or any kind of a launch vehicle."
It is likely that the United States and its allies will be involved in conducting irregular warfare against global terrorists for many years to come, Richardson said.
That viewpoint is shared by JFCom's commander, Marine Gen. James N. Mattis, who wears a second hat as NATO's supreme allied commander for transformation. American sailors, soldiers, airmen and Marines will be fighting terrorists during the next decade or so, Mattis told attendees at the 2008 Joint Warfighting Conference held at Virginia Beach, Va., during summer.
"Irregular warfare, from my perspective, is the key problem that we face today," Mattis said at the conference. The threat of global terrorism, the four-star general added, is "not going away any time soon."
Increased global competition for resources such as food, water and energy also will present challenges for U.S. joint military forces in the future, Richardson said.
Yet, although regional competitions for resources "may serve as flashpoints" for future military operations, Richardson said, they may also "give the joint force an opportunity to exercise its powers of inspiration." U.S. forces, he said, could assist other U.S. agencies or coalition partners by furnishing food, water and other forms of "soft power" support to troubled regions to diffuse tensions before they erupt into conflict, he explained.
A follow-on document, Richardson said, will describe how U.S. joint forces would respond operationally to potential future challenges and opportunities outlined in the JOE 2008 report.
Yet, despite technological or sociological change in the world in coming years, military conflicts "will remain a human endeavor between two human forces that learn, adapt and respond to one another," Richardson said.
Dec. 8, 2008 - Regional conflicts driven by competition for food, water and energy, increased urbanization and the possibility that nonstate actors could obtain high-tech components for enhancing lower-tech weapons are among the global challenges U.S. joint military leaders likely will face over the next quarter-century, a senior officer said here today. These scenarios are part of the Joint Operating Environment 2008 report recently issued by Norfolk, Va.,-based U.S. Joint Forces Command, Navy Rear Adm. John M. Richardson told American Forces Press Service and Pentagon Channel reporters.
The report outlines potential threats and opportunities U.S. joint forces may confront during the next eight to 25 years, said Richardson, JFCOM's strategy and policy director.
The character of future joint military operations is going to change, Richardson said, as "the strategic landscape changes, as the enemy adapts, as new technologies come on, as resources become more scarce."
The report states that 5 billion of the 8 billion people of the world in the 2030s likely could live in cities, Richardson said. Such a circumstance, he said, increases the opportunity for conflict. Joint warfighters, therefore, should be studying the challenges of carrying out military operations in densely-populated cities, he said.
Conducting military operations in urban environments is different and challenging, Richardson said, because enemies can blend in among the population and unintended civilian casualties are more likely.
Another potential future challenge, he said, involves nonstate actors or terrorists obtaining relatively inexpensive, commercially available global positioning systems to enhance the guidance systems of older rockets and missile systems.
"Now we have GPS devices that we can stick on our windshield, and we have the computer programming that would allow you to work out the most expeditious or optimum route from point to point," Richardson explained. "They are much smaller, they're miniaturized; you can put them on rocket systems or any kind of a launch vehicle."
It is likely that the United States and its allies will be involved in conducting irregular warfare against global terrorists for many years to come, Richardson said.
That viewpoint is shared by JFCom's commander, Marine Gen. James N. Mattis, who wears a second hat as NATO's supreme allied commander for transformation. American sailors, soldiers, airmen and Marines will be fighting terrorists during the next decade or so, Mattis told attendees at the 2008 Joint Warfighting Conference held at Virginia Beach, Va., during summer.
"Irregular warfare, from my perspective, is the key problem that we face today," Mattis said at the conference. The threat of global terrorism, the four-star general added, is "not going away any time soon."
Increased global competition for resources such as food, water and energy also will present challenges for U.S. joint military forces in the future, Richardson said.
Yet, although regional competitions for resources "may serve as flashpoints" for future military operations, Richardson said, they may also "give the joint force an opportunity to exercise its powers of inspiration." U.S. forces, he said, could assist other U.S. agencies or coalition partners by furnishing food, water and other forms of "soft power" support to troubled regions to diffuse tensions before they erupt into conflict, he explained.
A follow-on document, Richardson said, will describe how U.S. joint forces would respond operationally to potential future challenges and opportunities outlined in the JOE 2008 report.
Yet, despite technological or sociological change in the world in coming years, military conflicts "will remain a human endeavor between two human forces that learn, adapt and respond to one another," Richardson said.
CBR Weapons and WMD Terrorism News- December 8, 2008
Primate center unveils biosafety lab [LA]
“Five years in the making and prompted by an influx of federal financing for bioterrorism research after anthrax scares and the Sept. 11 attacks, Tulane University’s [LA] National Primate Research Center on Friday showed off its new $27.5 million lab for studying airborne contaminants and infectious diseases. The Regional Biosafety Laboratory, a 38,000-square-foot facility within the center near Covington, is not expected to open for business until mid-summer, but on Friday morning, national, state and local officials used an oversized pair of scissors to cut a green ribbon, officially marking the lab's completion. ‘The focus is how you prevent exposure for a new emergent disease that is moving this way, or for a bioterrorism event,’ said Andrew Lackner, the center’s director. He said the facility will work ‘to protect the community and the nation.’” (Times-Picayune; 06Dec08; Benjamin Alexander-Bloch)
http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/index.ssf?/base/news-0/1228544506295490.xml&coll=1
Data published in Nature Medicine highlights ability of Peregrine Pharmaceuticals’ bavituximab to cure lethal virus infections
“Peregrine Pharmaceuticals, Inc. reported publication of data in Nature Medicine that supports the broad anti-viral potential of the company's novel anti-phosphatidylserine (anti-PS) antibody platform, showing that its PS-targeting drug bavituximab can cure lethal virus infections in animal disease models. Bavituximab is in clinical trials for the treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and in preclinical development for the treatment of viral hemorrhagic fevers under a contract worth up to $44.4 million with the bioterrorism program of the U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA).” (NewsRx.com; 12Dec08)
http://www.newsrx.com/article.php?articleID=1350558
Secret labs outsourced by Defra [U.K.’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs]
“Britain’s top-secret laboratories battling to prevent outbreaks of anthrax, foot-and-mouth, mad cow disease and Asian bird flu with some installations so sensitive they do not officially exist have been privatised. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is transferring the maintenance of 186 sites and 800 Civil servants to outsourcing specialist Interserve. The contract includes three labs, whose work is so top secret their locations are undisclosed. […] Interserve, which also provides private-sector services to Buckingham Palace, said the 15-year Defra contract will be worth at least £500 million.” (The Daily Mail; 05Dec08) http://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/article-1092263/Top-secret-laboratories-outsourced-Defra.html
Earmark helps [NY] businesses, not troops
“Scientists have discovered a lotion that can save the lives of U.S. soldiers exposed to chemical weapons a product vastly superior to the standard-issue decontamination powder. […] But there’s a problem: After being lobbied by the companies making the powder, several members of Congress pushed through two earmarks worth $7.6 million that forced the military for the past two years to keep buying the inferior product. The product, known as M291, is made from a resin sold exclusively by a Pennsylvania chemical company, which is then processed into powder by a New York company, then assembled into individual kits at a facility in Arkansas. Among the lawmakers who championed the earmarks are Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., Arlen Specter, R-Pa.; and Charles Schumer, D-N.Y.” (Seattle Times; 08Dec08; Christine Willamsen and David Heath) http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008479423_apwaearmarkreport.html
[U.S. oil-services firm] Schlumberger's Iran sale [of ‘dirty bomb’ useable materials] raises questions
“The U.S. oil-services firm Schlumberger is using a legal loophole to supply machines with radioactive chemicals to Iran, The Boston Globe reported Sunday. The Globe says its investigation revealed the company has sold a 2,000-pound drilling tool to Iran powered by a kind of radioactive chemical that scientists say could fuel a so-called ‘dirty bomb.’ U.S. officials have sought to keep the chemical out of Iranian hands, but Schlumberger made the sale using a legal loophole allowing multinational corporations to employ foreign subsidiaries to sidestep U.S. sanctions, the Globe said. […] Victor Comras, a specialist on international trade embargoes, said Schlumberger's oil tools sale to Iran ‘is certainly activity that goes against the spirit, if not the letter, of the law.’” (United Press International; 07Dec08; Source: Boston Globe) http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2008/12/07/Schlumbergers_Iran_sale_raises_questions/UPI-90781228672600/
U.S. commission [on the prevention of weapons of mass destruction, proliferation, and terrorism] says urgent need to secure Pakistan's biological and nuclear weapons
“A U.S. bipartisan commission has warned that the next attacks on America might originate from Pakistan’s volatile Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), adding that there is an urgent need for Washington to secure Pakistan’s biological and nuclear weapons. The report, which was due to be presented to U.S. President Bush on Wednesday, says: ‘Indeed, many government officials and outside experts believe that the next terrorist attack against the US is likely to originate from within the Federally Administered Tribal Areas in Pakistan.’[…] [The report] warns that the recently-concluded US-India Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement may significantly affect Asian security, saying incoming President Barack Obama will have to manage the actions that states may take in response to the agreement.” (News Track India; 07Dec08; Source: Asian News
International)
http://www.newstrackindia.com/newsdetails/46429
India, Russia sign milestone nuclear pact, vow to fight terror
“The two strategic partners [India and Russia], whose ties have ‘withstood the test of time,’ signed 10 agreements in areas ranging from Civil space programme, Civil nuclear cooperation, economy, tourism and defence, and combatting terrorism. […] Reiterating their commitment to a multi-polar world, the two countries discussed a host of global issues, including terrorism, the global financial crisis, the Iranian nuclear issue, trilateral cooperation between India, Russia and China, and reform of leading international institutions.” (Newstrack India; 05Dec08; Source:
Indo-Asian News Service)
http://www.newstrackindia.com/newsdetails/46079
World leaders try to ban nuclear weapons
“A new international group committed to eliminating nuclear weapons over the next 25 years has enlisted scores of world leaders as its campaign gets under way at a conference in Paris on Tuesday. […] The group, Global Zero, is proposing deep cuts in U.S. and Russian nuclear arsenals, a verification and enforcement system, and phased reduction leading to the elimination of all stockpiles. […] Ultimately, the planners are hoping to stage a world summit in January 2010. More than 100 political, military, business, religious and civic leaders have lent their support to the campaign. ‘In recent months, the threat of proliferation and nuclear terrorism has led to a growing chorus of world leaders calling for the elimination of all nuclear weapons,’ the group said in a statement announcing its plans.” (The China Post; 08Dec08; Source: Associated Press; Barry Schweid) http://www.chinapost.com.tw/international/europe/2008/12/08/186640/World-leaders.htm
Commentary [by Peter Bergen, CNN National Security Analyst]: WMD terrorism fears overblown
“Terrorists have already used weapons of mass destruction in the past decade in attacks around the world, and they have proven to be something of a dud. […] In fact, there is only one weapon of mass destruction that can kill tens or hundreds of thousands and that is a nuclear device. […] Even if al Qaeda successfully deployed a crude chemical, biological or radiological weapon […] these would be weapons of mass disruption, whose principal effect would be panic -- not mass casualties. […] What we are likely to see again and again are the tried and tested tactics that terrorists have used for decades: […] Deploying true WMDs remains beyond the capabilities of terrorist groups today and for the foreseeable future.” (CNN.com; 05Dec08; Peter Bergen) http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/12/05/bergen.wmd/index.html?iref=newssearch
[U.S. Representative Jane] Harman [D-CA] warns against overplaying WMD ‘fear card’
“After a series of dire new warnings about possible terrorist threats -- capped by a government commission's report [from the Commission on the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction, Proliferation, and terrorism] that terrorists are likely to stage a biological or nuclear attack somewhere in the world during the next five years -- some experts are urging officials ‘to retire the fear card,’ as California Rep. Jane Harman puts it. ... Harman, who heads the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Intelligence and terrorism Risk Assessment, added, ‘It’s time for the rhetoric about that threat to calm, instead of inflame, an anxious public.’” (U.S. News & World Report: 08Dec08) http://www.usnews.com/usnews/politics/bulletin/bulletin_081208.htm
CNS ChemBio-WMD terrorism News is prepared by the Chemical and Biological Weapons Nonproliferation Program of the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies in order to bring timely and focused information to researchers and policymakers interested in the fields of chemical, biological, and radiological weapons nonproliferation and WMD terrorism.
“Five years in the making and prompted by an influx of federal financing for bioterrorism research after anthrax scares and the Sept. 11 attacks, Tulane University’s [LA] National Primate Research Center on Friday showed off its new $27.5 million lab for studying airborne contaminants and infectious diseases. The Regional Biosafety Laboratory, a 38,000-square-foot facility within the center near Covington, is not expected to open for business until mid-summer, but on Friday morning, national, state and local officials used an oversized pair of scissors to cut a green ribbon, officially marking the lab's completion. ‘The focus is how you prevent exposure for a new emergent disease that is moving this way, or for a bioterrorism event,’ said Andrew Lackner, the center’s director. He said the facility will work ‘to protect the community and the nation.’” (Times-Picayune; 06Dec08; Benjamin Alexander-Bloch)
http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/index.ssf?/base/news-0/1228544506295490.xml&coll=1
Data published in Nature Medicine highlights ability of Peregrine Pharmaceuticals’ bavituximab to cure lethal virus infections
“Peregrine Pharmaceuticals, Inc. reported publication of data in Nature Medicine that supports the broad anti-viral potential of the company's novel anti-phosphatidylserine (anti-PS) antibody platform, showing that its PS-targeting drug bavituximab can cure lethal virus infections in animal disease models. Bavituximab is in clinical trials for the treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and in preclinical development for the treatment of viral hemorrhagic fevers under a contract worth up to $44.4 million with the bioterrorism program of the U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA).” (NewsRx.com; 12Dec08)
http://www.newsrx.com/article.php?articleID=1350558
Secret labs outsourced by Defra [U.K.’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs]
“Britain’s top-secret laboratories battling to prevent outbreaks of anthrax, foot-and-mouth, mad cow disease and Asian bird flu with some installations so sensitive they do not officially exist have been privatised. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is transferring the maintenance of 186 sites and 800 Civil servants to outsourcing specialist Interserve. The contract includes three labs, whose work is so top secret their locations are undisclosed. […] Interserve, which also provides private-sector services to Buckingham Palace, said the 15-year Defra contract will be worth at least £500 million.” (The Daily Mail; 05Dec08) http://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/article-1092263/Top-secret-laboratories-outsourced-Defra.html
Earmark helps [NY] businesses, not troops
“Scientists have discovered a lotion that can save the lives of U.S. soldiers exposed to chemical weapons a product vastly superior to the standard-issue decontamination powder. […] But there’s a problem: After being lobbied by the companies making the powder, several members of Congress pushed through two earmarks worth $7.6 million that forced the military for the past two years to keep buying the inferior product. The product, known as M291, is made from a resin sold exclusively by a Pennsylvania chemical company, which is then processed into powder by a New York company, then assembled into individual kits at a facility in Arkansas. Among the lawmakers who championed the earmarks are Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., Arlen Specter, R-Pa.; and Charles Schumer, D-N.Y.” (Seattle Times; 08Dec08; Christine Willamsen and David Heath) http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008479423_apwaearmarkreport.html
[U.S. oil-services firm] Schlumberger's Iran sale [of ‘dirty bomb’ useable materials] raises questions
“The U.S. oil-services firm Schlumberger is using a legal loophole to supply machines with radioactive chemicals to Iran, The Boston Globe reported Sunday. The Globe says its investigation revealed the company has sold a 2,000-pound drilling tool to Iran powered by a kind of radioactive chemical that scientists say could fuel a so-called ‘dirty bomb.’ U.S. officials have sought to keep the chemical out of Iranian hands, but Schlumberger made the sale using a legal loophole allowing multinational corporations to employ foreign subsidiaries to sidestep U.S. sanctions, the Globe said. […] Victor Comras, a specialist on international trade embargoes, said Schlumberger's oil tools sale to Iran ‘is certainly activity that goes against the spirit, if not the letter, of the law.’” (United Press International; 07Dec08; Source: Boston Globe) http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2008/12/07/Schlumbergers_Iran_sale_raises_questions/UPI-90781228672600/
U.S. commission [on the prevention of weapons of mass destruction, proliferation, and terrorism] says urgent need to secure Pakistan's biological and nuclear weapons
“A U.S. bipartisan commission has warned that the next attacks on America might originate from Pakistan’s volatile Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), adding that there is an urgent need for Washington to secure Pakistan’s biological and nuclear weapons. The report, which was due to be presented to U.S. President Bush on Wednesday, says: ‘Indeed, many government officials and outside experts believe that the next terrorist attack against the US is likely to originate from within the Federally Administered Tribal Areas in Pakistan.’[…] [The report] warns that the recently-concluded US-India Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement may significantly affect Asian security, saying incoming President Barack Obama will have to manage the actions that states may take in response to the agreement.” (News Track India; 07Dec08; Source: Asian News
International)
http://www.newstrackindia.com/newsdetails/46429
India, Russia sign milestone nuclear pact, vow to fight terror
“The two strategic partners [India and Russia], whose ties have ‘withstood the test of time,’ signed 10 agreements in areas ranging from Civil space programme, Civil nuclear cooperation, economy, tourism and defence, and combatting terrorism. […] Reiterating their commitment to a multi-polar world, the two countries discussed a host of global issues, including terrorism, the global financial crisis, the Iranian nuclear issue, trilateral cooperation between India, Russia and China, and reform of leading international institutions.” (Newstrack India; 05Dec08; Source:
Indo-Asian News Service)
http://www.newstrackindia.com/newsdetails/46079
World leaders try to ban nuclear weapons
“A new international group committed to eliminating nuclear weapons over the next 25 years has enlisted scores of world leaders as its campaign gets under way at a conference in Paris on Tuesday. […] The group, Global Zero, is proposing deep cuts in U.S. and Russian nuclear arsenals, a verification and enforcement system, and phased reduction leading to the elimination of all stockpiles. […] Ultimately, the planners are hoping to stage a world summit in January 2010. More than 100 political, military, business, religious and civic leaders have lent their support to the campaign. ‘In recent months, the threat of proliferation and nuclear terrorism has led to a growing chorus of world leaders calling for the elimination of all nuclear weapons,’ the group said in a statement announcing its plans.” (The China Post; 08Dec08; Source: Associated Press; Barry Schweid) http://www.chinapost.com.tw/international/europe/2008/12/08/186640/World-leaders.htm
Commentary [by Peter Bergen, CNN National Security Analyst]: WMD terrorism fears overblown
“Terrorists have already used weapons of mass destruction in the past decade in attacks around the world, and they have proven to be something of a dud. […] In fact, there is only one weapon of mass destruction that can kill tens or hundreds of thousands and that is a nuclear device. […] Even if al Qaeda successfully deployed a crude chemical, biological or radiological weapon […] these would be weapons of mass disruption, whose principal effect would be panic -- not mass casualties. […] What we are likely to see again and again are the tried and tested tactics that terrorists have used for decades: […] Deploying true WMDs remains beyond the capabilities of terrorist groups today and for the foreseeable future.” (CNN.com; 05Dec08; Peter Bergen) http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/12/05/bergen.wmd/index.html?iref=newssearch
[U.S. Representative Jane] Harman [D-CA] warns against overplaying WMD ‘fear card’
“After a series of dire new warnings about possible terrorist threats -- capped by a government commission's report [from the Commission on the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction, Proliferation, and terrorism] that terrorists are likely to stage a biological or nuclear attack somewhere in the world during the next five years -- some experts are urging officials ‘to retire the fear card,’ as California Rep. Jane Harman puts it. ... Harman, who heads the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Intelligence and terrorism Risk Assessment, added, ‘It’s time for the rhetoric about that threat to calm, instead of inflame, an anxious public.’” (U.S. News & World Report: 08Dec08) http://www.usnews.com/usnews/politics/bulletin/bulletin_081208.htm
CNS ChemBio-WMD terrorism News is prepared by the Chemical and Biological Weapons Nonproliferation Program of the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies in order to bring timely and focused information to researchers and policymakers interested in the fields of chemical, biological, and radiological weapons nonproliferation and WMD terrorism.
Sunday, December 07, 2008
Coalition Forces Kill Three, Detain Four in Afghanistan
American Forces Press Service
Dec. 7, 2008 - Operations to disrupt the Hizb-e-Islami Gulbuddin terrorist network in Afghanistan's Kapisa province yesterday targeted a network commander known to facilitate the movement of weapons and foreign fighters into the area. During the operation, three militants armed with AK-47 assault rifles and other military equipment attempted to engage the force. Coalition forces responded with small-arms fire, killing them. A search of the compound revealed multiple AK-47s, pistols, hand grenades, and other military equipment, which were destroyed to prevent future use.
Four other suspected militants also were detained during the operation.
In other operations in Afghanistan, coalition forces killed two armed militants and detained five suspects during a Dec. 5 operation targeting the Taliban terrorist network in Paktika province.
Coalition forces searched a compound in Ziruk district, about 150 miles south of Kabul, targeting a local Taliban commander suspected of foreign-fighter and weapons facilitation. Intelligence suggests the commander also is responsible for coordinating and directing roadside bomb, suicide, and other attacks against innocent civilians, the Afghan government and coalition forces in effort to destabilize the region, officials said.
During the operation, coalition forces encountered two militants who attempted to engage the force. They responded with small-arms fire and killed them.
(Compiled from U.S. Forces Afghanistan news releases.)
Dec. 7, 2008 - Operations to disrupt the Hizb-e-Islami Gulbuddin terrorist network in Afghanistan's Kapisa province yesterday targeted a network commander known to facilitate the movement of weapons and foreign fighters into the area. During the operation, three militants armed with AK-47 assault rifles and other military equipment attempted to engage the force. Coalition forces responded with small-arms fire, killing them. A search of the compound revealed multiple AK-47s, pistols, hand grenades, and other military equipment, which were destroyed to prevent future use.
Four other suspected militants also were detained during the operation.
In other operations in Afghanistan, coalition forces killed two armed militants and detained five suspects during a Dec. 5 operation targeting the Taliban terrorist network in Paktika province.
Coalition forces searched a compound in Ziruk district, about 150 miles south of Kabul, targeting a local Taliban commander suspected of foreign-fighter and weapons facilitation. Intelligence suggests the commander also is responsible for coordinating and directing roadside bomb, suicide, and other attacks against innocent civilians, the Afghan government and coalition forces in effort to destabilize the region, officials said.
During the operation, coalition forces encountered two militants who attempted to engage the force. They responded with small-arms fire and killed them.
(Compiled from U.S. Forces Afghanistan news releases.)
End in Sight for War in Iraq, Bush Says
By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service
Dec. 6, 2008 - The war in Iraq isn't over, but a successful end is in sight, thanks to hard work between the United States and Iraq, President George W. Bush said in his weekly radio address today. "Earlier this week, Iraq's Presidency Council approved two landmark agreements that will solidify Iraq's democratic gains, affirm its sovereignty, and put its relations with the United States on a strong and steady footing," he said. "The first agreement that America and Iraq have signed is called a strategic framework agreement."
This pact sets out a common vision for U.S.-Iraqi relations in the years ahead, he said. Under this agreement, the two nations will work together to bring greater stability to Iraq and the region. That will include working to promote stability in the region through trade and investment as well as supporting Iraq's leaders and citizens.
"Only a few years ago, such an agreement was unimaginable," Bush said. "Terrorists were seizing new ground and using violence to divide the Iraqi people along sectarian lines and the nation was nearing the point of political collapse and civil war. Today, violence is down dramatically. The Iraqi military is growing in capability, taking the lead in the fight against the extremists, and working across sectarian lines.
"There is hope in the eyes of young Iraqis for the first time in many years," he added.
The second agreement, a status of forces agreement, has the primary purpose of ensuring the protection of U.S. troops and Defense Department civilians as Iraq begins to exercise greater sovereignty.
"It [also] lays out a framework for the withdrawal of American forces in Iraq," Bush said. "This withdrawal will take place in two stages."
The first stage will occur next year, when Iraqi forces assume the lead for security operations in all major population centers, while U.S. combat forces move out of Iraqi cities and into an overwatch role, Bush said. After this transition has occurred, the drawdown of American forces will continue to the second stage, with all U.S. forces returning home from Iraq by the end of 2011.
Bush acknowledged early differences of opinion about the initial decision to remove Saddam Hussein from power and the subsequent conduct of the war. But as the situation becomes more and more positive, he said, the country has an opportunity to adopt a new perspective.
"Americans should be able to agree that it is in our nation's strategic and moral interests to support the free and democratic Iraq that is emerging in the heart of the Middle East," he said.
The president also acknowledged the sacrifices made to reach this point, including long separations from friends and family, and for many, the ultimate sacrifice.
"Throughout the past eight years, I've seen the tremendous talent and courage of those who wear the uniform," Bush said. "Their efforts have overthrown tyrants, made our nation safer, put terrorists on the run, and opened the door to liberty for more than 50 million people.
"Now, thanks to their work in Iraq and the courage of the Iraqi people, a hopeful new era is dawning for their democracy and ours," he said.
Bush also conveyed his appreciation for the American people's sacrifices.
"The battle in Iraq has required a large amount of time and a large amount of money," he said.
Bush added that he would attend the Army-Navy football game in Philadelphia this afternoon, and said he was looking forward to spending time with "brave men and women of the United States military."
American Forces Press Service
Dec. 6, 2008 - The war in Iraq isn't over, but a successful end is in sight, thanks to hard work between the United States and Iraq, President George W. Bush said in his weekly radio address today. "Earlier this week, Iraq's Presidency Council approved two landmark agreements that will solidify Iraq's democratic gains, affirm its sovereignty, and put its relations with the United States on a strong and steady footing," he said. "The first agreement that America and Iraq have signed is called a strategic framework agreement."
This pact sets out a common vision for U.S.-Iraqi relations in the years ahead, he said. Under this agreement, the two nations will work together to bring greater stability to Iraq and the region. That will include working to promote stability in the region through trade and investment as well as supporting Iraq's leaders and citizens.
"Only a few years ago, such an agreement was unimaginable," Bush said. "Terrorists were seizing new ground and using violence to divide the Iraqi people along sectarian lines and the nation was nearing the point of political collapse and civil war. Today, violence is down dramatically. The Iraqi military is growing in capability, taking the lead in the fight against the extremists, and working across sectarian lines.
"There is hope in the eyes of young Iraqis for the first time in many years," he added.
The second agreement, a status of forces agreement, has the primary purpose of ensuring the protection of U.S. troops and Defense Department civilians as Iraq begins to exercise greater sovereignty.
"It [also] lays out a framework for the withdrawal of American forces in Iraq," Bush said. "This withdrawal will take place in two stages."
The first stage will occur next year, when Iraqi forces assume the lead for security operations in all major population centers, while U.S. combat forces move out of Iraqi cities and into an overwatch role, Bush said. After this transition has occurred, the drawdown of American forces will continue to the second stage, with all U.S. forces returning home from Iraq by the end of 2011.
Bush acknowledged early differences of opinion about the initial decision to remove Saddam Hussein from power and the subsequent conduct of the war. But as the situation becomes more and more positive, he said, the country has an opportunity to adopt a new perspective.
"Americans should be able to agree that it is in our nation's strategic and moral interests to support the free and democratic Iraq that is emerging in the heart of the Middle East," he said.
The president also acknowledged the sacrifices made to reach this point, including long separations from friends and family, and for many, the ultimate sacrifice.
"Throughout the past eight years, I've seen the tremendous talent and courage of those who wear the uniform," Bush said. "Their efforts have overthrown tyrants, made our nation safer, put terrorists on the run, and opened the door to liberty for more than 50 million people.
"Now, thanks to their work in Iraq and the courage of the Iraqi people, a hopeful new era is dawning for their democracy and ours," he said.
Bush also conveyed his appreciation for the American people's sacrifices.
"The battle in Iraq has required a large amount of time and a large amount of money," he said.
Bush added that he would attend the Army-Navy football game in Philadelphia this afternoon, and said he was looking forward to spending time with "brave men and women of the United States military."
Friday, December 05, 2008
Troops in Afghanistan Kill Militants, Detain Suspects
American Forces Press Service
Dec. 5, 2008 - With help from coalition troops, Afghan security forces killed two militants and detained two others today in the Shindand district of western Afghanistan's Herat province, military officials said. During the early morning raid, Afghan army commandos targeted a safe house used by a suspected roadside-bomb cell operating in the Zer-e-koh Valley. The safe house served as a storage facility for weapons, munitions and assembled bombs.
Militants engaged the commandos from multiple positions, and the Afghan soldiers responded with precision fire, killing two militants. The commandos detained two other militants and recovered Taliban-related documents, AK-47 assault rifles, ammunition and ammunition-carrying vests.
During the operation, forces safeguarded 42 men, women and children, officials said, and the commandos met with village leadership afterward to explain the operation and methods used.
In an operation targeting the Hizb-e-Islami Gulbuddin network in the Tagab district of Kapisa province yesterday, coalition forces searched a compound looking for a commander in the terrorist group known to move weapons and foreign fighters into the region and believed to have conducted attacks against civilians and military. The troops searched the compound without incident, and protected 10 women and 20 children while detaining four suspected militants, officials said.
Also yesterday, Afghan and coalition forces killed four militants in the Nar Surkh district of southern Afghanistan's Helmand province. The combined forces were conducting a combat security patrol when militants attacked from a wooded area, using small-arms and machine-gun fire. Forces responded, killing four attackers.
In the same district the day before, Afghan and coalition forces used mortar fire to kill 10 militants who attacked a coalition base with rocket-propelled grenades and machine-gun fire.
No coalition or Afghan forces or civilians were hurt in the operations, U.S. Forces Afghanistan officials said.
"Afghan national security forces and coalition forces continue working together against the militants," said Gen. Mohammad Zahir Azimi, chief spokesman for the Afghan Defense Ministry. "Our cooperation provides better security for the people of Afghanistan."
(Compiled from U.S. Forces Afghanistan news releases and a joint news release from U.S. Forces Afghanistan and the Afghan Defense Ministry.)
Dec. 5, 2008 - With help from coalition troops, Afghan security forces killed two militants and detained two others today in the Shindand district of western Afghanistan's Herat province, military officials said. During the early morning raid, Afghan army commandos targeted a safe house used by a suspected roadside-bomb cell operating in the Zer-e-koh Valley. The safe house served as a storage facility for weapons, munitions and assembled bombs.
Militants engaged the commandos from multiple positions, and the Afghan soldiers responded with precision fire, killing two militants. The commandos detained two other militants and recovered Taliban-related documents, AK-47 assault rifles, ammunition and ammunition-carrying vests.
During the operation, forces safeguarded 42 men, women and children, officials said, and the commandos met with village leadership afterward to explain the operation and methods used.
In an operation targeting the Hizb-e-Islami Gulbuddin network in the Tagab district of Kapisa province yesterday, coalition forces searched a compound looking for a commander in the terrorist group known to move weapons and foreign fighters into the region and believed to have conducted attacks against civilians and military. The troops searched the compound without incident, and protected 10 women and 20 children while detaining four suspected militants, officials said.
Also yesterday, Afghan and coalition forces killed four militants in the Nar Surkh district of southern Afghanistan's Helmand province. The combined forces were conducting a combat security patrol when militants attacked from a wooded area, using small-arms and machine-gun fire. Forces responded, killing four attackers.
In the same district the day before, Afghan and coalition forces used mortar fire to kill 10 militants who attacked a coalition base with rocket-propelled grenades and machine-gun fire.
No coalition or Afghan forces or civilians were hurt in the operations, U.S. Forces Afghanistan officials said.
"Afghan national security forces and coalition forces continue working together against the militants," said Gen. Mohammad Zahir Azimi, chief spokesman for the Afghan Defense Ministry. "Our cooperation provides better security for the people of Afghanistan."
(Compiled from U.S. Forces Afghanistan news releases and a joint news release from U.S. Forces Afghanistan and the Afghan Defense Ministry.)
Face of Defense: Medal Recipient Chooses Third Iraq Tour
By Army Staff Sgt. Jim Greenhill
Special to American Forces Press Service
Dec. 5, 2008 - Army Sgt. 1st Class Timothy Nein didn't have to come back here. He served in Iraq twice before and was awarded a Distinguished Service Cross for his actions as a squad leader under fire. If anyone could have gotten a pass, it was Nein. But he wouldn't take it. "I probably didn't have to be here this time, but I don't think that I would have missed it," Nein said. "I feel honored to be a part of this."
Nein, 39, still leads in Iraq, this time as a platoon sergeant with the Kentucky National Guard's 223rd Military Police Company, providing escorts for the 18th Military Police Brigade's Iraqi Police Transitional Team. It is his third deployment in Iraq, and his fourth overseas tour this decade. The first was in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2001.
Nein first deployed here with the initial liberation force in 2003. But it was his second tour, in 2005, that would impact him the most. He was a squad leader with the Kentucky National Guard's 617th Military Police Company on March 20, 2005, when a convoy they were riding in was ambushed near the town of Salman Pak, south of Baghdad.
Under heavy fire, Nein and his squad put themselves and their vehicles between the insurgents and the convoy. Nein and Army National Guard Sgt. Leigh Ann Hester led a counterattack that saw 27 insurgents killed, seven captured and no deaths in their unit. Two soldiers were wounded.
Nein was awarded a Silver Star Medal that was upgraded to the Distinguished Service Cross. Only the Medal of Honor trumps the DSC among awards for valor in battle. Nein was the first member of the Guard to receive the award. Hester also received the Silver Star, becoming the first woman to receive the award for direct combat action.
One reason Nein wanted to return to Iraq is to continue to witness, firsthand, the dramatic changes there.
"I've seen a huge difference from 2005 to where we are now," he said. "I can remember thinking in 2005, looking back at 2003, how much different it was. I can't believe we've come as far as we have as far as getting their economy going. The violence is down greatly. It's unbelievable how much different it is."
Nein said the National Guard has played an essential role in Iraq's transformation. One example is his unit's mission.
"We're helping transform the Iraqi Police to be a more relevant force and a more professional force," he said. "We're out there every day evaluating their leaders, evaluating their recruits, evaluating their Police stations to make sure that they're up to par so that we can hand this mission over to them and they can take control."
From Clark County, Ind., Nein enlisted in the National Guard in 1996. "I wanted to give something back to the people that have given me so much," he said.
He has strong feelings about the Guard. "It's one of the best assets the United States Army has," he said. "It's a relevant and ready force. We have gone in the last five years from a great force to an outstanding force. We can pick up and be anywhere in the world and accomplish a mission just like any other unit in the United States and perform to the equivalent level. I can't say enough about the Guard."
Despite Nein's Guard pride, he sees all servicemembers here as a joint team. "I don't see National Guard," he said. "I don't see reserve soldiers, and I don't see active-duty soldiers, because we're all doing the same mission and we're keeping up the great professionalism ... meeting every bit of the same standards across the board."
Nein noted that the National Guard is unique because the citizen-soldier or citizen-airman balances family, a civilian career and their military service.
"We've got soldiers that aren't just soldiers -- this isn't all they've ever done," Nein said. "We might have guys that have been in the National Guard for 20 years and have three and four deployments and have a lot of world experience, but they also have other careers that they're able to expand on in the Guard."
Nein sees the benefit of civilian-acquired skills in his own unit. "I've got guys that are in law enforcement. I've got welders. I've got college students."
Before this latest deployment, Nein took a leave of absence from the paper products company where he's worked for two decades to go full time with the Guard as a training non-commissioned officer.
Nein brings his past military and civilian experience to the table as he accomplishes his job, which includes drafting after-action reviews that seek improvement for his soldiers.
"Even if it's just a standard escort mission that we do a thousand times while we're here, every day's going to be different, and every day we've got to try and make it better, and that's how I look at every mission," he said.
Out on escort missions, Nein thinks like his enemy. "I'm looking for how, if I was a bad guy, how I would kill me the entire time out there," he said. "I'm looking for where I would put an improvised explosive device, where I would set up an ambush, and how I would do it if I was the bad guy."
He passes that mentality along to his soldiers as they scan for threats. "Don't look at the actual object," he tells them, referring to homemade bomb placements. "Look past it. Look at how you would set it up in the area -- and you'll see it way before you would if you were just looking for an inanimate object."
Nein hopes other soldiers will look for lessons in the events of the day his unit was ambushed. "What did we do right?" he said. "Why were we able to survive something that we shouldn't have been able to survive?
"I didn't make up any of the tactics that we used. We took everything that the Army taught and that soldiers before me had used, and we developed it and we implemented it from day one," he continued. "Anytime that a technique, tactic and procedure could have been better, we worked on it."
Nein is humble about his battlefield accomplishments. "It's not what I did that made the day go right. It's what the people before me did, that taught me and mentored me on battle tactics and TTPs and just doing the right thing each and every day. Because if you do that -- the right training, the right leadership and the right equipment -- there's nothing that we can't accomplish."
March 20, 2005, might have ended differently for Nein and his squad, who were outnumbered five to one. Every day he serves here, Nein still faces risk.
"This is my job," he said. "This is what I chose to do, and it's what I'll continue to strive to do. I love what I do."
(Army Staff Sgt. Jim Greenhill works for the Army News Service.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
Dec. 5, 2008 - Army Sgt. 1st Class Timothy Nein didn't have to come back here. He served in Iraq twice before and was awarded a Distinguished Service Cross for his actions as a squad leader under fire. If anyone could have gotten a pass, it was Nein. But he wouldn't take it. "I probably didn't have to be here this time, but I don't think that I would have missed it," Nein said. "I feel honored to be a part of this."
Nein, 39, still leads in Iraq, this time as a platoon sergeant with the Kentucky National Guard's 223rd Military Police Company, providing escorts for the 18th Military Police Brigade's Iraqi Police Transitional Team. It is his third deployment in Iraq, and his fourth overseas tour this decade. The first was in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2001.
Nein first deployed here with the initial liberation force in 2003. But it was his second tour, in 2005, that would impact him the most. He was a squad leader with the Kentucky National Guard's 617th Military Police Company on March 20, 2005, when a convoy they were riding in was ambushed near the town of Salman Pak, south of Baghdad.
Under heavy fire, Nein and his squad put themselves and their vehicles between the insurgents and the convoy. Nein and Army National Guard Sgt. Leigh Ann Hester led a counterattack that saw 27 insurgents killed, seven captured and no deaths in their unit. Two soldiers were wounded.
Nein was awarded a Silver Star Medal that was upgraded to the Distinguished Service Cross. Only the Medal of Honor trumps the DSC among awards for valor in battle. Nein was the first member of the Guard to receive the award. Hester also received the Silver Star, becoming the first woman to receive the award for direct combat action.
One reason Nein wanted to return to Iraq is to continue to witness, firsthand, the dramatic changes there.
"I've seen a huge difference from 2005 to where we are now," he said. "I can remember thinking in 2005, looking back at 2003, how much different it was. I can't believe we've come as far as we have as far as getting their economy going. The violence is down greatly. It's unbelievable how much different it is."
Nein said the National Guard has played an essential role in Iraq's transformation. One example is his unit's mission.
"We're helping transform the Iraqi Police to be a more relevant force and a more professional force," he said. "We're out there every day evaluating their leaders, evaluating their recruits, evaluating their Police stations to make sure that they're up to par so that we can hand this mission over to them and they can take control."
From Clark County, Ind., Nein enlisted in the National Guard in 1996. "I wanted to give something back to the people that have given me so much," he said.
He has strong feelings about the Guard. "It's one of the best assets the United States Army has," he said. "It's a relevant and ready force. We have gone in the last five years from a great force to an outstanding force. We can pick up and be anywhere in the world and accomplish a mission just like any other unit in the United States and perform to the equivalent level. I can't say enough about the Guard."
Despite Nein's Guard pride, he sees all servicemembers here as a joint team. "I don't see National Guard," he said. "I don't see reserve soldiers, and I don't see active-duty soldiers, because we're all doing the same mission and we're keeping up the great professionalism ... meeting every bit of the same standards across the board."
Nein noted that the National Guard is unique because the citizen-soldier or citizen-airman balances family, a civilian career and their military service.
"We've got soldiers that aren't just soldiers -- this isn't all they've ever done," Nein said. "We might have guys that have been in the National Guard for 20 years and have three and four deployments and have a lot of world experience, but they also have other careers that they're able to expand on in the Guard."
Nein sees the benefit of civilian-acquired skills in his own unit. "I've got guys that are in law enforcement. I've got welders. I've got college students."
Before this latest deployment, Nein took a leave of absence from the paper products company where he's worked for two decades to go full time with the Guard as a training non-commissioned officer.
Nein brings his past military and civilian experience to the table as he accomplishes his job, which includes drafting after-action reviews that seek improvement for his soldiers.
"Even if it's just a standard escort mission that we do a thousand times while we're here, every day's going to be different, and every day we've got to try and make it better, and that's how I look at every mission," he said.
Out on escort missions, Nein thinks like his enemy. "I'm looking for how, if I was a bad guy, how I would kill me the entire time out there," he said. "I'm looking for where I would put an improvised explosive device, where I would set up an ambush, and how I would do it if I was the bad guy."
He passes that mentality along to his soldiers as they scan for threats. "Don't look at the actual object," he tells them, referring to homemade bomb placements. "Look past it. Look at how you would set it up in the area -- and you'll see it way before you would if you were just looking for an inanimate object."
Nein hopes other soldiers will look for lessons in the events of the day his unit was ambushed. "What did we do right?" he said. "Why were we able to survive something that we shouldn't have been able to survive?
"I didn't make up any of the tactics that we used. We took everything that the Army taught and that soldiers before me had used, and we developed it and we implemented it from day one," he continued. "Anytime that a technique, tactic and procedure could have been better, we worked on it."
Nein is humble about his battlefield accomplishments. "It's not what I did that made the day go right. It's what the people before me did, that taught me and mentored me on battle tactics and TTPs and just doing the right thing each and every day. Because if you do that -- the right training, the right leadership and the right equipment -- there's nothing that we can't accomplish."
March 20, 2005, might have ended differently for Nein and his squad, who were outnumbered five to one. Every day he serves here, Nein still faces risk.
"This is my job," he said. "This is what I chose to do, and it's what I'll continue to strive to do. I love what I do."
(Army Staff Sgt. Jim Greenhill works for the Army News Service.)
U.S. Army Medals Recognize Afghan Soldiers' Improvement
American Forces Press Service
Dec. 5, 2008 - A battalion, or "kandak," of Afghan soldiers celebrated a milestone Dec. 4 when the U.S. Army decorated them for their military achievements. U.S. Army Maj. Brian Gary, an embedded training team leader, presented medals to more than 30 soldiers with the Afghan National Army's 1st Kandak, 2nd Brigade, 207th Corps, during a ceremony held at Camp Zafar in Afghanistan's western province of Herat.
The Army Commendation Medal was awarded to nine members of the unit, including the kandak's commander, Lt. Col. Raheem Khan of Khowst province. Khan has commanded the unit for the past 11 months and has seen many improvements during his tenure.
The ceremony was the first of its kind at the 207th Corps, and officials said it helped to recognize the outstanding performance of unit members and increased pride and motivation within the ranks.
"The reasons we are decorating these soldiers are the same reasons we recognize U.S. soldiers: to build up their confidence [and] show them they achieved something," Gary said. "This kandak is above and beyond their sister kandaks in this corps. They are the youngest kandak; they haven't even been on the ground for a full year. They are the best, in my opinion."
Khan said the U.S. Army awards will be a morale booster to encourage the troops to continue to work hard.
"With the cooperation of the ETTs and the corps, we stood up this kandak on its feet and they are doing well in many areas," Khan said. "Receiving these awards has a lot of value. The guys have been working really hard. Based on their performance, they are getting those certificates. This will encourage them to do better, and better in the future."
The unit has 627 members, with 250 deployed to operations in the southern region of western Afghanistan. They have performed two operations and provided security for Herat and voter registration throughout the region.
"Compared to the other kandaks in the corps, our kandak has a very high morale," said Sgt. Mahmood Mohammadi, fuel tanker driver from Baghalan. He has been in the Army for 18 months and with the unit since its inception.
"I was on a mission in Bala Murghab when we got ambushed by the Taliban," he said. "My truck was shot, but we didn't lose our morale."
(From a NATO International Security Assistance Force news release.)
Dec. 5, 2008 - A battalion, or "kandak," of Afghan soldiers celebrated a milestone Dec. 4 when the U.S. Army decorated them for their military achievements. U.S. Army Maj. Brian Gary, an embedded training team leader, presented medals to more than 30 soldiers with the Afghan National Army's 1st Kandak, 2nd Brigade, 207th Corps, during a ceremony held at Camp Zafar in Afghanistan's western province of Herat.
The Army Commendation Medal was awarded to nine members of the unit, including the kandak's commander, Lt. Col. Raheem Khan of Khowst province. Khan has commanded the unit for the past 11 months and has seen many improvements during his tenure.
The ceremony was the first of its kind at the 207th Corps, and officials said it helped to recognize the outstanding performance of unit members and increased pride and motivation within the ranks.
"The reasons we are decorating these soldiers are the same reasons we recognize U.S. soldiers: to build up their confidence [and] show them they achieved something," Gary said. "This kandak is above and beyond their sister kandaks in this corps. They are the youngest kandak; they haven't even been on the ground for a full year. They are the best, in my opinion."
Khan said the U.S. Army awards will be a morale booster to encourage the troops to continue to work hard.
"With the cooperation of the ETTs and the corps, we stood up this kandak on its feet and they are doing well in many areas," Khan said. "Receiving these awards has a lot of value. The guys have been working really hard. Based on their performance, they are getting those certificates. This will encourage them to do better, and better in the future."
The unit has 627 members, with 250 deployed to operations in the southern region of western Afghanistan. They have performed two operations and provided security for Herat and voter registration throughout the region.
"Compared to the other kandaks in the corps, our kandak has a very high morale," said Sgt. Mahmood Mohammadi, fuel tanker driver from Baghalan. He has been in the Army for 18 months and with the unit since its inception.
"I was on a mission in Bala Murghab when we got ambushed by the Taliban," he said. "My truck was shot, but we didn't lose our morale."
(From a NATO International Security Assistance Force news release.)
Iraq Operations Leave Terrorist Dead, Others Captured
American Forces Press Service
Dec. 5, 2008 - Operations across Iraq over the past two days left one terrorist dead, brought in five wanted men and resulted in the detention of 18 additional suspects, military officials reported. In Bazzunah, northwest of Mosul, coalition forces approached a house today where a suspected suicide bomber was believed to be. When they called for the occupants to surrender, a man came out of an adjacent building and appeared to have what could have been a suicide belt under his clothing, officials said. He failed to comply with the assault force's multiple instructions to surrender, so the assault force killed him.
It was later determined that the dead terrorist was a wanted man believed to facilitate the movement of foreign suicide bombers into Iraq. Three men were detained during the operation without incident.
In Mosul today, coalition forces detained a suspect in an operation targeting a suicide-bomb cell member, and another in an operation targeting a wanted man believed to be an al-Qaida in Iraq courier and possible administrative operative.
In Baghdad today, forces captured a wanted man suspected of attacks against coalition forces, along with a suspected associate.
Three operations late yesterday and early today in Beiji, south of Mosul, further degraded al-Qaida in Iraq leadership, officials said.
During the first operation, forces detained one suspect. The ground force was then led to a second location, where they detained two additional suspects.
In the second operation, forces captured a suspected terrorist believed to be an al-Qaida in Iraq weapons facilitator. Reports suggest the wanted man conspires directly with the terrorist group's local leaders and was stockpiling weapons intended to be used against coalition forces during the upcoming provincial elections, officials said. He surrendered himself without incident.
Early today, a third operation in Beiji resulted in the capture of a suspected terrorist allegedly associated with building roadside bombs and car bombs. The wanted man also is believed to have connections to regional al-Qaida in Iraq leaders. A suspected associate also was detained.
In northern Iraq, coalition forces in Kirkuk worked with Iraqi forces during an operation targeting an alleged al-Qaida in Iraq courier yesterday. Four additional suspects were detained for further questioning.
Yesterday in central Iraq, coalition forces conducted two coordinated operations in Tikrit and captured a wanted man believed to have connections to al-Qaida in Iraq leadership and detained three additional suspects.
A suspected terrorist believed to have connections to al-Qaida in Iraq leaders in Iraq's Anbar province was captured by coalition forces in Mussayib. A suspected associate was detained.
In Dec. 3 operations:
-- Iraqi National Police and Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers detained a suspected member of an Iranian-backed criminal group in the Aamel community of southern Baghdad's Rashid district. The man is suspected of murder and distributing propaganda.
-- In a clearance operation in the Aamel community, Iraqi National Police confiscated a rocket-propelled grenade launcher, six AK-47 assault rifles, an RPK machine gun, a rifle scope, four PKC ammunition cans and small-arms ammunition.
-- A resident's tip led to a cache hidden in a vacant house in Kadhamiyah that included 75 60 mm mortars, 21 81 mm mortars, six 130 mm artillery rounds, four 107 mm rockets, 130 grenades and 2,000 rounds of ammunition. Earlier, soldiers found a rocket-propelled grenade launcher, nine RPGs and a box of ammunition while conducting searches in Hussaniyah.
-- Also south of Baghdad, U.S. soldiers recovered a stockpile of weapons and munitions collected by Iraqi soldiers during a two-week period. The munitions included 26 57 mm projectiles, 22 high-explosive anti-tank grenades, 37 RPG rounds, seven 60 mm mortars, an RPG, a 20-pound bag of stick propellant, 20 projectile fuses, 32 23 mm cartridges, six 82 mm mortars, three rifle grenades, an 82 mm projectile, a 5-pound bag of bulk explosive, a 57 mm rocket and two 60 mm mortars.
-- Soldiers in southern Baghdad also found a cache that included a machine gun, nine full AK-47 magazines, two full pistol magazines and fake identification cards.
(Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq and Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)
Dec. 5, 2008 - Operations across Iraq over the past two days left one terrorist dead, brought in five wanted men and resulted in the detention of 18 additional suspects, military officials reported. In Bazzunah, northwest of Mosul, coalition forces approached a house today where a suspected suicide bomber was believed to be. When they called for the occupants to surrender, a man came out of an adjacent building and appeared to have what could have been a suicide belt under his clothing, officials said. He failed to comply with the assault force's multiple instructions to surrender, so the assault force killed him.
It was later determined that the dead terrorist was a wanted man believed to facilitate the movement of foreign suicide bombers into Iraq. Three men were detained during the operation without incident.
In Mosul today, coalition forces detained a suspect in an operation targeting a suicide-bomb cell member, and another in an operation targeting a wanted man believed to be an al-Qaida in Iraq courier and possible administrative operative.
In Baghdad today, forces captured a wanted man suspected of attacks against coalition forces, along with a suspected associate.
Three operations late yesterday and early today in Beiji, south of Mosul, further degraded al-Qaida in Iraq leadership, officials said.
During the first operation, forces detained one suspect. The ground force was then led to a second location, where they detained two additional suspects.
In the second operation, forces captured a suspected terrorist believed to be an al-Qaida in Iraq weapons facilitator. Reports suggest the wanted man conspires directly with the terrorist group's local leaders and was stockpiling weapons intended to be used against coalition forces during the upcoming provincial elections, officials said. He surrendered himself without incident.
Early today, a third operation in Beiji resulted in the capture of a suspected terrorist allegedly associated with building roadside bombs and car bombs. The wanted man also is believed to have connections to regional al-Qaida in Iraq leaders. A suspected associate also was detained.
In northern Iraq, coalition forces in Kirkuk worked with Iraqi forces during an operation targeting an alleged al-Qaida in Iraq courier yesterday. Four additional suspects were detained for further questioning.
Yesterday in central Iraq, coalition forces conducted two coordinated operations in Tikrit and captured a wanted man believed to have connections to al-Qaida in Iraq leadership and detained three additional suspects.
A suspected terrorist believed to have connections to al-Qaida in Iraq leaders in Iraq's Anbar province was captured by coalition forces in Mussayib. A suspected associate was detained.
In Dec. 3 operations:
-- Iraqi National Police and Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers detained a suspected member of an Iranian-backed criminal group in the Aamel community of southern Baghdad's Rashid district. The man is suspected of murder and distributing propaganda.
-- In a clearance operation in the Aamel community, Iraqi National Police confiscated a rocket-propelled grenade launcher, six AK-47 assault rifles, an RPK machine gun, a rifle scope, four PKC ammunition cans and small-arms ammunition.
-- A resident's tip led to a cache hidden in a vacant house in Kadhamiyah that included 75 60 mm mortars, 21 81 mm mortars, six 130 mm artillery rounds, four 107 mm rockets, 130 grenades and 2,000 rounds of ammunition. Earlier, soldiers found a rocket-propelled grenade launcher, nine RPGs and a box of ammunition while conducting searches in Hussaniyah.
-- Also south of Baghdad, U.S. soldiers recovered a stockpile of weapons and munitions collected by Iraqi soldiers during a two-week period. The munitions included 26 57 mm projectiles, 22 high-explosive anti-tank grenades, 37 RPG rounds, seven 60 mm mortars, an RPG, a 20-pound bag of stick propellant, 20 projectile fuses, 32 23 mm cartridges, six 82 mm mortars, three rifle grenades, an 82 mm projectile, a 5-pound bag of bulk explosive, a 57 mm rocket and two 60 mm mortars.
-- Soldiers in southern Baghdad also found a cache that included a machine gun, nine full AK-47 magazines, two full pistol magazines and fake identification cards.
(Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq and Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)
CBR Weapons and WMD Terrorism News- December 5, 2008
Senators confident in biodefense labfunding
“Kansas' two U.S. senators said Thursday the nation's struggling economy shouldn't hinder federal funding of the new $450 million national biothreat laboratory at Kansas State University […], which would study foot-and-mouth disease and other pathogens. […] Plans to build the lab come as the federal government's budget deficit soars amid a national recession. The NBAF lab is expected to generate about 1,500 construction jobs and a payroll of $25 million to $30 million for more than 500 employees, including 300 researchers, once it's completed by 2015. [Senator Pat] Roberts said he was confident the government would fund the laboratory.” (San Jose Examiner; 04Dec08; Carl Manning; Source: Associated Press)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1726359%7ESenators_confident_in_biodefense_labfunding.html
Is ethics a showstopper at synthetic biology?
“Synthetic biology promises to enable cheap, lifesaving new drugs to treat the 350-500 million people who suffer from malaria, and to create innovative biofuels that can help solve the world's energy problems. But the science and its applications are raising questions: […] Are synthetic biology researchers unintentionally equipping terrorists with frightening new biological weapons? […] Arthur Caplan, director of the Center for Bioethics at the University of Pennsylvania, will explore unresolved synthetic biology ethical questions at a January 8 program with Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies Chief Science Advisor Andrew Maynard. Dr. Caplan is at the forefront of ethicists, theologians, scientists, engineers, government leaders and civil society groups working to weigh synthetic biology's potential risks and benefits.” (Medical News Today; 04Dec08; Colin Finan; Source: Project on Emerging Technologies) http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/131732.php
In Cambridge [MA], a biotech balancing act
“City officials want Cambridge [MA] to remain the biotech capital of the world, but residents are wondering if the risk is worth it. Neighbors have specifically expressed concerns for labs that are categorized under biosafety level 3, labs known for performing work with infectious agents — anthrax and other airborne pathogens — that may cause potentially lethal diseases as a result of exposure. Level 4 biohazard labs — known as the most stringent — are currently not allowed in Cambridge under a city ordinance. City councilors are expected to officially ban Level 4 labs from Cambridge in February.
Cambridge resident Marilyn Wellons said her concern lies in people’s well-being and the fear of potential biological warfare. ‘It is only reasonable to look at these things with extreme caution,’ she said.” (Cambrige Chronicle; 03Dec08; Jillian Fennimore) http://www.wickedlocal.com/cambridge/news/x776469603/In-Cambridge-a-biotech-balancing-act
Sen. Salazar [D-CO] to Pentagon: Pueblo chemical weapons destruction delay is ‘unacceptable and must be corrected’
“United States Senator Ken Salazar [CO] sent a letter to Under Secretary of Defense John Young regarding the recent announcement by the Department of Defense that it expects completion of chemical weapons destruction at the Pueblo Chemical to be delayed 23 months because of a funding shortfall. […] ‘Just a few months ago the Department of Defense reported that they expected to be able to meet the 2017 deadline that we set for destroying the munitions stored at the Pueblo Chemical Depot,’ said Sen. Salazar. ‘[…] Now the Pentagon is saying that their funding request was too low and the project will be delayed. This is unacceptable and the Department of Defense needs to act swiftly to correct the problem. I fully expect the Pentagon to update its funding profile and its 2010 budget request to ensure that the weapons are safely destroyed by the 2017 deadline.’” (Senator Salazar Congressional Press Release; 03Dec08) http://salazar.senate.gov/news/releases/081203puebchem.htm
New [chemical warfare] decontamination ‘wipe’ developed
“Researchers led by an Indian-American scientist have developed a decontamination ‘wipe’ to clean up toxic chemical warfare agents as part of a study to develop a system to counter biological terror attacks. Seshadri Ramkumar along with other researchers at The Institute of Environmental and Human Health (TIEHH) at Texas Tech University comes out with the product at a time when a Congressionally mandated study has warned of a chemical-biological attack in the world in next five years. The evaluation of the Nonwoven dry wipe product ‘Fibertec,’ was performed as part of a study by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory using mustard gas and other toxic chemicals.” (The Hindu News Update Service; 04Dec08)
http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/holnus/008200812041301.htm
UAE is committed to chemical weapons convention
“The UAE will remain committed to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons (Chemical Weapons Convention) out of its belief that Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) are still posing a real threat to international peace and security. H.E. Ali Thani Al Suwaidi Ambassador of United Arab Emirates to Netherlands and Permanent Representative to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), told the 13th Conference of the States Parties about series of measures taken by the UAE for implementing the convention. He spelt out the legislative and administrative measures adopted to implement the Chemical Weapons Convention.” (UAE Daily News;
03Dec08) http://www.uaedailynews.com/uae/4329.html
As threat of germ [and nuclear] warfare looms, commission devises plan
“‘World at Risk,’ a report issued Tuesday by the Commission on the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation and Terrorism, recommends that the U.S. try to inhibit the global development of biological weapons and work with Pakistan to eliminate terrorist strongholds […]. […] The commissioners met Wednesday with Vice President-elect Joe Biden to advise the transition team on how to reduce the risk. […] Despite 132 pages of detailed reporting, the panel left some issues untouched—which has irked security experts. Ben Friedman, a defense specialist at the libertarian Cato Institute, criticized the report for failing to analyze the motives of states who want biological and nuclear weapons. Based on his research, Friedman thinks Iran and North Korea want WMD because the U.S. is hostile toward them and they want to feel secure. ‘What strikes me is that they come out with this screaming headline, but there’s not much analysis I see in the report that justifies it,’ he said.” (Medill Washington Reports; 03Dec08; Sara Sargent)
http://news.medill.northwestern.edu/washington/news.aspx?id=108951
EU hosts global health security initiative talks
“Hosted by the European Commission, ministers from the United States, Britain, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Japan plus Mexico agreed to continue to make a concerted effort to share best practices in border management, improve crisis communications, and further cooperate on drugs and vaccines development which would include virus sample sharing for influenza pandemic preparedness. European Health Commissioner, Androulla Vassiliou, who chaired the meeting, [said] […] ‘In an ever more interdependent world, it is vital to collaborate closely with our partners to improve global rapid alerting and response systems on threats related to chemical, biological and radio-nuclear agents, pandemic influenza or wider health issues such as safety of the food chain and product safety […]. I have today invited all GHSI partners to participate in a preparedness exercise which the Commission plans to organize in 2010.’” (Business Wire; 05Dec08; Source: European Commission) http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20081205005592&newsLang=en
CNS ChemBio-WMD Terrorism News is prepared by the Chemical and Biological Weapons Nonproliferation Program of the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies in order to bring timely and focused information to researchers and policymakers interested in the fields of chemical, biological, and radiological weapons nonproliferation and WMD Terrorism.
“Kansas' two U.S. senators said Thursday the nation's struggling economy shouldn't hinder federal funding of the new $450 million national biothreat laboratory at Kansas State University […], which would study foot-and-mouth disease and other pathogens. […] Plans to build the lab come as the federal government's budget deficit soars amid a national recession. The NBAF lab is expected to generate about 1,500 construction jobs and a payroll of $25 million to $30 million for more than 500 employees, including 300 researchers, once it's completed by 2015. [Senator Pat] Roberts said he was confident the government would fund the laboratory.” (San Jose Examiner; 04Dec08; Carl Manning; Source: Associated Press)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1726359%7ESenators_confident_in_biodefense_labfunding.html
Is ethics a showstopper at synthetic biology?
“Synthetic biology promises to enable cheap, lifesaving new drugs to treat the 350-500 million people who suffer from malaria, and to create innovative biofuels that can help solve the world's energy problems. But the science and its applications are raising questions: […] Are synthetic biology researchers unintentionally equipping terrorists with frightening new biological weapons? […] Arthur Caplan, director of the Center for Bioethics at the University of Pennsylvania, will explore unresolved synthetic biology ethical questions at a January 8 program with Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies Chief Science Advisor Andrew Maynard. Dr. Caplan is at the forefront of ethicists, theologians, scientists, engineers, government leaders and civil society groups working to weigh synthetic biology's potential risks and benefits.” (Medical News Today; 04Dec08; Colin Finan; Source: Project on Emerging Technologies) http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/131732.php
In Cambridge [MA], a biotech balancing act
“City officials want Cambridge [MA] to remain the biotech capital of the world, but residents are wondering if the risk is worth it. Neighbors have specifically expressed concerns for labs that are categorized under biosafety level 3, labs known for performing work with infectious agents — anthrax and other airborne pathogens — that may cause potentially lethal diseases as a result of exposure. Level 4 biohazard labs — known as the most stringent — are currently not allowed in Cambridge under a city ordinance. City councilors are expected to officially ban Level 4 labs from Cambridge in February.
Cambridge resident Marilyn Wellons said her concern lies in people’s well-being and the fear of potential biological warfare. ‘It is only reasonable to look at these things with extreme caution,’ she said.” (Cambrige Chronicle; 03Dec08; Jillian Fennimore) http://www.wickedlocal.com/cambridge/news/x776469603/In-Cambridge-a-biotech-balancing-act
Sen. Salazar [D-CO] to Pentagon: Pueblo chemical weapons destruction delay is ‘unacceptable and must be corrected’
“United States Senator Ken Salazar [CO] sent a letter to Under Secretary of Defense John Young regarding the recent announcement by the Department of Defense that it expects completion of chemical weapons destruction at the Pueblo Chemical to be delayed 23 months because of a funding shortfall. […] ‘Just a few months ago the Department of Defense reported that they expected to be able to meet the 2017 deadline that we set for destroying the munitions stored at the Pueblo Chemical Depot,’ said Sen. Salazar. ‘[…] Now the Pentagon is saying that their funding request was too low and the project will be delayed. This is unacceptable and the Department of Defense needs to act swiftly to correct the problem. I fully expect the Pentagon to update its funding profile and its 2010 budget request to ensure that the weapons are safely destroyed by the 2017 deadline.’” (Senator Salazar Congressional Press Release; 03Dec08) http://salazar.senate.gov/news/releases/081203puebchem.htm
New [chemical warfare] decontamination ‘wipe’ developed
“Researchers led by an Indian-American scientist have developed a decontamination ‘wipe’ to clean up toxic chemical warfare agents as part of a study to develop a system to counter biological terror attacks. Seshadri Ramkumar along with other researchers at The Institute of Environmental and Human Health (TIEHH) at Texas Tech University comes out with the product at a time when a Congressionally mandated study has warned of a chemical-biological attack in the world in next five years. The evaluation of the Nonwoven dry wipe product ‘Fibertec,’ was performed as part of a study by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory using mustard gas and other toxic chemicals.” (The Hindu News Update Service; 04Dec08)
http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/holnus/008200812041301.htm
UAE is committed to chemical weapons convention
“The UAE will remain committed to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons (Chemical Weapons Convention) out of its belief that Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) are still posing a real threat to international peace and security. H.E. Ali Thani Al Suwaidi Ambassador of United Arab Emirates to Netherlands and Permanent Representative to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), told the 13th Conference of the States Parties about series of measures taken by the UAE for implementing the convention. He spelt out the legislative and administrative measures adopted to implement the Chemical Weapons Convention.” (UAE Daily News;
03Dec08) http://www.uaedailynews.com/uae/4329.html
As threat of germ [and nuclear] warfare looms, commission devises plan
“‘World at Risk,’ a report issued Tuesday by the Commission on the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation and Terrorism, recommends that the U.S. try to inhibit the global development of biological weapons and work with Pakistan to eliminate terrorist strongholds […]. […] The commissioners met Wednesday with Vice President-elect Joe Biden to advise the transition team on how to reduce the risk. […] Despite 132 pages of detailed reporting, the panel left some issues untouched—which has irked security experts. Ben Friedman, a defense specialist at the libertarian Cato Institute, criticized the report for failing to analyze the motives of states who want biological and nuclear weapons. Based on his research, Friedman thinks Iran and North Korea want WMD because the U.S. is hostile toward them and they want to feel secure. ‘What strikes me is that they come out with this screaming headline, but there’s not much analysis I see in the report that justifies it,’ he said.” (Medill Washington Reports; 03Dec08; Sara Sargent)
http://news.medill.northwestern.edu/washington/news.aspx?id=108951
EU hosts global health security initiative talks
“Hosted by the European Commission, ministers from the United States, Britain, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Japan plus Mexico agreed to continue to make a concerted effort to share best practices in border management, improve crisis communications, and further cooperate on drugs and vaccines development which would include virus sample sharing for influenza pandemic preparedness. European Health Commissioner, Androulla Vassiliou, who chaired the meeting, [said] […] ‘In an ever more interdependent world, it is vital to collaborate closely with our partners to improve global rapid alerting and response systems on threats related to chemical, biological and radio-nuclear agents, pandemic influenza or wider health issues such as safety of the food chain and product safety […]. I have today invited all GHSI partners to participate in a preparedness exercise which the Commission plans to organize in 2010.’” (Business Wire; 05Dec08; Source: European Commission) http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20081205005592&newsLang=en
CNS ChemBio-WMD Terrorism News is prepared by the Chemical and Biological Weapons Nonproliferation Program of the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies in order to bring timely and focused information to researchers and policymakers interested in the fields of chemical, biological, and radiological weapons nonproliferation and WMD Terrorism.
Army Corps of Engineers Plant Sends Clean Water Into Baghdad Homes
By Kendal Smith
Special to American Forces Press Service
Dec. 5, 2008 - For about 2 million Sadr City residents, clean drinking water running through their home faucets was a luxury few had. But now the water is flowing freely thanks to a new U.S. Army Corps of Engineers water treatment plant that was three years in the making. "I am very happy for the 2 million people of Sadr City," said Iraqi engineer Aqeel Lami who has worked for the Corps of Engineers since the project's inception. "It's the first in Iraq, fully automatic and with American standards of best quality.
"We meet the people in the streets of Sadr City, and they are very happy," he said. "They feel that we are interested in them and their health. We are very proud of the success of this project."
The $27 million Sadr City R-3 water treatment plant construction began in 2005. The northern Sadr City location was chosen based on a government study of water pressure and supply, Corps water expert Simeon Francis said.
"There is simply not enough water to Sadr City from the Kharkh and Shark-Dijilih water treatment plants for the area," he said.
The plant began operation in mid-June with some interruptions due to power restrictions, Francis said. Today, R-3 produces 4,000 cubic meters of treated water per hour, providing clean, drinkable water to 27 areas of Sadr City -- areas that have had no centrally distributed water.
The plant hit full capacity in September, and a performance test in October confirmed the quality of the daily output at 25 million gallons per day. That output equates to clean, quality water for a total of 1.5 million people in Sadr City and Baghdad, Francis said.
The plant will employ 150 people for operations, maintenance and management, said project engineer Roland Belew.
"Operating at full capacity, the R-3 water treatment plant drastically increases the potable water to the people of Sadr City," Belew said. "The plant is operating at 100 percent capacity right now. It's a great success story for USACE."
(Kendal Smith is a public affairs officer with the Gulf Region South district, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Iraq.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
Dec. 5, 2008 - For about 2 million Sadr City residents, clean drinking water running through their home faucets was a luxury few had. But now the water is flowing freely thanks to a new U.S. Army Corps of Engineers water treatment plant that was three years in the making. "I am very happy for the 2 million people of Sadr City," said Iraqi engineer Aqeel Lami who has worked for the Corps of Engineers since the project's inception. "It's the first in Iraq, fully automatic and with American standards of best quality.
"We meet the people in the streets of Sadr City, and they are very happy," he said. "They feel that we are interested in them and their health. We are very proud of the success of this project."
The $27 million Sadr City R-3 water treatment plant construction began in 2005. The northern Sadr City location was chosen based on a government study of water pressure and supply, Corps water expert Simeon Francis said.
"There is simply not enough water to Sadr City from the Kharkh and Shark-Dijilih water treatment plants for the area," he said.
The plant began operation in mid-June with some interruptions due to power restrictions, Francis said. Today, R-3 produces 4,000 cubic meters of treated water per hour, providing clean, drinkable water to 27 areas of Sadr City -- areas that have had no centrally distributed water.
The plant hit full capacity in September, and a performance test in October confirmed the quality of the daily output at 25 million gallons per day. That output equates to clean, quality water for a total of 1.5 million people in Sadr City and Baghdad, Francis said.
The plant will employ 150 people for operations, maintenance and management, said project engineer Roland Belew.
"Operating at full capacity, the R-3 water treatment plant drastically increases the potable water to the people of Sadr City," Belew said. "The plant is operating at 100 percent capacity right now. It's a great success story for USACE."
(Kendal Smith is a public affairs officer with the Gulf Region South district, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Iraq.)
Operation Christmas Stocking Spreads Cheer to Deployed Troops
By Sharon Foster
American Forces Press Service
Dec. 5, 2008 - A little piece of Christmas has started to arrive in Iraq and Afghanistan for troops away from home during the holidays. Operation Give's annual Operation Christmas Stocking collection has sent more than 20,000 Christmas stockings to troops -- with more on the way.
"Even in hard times, if we can find a way to help support our troops, we do," Paul Holton, founder and president of Operation Give, said. "Something as simple as a Christmas stocking is easy for people to handle. They stuff these stockings, knowing their little act of kindness is going to improve troop morale."
Operation Give, a Salt Lake City-based troop-support group, has had a "steady stream" of Christmas stockings coming in from all over the nation since they announced the event in the media and on their Web site earlier this year, Holton said. FedEx has provided free shipping of stockings to the group's warehouse. This is the fourth year the group has sponsored the stocking drive.
"Thousands and thousands of pre-stuffed stockings have been sent in, with the greatest stuff imaginable for our men and women serving in the military, in Iraq and Afghanistan," said Elaine Ward, an assistant at Operation Give. Some of the items included disposable cameras, flashlights, harmonicas, clip-on lights, prepaid calling cards, playing cards, dominos, CDs and DVDs.
Operation Give volunteers also have stuffed stockings.
"We have had a great number of local citizens volunteer to stuff stockings for several hours, each Friday night," Ward said. "We have stuffed and boxed up hundreds and hundreds of stockings, large and small, some weighing over 30 pounds."
Throughout the year, Operation Give sends care packages to troops, as well as soccer balls, toys and school supplies to be distributed to local children. The group has more than 150 pallets of care packages they plan to send soon to troops.
"We ship all of it so they can either use the donations or distribute it to the people, helping them to win their hearts and minds," Holton said. "Through this effort, they can build bridges that span over all the misunderstandings and hate that exists in the world, in hopes that the people might change their perspective of us and what we are trying to accomplish."
American Forces Press Service
Dec. 5, 2008 - A little piece of Christmas has started to arrive in Iraq and Afghanistan for troops away from home during the holidays. Operation Give's annual Operation Christmas Stocking collection has sent more than 20,000 Christmas stockings to troops -- with more on the way.
"Even in hard times, if we can find a way to help support our troops, we do," Paul Holton, founder and president of Operation Give, said. "Something as simple as a Christmas stocking is easy for people to handle. They stuff these stockings, knowing their little act of kindness is going to improve troop morale."
Operation Give, a Salt Lake City-based troop-support group, has had a "steady stream" of Christmas stockings coming in from all over the nation since they announced the event in the media and on their Web site earlier this year, Holton said. FedEx has provided free shipping of stockings to the group's warehouse. This is the fourth year the group has sponsored the stocking drive.
"Thousands and thousands of pre-stuffed stockings have been sent in, with the greatest stuff imaginable for our men and women serving in the military, in Iraq and Afghanistan," said Elaine Ward, an assistant at Operation Give. Some of the items included disposable cameras, flashlights, harmonicas, clip-on lights, prepaid calling cards, playing cards, dominos, CDs and DVDs.
Operation Give volunteers also have stuffed stockings.
"We have had a great number of local citizens volunteer to stuff stockings for several hours, each Friday night," Ward said. "We have stuffed and boxed up hundreds and hundreds of stockings, large and small, some weighing over 30 pounds."
Throughout the year, Operation Give sends care packages to troops, as well as soccer balls, toys and school supplies to be distributed to local children. The group has more than 150 pallets of care packages they plan to send soon to troops.
"We ship all of it so they can either use the donations or distribute it to the people, helping them to win their hearts and minds," Holton said. "Through this effort, they can build bridges that span over all the misunderstandings and hate that exists in the world, in hopes that the people might change their perspective of us and what we are trying to accomplish."
More Troops, Centralized Command Boosts Afghan Campaign, General Says
By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service
Dec. 5, 2008 - The pending deployment of thousands of additional U.S. troops and extra equipment to Afghanistan in tandem with a streamlined command structure will boost the campaign to win the war there, a senior U.S. officer posted in Afghanistan said today. "We are certainly optimistic," said Army Maj. Gen. Michael S. Tucker, who wears two hats as a senior operations staff officer for both NATO's International Security Assistance Force and U.S. Forces Afghanistan.
"There's no doubt in our mind that we can win and will win this fight," Tucker told Pentagon reporters during a satellite-carried news conference. He opened the briefing with a black-and-white video depicting insurgents emplacing roadside bombs that were quickly being destroyed by missiles from an unmanned aerial assault vehicle.
Some 20,000 U.S. forces are on tap to deploy to Afghanistan in the coming months, said Tucker, who noted that a contingent of 10th Mountain Division soldiers is scheduled to arrive in January. The extra forces will bring the total U.S. troop strength in Afghanistan to more than 50,000.
The troop plus-up includes Marines as well as soldiers, Tucker said. He added that he and other commanders view it as more of a reinforcement than a surge of forces, as were sent to Iraq. The additional ground forces, he said, will be deployed to interact with and protect villagers who inhabit Afghanistan's rural hinterland, thus counteracting insurgent efforts to coerce the population.
The deployment of additional troops to Afghanistan will be accompanied by helicopters, as well as intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance assets, and logistics and transportation elements, Tucker said. Afghanistan lacks a good road network, and helicopters are especially useful for transporting troops and equipment across the rural and mountainous terrain, he said.
The extra troops and equipment were requested by Tucker's superior, Gen. David D. McKiernan, commander of NATO ISAF as well as U.S. Forces Afghanistan. McKiernan, who already commanded NATO ISAF, was appointed commander of U.S. Forces Afghanistan when the command was activated Oct. 6.
McKiernan's appointment "has been enormously successful" and has streamlined and centralized the chain of command in Afghanistan, Tucker said.
Meanwhile, Pakistani infantry troops continue to assist the war effort by targeting and attacking insurgents holed up in Pakistan's ungoverned regions near the border with Afghanistan and providing increased protection for coalition supply convoys that transit Pakistan before entering Afghanistan, Tucker said.
The recent terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India, have not affected Pakistani military efforts to confront insurgents operating in their country, Tucker said. Taliban and al-Qaida terrorists camped out in northwest Pakistan's federally administered tribal area have been known to cross the border to commit mayhem in Afghanistan.
"General McKiernan would tell you that there can be no success in Afghanistan without addressing the issue of the porous borders and enemy sanctuary" in Pakistan, Tucker said. Recent efforts by Afghan military and police coordinated with the Pakistani military and frontier corps have been "very effective" in targeting insurgents' trans-border activities, he said.
As temperatures fall in Afghanistan, Tucker said, he anticipates "a very active winter" campaign against the enemy.
Yet, to ultimately succeed in Afghanistan, Tucker echoed McKiernan's belief that military power, or security, must be combined with governance, reconstruction and economic and political aid for an Afghan culture that historically has lacked a central government.
"There is a fear that security can outrun governance, because governance shores up what security you've attained," Tucker said. "And governance, of course, is something that we can't do for them; they have to do [that] for themselves."
Afghanistan also needs "the mentors, the coaches and the teachers to help them through that process" to establish centralized government, he said.
American Forces Press Service
Dec. 5, 2008 - The pending deployment of thousands of additional U.S. troops and extra equipment to Afghanistan in tandem with a streamlined command structure will boost the campaign to win the war there, a senior U.S. officer posted in Afghanistan said today. "We are certainly optimistic," said Army Maj. Gen. Michael S. Tucker, who wears two hats as a senior operations staff officer for both NATO's International Security Assistance Force and U.S. Forces Afghanistan.
"There's no doubt in our mind that we can win and will win this fight," Tucker told Pentagon reporters during a satellite-carried news conference. He opened the briefing with a black-and-white video depicting insurgents emplacing roadside bombs that were quickly being destroyed by missiles from an unmanned aerial assault vehicle.
Some 20,000 U.S. forces are on tap to deploy to Afghanistan in the coming months, said Tucker, who noted that a contingent of 10th Mountain Division soldiers is scheduled to arrive in January. The extra forces will bring the total U.S. troop strength in Afghanistan to more than 50,000.
The troop plus-up includes Marines as well as soldiers, Tucker said. He added that he and other commanders view it as more of a reinforcement than a surge of forces, as were sent to Iraq. The additional ground forces, he said, will be deployed to interact with and protect villagers who inhabit Afghanistan's rural hinterland, thus counteracting insurgent efforts to coerce the population.
The deployment of additional troops to Afghanistan will be accompanied by helicopters, as well as intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance assets, and logistics and transportation elements, Tucker said. Afghanistan lacks a good road network, and helicopters are especially useful for transporting troops and equipment across the rural and mountainous terrain, he said.
The extra troops and equipment were requested by Tucker's superior, Gen. David D. McKiernan, commander of NATO ISAF as well as U.S. Forces Afghanistan. McKiernan, who already commanded NATO ISAF, was appointed commander of U.S. Forces Afghanistan when the command was activated Oct. 6.
McKiernan's appointment "has been enormously successful" and has streamlined and centralized the chain of command in Afghanistan, Tucker said.
Meanwhile, Pakistani infantry troops continue to assist the war effort by targeting and attacking insurgents holed up in Pakistan's ungoverned regions near the border with Afghanistan and providing increased protection for coalition supply convoys that transit Pakistan before entering Afghanistan, Tucker said.
The recent terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India, have not affected Pakistani military efforts to confront insurgents operating in their country, Tucker said. Taliban and al-Qaida terrorists camped out in northwest Pakistan's federally administered tribal area have been known to cross the border to commit mayhem in Afghanistan.
"General McKiernan would tell you that there can be no success in Afghanistan without addressing the issue of the porous borders and enemy sanctuary" in Pakistan, Tucker said. Recent efforts by Afghan military and police coordinated with the Pakistani military and frontier corps have been "very effective" in targeting insurgents' trans-border activities, he said.
As temperatures fall in Afghanistan, Tucker said, he anticipates "a very active winter" campaign against the enemy.
Yet, to ultimately succeed in Afghanistan, Tucker echoed McKiernan's belief that military power, or security, must be combined with governance, reconstruction and economic and political aid for an Afghan culture that historically has lacked a central government.
"There is a fear that security can outrun governance, because governance shores up what security you've attained," Tucker said. "And governance, of course, is something that we can't do for them; they have to do [that] for themselves."
Afghanistan also needs "the mentors, the coaches and the teachers to help them through that process" to establish centralized government, he said.
Thursday, December 04, 2008
School Opening Offers Hope for Baghdad Children
By Army 2nd Lt. Cait Smith
Special to American Forces Press Service
Dec. 4, 2008 - The day was bright, and so were the smiles on the faces of the families and children at the Nov. 25 opening of Nahwaran School in northwestern Baghdad's Ghazaliya district. With more than 100 people in attendance, the event began with Iraqi police and soldiers joining teachers in handing out backpacks, notebooks and pencils to the students. Members of the local "Sons of Iraq" citizen security group also were on hand.
The talk among the Ghazaliya citizens was of the growth and changes that have taken place, allowing such a happy event to occur. Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers at the event shared that sentiment.
"The ceremony went really well," said Army 1st Lt. Thomas Wilson, a fire support officer with the 1st Infantry Division's 5th Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Heavy Brigade Combat Team. "It was great to see the Iraqi police Iraqi army and the Sons of Iraq come together for a great event that shows the movement forward in this community."
The troopers of the 5-4th Cavalry Regiment are responsible for security in the Ghazaliyah district. The unit's leaders attended the ceremony and observed the festivities. Speakers at the event talked of the progress already completed in making Ghazaliya a safe place to live and of the newly thriving community's potential.
Not long ago, they noted, the building now housing Nahwaran School was an unsafe and dilapidated shell. But with the diligent efforts of Iraqi security forces, the area has become secure enough to develop, the speakers said.
This school, they added, is only one part -- albeit a very significant part -- of the neighborhood's beautification. The people at the opening ceremony were excited about the progress the school embodies.
"I was impressed by the facilities that the school now has, to include a computer room. It is a model for the standard of what schools should be in Ghazaliya," said Army Maj. Thomas Downey, civil affairs team chief for the 5-4th Cavalry Regiment.
(Army 2nd Lt. Cait Smith serves in Multinational Division Baghdad with the 1st Infantry Division's 2nd Heavy Brigade Combat Team.)
Article sponsored by criminal justice online.
Special to American Forces Press Service
Dec. 4, 2008 - The day was bright, and so were the smiles on the faces of the families and children at the Nov. 25 opening of Nahwaran School in northwestern Baghdad's Ghazaliya district. With more than 100 people in attendance, the event began with Iraqi police and soldiers joining teachers in handing out backpacks, notebooks and pencils to the students. Members of the local "Sons of Iraq" citizen security group also were on hand.
The talk among the Ghazaliya citizens was of the growth and changes that have taken place, allowing such a happy event to occur. Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers at the event shared that sentiment.
"The ceremony went really well," said Army 1st Lt. Thomas Wilson, a fire support officer with the 1st Infantry Division's 5th Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Heavy Brigade Combat Team. "It was great to see the Iraqi police Iraqi army and the Sons of Iraq come together for a great event that shows the movement forward in this community."
The troopers of the 5-4th Cavalry Regiment are responsible for security in the Ghazaliyah district. The unit's leaders attended the ceremony and observed the festivities. Speakers at the event talked of the progress already completed in making Ghazaliya a safe place to live and of the newly thriving community's potential.
Not long ago, they noted, the building now housing Nahwaran School was an unsafe and dilapidated shell. But with the diligent efforts of Iraqi security forces, the area has become secure enough to develop, the speakers said.
This school, they added, is only one part -- albeit a very significant part -- of the neighborhood's beautification. The people at the opening ceremony were excited about the progress the school embodies.
"I was impressed by the facilities that the school now has, to include a computer room. It is a model for the standard of what schools should be in Ghazaliya," said Army Maj. Thomas Downey, civil affairs team chief for the 5-4th Cavalry Regiment.
(Army 2nd Lt. Cait Smith serves in Multinational Division Baghdad with the 1st Infantry Division's 2nd Heavy Brigade Combat Team.)
Article sponsored by criminal justice online.
Coalition Troops Kill Two Taliban Fighters, Detain Three in Afghanistan
American Forces Press Service
Dec. 4, 2008 - Coalition forces killed two armed Taliban militants and detained three others during an operation to disrupt the foreign-fighter and roadside-bomb networks in eastern Afghanistan yesterday, military officials said. In the Zormat district of Paktia province, about 80 miles south of the Afghan capital, coalition forces targeted a known Taliban militant believed to act as a liaison to al-Qaida by moving foreign fighters into the area to conduct terrorist activities. He also is believed to have ties to senior Taliban leaders in the region, coordinating roadside-bomb and suicide attacks that target government and military personnel and Afghan civilians, officials said.
During the operation, coalition troops encountered two armed militants barricaded inside the compound, who engaged the force with small-arms fire. The force returned small-arms fire, killing the two men while protecting five women and nine children. Three other suspected militants were detained. A search of the compound revealed multiple AK-47 assault rifles, other military equipment and a foreign passport.
"Continued success in disrupting terrorist networks means we are setting the conditions for improved governance and better well-being for the Afghan people," Army Col. Jerry O'Hara, U.S. Forces Afghanistan spokesman, said. "The Taliban cannot bring that progress or a better way of life."
(From a U.S. Forces Afghanistan news release.)
Dec. 4, 2008 - Coalition forces killed two armed Taliban militants and detained three others during an operation to disrupt the foreign-fighter and roadside-bomb networks in eastern Afghanistan yesterday, military officials said. In the Zormat district of Paktia province, about 80 miles south of the Afghan capital, coalition forces targeted a known Taliban militant believed to act as a liaison to al-Qaida by moving foreign fighters into the area to conduct terrorist activities. He also is believed to have ties to senior Taliban leaders in the region, coordinating roadside-bomb and suicide attacks that target government and military personnel and Afghan civilians, officials said.
During the operation, coalition troops encountered two armed militants barricaded inside the compound, who engaged the force with small-arms fire. The force returned small-arms fire, killing the two men while protecting five women and nine children. Three other suspected militants were detained. A search of the compound revealed multiple AK-47 assault rifles, other military equipment and a foreign passport.
"Continued success in disrupting terrorist networks means we are setting the conditions for improved governance and better well-being for the Afghan people," Army Col. Jerry O'Hara, U.S. Forces Afghanistan spokesman, said. "The Taliban cannot bring that progress or a better way of life."
(From a U.S. Forces Afghanistan news release.)
Presidency Council Ratifies U.S.-Iraq Security Pact
By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service
Dec. 4, 2008 - The new U.S.-Iraq security pact that was approved by Iraqi lawmakers Nov. 27 was ratified by Iraq's Presidency Council today, senior U.S. officials said. The two-part security pact consists of a strategic framework agreement that establishes the foundation of a long-term bilateral relationship between the United States and Iraq, as well as a status-of-forces agreement that stipulates how U.S. forces are affected by Iraqi laws.
Both agreements will take effect Jan. 1, following the exchange of diplomatic notes. The agreements replace a United Nations mandate authorizing the U.S. military presence in Iraq that's slated to expire Dec. 31.
"We welcome today's ratification by Iraqi's Presidency Council of the Strategic Framework Agreement and Security Agreement," U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan C. Crocker and Army Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, commander of Multinational Force Iraq, said in a joint statement issued today.
"The United States Embassy and the Multinational Force Iraq will begin immediately to implement these two agreements with our Iraqi partners," Crocker and Odierno continued. "We will undertake initiatives to strengthen our cooperation in the fields of economics, energy health, the environment, education, culture and law enforcement."
The United States also will support Iraq's request to the U.N. Security Council to continue protection of Iraqi assets, Crocker and Odierno stated.
The now-ratified U.S.-Iraq security pact contains "two landmark agreements that will guide our relationships with Iraq, to help solidify Iraq's democratic gains that they've made over the past few years, affirm Iraq's sovereignty, and put its relations with the United States on a strong footing," White House Press Secretary Dana Perino told reporters today.
A majority vote of Iraqi legislators in attendance approved the new security pact a week ago today. Iraqi lawmakers' approval of the pact "affirms the growth of Iraq's democracy" as well as its "increasing ability to secure itself," President George W. Bush said in White House statement issued Nov. 27.
American Forces Press Service
Dec. 4, 2008 - The new U.S.-Iraq security pact that was approved by Iraqi lawmakers Nov. 27 was ratified by Iraq's Presidency Council today, senior U.S. officials said. The two-part security pact consists of a strategic framework agreement that establishes the foundation of a long-term bilateral relationship between the United States and Iraq, as well as a status-of-forces agreement that stipulates how U.S. forces are affected by Iraqi laws.
Both agreements will take effect Jan. 1, following the exchange of diplomatic notes. The agreements replace a United Nations mandate authorizing the U.S. military presence in Iraq that's slated to expire Dec. 31.
"We welcome today's ratification by Iraqi's Presidency Council of the Strategic Framework Agreement and Security Agreement," U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan C. Crocker and Army Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, commander of Multinational Force Iraq, said in a joint statement issued today.
"The United States Embassy and the Multinational Force Iraq will begin immediately to implement these two agreements with our Iraqi partners," Crocker and Odierno continued. "We will undertake initiatives to strengthen our cooperation in the fields of economics, energy health, the environment, education, culture and law enforcement."
The United States also will support Iraq's request to the U.N. Security Council to continue protection of Iraqi assets, Crocker and Odierno stated.
The now-ratified U.S.-Iraq security pact contains "two landmark agreements that will guide our relationships with Iraq, to help solidify Iraq's democratic gains that they've made over the past few years, affirm Iraq's sovereignty, and put its relations with the United States on a strong footing," White House Press Secretary Dana Perino told reporters today.
A majority vote of Iraqi legislators in attendance approved the new security pact a week ago today. Iraqi lawmakers' approval of the pact "affirms the growth of Iraq's democracy" as well as its "increasing ability to secure itself," President George W. Bush said in White House statement issued Nov. 27.
Face of Defense: Boxing Provides Motivation for Deployed Soldier
By Army Sgt. Jeremy Todd
Special to American Forces Press Service
Dec. 4, 2008 - A Multinational Division Baghdad soldier serving in southern Baghdad with the 10th Mountain Division's 94th Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, uses his off-duty time to hone his boxing skills. Army Spc. Chad Reed has become somewhat of a superstar here, especially since he recently defeated a Golden Gloves boxer on nearby Forward Operating Base Loyalty.
"When I'm not on mission, I'm in the gym or in the ring practicing," Reed said. His time in the ring just about equals the length of his deployment, a little more than a year.
He said he wants to prove that he is a boxer now, and no longer a street fighter.
"A boxer is patient," he explained. "He's not just going for the knockout hit, and that's where the difference lies between the two."
The New Orleans native grew up in a rough part of town, and said he made the life-changing decision to join the Army not only to improve himself but also to provide a better life for his wife at Fort Polk, La.
The 24-year-old fighter weighs in at 148 pounds and stands 5 feet, 7 inches tall. Reed said all his punching power comes from his heart, and that his love for his mother, wife and stepson keep him on the straight and narrow path of always doing what is right -- no matter what the circumstance.
Sempa Wilson, a security guard from Kampala, Uganda, works with Reed on his footwork and speed.
"He doesn't like to be hit in the face, but who does?" Wilson said. "My job is to make sure he is not hit unnecessarily. We often spar to keep him aware of the unpredictability of this sport. This is not a nice sport, but it is a team sport, [and] many others helped Reed win this fight."
The task of ensuring Reed is in the best fighting shape possible goes to Army Staff Sgt. Anthony Nelson, a medical supply soldier with 94th BSB. Nelson's responsibility is building Reed's stamina and muscle strength. Nelson works with Reed for three hours a day, six days a week.
Nelson said Reed is one of the most dedicated soldiers he has worked with during his deployment, both on the clock and off.
"Boxing has motivated him to be a better soldier, just as being a better soldier has motivated his command to ensure he becomes a better boxer," he said.
Reed said he has received tremendous support from his peers and his leaders. When he fought the Golden Gloves boxer, his command arranged a convoy for 34 of his company's soldiers to root for him.
"It is gestures like those that really make me want to be a better soldier," Reed said. "My command has faith in me both on the battlefield and in the ring, and that means a lot to me."
Army 1st Sgt. Dan Donald III, senior enlisted leader for Company A, said he wanted Reed to know his fellow soldiers supported him.
"Specialist Reed is one of my hard-charging soldiers," he said. "He totally out-classed his opponent at FOB Loyalty. It was the least I could do for him. He does a lot for his platoon, the battalion and the brigade. In the end, it provided positive motivation for the soldiers who attended as well as Reed."
Noting that "Mike Tyson's Greatest Hits" and "Ali" are his favorite movies, Reed said he models his fighting style after the two great heavyweights. He compared stepping into the ring to driving out of the gate onto the streets of Baghdad.
"When it's time to maneuver, it's time to maneuver, no matter what the case may be," he said. "When it's time to go, it's time to go; and that's what I do as a soldier and a fighter."
Reed added that he hopes someone will notice his drive to succeed and his dedication to be a better fighter so he might get the chance fight professionally someday. For now, he said, he just wants to make it safely home to his family. This holiday season, the promising pugilist said, he is thankful for all those who have supported him, fighting both in the ring and on the streets of Baghdad.
(Army Sgt. Jeremy Todd serves in Multinational Division Baghdad with the 10th Mountain Division's 4th Brigade Combat Team.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
Dec. 4, 2008 - A Multinational Division Baghdad soldier serving in southern Baghdad with the 10th Mountain Division's 94th Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, uses his off-duty time to hone his boxing skills. Army Spc. Chad Reed has become somewhat of a superstar here, especially since he recently defeated a Golden Gloves boxer on nearby Forward Operating Base Loyalty.
"When I'm not on mission, I'm in the gym or in the ring practicing," Reed said. His time in the ring just about equals the length of his deployment, a little more than a year.
He said he wants to prove that he is a boxer now, and no longer a street fighter.
"A boxer is patient," he explained. "He's not just going for the knockout hit, and that's where the difference lies between the two."
The New Orleans native grew up in a rough part of town, and said he made the life-changing decision to join the Army not only to improve himself but also to provide a better life for his wife at Fort Polk, La.
The 24-year-old fighter weighs in at 148 pounds and stands 5 feet, 7 inches tall. Reed said all his punching power comes from his heart, and that his love for his mother, wife and stepson keep him on the straight and narrow path of always doing what is right -- no matter what the circumstance.
Sempa Wilson, a security guard from Kampala, Uganda, works with Reed on his footwork and speed.
"He doesn't like to be hit in the face, but who does?" Wilson said. "My job is to make sure he is not hit unnecessarily. We often spar to keep him aware of the unpredictability of this sport. This is not a nice sport, but it is a team sport, [and] many others helped Reed win this fight."
The task of ensuring Reed is in the best fighting shape possible goes to Army Staff Sgt. Anthony Nelson, a medical supply soldier with 94th BSB. Nelson's responsibility is building Reed's stamina and muscle strength. Nelson works with Reed for three hours a day, six days a week.
Nelson said Reed is one of the most dedicated soldiers he has worked with during his deployment, both on the clock and off.
"Boxing has motivated him to be a better soldier, just as being a better soldier has motivated his command to ensure he becomes a better boxer," he said.
Reed said he has received tremendous support from his peers and his leaders. When he fought the Golden Gloves boxer, his command arranged a convoy for 34 of his company's soldiers to root for him.
"It is gestures like those that really make me want to be a better soldier," Reed said. "My command has faith in me both on the battlefield and in the ring, and that means a lot to me."
Army 1st Sgt. Dan Donald III, senior enlisted leader for Company A, said he wanted Reed to know his fellow soldiers supported him.
"Specialist Reed is one of my hard-charging soldiers," he said. "He totally out-classed his opponent at FOB Loyalty. It was the least I could do for him. He does a lot for his platoon, the battalion and the brigade. In the end, it provided positive motivation for the soldiers who attended as well as Reed."
Noting that "Mike Tyson's Greatest Hits" and "Ali" are his favorite movies, Reed said he models his fighting style after the two great heavyweights. He compared stepping into the ring to driving out of the gate onto the streets of Baghdad.
"When it's time to maneuver, it's time to maneuver, no matter what the case may be," he said. "When it's time to go, it's time to go; and that's what I do as a soldier and a fighter."
Reed added that he hopes someone will notice his drive to succeed and his dedication to be a better fighter so he might get the chance fight professionally someday. For now, he said, he just wants to make it safely home to his family. This holiday season, the promising pugilist said, he is thankful for all those who have supported him, fighting both in the ring and on the streets of Baghdad.
(Army Sgt. Jeremy Todd serves in Multinational Division Baghdad with the 10th Mountain Division's 4th Brigade Combat Team.)
Coalition, Iraqi Forces Kill 4, Capture 33 Terror Suspects
American Forces Press Service
Dec. 4, 2008 - Coalition forces dealt a heavy blow to al-Qaida in Iraq terrorist networks during multiple operations throughout Iraq today and yesterday, killing four terrorists and detaining 33 suspects, military officials said. Most of the actions took place when combined coalition and Iraqi forces killed four armed insurgents and detained 19 others in three operations in Kirkuk yesterday. The operations targeted a suspected al-Qaida in Iraq courier believed to conspire directly with al-Qaida in Iraq leadership in the Tamim province.
The four men who were killed were armed and moved aggressively at the troops. Perceiving hostile intent, the soldiers fired on the men, killing them. Three suspects were detained at one location, and 16 were detained at another.
Elsewhere, coalition forces continued to disrupt al-Qaida in Iraq communication networks during two related operations today and yesterday near Lake Thar Thar, about 60 miles northwest of Baghdad. Five suspects alleged to be associates of an al-Qaida in Iraq courier were detained.
In other operations today in Iraq:
-- In Mosul, coalition forces targeted an al-Qaida in Iraq operative assessed to have connections to local terrorist leaders and detained one suspect.
-- Coalition forces disrupted al-Qaida in Iraq bomb networks with four operations. In Abu Ghraib, about 16 miles west of Baghdad, forces detained one suspect believed to be associated with an area car bomb operative.
-- An operation in Baghdad targeting a wanted man associated with area suicide bombings netted two suspects.
-- Coalition and Iraqi forces detained two suspected associates of a man wanted in car bombings and weapons smuggling in the Khurmal area, about 100 miles southeast of Kirkuk.
-- In Mosul, two suspects were detained during an operation targeting an alleged al-Qaida in Iraq suicide bomber facilitator.
-- U.S. soldiers, partnered with Iraqi National Police, captured a suspected Iranian-backed terrorist wanted for murder in southern Baghdad's Rashid district.
Yesterday, coalition and Iraqi security forces seized several large weapons caches in and around Baghdad that included 75 60 mm mortars, 21 81 mm mortars, six 130 mm artillery rounds, four 107 mm rockets, 130 grenades, 2,000 rounds of 7.62 mm and 39 mm ammunition, 26 57 mm projectiles, 22 high-explosive anti-tank grenades, 37 RPG rounds, seven 60 mm mortars, a rocket-propelled grenade, a 20-pound bag of unknown stick propellant and 20 projectile fuses.
(Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq and Multinational Corps Iraq news releases).
Dec. 4, 2008 - Coalition forces dealt a heavy blow to al-Qaida in Iraq terrorist networks during multiple operations throughout Iraq today and yesterday, killing four terrorists and detaining 33 suspects, military officials said. Most of the actions took place when combined coalition and Iraqi forces killed four armed insurgents and detained 19 others in three operations in Kirkuk yesterday. The operations targeted a suspected al-Qaida in Iraq courier believed to conspire directly with al-Qaida in Iraq leadership in the Tamim province.
The four men who were killed were armed and moved aggressively at the troops. Perceiving hostile intent, the soldiers fired on the men, killing them. Three suspects were detained at one location, and 16 were detained at another.
Elsewhere, coalition forces continued to disrupt al-Qaida in Iraq communication networks during two related operations today and yesterday near Lake Thar Thar, about 60 miles northwest of Baghdad. Five suspects alleged to be associates of an al-Qaida in Iraq courier were detained.
In other operations today in Iraq:
-- In Mosul, coalition forces targeted an al-Qaida in Iraq operative assessed to have connections to local terrorist leaders and detained one suspect.
-- Coalition forces disrupted al-Qaida in Iraq bomb networks with four operations. In Abu Ghraib, about 16 miles west of Baghdad, forces detained one suspect believed to be associated with an area car bomb operative.
-- An operation in Baghdad targeting a wanted man associated with area suicide bombings netted two suspects.
-- Coalition and Iraqi forces detained two suspected associates of a man wanted in car bombings and weapons smuggling in the Khurmal area, about 100 miles southeast of Kirkuk.
-- In Mosul, two suspects were detained during an operation targeting an alleged al-Qaida in Iraq suicide bomber facilitator.
-- U.S. soldiers, partnered with Iraqi National Police, captured a suspected Iranian-backed terrorist wanted for murder in southern Baghdad's Rashid district.
Yesterday, coalition and Iraqi security forces seized several large weapons caches in and around Baghdad that included 75 60 mm mortars, 21 81 mm mortars, six 130 mm artillery rounds, four 107 mm rockets, 130 grenades, 2,000 rounds of 7.62 mm and 39 mm ammunition, 26 57 mm projectiles, 22 high-explosive anti-tank grenades, 37 RPG rounds, seven 60 mm mortars, a rocket-propelled grenade, a 20-pound bag of unknown stick propellant and 20 projectile fuses.
(Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq and Multinational Corps Iraq news releases).
Reconstruction Team Lights Up Afghanistan's Zabul Province
By Air Force 1st Lt. Amber Balken
Special to American Forces Press Service
Dec. 4, 2008 - The provincial reconstruction team in Afghanistan's Zabul province has finished installing 90 solar lights to benefit commerce and improve security in the province. The lighting problem originally was identified in Shajoy city, where citizens wanted to illuminate their bazaar, the largest in Zabul.
Conducting business after sunset was difficult because of the lack of lighting and the security risk of conducting business after dark. In addition to extending time available for commerce, the lights now allow Afghan national security forces to conduct patrols safely.
"We work very hard at developing and maintaining strong relationships with the local community and local leaders," Army Maj. Gregory Ulma, Zabul PRT civil affairs team leader, said. "The community is hungry for development. Already we have noticed an uptick in commerce, and commerce is a sign of increased stability."
The PRT chose solar lights over electric lights due to the lack of electricity in Shajoy, Ulma said. Solar lights require less maintenance, and they can work for up to three days without sun.
The PRT installed 50 more lights in the cities of Qalat and Shar-e Safi.
"The success of this project is overwhelming," Army Master Sgt. Tommy Phillips, Zabul PRT engineer, said. "We were able to provide the people of the communities with a much-needed service, and increase security as well."
(Air Force 1st Lt. Amber Balken serves with the Zabul Provincial Reconstruction Team.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
Dec. 4, 2008 - The provincial reconstruction team in Afghanistan's Zabul province has finished installing 90 solar lights to benefit commerce and improve security in the province. The lighting problem originally was identified in Shajoy city, where citizens wanted to illuminate their bazaar, the largest in Zabul.
Conducting business after sunset was difficult because of the lack of lighting and the security risk of conducting business after dark. In addition to extending time available for commerce, the lights now allow Afghan national security forces to conduct patrols safely.
"We work very hard at developing and maintaining strong relationships with the local community and local leaders," Army Maj. Gregory Ulma, Zabul PRT civil affairs team leader, said. "The community is hungry for development. Already we have noticed an uptick in commerce, and commerce is a sign of increased stability."
The PRT chose solar lights over electric lights due to the lack of electricity in Shajoy, Ulma said. Solar lights require less maintenance, and they can work for up to three days without sun.
The PRT installed 50 more lights in the cities of Qalat and Shar-e Safi.
"The success of this project is overwhelming," Army Master Sgt. Tommy Phillips, Zabul PRT engineer, said. "We were able to provide the people of the communities with a much-needed service, and increase security as well."
(Air Force 1st Lt. Amber Balken serves with the Zabul Provincial Reconstruction Team.)
Afghan, Coalition Forces Build Bridges for Community
American Forces Press Service
Dec. 3, 2008 - Afghan and coalition forces celebrated with local villagers Dec. 1 at a ribbon-cutting for a new low-water bridge near Kandahar city. The Commando Bridge will provide easier access to areas around the city, including a bazaar, a school under construction and a nearby highway.
A rainstorm several months ago flooded the creek that the new bridge spans, making travel through the area difficult, and Afghan Army officials approached coalition forces about the need for a bridge. The project was funded through the Commanders' Emergency Response Program, which allows leaders to fund projects that meet urgent needs of the local population.
For projects throughout Afghanistan, officials explained, a proper balance has to be reached between security and development; in this case, workers' safety was a concern. But despite militants' death threats against the workers, the project was completed within a few weeks and will be of great benefit to the community, said Brig. Gen. Shir Mohammad Zazai, commander of the Afghan National Army's 205th Corps.
"I would like to thank everyone involved for their hard work in completing the Commando Bridge," the general told those gathered at the ribbon-cutting. "These projects really help to improve the area and will help to make the area better."
"It was very difficult last winter for people to travel and transport things through the area," a laborer who worked on the bridge said. "They weren't able to move things through easily. Now, it will be much easier."
(From a U.S. Forces Afghanistan news release.)
Dec. 3, 2008 - Afghan and coalition forces celebrated with local villagers Dec. 1 at a ribbon-cutting for a new low-water bridge near Kandahar city. The Commando Bridge will provide easier access to areas around the city, including a bazaar, a school under construction and a nearby highway.
A rainstorm several months ago flooded the creek that the new bridge spans, making travel through the area difficult, and Afghan Army officials approached coalition forces about the need for a bridge. The project was funded through the Commanders' Emergency Response Program, which allows leaders to fund projects that meet urgent needs of the local population.
For projects throughout Afghanistan, officials explained, a proper balance has to be reached between security and development; in this case, workers' safety was a concern. But despite militants' death threats against the workers, the project was completed within a few weeks and will be of great benefit to the community, said Brig. Gen. Shir Mohammad Zazai, commander of the Afghan National Army's 205th Corps.
"I would like to thank everyone involved for their hard work in completing the Commando Bridge," the general told those gathered at the ribbon-cutting. "These projects really help to improve the area and will help to make the area better."
"It was very difficult last winter for people to travel and transport things through the area," a laborer who worked on the bridge said. "They weren't able to move things through easily. Now, it will be much easier."
(From a U.S. Forces Afghanistan news release.)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
