Face of Defense: Chaplain Serves Commander, Soldiers

American Forces Press Service

Jan. 7, 2009 - Army Chaplain (Capt.) David Curry, based out of Kandahar, Afghanistan, with Task Force Eagle Assault, is accustomed to multitasking. He is a member of an elite division deployed halfway around the globe to fight terrorism. He's also a relationship counselor, an event coordinator and senior advisor.

"There are three, maybe four hats that a chaplain wears," Curry said. "The chaplains fill an advisory role to the unit's commander as a member of the commander's staff. He is a counselor to the soldiers of the unit, as well as its minister."

Curry balances all of these responsibilities.

"Chaplains serve in every unit, and every unit's chaplains have to learn their particular unit's vernacular," Curry said.

A native of Louisville, Ky., Curry, 40, earned a master of divinity degree from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He holds a lot of "firsts" in his family – he's the first to go to college, the first seminary graduate, the first minister and the first military officer.

"I've always had a respect for soldiers and what the military does," Curry said.

He served eight years as an Army reservist. After a six-year break that saw him ministering in the civilian world, he and his family decided he would go back into the Army as a chaplain. Two weeks later, a pair of passenger planes struck the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York, changing the nature of military service immediately, radically and for the foreseeable future.

Curry spoke again with his family, knowing his service would be dramatically different from what they previously thought it would entail. They agreed to press on, and seven years later, he's halfway around world and happy with his decision.

In Afghanistan, much of Curry's job involves helping soldiers communicate with their families.

"I think it is safe to say that 70 percent [of soldiers' worries are] family related, or that is the root problem," said Curry. "Strong relationships are not harmed by deployment. They only get stronger. But weak relationships are very much in danger."

Curry has to juggle a large number of troops and all of the issues they bring with them. Through his skills and experience, he sees the similarities.

"You begin to see that the people are different, but the situations they're going through are the same," he said.

His office has developed a rhythm as the deployment has worn on and has expanded its reach.

"Those initial months after you deploy, the counselings are through the roof," Curry said. "The Army family, in some ways, endures more hardships than the soldier does."

Those close to Curry feed off his energy.

"I've worked for four chaplains, and Chaplain Curry is by far the most passionate," said Army Sgt. Matt Mellott, a chaplain's assistant from Newcastle, Pa. "He's passionate about his job, about the soldiers, and he's the hardest-working chaplain."

A large part of Curry's job is coordination. The coordination between himself and his counterparts is also one of his biggest sources of pride.

"I think one of the most important things is the relationships between these chaplains here," he said. "That's been the most fulfilling. I think the other thing is in the moment of tragedy, being able to be a shepherd, and leading people through."

It all came together over Thanksgiving, when the chaplains from Kandahar travelled out to visit soldiers at isolated bases throughout southern Afghanistan. Curry coordinated the trip.

"We went ahead and said, 'We're going to try to treat this like another big, religious day," he said, likening it to the treatment the chaplains give Christmas or Easter.

In the past, he said, events like this had failed to come together. But this time, the chaplains were successful, as Curry worked with his commander to ensure that the chaplains received helicopters for the mission.

"In my 21 years [of service], he's the best chaplain I've ever met," Army Lt. Col. Tommy Stauss, commander of Task Force Eagle Assault, said.

(From a Combined Joint Task Force 101 news release.)

Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Staff Sgt. Anthony D. Davis, 29, of Daytona Beach, Fla., died Jan. 6 in Northern Iraq, of wounds suffered when he was shot by enemy forces. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Hunter Army Airfield, Georgia.

For more information media may contact the U.S. Army Special Operations Command public affairs office at (910) 432-6005; (910) 689-6187 after hours, or visit http://news.soc.mil .

Afghan, Coalition Forces Kill Militants, Disrupt Bomb Networks

American Forces Press Service

Jan. 7, 2009 - Coalition forces and Afghan commandos killed 38 militants and seized multiple weapons caches today and yesterday during operations to disrupt bomb networks in Afghanistan's Farah and Laghman provinces. Coalition forces and Afghan commandos today killed six militants during a raid on a compound in Farah province's Kakhi Safyed district.

Among the militants killed were a leader believed to have conducted attacks on Afghan and coalition forces and the alleged chief bodyguard for a high-level Taliban commander. The bodyguard is suspected of providing bombs and bomb-making materials to militant forces in the province's Bala Baluk district.

During the operation, militants engaged forces with small-arms fire from inside the compound. Forces returned fire, killing the militants, while protecting local residents.

A coalition soldier received a minor gunshot wound, and a commando was injured during the fight. The commando was evacuated to a local hospital for treatment. Both men are expected to recover. No civilian casualties were reported.

Forces later seized and destroyed a weapons cache that contained rocket-propelled grenades, AK-47 assault rifles, sniper-rifle systems, machine guns and ammunition.

Yesterday, coalition forces killed 32 armed insurgents and detained a suspected militant during an operation to disrupt the Taliban's roadside bomb network in Laghman province.

Coalition forces were targeting a Taliban cell in Alishang district, northeast of the capital city of Kabul, suspected of carrying out roadside-bomb attacks against civilians and coalition forces throughout the region.

During the operation, about 75 armed militants engaged forces with small-arms fire from rooftops and alleyways. Coalition forces returned small-arms fire while protecting several villagers. No civilian casualties were reported.

Forces seized two large caches of weapons, explosives and other roadside bomb-making materials that included AK-47 assault rifles, rocket-propelled grenades, PKM machine guns and blocks of explosives bundled together. The forces destroyed the caches.

(Compiled from U.S. Forces Afghanistan news releases.)

U.S., Iraqi Forces Capture Criminals, Seize Weapons Caches

American Forces Press Service

Jan. 7, 2009 - U.S. soldiers and Iraqi forces detained two suspected criminals and seized several weapons caches in Iraq yesterday and Jan. 5. U.S. soldiers and Iraqi security forces yesterday arrested two men suspected of attacking coalition forces in southern Baghdad's Rashid district.

In other operations yesterday:

-- Iraqi and U.S. soldiers discovered roadside bomb-making materials in Baghdad's Saydiyah neighborhood. Iraqi soldiers transported the materials to their headquarters for disposal.

-- U.S. soldiers and Iraqi police seized a weapons cache in Baghdad's Aamel community consisting of a hand grenade, two explosive batteries, two speakers with speaker wire and a router. The police officers brought the items to a nearby Iraqi National Police headquarters for disposal.

-- U.S. and Iraqi soldiers discovered five 81 mm mortar rounds in Baghdad's Jihad community. An explosive ordnance disposal unit disposed of the munitions.

-- Iraqi and U.S. soldiers confiscated a weapons cache in Baghdad's Kadamiyah district that included three 60 mm mortars, a partial mortar tube, two rocket-propelled grenade warheads, a rifle and two fuses.

In Jan. 5 operations:

-- Iraqi National Police and U.S. soldiers confiscated four hand grenades in the Aamel community.

-- A tip led Iraqi soldiers to a weapons cache in Diyala province, northeast of Baghdad, that included six rocket-propelled grenade launchers, about 50 RPG warheads, a 130 mm round with fuse, a 122 mm rocket, about 50 rockets, a machine gun with several cases of rounds, detonation cord, bomb-making materials, small-arms rifles with rounds and bipods, and three Iraqi police vests.

(Compiled from Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)

Marines Raise Flag on New U.S. Embassy in Baghdad

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

Jan. 6, 2009 - U.S. Marines raised the American flag yesterday during the dedication ceremony for the new U.S. Embassy in Baghdad as Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker declared "a new era" for Iraq and the Iraqi-U.S. relationship. Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John D. Negroponte and almost 1,000 invited guests looked on as the embassy's Marine security detachment raised the red, white and blue over the largest U.S. Embassy in the world, with the Army's 4th Infantry Division Band playing the U.S. national anthem.

The compound, set on 104 acres along the banks of the Tigris River in central Baghdad, includes 27 modern office, housing and support buildings in tones that blend with the desert landscape. Officials said the scale of the new complex reflects the importance of the U.S.-Iraqi bilateral relationship.

More than 1,200 U.S. diplomats, servicemembers and government officials and staff from 14 federal agencies will work and live on the compound, embassy officials said. Their tasks and missions run the gamut: supporting local elections, helping to fight corruption, helping develop Iraq's energy and transportation sectors, strengthening the rule of law, providing security training and promoting educational and cultural exchange. In addition, 240 servicemembers assigned to Multinational Force Iraq are based at the embassy.

Construction of the compound began in 2005 and was completed in 2008 at a cost of $592 million, officials said.

Talabani called the new building a sign of how far the U.S.-Iraqi relationship has come.

"This building is not only a compound for the embassy, but a symbol of the deep friendship between the two peoples of Iraq and America," he said.

Face of Defense: Soldier Sets High Standards for 'Free Time'

By Army Sgt. 1st Class Nichole Bonham
Special to American Forces Press Service

Jan. 6, 2009 - An old Army ad campaign declared, "We do more by 9 a.m. then most people do all day." A prime example of that striving-for-excellence attitude can be found in Army Sgt. Timmothy Boyd. Boyd, a Dallas native who's serving a tour in Multinational Division Baghdad with the 4th Infantry Division's Company B, Special Troops Battalion, has developed a reputation for exceeding expectations.

While working in the systems communications section, he used his free time to develop a unit Web site where spouses back home could interact with their deployed soldier. He regularly offers his knowledge of computers on his own time to help friends and co-workers with hardware or software problems they're having with their personal computers.

Not that Boyd has a lot of free time. In fact, he may have less than most. With the assistance and support of his unit, Boyd recently completed his bachelor's degree in computer science.

"He promised me if I kept him on night shift that he would complete [his bachelor's degree], and ... I was so proud when he did complete it," ARMY Staff Sgt. Marlene Noel, Boyd's supervisor, said.

"It was a lot of work, but instead of watching movies during the free time, you know, you just had to do some homework," Boyd said of completing his degree. "So it took a little bit of sacrifice, but I was able to get it done."

He is now working toward his master's degree in computer science. And the story doesn't end here.

Boyd's latest assignment is with the division's new prosecution task force, which develops arrest warrants for approval by Iraqi judges in accordance with the new U.S.-Iraq security agreement. His job as an intelligence analyst is to comb through intelligence reports all day long looking for evidence to use in putting together a warrant. He helps his partner, a law enforcement professional, develop interview questions for detainees based on the evidence he finds in the reports and puts together the warrant packets that are presented to Iraqi judges.

When Boyd came to the section, he improved procedures for cross-referencing files in current warrants, using his free time and civilian-acquired computer programming skills to create a database to manage all the information the section processes.

"He took a very basic [system] that was there and turned it into what's essentially become the standard for the other divisions here in Iraq," Army Maj. Kevin Admiral, chief of the task force, said. "I think he's definitely set a great example for all noncommissioned officers and soldiers here in Baghdad. He definitely knows how to manage his time."

Boyd also has worked with Multinational Corps Iraq to help develop the Combined Information Data Network Exchange database for warrants so that the new system maintains some of the same functionality he developed in his own program.

Boyd's enlistment will end after this deployment, and he said he plans on becoming "Mr. Boyd" and finding a job in the computer science career field. But he doesn't rule out ever bringing those skills back to the military. "It's always a possibility," he said.

(Army Sgt. 1st Class Nichole Bonham serves in the Multinational Division Baghdad public affairs office.)

Forces Target Bomb Networks in Afghanistan

American Forces Press Service

Jan. 6, 2009 - Afghan National Police and coalition forces seized four suspected militants yesterday during operations targeting the Haqqani and Taliban terrorist networks in Afghanistan's Khowst and Zabol provinces. Forces targeted a suspected Haqqani commander in the Nadir Shah Kot district, southeast of here. The suspect is believed to be responsible for suicide and bombing attacks against civilians and Afghan and coalition forces throughout Khowst province.

During the operation, forces searched several compounds without incident and detained a suspected militant.

In Zabol province, coalition forces targeted a suspected Taliban militant believed to be in contact with Taliban commanders and linked to roadside bombings and attacks against coalition forces along Highway 1 in Qalat district, northeast of Kandahar. Forces detained three suspected militants during the operation.

(From a U.S. Forces Afghanistan news release.)

Officials Cite Transfer of Train Station Control as Return to Normalcy

American Forces Press Service

Iraq, Jan. 6, 2009 - U.S. forces have transferred the Riyadh train station here back to Iraqis in a move local officials say signals a return to normalcy for the area. "The train station transfer went smoothly, and the sounds of trains signal a return to normalcy," Shakir Mahmood, director of transportation for Iraq's Kirkuk province, said at a Jan. 3 transfer ceremony.

The new U.S.-Iraqi security agreement that took effect Jan. 1 and improved security in Riyadh made it possible for coalition forces to transfer the station, known by coalition forces as Patrol Base Howell, back to the Kirkuk Department of Transportation.

The transfer is a major step toward restoring the rail service in Kirkuk province. The remaining task is to complete the final span of the Beiji railroad bridge linking the Kirkuk rail line with the Samarra-to-Beiji line.

"Once the train station is functioning, it will help energize the economy as well as decrease the number of commercial vehicles traveling on the roads," said Riyadh Mayor Mohamad Ahmad Hussein.

Coalition forces also noted the significance of the event.

"I'm honored to be here this morning among you to mark the transfer of the Riyadh train station from coalition forces to the people of Iraq," said Army Lt. Col. Kenneth R. Casey, commander of 1st Battalion, 67th Armor Regiment, attached to the 25th Infantry Division's 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team.

"Today represents one of the many transitions happening across Iraq, with the improved security situation provided by the Iraqi police, Iraqi army, Sons of Iraq and U.S. forces," Casey said. The Sons of Iraq are Iraqi civilians who assist in local security efforts. He noted the transfer plays an important part in coalition efforts to start giving coalition areas of responsibility back to the Iraqis.

"Patrol Base Howell is a great example of what U.S. forces are trying to do, which is to return facilities back to the Iraqis to use for their intended purposes," Casey said.

Patrol Base Howell sheltered coalition forces for more than a year, and many soldiers called it a home.

"It's hard for us to leave, because this has been our home for a while," said Army Capt. Thomas Sturm, commander of D Company, 1st Battalion, 67th Armor Regiment. "It's been great to live so close to the people that we serve here in the town of Riyadh, but it's an important step forward."

Another soldier said progress will continue. "We'll move on and continue to do what we do," Army 1st Sgt. Michael Oliver of D Company said. "Although we're not here, we're still going to help them build a better country."

Sturm said the transfer and other events send a clear signal to the Iraqi people. "The movement of American forces within Iraq shows the people that there is validity to the security agreement," he said. "This is definitely a symbol of Iraqi sovereignty."

(From a Multinational Corps Iraq news release.)

U.S. Troops Train Afghan Security Guards

By Army Sgt. Charles Brice
Special to American Forces Press Service

Jan. 6, 2009 - U.S. soldiers are training new Afghan security guards in an effort that is bringing them more help at traffic checkpoints. Soldiers from 1st Infantry Division's Company A, 201st Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, taught the specialized training at Forward Operating Base Fenty in northeast Afghanistan. The training included tactics, techniques and procedures for working traffic control points and conducting body searches.

"What we teach in the class can carry over into their daily routine," Army Sgt. Prentice Rouse, from Company A, said. "In return for their participation, they can go back and train their peers."

During training, the soldiers demonstrated techniques, which the Afghans followed.

"Each [Afghan security guard] will go through the same training over and over until they grasp the information and feel comfortable with teaching it to others," Rouse said. "We encourage them to participate and interact with our company and their fellow soldiers."

The security guards were taught a different skill set by the troops every week.

"Now that our forces are combined, we can run the checkpoints and gates more effectively along with the [Afghan security guards]," Army 1st Lt. Craig Gridelli, base defense and operations officer in charge, said. "The training that we leave behind will hopefully have built a little bit of institutional knowledge with the [Afghan security guards] so that they can do the job themselves."

(Army Sgt. Charles Brice serves in the 1st Infantry Division's 3rd Brigade Combat Team public affairs office.)

Marine Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Lance Cpl. Chadwick A. Gilliam, 29, of Mayking, Ky., died Jan. 3 at a U.S. military base in Kuwait. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 6th Marines, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

The official cause of death is pending the results of the autopsy.

For additional background information on this Marine, news media representatives may contact the II Marine Expeditionary Force public affairs office at(910) 451-7200.

U.S. Soldiers, Afghan Police Boost Security in Nangarhar Province

By Army Sgt. Charles Brice
Special to American Forces Press Service

Jan. 5, 2009 - A unit of 1st Infantry Division soldiers is teaming up with Afghan National Police to bring security to a key area of eastern Afghanistan by reaching out to residents and coordinating with military and government leaders about their needs. The 3rd Brigade Combat Team soldiers of Alpha Company, Special Troops Battalion, and the Afghan National Police are boosting security and providing supplies for the local Afghans of Khogyani and Shirazad districts in Nangarhar province, largely by coordinating meetings known as "key leader engagements."

"We conduct these visits with the leadership to make sure they are taken care of on supplies and issues," Army Sgt. 1st Class Albert Huggins, A Company's 1st Platoon leader, said. "We have to make frequent trips out to the locations to make contact with our allies in the area."

Nangarhar borders Pakistan, and has been a hotbed of insurgency. The improved security measures come at an important time, officials said, as Afghans prepare for national elections later this year. Keeping residents safe as they register to vote was the topic of a recent key leader meeting in the district's Memlah Gardens.

"There are no problems at the voter registration booths," an Afghan National Police captain for Shirazad district said. We have very good security in protecting the locals while they register."

ANP leaders also talked about supplies needed to maintain jobs during the winter and plan for the spring. Similar topics carried over into a subsequent key leader meeting at the Shirazad District Center.

"Things are OK over here with the district center," said Abdul Haq, sub-governor of Shirazad district. "Taliban comes from Pakistan during the spring time and attacks the local villages. Now that the mountains have snowed over, the attacks are down to a minimum."

The newly constructed walls of the district center play a small role in the security of the area, which has improved significantly in the past few months.

"The locals of the area are much happier, because of the security boost," Haq said. "Along with the help of the Americans, our forces in the area have improved on their actions."

As the relationship between the two forces builds, people in the area are beginning to see progress.

"We are here to support the [police] in the Shirazad district in order to make things better for the people," Huggins said. "Safety, security and the welfare of the people are our main concern."

(Army Sgt. Charles Brice serves in the 1st Infantry Division's 3rd Brigade Combat Team public affairs office.)

Iraq 'Much Better Off' Today Than Under Saddam, Cheney Says

By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

Jan. 5, 2009 - The U.S.-coalition military campaign that deposed Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein in the spring of 2003 has placed Iraq in a much-improved situation today, Vice President Richard B. Cheney said during a nationally televised news program yesterday.
"I think Iraq is much better off than it was before we went in in '03 and got rid of Saddam Hussein," Cheney told host Bob Schieffer on the CBS program "Face the Nation."

"I think we are close to achieving most of our objectives," he added.

Violence and death in Iraq today are sharply down, Cheney said, while Iraqis are firmly on the path to democracy after decades of cruel and despotic rule under Saddam.

"We've seen a significant reduction in the overall level of violence, more now than any time since we've been there in the spring of '03," Cheney said. "We've seen the elimination of one of the world's worst regimes. We've seen the Iraqis write a constitution [and] hold three national elections."

The United States and Iraq signed two agreements that became effective Jan. 1, Cheney said, that underscore Iraq's status as a sovereign nation and call for the eventual withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraqi soil. The strategic framework agreement establishes the foundation of a long-term bilateral relationship between the United States and Iraq, while the status-of-forces agreement stipulates how U.S. forces are affected by Iraqi laws.

"All of those things, I think, by anybody's standard would be evidence of significant success," Cheney said. "And I think we're very close to achieving what it is we set out to do five years ago when we first went into Iraq."

On New Year's Day, the Iraqi government assumed authority for the Baghdad compound – known generically as the Green Zone -- that contained the U.S. military headquarters as well as the top U.S. diplomatic office in Iraq. Senior-level U.S. military and diplomatic offices in Iraq were transferred to the new U.S. Embassy in Iraq, which also is in Baghdad.

Cheney saluted the U.S.-coalition military campaign launched in March 2003 that toppled Saddam's regime by early April of that year. The fugitive dictator was captured by U.S. forces in December 2003 and was tried and found guilty for his crimes by an Iraqi court. He was executed on Dec. 29, 2006.

Saddam, the vice president said, had "totally underestimated" President George W. Bush's resolve to either coerce the dictator to resign or kick him out by military force.

Saddam had directed "one of the most despicable regimes of the 20th century," Cheney said. The late dictator, he said, had "started two wars, had killed hundreds of thousands of people – including many of his own – with weapons of mass destruction."

Before the onset of hostilities, Bush provided Saddam the opportunity to surrender his power and leave Iraq forever, but the dictator refused, Cheney noted.

Instead of departing Iraq, Saddam attempted "to bluff his way through," the vice president said. "And we called his bluff."

Strategic Agreement Has Mimimal Impact on Most Iraq Operations

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

Jan. 5, 2009 - The new strategic agreement in Iraq is having minimal impact on troops operating in provinces already under Iraqi control when it took effect Jan. 1, the commander of the 4th Infantry Division's 2nd Brigade Combat Team told Pentagon reporters today. Army Col. Butch Kievenaar said the bulk of his "Warhorse Brigade" soldiers are conducting operations in southern Iraq's Qadisiyah, Najaf and southern Babil provinces. All three provinces have transitioned to Iraqi control – in July 2008, December 2006 and October 2008, respectively.

In addition, the brigade's cavalry squadron is serving with the 172nd Infantry Brigade in Kabala province. That province was turned over to Iraqi control in October 2007.
"So a lot of the requirements that were specified ... in the strategic agreement were already the requirements for us in operations here," Kievenaar said.

All U.S. military operations in the region are planned and conducted by, with and through Iraqi security forces, he said. "So the provincial government has already been made aware of the operations that we're doing," he added.

In addition, he said, the brigade obtains a warrant through the Iraqi government for anyone it detains. Kievenaar's troops run no detention facility, but instead pass all detainees to the Iraqi army or police for processing before turning them over to the Iraqi civil court system.

"So [the strategic agreement] has a very minimal impact to us here in the province," he said.

Plans call for the Warhorse Brigade to withdraw its forces from the two joint security stations and two combat outposts where it operates alongside Iraqi security forces before June, as required by the strategic agreement. "And that was part of the plan even without that strategic agreement," Kievenaar said.

The impact of the agreement is greater, however, for one of the brigade's two combined arms battalions, operating to the north near Kirkuk. The Tamim province's capital, within the Multinational Division North region, has not yet been turned over to Iraqi provincial control.

"So when the strategic agreement came into effect, it changed some of what they ... were able to do," Kievenaar said. Most notably, the soldiers began obtaining warrants before detaining suspects and began conducting all operations jointly with Iraqi security forces.

Kievenaar said his troops have "very effective partnership programs" with Iraqi security forces, and are playing a key role in training and helping to professionalize their ranks.
Serving his third deployment to Iraq, Kievenaar said he's amazed at the capabilities the Iraqi security forces have gained in the past 18 months. "The progress of the Iraqi security forces from then to now is amazing and rewarding, because I've seen it from the beginning," he said.

Kievenaar conceded that al-Qaida and other extremist elements remain, but said efforts targeting their leaders are paying off.

"What we have right now is a situation where your low-level fighters -- those guys that would then go out and do something if somebody gave them money, gave them direction and gave them resources -- they're still around," he said. "Their leaders have been targeted, picked up or they're hiding in a neighboring country. And every time they ... try to come back into this country, they're effectively targeted and picked up."

Without leadership, money and resources, low-level fighters "basically return to their normal lives," he said.

"And so we have a very safe and secure environment right now," he said, "and I don't see anything on the horizon that their security force, both the police and the army, cannot handle."

Kievenaar expressed confidence that the Iraqis will be sufficiently trained to assume full security responsibility for their country when U.S. troops leave Iraq.

"They still need our help, because they don't have all the enablers that we come with, but they don't need our help on the day-to-day operations," he said. "I believe by the time that we leave here, that we will have taught them how to be able to sustain themselves and sustain their training and to do a more effective targeting" against forces that threaten the Iraqi government.

The Warhorse brigade is four months into a 12-month deployment. Kievenaar reminded reporters that the successes it has made have come at a cost, including three soldiers who drowned on Christmas Eve when a bridge collapsed as their vehicle crossed it.

"I just ask that you remember those fallen heroes, as well as all the other ones who have lost their lives while serving in Iraq," he said. "They may be gone, but as we always say, they are never forgotten."

Kievenaar also extended thanks to the soldiers' families, whom he called "the true heroes of this war."

"They're the ones who make the ultimate sacrifice each time we deploy to defend our nation's freedoms," he said. "They're the ones [who] provide us the strength every day to accomplish the mission."

CBR Weapons and WMD Terrorism News- January 5, 2009

Portrait emerges of anthrax suspect [Bruce Edwards Ivins] 's troubled life
“Inside the army laboratory at Fort Detrick, the government's brain for biological defense, Bruce Edwards Ivins paused to memorialize his moment in the spotlight as the anthrax panic of 2001 reached its peak. Ivins titled his e-mail message ‘In the lab’ and attached photographs […].Outside, on that morning of Nov. 14, 2001, five people were dead or dying, a dozen more were sick and fearful thousands were flooding emergency rooms. The postal system was crippled […] But Ivins was chipper. […] ‘Hi, all,’ he began the e-mail message. […] He sent the message to those who ordinarily received his corny jokes and dour news commentaries […].” (International Herald Tribune; 04Jan09; Scott Shane) http://www.iht.com/articles/2009/01/03/america/04anthrax.php

USDA [U.S. Department of Agriculture] seeking veterinarians' help in promoting NAIS [National Animal Identification System]
“Investigators spent an average of 199 days tracing the sources of animals infected with bovine tuberculosis between October 2005 and August 2007, according to information from the Department of Agriculture. […] Dr. John Clifford, deputy administrator of Veterinary Services for the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, said the National Animal Identification System could eventually allow inspectors to trace the origin and movements of diseased food animals within 48 hours. […] Dr. M. Gatz Riddell, executive vice president of the American Association of Bovine Practitioners, said his organization has supported the NAIS because of the need during an outbreak to quickly trace back where an animal has been, particularly during foreign animal disease outbreaks or acts of bioterrorism.” (American Veterinary Medical Association; 05Jan08; Gregg Cima)
http://www.avma.org/onlnews/javma/jan09/090115a.asp

Terror medicine can save lives [commentary by political scientist Leonard A. Cole]
“Critics of U.S. biosecurity policy contend that the threat of terrorism has been overblown and that too much money is going to biodefense and related programs. […] But the threat remains real. […] Terror medicine concerns not only biological agents like anthrax, but the medical management of terrorist attacks regardless of the weapon. In fact, bombs and explosives have been the weapons most commonly used by terrorists. The emergence of terror medicine […] involves anyone who would be called to service during or after a terror incident - from emergency responders to long-term caregivers. Yet ironically, most physicians and other health providers, let alone members of the public, are still unfamiliar with many of its features. […] These deficiencies should be remedied by education, rehearsals and understanding the distinctive challenges posed by terrorist attacks.” (Washington Times; 04Jan09; Leonard A. Cole) http://washingtontimes.com/news/2009/jan/04/terror-medicine-can-save-lives/

Alabama, feds at odds over [bioterrorism preparedness] money
“State officials are disputing the federal government’s claim that Alabama should repay $5.7 million it received for disaster preparedness. The government reimbursed Alabama for the millions it spent for its Bioterrorism Hospital Preparedness Program, which was part of a federal project administered by state public health officials. The inspector general’s office at the federal Department of Health and Human Services conducted a routine audit of claims paid to the state for the program between Sept. 1, 2004, and Aug. 31, 2006. Inspectors are questioning part of the $6.2 million that was paid to the Alabama Hospital Association, a statewide trade organization for hospitals, health systems and related companies. They say the money was put in an interest-bearing account by the association, and $5.7 million was not actually spent on the intended goods and services before a program deadline. The inspector general’s office has since recommended to HHS that the money be repaid with interest.” (Sun-Herald, Biloxi, MS; 01Jan08; Source: AP) http://www.sunherald.com/218/story/1042689.html

USAHA [United States Animal Health Association], AAVLD [American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians] team up and request more federal funding
“A full docket of presentations on the latest information in antimicrobials, zoonotic disease preparedness, and diagnostic procedures comprised the 2008 joint scientific session of the U.S. Animal Health Association and the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians. The conference was held Oct. 23-29 in Greensboro, N.C. The joint session covered multiple facets of foot-and-mouth disease preparedness, [along with t]he latest research on vaccination technologies and molecular epidemiologic techniques [as well as] overviews of U.S. laboratory and emergency management response planning and descriptions of control strategies used in South America. […] Four joint USAHA and AAVLD committees met at the conference, including the Committee on Animal Emergency Management. It called for a handful of government and industry agencies to each request $5 million within the President's 2011 budget to fund an initiative to engage state animal health agencies to work cooperatively to establish or expand regional animal health emergency management planning groups. Such an effort would provide the capability to quickly regionalize or compartmentalize the nation against introduction of a highly transmissible and contagious foreign animal disease.” (American Veterinary Medical Association; 01Jan08; Malinda Osborne) http://www.avma.org/onlnews/javma/jan09/090101ll.asp

Detection of disease outbreaks by the use of oral manifestations [abstract only]
“Oral manifestations of diseases caused by bioterrorist agents could be a potential data source for biosurveillance. This study had the objectives of determining the oral manifestations of diseases caused by bioterrorist agents, measuring the prevalence of these manifestations in emergency department reports, and constructing and evaluating a detection algorithm based on them. We developed a software application to detect oral manifestations in free text and identified positive reports over three years of data. […] We found that oral manifestations can be a valuable tool for biosurveillance.” (Journal of Dental Research; Jan09; Torres-Urquidy et al.)
http://jdr.iadrjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/88/1/89

Future bright for K[ansas]-State [University]’s bioscience center
“In recent weeks scientists converged on farms in the Philippines to study the first recorded case of Ebola virus in pigs. […] Meanwhile, avian bird flu has resurfaced in Southeast Asia in response to the return of cold, wet weather. […] Both viruses represent exactly the kind of deadly agent — or ‘fatal virus without cure’ — that would be studied in a new top level National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility recently landed by Kansas State University after an extensive two-year selection process. A U.S. Department of Agriculture laboratory in New York analyzed the swine samples that turned up with the Ebola strain. Ironically, while the disease was identified in the U.S., there is domestically no secure research lab capable of doing research on this potentially dangerous pathogen, points out Jürgen Richt, a regents distinguished professor of veterinary medicine, specialist in emerging viral diseases and lead Investigator of the animal facility for K-State’s level three Biosecurity Research Institute.” (Ag Journal; 30Dec08; Candace Krebs) http://www.agjournalonline.com/homepage/x1621228911/Future-bright-for-K-State-s-bioscience-center

[Tulsa, OK], OSU [Oklahoma State University] to do lab work
“Construction is expected to begin this spring on a new Tulsa Police Department forensics laboratory and research facilities for the Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences forensic science department. The $38.7 million project is a joint venture between the city of Tulsa and the OSU medical college, with the five-story building to be built on the southwest corner of the campus at 1111 W. 17th St. […] Biomedical science research labs will be on the fourth and fifth floors. […] The new laboratories will enhance students' ability to research a variety of subjects, including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and other hard-to-diagnose diseases. Allen said the new facility could also ‘open the door’ to the school receiving federal funds from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which would enable students to conduct research in bioterrorism on crops.” (Tulsa World; 29Dec08; David Schulte)
http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=11&articleid=20081229_11_A1_MarkBo995311

Hollywood [FL] firefighters train for bioterrorism attacks
“The Hollywood Fire Department is taking proactive measures to train its firefighters in the event of a bioterrorism attack. Orlando-based Emergency Medicine Learning & Resource Center’s Mobile Simulation Lab was available for a week recently at the department’s training facility. Hour-long training sessions were conducted in the lab, a sleek 45-foot motor coach outfitted with a full ambulance bay and emergency department area. […] ‘What we’re doing is teaching them how to recognize the different signs and symptoms of … biological and chemical agents, how to deal with burns and blast injuries, suicide bombers, nuclear blasts as well as chemical warfare and the plague,’ said Eric Dotten, a clinical programs coordinator with the center.” (Brandenton Herald; 29Dec08; Sergy Odiduro)
http://www.bradenton.com/331/story/1120550.html

Public health revises list of critical staff in event of bioterrorism [Wadena, MN]
“Wadena County Public Health recently assembled a revised list of the county’s mission critical staff to ensure there are enough doses of antibiotics in the event of bioterrorism. […] This list is not for disasters such as pandemic flu, tornadoes or floods. There is a regional pharmacy cache in Crow Wing County, she [Wadena County Public Health Director Karen Nelson] said. The state needs a count of mission critical staff to make sure there is enough antibiotics. ‘They’re wanting to get this 24-hour critical count first to see if we really have enough or if we need to get more from the federal government for our stockpile,’ Nelson said. ‘They want to know how many doses that we need.’ […] Nelson submitted the county’s mission critical count of 386 people to the state on Friday. A state-wide count will be submitted to the federal government by Dec. 31.” (Wadena Pioneer Journal; 24Dec08; Sara Hacking) http://www.wadenapj.com/articles/index.cfm?id=12441&section=news

Is Canada ready for bioterrorism?
“A U.S. congressional commission recently predicted that it's more likely than not a terrorist attack using weapons of mass destruction will occur somewhere in the world by 2013, and that a biological attack is more likely than a nuclear one. […] This report by the Commission on the Prevention of WMD Proliferation and Terrorism should prompt Canadians to ask: Are we prepared for a possible bioterrorist attack? Have we done all we can to mitigate risk and ensure response and recovery? To my knowledge, we have never conducted a broad, independent analysis of these questions in Canada. So the answer is: We don't really know. […] In 2006, when a previous U.S. report on biosecurity […] was released, I wrote: ‘The Government of Canada should examine how the U.S. National Academies' recommendations apply to Canada.’ I find myself making the same plea again, hoping that no one will ever have the chance to point to these urgings as warnings unheeded.” (Globe and Mail; 04Jan09; Peter Singer) http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090104.ecosinger05/BNStory/specialComment/home

India’s bioterror [preparedness and response] plans will take some time to get off the ground
“The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has begun preparedness, but concedes more cooperation is needed from companies and communities. […] NDMA has started the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP), which is funded by the World Health Organization, and for which the National Institute of Communicable Diseases is the nodal agency. Modelled after a similar programme run by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, the IDSP has started taking shape, but will be a while before it reaches many of the 600 or so districts in India, says Dr Bhardwaj [former director general of the Armed Forces Medical Services]. To strengthen the existing eight battalions of the National Disaster Response Force, each consisting of 1,000, two more battalions have been sanctioned. Half of the existing force is specifically trained to deal with chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) threats. NDMA has also asked the state governments to get part of the state forces trained in such areas.” (Wall Street Journal; 27Dec08; Seema Singh) http://www.livemint.com/2008/12/26233645/India8217s-bioterror-plans.html

Homeland Security: expect bioterrorism within 5 years
“The terrorism threat to the United States over the next five years will be driven by instability in the Middle East and Africa, persistent challenges to border security and increasing Internet savvy, says a new intelligence assessment obtained by The Associated Press. […] Chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear attacks are considered the most dangerous threats that could be carried out against the U.S. But those threats are also the most unlikely because it is so difficult for al-Qaida and similar groups to acquire the materials needed to carry out such plots, according to the internal Homeland Security Threat Assessment for the years 2008-2013. […] Officials are most concerned about biological agents stolen from labs or other storage facilities, such as anthrax.”
(Houston Chronicle; 26Dec08; Eileen Sullivan, AP) http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nation/6182176.html

Museum to feature Saddam atrocities
“A museum depicting the atrocities and other crimes committed during the Saddam Hussein era in Iraq is scheduled to open in the Green Zone next year. The museum will feature maps and galleries from the Anfal campaign in Iraqi Kurdistan. […] A study room featuring rows of computers will contain evidence from the trials of Saddam Hussein following his capture by U.S. forces Dec. 13, 2003. The museum also will feature a replica of the ‘spider hole’ the former dictator was discovered in and his possessions at the time, which included a Koran and $750,000 in cash.” (United Press International; 31Dec08)
http://www.upi.com/Emerging_Threats/2008/12/31/Museum_to_feature_Saddam_atrocities/UPI-75261230760121/

Where has all the VX [and sarin nerve gas] gone?
“The United States has completed the destruction of the last of its nerve gas weapons stored in the United States. The 66 month effort destroyed 293,000 gallons (over a million liters) of VX and Sarin nerve agent, by incineration. These weapons were stored, for nearly half a century, in underground bunkers in the Anniston Army Depot, 80 kilometers east of Birmingham, Alabama.” (Strategy Page; 03Jan09) http://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htchem/articles/20090103.aspx

Fate of [Anniston, AL] chemical burner disputed
“Two key elected officials in northeastern Alabama want to keep alive the local industry devoted to destroying the nation's nerve gas stockpile now that most of it has been destroyed, with only mustard blister agent remaining. […] But Gov. Bob Riley opposes any proposal to bring any more chemical weapons into the county. County Commissioner Robert Downing also joined other officials in opposing the idea. Bringing more chemical weapons to Anniston also would require changing federal and state environmental requirements […] [Calhoun County Commission Chairman Eli] Henderson said there have been no accidents or incidents on the site and bringing blister agent in would not be any more dangerous than some substances already out on the highways. Downing said he has several concerns about importing blister agent, including the possibility of transportation accidents, potential air quality problems and a perceived stigma on the community.” (Montgomery Advertiser; 02Jan09)
http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/article/20090102/NEWS02/901020304

[Blue Grass Army] Depot home to last VX agent stockpile [Richmond, KY]
“Richmond’s Blue Grass Army Depot is now the location of the nation’s last VX nerve agent stockpile. […] CMA personnel and contractors have destroyed the VX nerve agent munitions at six disposal sites including: Anniston, Ala.; Umatilla, Ore.; Newport, Ind.; Pine Bluff, Ark.; Tooele, Utah; and Johnston Island approximately 800 miles southwest of Hawaii. […] The CMA continues to store the country’s remaining VX in the U.S. chemical weapons stockpile at the Blue Grass Chemical Activity, located at the depot. A separate Department of Defense organization, the U.S. Army Element Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives, is charged with its destruction, and construction is under way on a neutralization facility.” (Richmond Register; 30Dec08; Ronica Shannon) http://www.richmondregister.com/localnews/local_story_365081553.html

Finland extends Nord Stream’s permit
“A consortium that plans to build an underwater Baltic Sea gas pipeline from Russia to Germany was on December 30 granted extended permission to investigate the sea bed in the Finnish economic zone. […] The consortium has ruled out a land- based route. […] Concerns have been raised that the project may disturb chemical weapons or other munitions dumped in the sea after World War II. Partners in the consortium include Russian gas monopoly Gazprom, German energy company E.ON, BASF and Dutch company Gasunie.” (New Europe; 05Jan09) http://www.neurope.eu/articles/91237.php

What are protective effects of anti-ricin A-chain aptamer?
“Ricin, a lectin from the castor bean plant Ricinus communis is considered one of the most potent plant toxins. […] A research article to be published on November 7, 2008 in the World Journal of Gastroenterology addresses this question. The research team was led by Dr. Kam-Meng Tchou-Wong from New York University School of Medicine in United States. […] Authors investigated the therapeutic potential of an RNA ligand (aptamer) specific for the catalytic ricin A-chain (RTA), the protective effects of a 31-nucleotide RNA aptamer (31RA), which formed a high affinity complex with RTA, against ricin-induced toxicity in cell-based luciferase translation and cell cytotoxicity assays were evaluated. They have shown that 31RA RNA aptamer can protect against ricin ribotoxicity in cell-based luciferase and cell cytotoxicity assays. Hence, RNA aptamer that inhibits RTA enzymatic activity represents a novel class of nucleic acid inhibitor that has the potential to be developed as a therapeutic agent for the treatment of ricin intoxication.” (Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News; 29Dec08; Lin Tian)
http://www.genengnews.com/news/bnitem.aspx?name=47668676

Kurds call for execution of 'Chemical Ali'
“Hundreds of Iraqi minority Kurds demanded on Sunday the execution of a Saddam-era official known as ‘Chemical Ali’ for the killing of 5,000 Kurds in a 1988 gas attack in Halabja city. Ali Hassan al-Majeed, a Sunni Arab who was Saddam's cousin and a member of his inner circle, has already been sentenced to death twice, once in 2007 for his role in killing tens of thousands of Kurds in Saddam's military ‘Anfal’ campaign. […] Majeed's second death sentence came this month for his part in crushing a Shi'ite revolt after the 1991 Gulf War. Disputes within the Shi'ite-led government of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, however, have so far stalled Majeed's execution. […] Majeed's Halabja trial will be headed by Judge Mohammed al-Uraibi, a Shi'ite jurist who also headed Majeed's first two trials, a court spokesman said. Also charged in the case are Sultan Hashem, a former defense minister, and two intelligence officers. All the defendants are already facing life sentences or execution.” (Kurdish Globe; 22Dec08;
Source: Reuters)
http://www.kurdishglobe.net/displayArticle.jsp?id=76D2A8281E52536AE01A6845E3AC5CD0

The next dangerous phase of the Gaza War
“Also and most worrisome is the possibility reported by Al-Seyassah last year that chlorine-laden weapons had been delivered to Hamas in Gaza by Iranian Revolutionary Guards to be used against Israel in the event of a military strike against Iran. If this is true, Hamas could decide to use these chemical weapons against Israel now. […] Abu Harun [leader of the Abu Rich brigade] prides himself o[n] the effect the Qassams rockets his group builds and fires into Israel, have been pushing people in Sderot to leave. He added: ‘We push them north [in Israel], toward Hezbollah. They are sandwiched. In less than 10 years, they will disappear.’ It is true that at the moment, because of their short flight span, Qassam rockets cannot be intercepted and therefore constitute a huge threat to the security of Israeli civilians.” (Middle East Times; 05Jan08; Olivier Guitta)
http://www.metimes.com/International/2009/01/05/the_next_dangerous_phase_of_the_gaza_war/2749/

Panama Canal protected by [radiation] detection tech[nology]
“New nuclear threat detection technologies are currently operating in Panama after a recent agreement with the U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration [NNSA].The United States and Panama recently reached an agreement that paved the way for the NNSA, in partnership with the Manzanillo International Terminal and others, to install advanced radiation detection systems at the Panama Canal's Atlantic and Pacific Ocean megaports, the NNSA reported. The ports, located at Colon and Panama City, are currently operating the scanning technologies to prevent the smuggling of illicit nuclear materials in cargo containers, as part of the Container Security Initiative.” (UPI; 31Dec08) http://www.upi.com/Emerging_Threats/2008/12/31/Panama_Canal_protected_by_detection_tech/UPI-55921230763595/

Japan sent uranium to U.S. in secret
“Enough highly enriched U.S. uranium to make about 20 nuclear weapons was sneaked back to the United States from Japan over a 12-year period until last summer in a secret operation aimed at keeping it out of terrorists' hands, a senior U.S. official and Japanese specialists recently revealed. The uranium, which was provided to Japan by the United States to build five nuclear nuclear research reactors, totaled more than 500 kg. […] Four of the five reactors are in Ibaraki Prefecture and managed by the Japan Atomic Energy Agency. Two of its HEU-fueled reactors have already been closed due to proliferation concerns, and the other two were converted to use less-enriched uranium.” (Japan Times; 28Dec08) http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20081228a1.html

[American] physician gets a reality check during training in the Jewish state [of Israel]
“From Nov. 8 to Nov. 13, more than a dozen U.S. doctors from all medical specialties were in Israel, training alongside Israeli medical professionals to prepare for worst-case scenarios as part of the American Physicians Fellowship for Medicine in Israel's Emergency and Disaster Preparedness Course. [American emergency physician Adam] Cooper […] was among them. In the event of a war, these doctors would return to Israel and take over, so that their Israeli counterparts could serve in the Israel Defense Force. The intensive, five-day course is one of several operated by the APF, in conjunction with the Israeli Ministry of Health and the Medical Corps of the IDF. […] [E]ach day was jam-packed with activities: learning the appropriate response to conventional, biological, nuclear or chemical warfare […] and participating in a mass-casualty ammonia disaster drill.” (Jewish Exponent; 01Jan09; Michelle Mostovy-Eisenberg) http://www.jewishexponent.com/article/17950/

Czech military to propose changes in foreign mission plans
“The Defence Ministry will on Monday [Jan 5] propose to the cabinet that the number of Czech soldiers in [...] Afghanistan be reduced from the originally planned 645 to maximally 480 in 2009 […] A light chemical warfare unit and various experts, in total up to 55 persons, are to serve at the international airport in Kabul. [...] A team of 229 troops will be prepared in the first half of this year for service in a NATO Rapid Reaction Force. In the second half of the year the Czech military will be ready to send three weapons of mass destruction protection experts.”
(Ceskenoviny; 02Jan09)
http://www.ceskenoviny.cz/news/index_view.php?id=352597

Armed Forces Medical Services prepared for any eventuality
“India’s Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS) are fully prepared for any eventuality, including having to deal with nuclear, biological and chemical warfare, a senior army official said Tuesday. ‘We are prepared for any eventuality,’ AFMS Director General Lt. Gen. Yogendra Singh told reporters here. […] ‘As far as nuclear, biological and chemical warfare is concerned the AFMS is supposed to be the first responder. We are part of the National Disaster Management Authority. The training for this is an ongoing process,’ Singh added.” (ThaiIndian News; 30Dec08) http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/india-news/armed-forces-medical-services-prepared-for-any-eventuality_100136603.html

Swiss order PPVs [protected patrol vehicles], NBC vehicles
“General Dynamics European Land Systems subsidiary MOWAG GmbH recently received a CHF 260 million (EUR 160M, $190M) order from the Swiss Armasuisse procurement agency. […] The firm will deliver 220 GMTF protected patrol vehicles based on the DURO-IIIP truck, and 12 DURO IIIP ‘NBC Laboratory Vehicles’ that can identify radioactive materials, biological and chemical warfare agents, and toxic industrial chemicals. The 3rd component of this order involves the development of 12 Nuclear, Biological & Chemical Reconnaissance Vehicles, which will be based on the Piranha-IIIC/LAV-III 8×8 wheeled armored personnel carrier (APC).”
(Defense Industry News; 05Jan08)
http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/Swiss-Order-PPVs-NBC-Vehicles-05231/

Russian regulators warn nuclear safety undercut by economic crisis
“The safety of Russia's nuclear industry is being negatively affected by the country's economic crisis and the situation is expected to to worsen in 2009, according to a newly released annual report by the Russian nuclear regulatory body Rostekhnadzor. Ongoing job cuts at nuclear facilities include the personnel directly responsible for safety control, states the report by Rostekhnadzor, which is responsible for licensing and safety at Russia's 31 operating nuclear power plants and the eight more under construction. […] ‘It is possible that further cut jobs in Russia may bring back the nuclear proliferation problems related to illegal trade of radioactive materials,’ Slivyak cautioned.” (Environment News Service; 24Dec08)
http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/dec2008/2008-12-24-02.asp

US Embassy in Brazil receives suspicious package
“The U.S. Embassy in Brazil has been searched by a bomb squad after receiving a suspicious package by mail, but local authorities say it did not contain explosives. Embassy spokesman Robert Mooney says agents conducted the inspection along with U.S. security personnel. He could not confirm the results of the search, but said it did not interrupt operations Tuesday.” (Associated Press; 01Jan09) http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jri_k8LEpXbC_7aAbpFDEom52CcQD95DB2T80

Suspicious powder sent to US embassy [in South Korea] harmless
“An official says a suspicious white powder sent to the U.S. Embassy in the South Korean capital has been found to be harmless. The embassy in Seoul received a package containing the white powder earlier this week.Hwang Hyun-soon of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday that tests showed the powder was starch.” (Associated Press;
26Dec08)
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hexg_BS1vufRMHCpxi8ZAkQ2ITwwD95ACTP00

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.

U.S., Iraqi Forces Capture Suspected Bombers, Other Terrorists

American Forces Press Service

Jan. 5, 2009 - U.S. soldiers and Iraqi security forces nabbed two bombing suspects, as well as nine other suspected terrorists, in operations in Iraq over the past three days. U.S. soldiers and Iraqi security forces detained two suspected terrorists yesterday at the scene of an explosion in the Masafee community of Baghdad's Rashid district. The men are suspected of setting off two homemade bombs. No injuries were reported.

In other operations yesterday:

-- U.S. soldiers and Iraqi security forces seized a "sticky" bomb attached to a car in Baghdad's Rashid district. The makeshift magnetic bomb was attached to the undercarriage of a vehicle belonging to a "Sons of Iraq" civilian security group leader. An Iraqi explosive ordnance disposal unit disposed of the bomb.

-- U.S. and Iraqi soldiers confiscated an improvised explosive device in Baghdad's Adhamiyah district. An Iraqi EOD team detonated the device.

In Jan. 3 operations:

-- A Kut special weapons and tactics team arrested two suspected criminals in Numaniyah, southeast of Baghdad. One of the suspects is believed to be responsible for attacks against coalition forces in Wasit province.

-- Hillah SWAT personnel arrested a man suspected of attacks against coalition and Iraqi security forces.

-- Ramadi SWAT personnel nabbed a suspect accused of drug dealing, weapons smuggling and counterfeiting U.S. currency in Tameem, east of Baghdad.

-- In Najaf, south of Baghdad, Iraqi soldiers arrested two suspected terrorists, including an alleged criminal cell leader believed to be responsible for bombing attacks on coalition convoys in the Manathera area.

-- In Maysan province, U.S. and Iraqi soldiers detained three suspects and seized a weapons cache that included 58 81 mm mortar rounds, three ammunition cans of 7.62 mm rounds, two AK-47 assault rifles, two shotguns, a .50-caliber sniper rifle, a 7.62 mm sniper rifle, a pistol, a can of .50-caliber rounds and kit for making a bomb specifically designed to pierce armored vehicles.

(Compiled from Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)

General in Iraq Leads Troops in Online Chats

By Army Spc. Tiffany Evans
Special to American Forces Press Service

Jan. 5, 2009 - Jokes about the antiquated bureaucracy of the military get a chuckle out of servicemembers and civilians alike. But those who think the military is unwilling to leave its tin cans and string behind were proved wrong yesterday when Multinational Division Center soldiers here crossed into the 21st century and entered the online chat world. Army Maj. Gen. Michael Oates, commander of Multinational Division Center, and more than two dozen soldiers throughout the MND-C area and the United States met online in a division chat room.

Soldiers asked a variety of questions. They wanted to know about the "stop-loss" program that allows the Army to keep soldiers in certain specialties past the expiration of their enlistment, and they also asked about housing, promotions, awards, football, a possible move of the division headquarters to southern Iraq, housing allowances and cost-of-living adjustments back at their home station.

The online chat session is an important development in social media, officials said, helping to develop relationships and foster open communication between soldiers and leaders. In the last decade, businesses, universities and organizations great and small have increasingly used social media technology to reach their constituents.

The first instances of chatting took place in the 1960s, before the Internet was developed, through a program that allowed computer users to chat in real time with two other users. Internet Chat Relay was created in 1988 by Jarkko Oikarinen, who worked for the University of Oulu in Finland.

Soldiers use chat programs to stay connected with loved ones at home while deployed, and even see each other through a Web camera, helping to boost morale during long deployments.

Since 2007, Oates said, he has been looking for a way to use social media networking to interact with soldiers of all ranks. A Web site was constructed to achieve this goal and help start a virtual town hall.

The site, TaskForceMountain.com, has been active for six months, and unlike most social media sites that spike early and die off, the site's following has been consistent. The most popular feature on the site is the Mountain Sound Off Blog, in which Oates posts his thoughts or questions and asks the audience for their comments.

"To our knowledge, this is the only division where the commanding general manages an active blog and has done an online chat with soldiers," said Army Maj. Daniel Elliott, deputy public affairs officer for Multinational Division Center. "During the chat, he took notes of all that was asked, and plans on passing on the information to his staff."

Soldiers who participated had the option to log on anonymously or use their real names, with more than two dozen coming and going through the hour-long session.

"Comments were held in a queue until the general finished a subject. The big topic was the possible move of the division to southern Iraq," Elliott said. "He took the time to answer each question carefully and connect with his troops. Not all commanders take the time to really connect with their troops like he does."

(Army Spc. Tiffany Evans serves in the Multinational Division Center public affairs office.)

Marine Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Lance Cpl. Alberto Francesconi, 21, of Bronx, N.Y., died Jan. 1 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

For additional background information on this Marine, news media representatives may contact the 2nd Marine Division public affairs office at (910) 450-6575.

Citizen Survival of Terrorist Attacks

On January 9, 2009, Conversations with Heroes at the Watering Hole will feature a discussion with self-defense expert Jim Wagner on how a citizen non-combatant can best survive a terrorist attack.

Program Date: January 9, 2009
Program Time: 2100 hours, Pacific
Topic: Citizen Survival of Terrorist Attacks
Listen Live: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/LawEnforcement/2009/01/10/Citizen-Survival-of-Terrorist-Attacks

About the Guests
At the age of 14, Jim Wagner began to his life long pursuit of self-defense by beginning his study of the marital arts. Four years later he joined the United States Army. In 1991 Jim Wagner, sponsored by the Costa Mesa Police Department, entered the police academy (Orange County Sheriff’s Department Training Academy Class 104). Like his Military training before, Jim Wagner was deeply influenced by the police academy’s realistic conflict scenarios.

During his career with the Costa Mesa Police Department, Jim Wagner earned a place on the SWAT team. It was through this conduit that Jim learned about logistics, command post operations, hostage negotiations, entry team tactics, and sniping. On the job training included courses with LAPD SWAT, the U.S. Army Special Forces, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department Tactical Training Center, and from U.S. Marines Division Schools Camp Pendleton (Advanced Sniper Course, Military Operations Urban Terrain, Helicopter Rope Suspension Training, and Range Safety Officer).

While conducting a myriad of courses at Camp Pendleton, both Military units and other law enforcement agencies using the base for their own training discovered Jim Wagner’s unique approach to training and his seamless blending of defensive tactics with edged weapons and firearms skills. Before long he was getting offers from the United States Marine Corps, U.S. Marshals Special Operations Group, Department of Defense police, California Highway Patrol, California Department of Corrections, San Diego Sheriff’s Department, Los Angeles Probation Department, U.S. Border Patrol, Immigration & Naturalization Service, U.S. Navy and U.S. Marines Provost Marshal Office, Drug Enforcement Administration. By 1996 Jim found himself being invited by foreign unit to train in their own countries: GermanGSG9, Brazilian G.A.T.E., Argentinean G.O.E., Royal Canadian Mounted Police, London Metropolitan Police, Helsinki Police Department, and various units in Spain, Mexico, and Israel.

The demand on Jim Wagner’s time was overwhelming and in 1999 he decided to resign from the Costa Mesa Police Department and started teaching full time. Not wanting to fully give up his law enforcement career Jim applied as a Reserve Deputy at the Orange County Sheriff’s Department. Jim Wagner is the author of Reality Based Personal Protection.

About the Watering Hole
The Watering Hole is police slang for a location cops go off-duty to blow off steam and talk about work and life. Sometimes funny; sometimes serious; but, always interesting.

About the Host
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster was a sworn member of the Los Angeles police Department for 24 years. He retired in 2003 at the rank of Lieutenant. He holds a bachelor’s from the Union Institute and University in Criminal Justice Management and a Master’s Degree in Public Financial Management from California State University, Fullerton; and, has completed his doctoral course work. Raymond E. Foster has been a part-time lecturer at California State University, Fullerton and Fresno; and is currently a Criminal Justice Department chair, faculty advisor and lecturer with the Union Institute and University. He has experience teaching upper division courses in law enforcement, public policy, Criminal Justice technology and leadership. Raymond is an experienced author who has published numerous articles in a wide range of venues including magazines such as Government Technology, Mobile Government, Airborne Law Enforcement Magazine, and Police One. He has appeared on the History Channel and radio programs in the United States and Europe as subject matter expert in technological applications in law enforcement.

Listen, call, join us at the Watering Hole.
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/LawEnforcement/2009/01/10/Citizen-Survival-of-Terrorist-Attacks

Program Contact Information
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster, LAPD (ret.), MPA
editor@police-writers.com
909.599.7530

Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Pfc. Christopher W. Lotter, 20, of Chester Heights, Pa., died Dec. 31, 2008, in Balad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when he was shot by enemy forces in Tikrit. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 7th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.

For more information the media may contact U.S. Army Garrison, Hawaii, public affairs office at (808) 656-3159 or (808) 656-3157.

Iraqi, U.S. Forces Find Weapons, Detain Suspects

American Forces Press Service

Jan. 4, 2009 - Iraqi and U.S. forces seized two stockpiles of enemy weapons and detained four bombing suspects yesterday, military officials reported.
Iraqi and U.S. soldiers conducting combined operations found a weapons cache in Baghdad's Mansour district. The cache included a 130 mm projectile, two 85 mm rockets, an 82 mm mortar, two mortar fuses, six 14.5 mm small-arms projectiles and a rocket-propelled grenade expelling charge.

In Baghdad's Rashid district, Iraqi police and U.S. soldiers arrested four people found with bombing materials. In another operation in the area, U.S. soldiers found 30 anti-tank mines, an AK-47 assault rifle and three AK-47 magazines.

(Compiled from Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)

U.S. Turns Over Green Zone Security Responsibility to Iraq

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

Jan. 1, 2009 - The United States formally transferred the Republican Palace back to the Iraqi government today, a concrete symbol of the continuing improvement in the country. The transfer came about as the status of forces agreement between the United States and Iraq took effect.

The agreement replaces the United Nations mandate under which the coalition went into Iraq and has conducted operations there since. Under the agreement, Iraqi forces are now in the lead with U.S. forces in a supporting role or in overwatch.
Officials said that American troops are still on duty at some of the checkpoints in Green Zone, but they are there to train their Iraqi counterparts rather than with operational control.

"When you come up to a checkpoint, the Iraqis will check your identification. They will make the decision if you come in or go out, " said Army Maj. Gen. Dave Perkins, U.S. spokesman in Iraq. As a colonel, Perkins led the 2nd Brigade of the 3rd Infantry Division that conducted the Thunder Run in April 2003 that first entered Baghdad.

"We will continue to be there to provide some technical capacity, to provide some mentoring, but you will see less and less American forces and more and more Iraqi forces – and they will have the majority of the responsibility for making those key decisions which determine the security of the capital," Perkins said.

The American effort has shifted down the river to the embassy. The new embassy – the largest U.S. embassy in the world – is open for business. Officials at the embassy are working with the Iraqis in detailing how other portions of the SOFA agreement will play out.

Iraqi security forces have made tremendous gains over the past 18 months, officials in Baghdad said. The U.S. surge of five brigades into Iraq announced in January 2006 brought security and stability to the country. Behind this, the Iraqi army and police were able to develop and train. The agreement recognizes this progress and now Iraqi forces have primary responsibility for security in the country.

The agreement also calls for all American combat troops to be out of cities and villages by June. Planning is underway for this move already, U.S. officials in Baghdad said. The agreement says all U.S. troops will be out of Iraq by the end of 2011.

The transfer of responsibility for security of the Green Zone is the most visible outcome of the agreement. The palace on the banks of the Tigris River was the seat of the Iraqi government under Saddam Hussein. U.S. servicemembers called the building the "three-headed palace" because of three huge busts of Saddam that decorated it.

Soon after American soldiers rolled into Baghdad, the palace became the headquarters of the coalition forces in the country. It also served as the U.S. embassy in the country.

While spared any direct attack in the "shock and awe" campaign in March 2003, the building still had no glass in the windows and American soldiers bunked in some of the rooms decorated with pictures of missiles and other portrayals of Saddam's might.

The palace became the hub of the Coalition Provisional Authority – the coalition group that ruled Iraq before the first government. U.S. Ambassador Paul Bremer transferred sovereignty back to the Iraqis in a ceremony at the palace in June 2004.

The grounds behind the palace was filled with hundreds of trailers that coalition officials lived in as they worked with Iraqi governmental departments.

Security Station Transitions to Iraqi Government Control

By Sgt. 1st Class Brian Addis
Special to American Forces Press Service

Jan. 2, 2009 - The national symbol of Iraq was raised over the governance center here Dec. 30 symbolizing the transition of control of a security station from the coalition forces back to the Iraqi government. U.S. soldiers and local Iraqi leaders attended the ceremony at Joint Security Station Sab al Bour to witness the historic event.

The flag was raised by Thamir Amud, Sab al Bour Nahia chairman, a man who spent 13 years in prison under Saddam Hussein's regime for refusing to join the Baath Party, an Arab nationalist movement that gained power under Hussein's rule.

Amud raised the flag slowly, as his eyes welled up with tears of joy. "This is one of the proudest days of my life," he said. "This is truly a great occasion as it symbolizes a new beginning and the end to many years of depression."

In honor of the event, Radhe Jaffar, mayor of Sab al Bour Nahia, and Amud buried significant items in a time capsule beneath the flagpole. Among the items buried were CDs with pictures of Nahia and Iraqi security forces, leaders and memorandums telling of local events and accomplishments of the new Iraqi government, as well as 15 9mm rounds -- one for each block in Sab al Bour.

"The 9 mm rounds being buried represent the end of violence in Sab al Bour," Jaffar said. "It also represents the fact that we are ready to leave the bad times buried in the past."

Army Capt. Dan Digati, Troop B commander, said the event was fitting to mark the Iraqi government's improvements in the area.

"Today's ceremony was certainly a tear jerker," Digati said. "Thamir and Radhe have seen Sab al Bour at its worst, and for them to be a part of this transition means so much to not only them but to myself and the men and women of Bounty Hunter Troop."

(Army Sgt. 1st Class Brian Addis serves in the 25th Infantry Division's 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team.)

Iraqi, Coalition Forces Detain Suspects, Find Weapons

American Forces Press Service

Jan. 2, 2009 - Iraqi and coalition forces detained numerous terrorism suspects and seized stockpiles of illegal weapons in various operations this week, military officials reported.
In Dec. 31 operations:

-- Iraqi security forces detained five people after an indirect-fire attack southwest of Kut in Wasit province.

-- Iraqi soldiers found a cache in Baghdad's Ameriyah neighborhood that contained homemade explosives, a detonation cord and blasting cap.

-- Acting on a resident's tip, Iraqi and U.S. soldiers recovered two rocket-propelled grenades in western Baghdad.

-- U.S. and Iraqi soldiers uncovered a cache north of Baghdad that contained three 107 mm projectiles.

In Dec. 30 operations:

-- Iraqi National Police, supported by coalition forces, detained two men who allegedly were involved in a recent bomb attack against a checkpoint in Baghdad's Aamel community manned by the "Sons of Iraq" citizen security group.

-- In Baghdad's Saydiyah community, Iraqi soldiers, supported by coalition forces, found three rocket-propelled grenades, three fuses, a battery and an unexploded 40 mm round. Later, Iraqi and coalition soldiers also found 15 mortar fuses in a vacant house in the area.

-- Iraqi and U.S. soldiers operating west of Baghdad seized a large weapons cache that included various rockets, mortars, grenades, fuses, a partially built bomb and a variety of bomb-making materials. Later, soldiers from the same units seized another cache in the area. The second cache contained 23 mortars.

(Compiled from Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)

Coalition, Afghan Troops Kill Militants, Capture Suspects

American Forces Press Service

Jan. 2, 2009 - Afghan and coalition forces killed numerous enemy fighters, captured terrorism suspects and repelled two attacks against bases in recent days, military officials reported. Coalition and Afghan forces killed five militants and detained 10 suspects -- including a targeted Haqqani terrorist group militant and a Taliban subcommander -- during multiple operations in Afghanistan's Khowst and Zabul provinces yesterday.

Afghan and coalition forces netted the Haqqani leader during a combined operation in the Sabari district of Khowst province that left five armed militants dead and seven suspects detained.

As the combined force approached the targeted man's compound, several armed militants came out of the buildings and attacked the force with small-arms fire and hand grenades. The combined force returned fire, called in close-air support, and killed five armed militants. A search revealed several hand grenades and assault rifles, pistols and bomb-making materials.

An operation in Zabul province's Qalat district yesterday resulted in the capture of a Taliban subcommander known for weapons trafficking and planning attacks against coalition forces along Highway 1, the major north-south road connecting Kandahar to Kabul.
Coalition forces searched the targeted compound without incident and detained the subcommander and two other suspected militants while protecting nine women and 20 children.

In earlier operations:

-- Coalition forces killed eight armed Taliban militants and detained one suspect in Zabul province's Arghandad district Dec. 31. The operation targeted a Taliban subcommander wanted for his ties to a bombing network along Highway 1 and recent attacks against coalition forces. He also is believed to help foreign fighters enter the region. Coalition forces killed six militants who refused to leave the targeted compound, where a subsequent search revealed assault rifles, pistols and hand grenades. As coalition forces left the targeted building, armed militants moving along a nearby ridge attempted to engage them. The forces called in close-air support, and two armed militants were killed.

-- Afghan National police and coalition forces killed three insurgents who tried to attack a forward operating base in the Nahr Surkh district of Helmand province Dec. 31.

-- Afghan security guards thwarted a daytime insurgent attack on Shindand Airfield in western Afghanistan's Herat province Dec. 29. Afghan National Police officers detained four insurgents for questioning. One insurgent who was wounded during the operation received medical care from a coalition medic, but died of his wounds. An Afghan National Army cleric took possession of the body to ensure an appropriate burial in accordance with Islamic religious customs.

-- Afghan commandos and coalition forces killed an insurgent and detained five others during a Dec. 28 operation in Sanowghan in Herat province. The combined forces safeguarded two men, 12 women and 18 children during the operation. The insurgent killed had fired upon the commandos as they approached, and the commandos responded with small-arms fire. After the engagement, the combined forces met with village elders to discuss the reasons for the operation.

(Compiled from U.S. Forces Afghanistan news releases.)

Coalition, Afghan Troops Kill Militants, Capture Suspects

American Forces Press Service

Jan. 2, 2009 - Afghan and coalition forces killed numerous enemy fighters, captured terrorism suspects and repelled two attacks against bases in recent days, military officials reported. Coalition and Afghan forces killed five militants and detained 10 suspects -- including a targeted Haqqani terrorist group militant and a Taliban subcommander -- during multiple operations in Afghanistan's Khowst and Zabul provinces yesterday.

Afghan and coalition forces netted the Haqqani leader during a combined operation in the Sabari district of Khowst province that left five armed militants dead and seven suspects detained.

As the combined force approached the targeted man's compound, several armed militants came out of the buildings and attacked the force with small-arms fire and hand grenades. The combined force returned fire, called in close-air support, and killed five armed militants. A search revealed several hand grenades and assault rifles, pistols and bomb-making materials.

An operation in Zabul province's Qalat district yesterday resulted in the capture of a Taliban subcommander known for weapons trafficking and planning attacks against coalition forces along Highway 1, the major north-south road connecting Kandahar to Kabul.
Coalition forces searched the targeted compound without incident and detained the subcommander and two other suspected militants while protecting nine women and 20 children.

In earlier operations:

-- Coalition forces killed eight armed Taliban militants and detained one suspect in Zabul province's Arghandad district Dec. 31. The operation targeted a Taliban subcommander wanted for his ties to a bombing network along Highway 1 and recent attacks against coalition forces. He also is believed to help foreign fighters enter the region. Coalition forces killed six militants who refused to leave the targeted compound, where a subsequent search revealed assault rifles, pistols and hand grenades. As coalition forces left the targeted building, armed militants moving along a nearby ridge attempted to engage them. The forces called in close-air support, and two armed militants were killed.

-- Afghan National police and coalition forces killed three insurgents who tried to attack a forward operating base in the Nahr Surkh district of Helmand province Dec. 31.

-- Afghan security guards thwarted a daytime insurgent attack on Shindand Airfield in western Afghanistan's Herat province Dec. 29. Afghan National Police officers detained four insurgents for questioning. One insurgent who was wounded during the operation received medical care from a coalition medic, but died of his wounds. An Afghan National Army cleric took possession of the body to ensure an appropriate burial in accordance with Islamic religious customs.

-- Afghan commandos and coalition forces killed an insurgent and detained five others during a Dec. 28 operation in Sanowghan in Herat province. The combined forces safeguarded two men, 12 women and 18 children during the operation. The insurgent killed had fired upon the commandos as they approached, and the commandos responded with small-arms fire. After the engagement, the combined forces met with village elders to discuss the reasons for the operation.

(Compiled from U.S. Forces Afghanistan news releases.)

Pakistani Forces Making 'Good Progress' in Khyber Pass Offensive

By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

Jan. 2, 2009 - The Pakistani military is making good progress against militants who have threatened a major supply route running from Pakistan into Afghanistan, U.S. officials said here today. U.S. military officials in Afghanistan are "cautiously optimistic" regarding recent news reports that cite Pakistani forces' success in driving militants away from the Khyber Pass region, U.S. Forces Afghanistan spokesman Army Col. Jerry O'Hara said in a telephone interview with American Forces Press Service today.

Pakistani forces launched an offensive Dec. 30 to target militants who, in recent weeks, have attacked some supply convoys that transit the Khyber Pass.

That supply route runs hundreds of miles from the Pakistani port city of Karachi to Peshawar in northwestern Pakistan and then through the Khyber Pass into Afghanistan. The Khyber Pass route provides about 75 percent of the U.S. supplies to troops in Afghanistan.

The Pakistani military actions directed against militants who operate in the Khyber Pass area are providing "security of the Peshawar [supply] terminals and our supply lines," O'Hara said.

Pakistan's operations in the Khyber Pass region are achieving success, Washington-based U.S. State Department spokesman Fred Lash said today during a phone interview with American Forces Press Service.

"We certainly welcome that kind of cooperation we're seeing," Lash said, noting he understands that Pakistani forces "are making good progress" against the militants.

The United States appreciates Pakistan's actions against militants operating along the border with Afghanistan, Lash said, as well as Pakistan's arrests of suspects following the November terrorist attack on Mumbai, India.

"We welcome the full and transparent cooperation of Pakistan in all matters like this," Lash said. "Not only in trying to ferret out the perpetrators of the Mumbai attack, but actions such as this in the Khyber-Pass region just shows they are cooperating more in a lot of ways."

The Khyber Pass supply route was temporarily closed at the start of the Pakistani offensive, but U.S. Forces Afghanistan and NATO International Security Force officials had noted in a recent joint statement that closure of the supply route had "no immediate impact on our ability to provide supplies to the troops" in Afghanistan. Due to the offensive's success, the Khyber Pass route was reopened today, according to news reports.

Meanwhile, U.S. military officials have been looking for other supply-route options. U.S. Transportation Command's top officer, Air Force Gen. Duncan J. McNabb, traveled to several Central Asian countries in November to explore options for establishing added supply routes for Afghanistan operations, Transcom spokeswoman Cynthia Bauer said Dec. 31 during a telephone interview with American Forces Press Service. Transcom is based at Scott Air Force Base, Ill.

"We've been looking at alternate distribution routes for a while," Bauer said.

Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Pvt. Benjamin B. Tollefson, 22, of Concord, Calif., died Dec. 31 in Balad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with indirect fire in Ghazaliya. Tollefson was assigned to the Special Troops Battalion, 2nd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.

For more information media may contact the Fort Riley public affairs office at (785) 239-3410; after hours (785) 375-7217.

U.S. Deaths in Iraq Decrease in 2008

By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service

Jan. 2, 2009 - The number of U.S. military fatalities in Iraq in 2008 fell two-thirds compared to the previous year, underscoring an improvement in security amid upcoming provincial elections. Last year's casualty figure -- 314 -- marks a sharp reduction from 2007 when 904 troops died. The 2008 tally comes on the heels of a week in which the number of daily attacks in Iraq dropped nearly 95 percent compared to the same time last year.

"This is a dramatic improvement of safety throughout the country," Army Brig. Gen. David G. Perkins, a Multinational Force Iraq spokesman, told reporters in Baghdad last week, when the average number of daily attacks in Iraq was 10, compared to 180 a year earlier.

He added that the country's murder rates have dropped below levels that existed before the start of American operations in Iraq. In November, the ratio was .9 per 100,000 people.

Military and Defense Department officials have attributed security gains over the past year to a host of factors, including the now-completed surge of U.S. forces, Sunni fighters aligning themselves with Iraqi and coalition forces to help purge al-Qaida and maintain security, and a cease-fire pledge by prominent Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, who controlled several militias.

Overall violence in Iraq has fallen some 80 percent since the surge of 33,000 U.S. forces began in January 2007.

Speaking in October about the reduced bloodshed in Iraq, Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, emphasized the role of reinvigorated counterinsurgency tactics.

Put simply, counterinsurgency is a form of warfare in which a civilian population is in the center of a tug-of-war between an insurgency and the forces attempting to stop it. The Army and Marine Corps in late 2006 published a counterinsurgency strategy written by a host of contributors, including Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, who implemented its tenets while serving for 20 months as the top U.S. commander in Iraq.

"In my view, what really turned it around was the counterinsurgency tactics our troops embraced and perfected," Mullen said Oct. 8 at the annual Association of the U.S. Army conference.

While the security gains are significant, Army Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, Multinational Force Iraq commander, warned in an interview with reporters in Baghdad last month against becoming complacent amid Iraq's improved security, a transfer of authority to Iraqi forces and an upcoming election.

"In military terms, transitions are the most dangerous times," the general said Dec. 23. "What we're trying to do is make sure we don't have any seams in our transition."

A piece of legislation hammered out by Washington and Baghdad -- known as the Status of Forces Agreement -- went into effect yesterday. The agreement supersedes the United Nations mandate for the coalition presence in Iraq, and transfers military operational authority to Iraqi forces with U.S. forces assuming a support, or "overwatch," role.

The deal becomes effective ahead of the scheduled Jan. 31 provincial elections in Iraq, which Odierno characterized as the next security test for combined forces.

"Al-Qaida will try to exploit the elections because they don't want them to happen. So I think they will attempt to create some violence and uncertainty in the population," he said. "The next 60 days are a critical period."

School Brings New Beginnings to Iraqi Students

By Army Sgt. 1st Class Christina Bhatti
Special to American Forces Press Service

Dec. 31, 2008 - Iraqi officials and U.S. soldiers celebrated the completion of renovations on a primary school with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Dec. 29 in Mushada, northwest of Baghdad. About $90,000 from the Iraqi Commander's Emergency Response Program funded improvements to the existing structure of the Al Gil Al Jadeed Primary School, said Army 1st Lt. Jesse Ozbat, fire support officer assigned to the 25th Infantry Division's Company C, 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team.

Normally, about 600 students attend the school, but that amount has doubled recently. Students are crammed into classrooms, and overwhelmed teachers are doing their best to handle the increased student load, officials said.

Two other schools once were open in the area, but terrorists destroyed both schools years ago. The Al Gil Al Jadeed Primary School was spared from the brunt of the violence and needed only minor repairs compared to the other structures.

"Until the other two schools in the area are rebuilt and fixed, children will have to go to this one school," Ozbat, a Prince George, Va., native said.

Though repairs are under way on the other schools, Ali Janabi, Mushada City Council member, said he has bigger plans for the future of the Al Gil Al Jadeed Primary School.

"I would like to see this school grow," he said. "One day, I would like to see this place large enough to be considered a secondary school."

Janabi said he and the other city council members take pride in this school because "reading and writing are the foundations of a strong future."

"This school is the beginnings of strong foundations for many students," he said.

(Army Sgt. 1st Class Christina Bhatti serves with 25th Infantry Division's 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team.)