By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
May 6, 2009 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates arrived here today for a surprise visit "to get a sense from the ground level" about how operations are going in Afghanistan. Gates, who traveled here after visits to Egypt and Saudi Arabia, told reporters he wanted to get a firsthand look at the evolving situation here in light of a new policy, new strategy, new U.S. ambassador and influx of additional U.S. troops.
Speaking to reporters before taking off from Saudi Arabia, Gates said he'll spend most of his visit in Afghanistan not in government conference rooms, but with troops in the field.
"I just want to go out and see for myself how they are doing," he said. "I ... want to get a sense from the ground level of what the needs are, what the challenges are, what the solutions to some of the problems are from people who -- it has been my experience -- are more likely to have the solutions than some of the folks back in Washington."
Gates said he plans to ask troops directly: "What do you need out here that you are not getting?"
"I just want to keep the focus on what I have been talking about for months -- and that is, what do we need to do to get the equipment and the support to the troops in the field so that they can be successful and come home safely?" he said.
He'll check out progress in getting the infrastructure ready to accommodate additional combat and support troops, and find out how the new suspensions on mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicles being dispatched here are working out, and if more MRAPs are needed.
He said he'll also look into progress in ramping up medevac capabilities so they're more in line with those available for U.S. troops in Iraq. Gates ordered about a dozen additional helicopters to Afghanistan, as well as additional field hospitals, to ensure wounded troops are able to receive advanced care within the so-called "golden hour" after they're injured.
Troops who are treated at well-equipped medical facilities within the first 60 minutes of being wounded are far more likely to survive, medical officials report. However, Gates complained during congressional testimony in January, the standard in Afghanistan was closer to two hours.
Though an additional combat aviation brigade to arrive in Afghanistan also will increase medevac capability, Gates said, he will ask during his visit if that will be enough over the long term.
"I want to find out how that has all worked out," he said.
Gates said he'll also ask about intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities -- what he called his "favorite subject."
The fiscal 2010 defense budget includes a lot of new ISR items that Gates intends to roll out as quickly as possible to deployed forces. "I just want to make sure they are ready for it, will be able to absorb it and use it in an effective way," he said.
Wednesday, May 06, 2009
Construction Crews in Southern Afghanistan Prepare for Troop Increase
American Forces Press ServiceMay 6, 2009 - Expansion efforts are well under way in southern Afghanistan, where most of the 21,000 troops deploying to the country this summer will be concentrated. Leaders at every level are working around the clock to ensure basic infrastructure is in place to continue receiving troops in Kandahar before sending them out to the forward operating bases, which are in various stages of development throughout the region, U.S. Forces Afghanistan officials said.
"Every FOB we construct will be expeditionary," Army Command Sgt. Maj. Iuniasolua Savusa said during a May 1 visit to the area. "Incoming troops will get the basics to maintain safety and do their missions. This expansion was meant to be austere."
Savusa, command sergeant major for NATO's International Security Assistance Force and U.S. Forces Afghanistan, said that translates to basic life-support needs such as using tents for sleeping and work space and setting up dining facilities, showers and toilets.
As FOB development continues, troops could remain in Kandahar for several weeks before deploying out to their final destinations throughout the summer months, he said.
Army Command Sgt. Maj. Mike Schultz, Joint Sustainment Command Afghanistan's command sergeant major, said it's all about expectation management. He knows first-hand the importance of this, he noted. His own unit, the 143rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command, was re-missioned from Kuwait to Afghanistan, and his command prepared the soldiers for what they could expect when arriving in Kandahar.
"The reality of the life troops are going to have for the amount of time they are [in Kandahar] is that it will be overcrowded," Schultz said.
Depending on their expectations, troops either can be "pleasantly surprised that it's not as bad as they expected or it'll be exactly what they thought it would be like," Schultz said. He added that facilities such as gyms, small post exchanges and Internet cafes are being built as well to give troops a place to unwind and be positively engaged.
"The amount of U.S. troops coming in and the amount of space we're trying to put them in is our biggest issue," Schultz said. "It's all dependent on the FOBs. We're relying on a lot of contractors and a lot of other civilians to help build some of these FOBs. We can't [send the troops to the forward bases] if there is no life support."
And it's not just contractors who are doing the heavy lifting. The Navy Seabees and the Army's 4th Engineer Brigade, which was just relocated from Iraq, are putting up buildings and life-support systems throughout southern Afghanistan.
Marines are putting up tents and setting up cots they've just received in preparation for the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, which will arrive soon. They also are laying matting in the desert to create a helicopter landing pad.
Plans are in the works to develop Air Force-approved landing strips for C-130s and other fixed-wing aircraft at several locations. This is vital for logistical support to the remote areas, officials said.
Resourcing the needs is the biggest issue, as supply systems are inundated with requests for everything from nails to electrical wire. Air-conditioning units for the sleep and work tents are on order and will be a welcome sight when they arrive, as temperatures in the south already are hovering in the high 90s most afternoons. Awaiting the arrival of those resources has caused some frustration, but at the same time has kept leaders engaged.
"There's that point of frustration where we all learn and learn quick," Savusa said. "We learn about each other, we learn about our mission, and we learn how to get along with each other, because if we don't, we all fail with what we're here to do to support our troops."
(From a U.S. Forces Afghanistan news release.)
Afghan, Coalition Forces Detain Six Suspected Militants
American Forces Press Service
May 6, 2009 - Afghan and coalition forces detained six suspected militants in Afghanistan's Logar province during an operation early this morning to disrupt extremist activity in eastern Afghanistan. The combined force, acting on intelligence information, searched several compounds in a village in the province's Baraki Barak district that is known to be a Taliban sanctuary.
Forces detained six suspects believed to be connected to a foreign-fighter network operating in the eastern Afghan province.
All adults and children on the compounds followed the instructions of the Afghan forces, resulting in the detention of the suspects without incident, officials said.
(From a U.S. Forces Afghanistan news release.)
May 6, 2009 - Afghan and coalition forces detained six suspected militants in Afghanistan's Logar province during an operation early this morning to disrupt extremist activity in eastern Afghanistan. The combined force, acting on intelligence information, searched several compounds in a village in the province's Baraki Barak district that is known to be a Taliban sanctuary.
Forces detained six suspects believed to be connected to a foreign-fighter network operating in the eastern Afghan province.
All adults and children on the compounds followed the instructions of the Afghan forces, resulting in the detention of the suspects without incident, officials said.
(From a U.S. Forces Afghanistan news release.)
U.S. Soldiers, Iraqi Police Secure Busy Marketplace
By Army Sgt. Doug RolesSpecial to American Forces Press Service
May 6, 2009 - Pennsylvania Army National Guard soldiers and their Iraqi counterparts have been hitting the streets to maintain security in Taji Market, one of the busiest sectors of the 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team's area of operations, north of Baghdad. The market is a lynchpin in the security effort because it's where the lives of locals intertwine.
"Being the main market area, that's the economy," Army 1st Lt. Joshua Fox, a platoon leader with Company C, 1st Battalion, 112th Infantry Regiment, 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, said following a May 4 patrol through the market. "Everybody in the area is linked to the market. They work there or they buy there."
The market is in the area of operations of Guard soldiers stationed at Joint Security Station Hor Al Bosh. Patrolling soldiers regularly talk to shopkeepers, and Iraqi security forces man checkpoints. Fox said his soldiers incorporate as many Iraqi police officers as are available on a given day into their patrols.
Army Staff Sgt. Corey Bukousky said his soldiers know the market "like the back of their hand." He and Fox said soldiers on patrol always are on the lookout for signs of security threats.
"It's one of those places that could turn into a bad place," Bukousky said. "That is one particular place where something could happen very easily."
The company conducts an "above average" number of missions, Bukousky said, adding that leaders also consider wear and tear on soldiers in their planning.
"We do a lot of localized patrols," said Fox, whose soldiers put in many hours each day patrolling the area. "We're still infantry; that's how we operate. To defeat the enemy, you have to beat the streets."
During missions like the one in Taji Market, the infantry soldiers use their Stryker vehicles for overwatch and for screening of dismounted patrols and resupply, as well as for the possibility of casualty evacuation.
"Strykers are an extremely useful platform," Fox said. "It's definitely a great asset."
Prior to the May 4 movement through the market, soldiers participating in the patrol pulled security at the Iraqi police station in Taji as company leaders met briefly with a local leader. Bukousky said his soldiers see that assignment as a necessary, albeit sometimes boring, task.
"We know and everybody knows the meetings [with local leaders] are a good thing," Bukousky said. "We're there for security. That mission's not a big favorite, but we understand its importance."
(Army Sgt. Doug Roles serves in Multinational Division Baghdad with the 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team.)
Homeland Secretary Reports Cautious Optimism About H1N1 Flu
By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service
May 5, 2009 - Information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regarding the severity and reach of the H1N1 flu virus is encouraging, the secretary of homeland security noted during a briefing here yesterday. "As the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention noted over the weekend, we have started to see encouraging signs that this virus may be mild and its spread may be limited," Janet Napolitano said. "We are, therefore, cautiously optimistic."
The secretary also said that despite encouraging signs, the nation may not have seen the last of the virus when the current outbreak abates. "We also have in mind that H1N1 flu could die down and return later again this fall when the flu season enters back in full swing," she said.
The United States has documented 286 confirmed cases of H1N1 flu in 36 states. The cases are mild and haven't required hospitalization. In fact, Napolitano said, many of the patients already have recovered. It's still possible, however, that the World Health Organization will raise its pandemic alert to Level 6, she said.
"This would not be a surprise, nor would it affect our preparation efforts, since we have been preparing since the first appearance of H1N1 flu as if this will be a Level 6 [outbreak]," the homeland security secretary said.
A rise in the pandemic alert level from the WHO does not mean the virus has become any more severe, Napolitano explained. Rather, it means it has spread to a number of countries.
"In other words, the number is about geography, not severity," she said.
Napolitano urged individuals, families, the private sector and governments to realize their responsibilities and take steps to mitigate its spread. Updated information and guidance can be found on the CDC Web site.
People should be vigilant about hand washing and covering their mouths when they cough, not with their hand, but with their sleeves, she said, and families need to think ahead. For instance, she asked, what would parents do if their child was released from school had to remain at home?
Businesses need to plan for a large degree of absenteeism, Napolitano said, and all levels of government need to dust off their plans for dealing with a large-scale event.
"I think it's important to note that the federal government, state governments and local governments have been planning for a number of years in case we faced a situation like the current one," she said. "Those plans are serving us well now, because we're actually seeing how well they work and also [are revealing] areas where we need to improve."
Regardless of the direction the outbreak seems to be moving in, Napolitano said, the government will continue to closely monitor the virus for the coming days and weeks.
American Forces Press Service
May 5, 2009 - Information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regarding the severity and reach of the H1N1 flu virus is encouraging, the secretary of homeland security noted during a briefing here yesterday. "As the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention noted over the weekend, we have started to see encouraging signs that this virus may be mild and its spread may be limited," Janet Napolitano said. "We are, therefore, cautiously optimistic."
The secretary also said that despite encouraging signs, the nation may not have seen the last of the virus when the current outbreak abates. "We also have in mind that H1N1 flu could die down and return later again this fall when the flu season enters back in full swing," she said.
The United States has documented 286 confirmed cases of H1N1 flu in 36 states. The cases are mild and haven't required hospitalization. In fact, Napolitano said, many of the patients already have recovered. It's still possible, however, that the World Health Organization will raise its pandemic alert to Level 6, she said.
"This would not be a surprise, nor would it affect our preparation efforts, since we have been preparing since the first appearance of H1N1 flu as if this will be a Level 6 [outbreak]," the homeland security secretary said.
A rise in the pandemic alert level from the WHO does not mean the virus has become any more severe, Napolitano explained. Rather, it means it has spread to a number of countries.
"In other words, the number is about geography, not severity," she said.
Napolitano urged individuals, families, the private sector and governments to realize their responsibilities and take steps to mitigate its spread. Updated information and guidance can be found on the CDC Web site.
People should be vigilant about hand washing and covering their mouths when they cough, not with their hand, but with their sleeves, she said, and families need to think ahead. For instance, she asked, what would parents do if their child was released from school had to remain at home?
Businesses need to plan for a large degree of absenteeism, Napolitano said, and all levels of government need to dust off their plans for dealing with a large-scale event.
"I think it's important to note that the federal government, state governments and local governments have been planning for a number of years in case we faced a situation like the current one," she said. "Those plans are serving us well now, because we're actually seeing how well they work and also [are revealing] areas where we need to improve."
Regardless of the direction the outbreak seems to be moving in, Napolitano said, the government will continue to closely monitor the virus for the coming days and weeks.
'Alpha Dog' Oversight Means Quality of Life for Iraqis
By Army Maj. Pat SimonSpecial to American Forces Press Service
May 5, 2009 - They call him "Alpha Dog" for staring down a vicious dog, but Army Sgt. 1st Class Rodney Nordby, who serves with the 225th Engineer Brigade, really is more of a gentle giant who oversees construction work being done at various sites throughout the Abu Ghraib area here. Nordby is the Task Force Paxton engineer projects noncommissioned officer in charge for the 225th, responsible for quality assurance and quality control of some 27 projects that run the gamut from patching a hole in a local clinic's bathroom to renovating a huge cold-storage building for Iraq's largest milk factory, which reportedly was destroyed by terrorists in 2006.
"We'll have to knock down the walls and ceiling and basically rebuild it," Nordby said, referring to the 90-day project to gut and restore the building that once housed refrigerators for dairy products.
Nordby, a native of Tioga, La., said money for these projects comes from brigade funds, and that the work will positively affect the lives of many Iraqis.
"It will increase the production level of the factory, which is now at about 20 percent," he said. "That helps the government of Iraq get back on its feet, and it means more milk for the children."
A top civilian engineer advisor who is the liaison official between coalition forces and local contractors agreed that these kinds of projects will help create a viable economy for the people of Iraq.
"The milk factory is No. 1 here and very popular in Baghdad," said Mudhafar Janab, a bilingual-bicultural advisor. "When the work is done here, 100 or more Iraqis will be employed, and it will improve the economy of Abu Ghraib."
At a nearby site, Iraqi civilians are building a school supply warehouse as part of the same program. Abu Ghraib's 153 schools now have no room for storage. Nordby said the warehouse not only will provide relief for the schools, but also will make room for copy machines. It is expected to be fully functional in around three weeks, he added.
Job sites like these take careful oversight to make sure money is spent properly and standards are met. "We're making sure they are doing what they need to do," said Army Lt. Col. Michael Ude, a Hornbeck, La. native. Ude, the brigade's projects officer in charge, works closely with Nordby and other four other inspection teams throughout Baghdad.
Ude said so far he is pleased with the work being done, and that the Iraqis will have something to feel positive about when construction is completed.
"It will show them, 'Hey, look at what your government is doing for you,'" he said. "It is also a good deterrent to terrorist elements, because it shows that progress is being made.
"And when you have 'Alpha Dog' on your side," he added with a smile, "that can only be a plus."
(Army Maj. Pat Simon serves in Multinational Division Baghdad with the 225th Engineer Brigade public affairs office.)
Gates Praises Egypt, Seeks Saudi Support in Pakistan
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
May 5, 2009 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates praised Egypt today as a key U.S. ally and said progress on a wide range of security issues in the region will require Egypt's "full participation and leadership." Speaking with reporters at Egypt's presidential palace after meeting with President Hosni Mubarek and Defense Minister Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, Gates reported on "very productive meetings" that he said reinforced a longstanding bilateral friendship.
"We discussed a number of security issues, including Iran, the Palestinian-Israeli issue and steps in Iraq, and the opportunities for more cooperation among nations of the Middle East," he said.
"It will take full participation and leadership from Egypt to see progress on these issues, as has always been the case," the secretary said.
Gates also added that he looks forward to expanding the two countries' military-to-military relationships in ways that promote regional stability. He noted the Bright Star exercise series as an example of the activities and exchanges he said strengthen the U.S. armed forces as much as Egypt's.
"Our military has benefitted from the interactions with the Egyptian armed forces – one of the most professional and capable in the region," he said. "We are always looking for ways to expand these ties through education, training and exercises."
As he heads for Saudi Arabia, Gates said, he will encourage leaders there to exert their influence to help the Pakistani government stand up to extremists.
"Saudi Arabia clearly has a lot of influence throughout the entire region," he said, including a longstanding relationship with Pakistan. "I think the key here is all of us doing what we can to help the Pakistani government deal with the emergent threat to its own existence from these violent extremists. And I think the Saudis, along with others, can play a constructive role."
Gates called recent Taliban attacks that reached within 60 miles of Islamabad "a wake-up call" to many in Pakistan that extremists group there pose "a real danger to the Pakistani government." Pakistan's response in dispatching army forces into the Bruner district demonstrates that the government recognizes the threat, he said.
Gates also expressed hope that tomorrow's Washington summit meeting among the presidents of the United States, Afghanistan and Pakistan will bear fruit.
"My hope is that ... there will be a common agreement on the nature of the threat and the importance of Afghanistan and Pakistan working closely together with the United States and other partners to try to deal with that threat," he said.
American Forces Press Service
May 5, 2009 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates praised Egypt today as a key U.S. ally and said progress on a wide range of security issues in the region will require Egypt's "full participation and leadership." Speaking with reporters at Egypt's presidential palace after meeting with President Hosni Mubarek and Defense Minister Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, Gates reported on "very productive meetings" that he said reinforced a longstanding bilateral friendship.
"We discussed a number of security issues, including Iran, the Palestinian-Israeli issue and steps in Iraq, and the opportunities for more cooperation among nations of the Middle East," he said.
"It will take full participation and leadership from Egypt to see progress on these issues, as has always been the case," the secretary said.
Gates also added that he looks forward to expanding the two countries' military-to-military relationships in ways that promote regional stability. He noted the Bright Star exercise series as an example of the activities and exchanges he said strengthen the U.S. armed forces as much as Egypt's.
"Our military has benefitted from the interactions with the Egyptian armed forces – one of the most professional and capable in the region," he said. "We are always looking for ways to expand these ties through education, training and exercises."
As he heads for Saudi Arabia, Gates said, he will encourage leaders there to exert their influence to help the Pakistani government stand up to extremists.
"Saudi Arabia clearly has a lot of influence throughout the entire region," he said, including a longstanding relationship with Pakistan. "I think the key here is all of us doing what we can to help the Pakistani government deal with the emergent threat to its own existence from these violent extremists. And I think the Saudis, along with others, can play a constructive role."
Gates called recent Taliban attacks that reached within 60 miles of Islamabad "a wake-up call" to many in Pakistan that extremists group there pose "a real danger to the Pakistani government." Pakistan's response in dispatching army forces into the Bruner district demonstrates that the government recognizes the threat, he said.
Gates also expressed hope that tomorrow's Washington summit meeting among the presidents of the United States, Afghanistan and Pakistan will bear fruit.
"My hope is that ... there will be a common agreement on the nature of the threat and the importance of Afghanistan and Pakistan working closely together with the United States and other partners to try to deal with that threat," he said.
Gates Assures Arab Friends: No 'Secret Bargain' in Works with Iran
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
May 5, 2009 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates emphasized today that the United States will keep its Arab friends informed of any talks it enters into with Iran, and has no intention of springing on them "some kind of grand bargain developed in secret." The secretary spoke with reporters at Egypt's presidential palace after meeting with President Hosni Mubarek in a dialog he said included Iran and other security issues.
Gates worked to allay concerns about President Barack Obama's decision to reach out to Iran, and stressed that Washington will keep its regional friends and allies in the loop should any dialog occur. The secretary said he believes there's "some exaggerated concern" in the region "that there may be some grand bargain between the United States and Iran that will suddenly be sprung on them."
Such a prospect is "highly unlikely," he said. "What is important for our friends to understand is that we will keep them informed and be transparent about this process."
Gates offered a tempered assessment of prospects about increased U.S. dialog with Iran.
"The United States goes into this with its eyes wide open," he said. "There have been previous attempts to establish a dialog with the Iranian government, [and] they have not proven successful. Our hope is that this time, as the president stresses, if we extend an open hand, perhaps we will get something similar in response."
The big question, he said, is whether circumstances in Iran have changed enough for the Iranians to take advantage of Obama's opportunity for contact. So far, only "a few initial contacts" have taken place, and any broader dialogue, should it occur at all, will develop "over a period of time," he said.
Initial response to U.S. outreach, evidenced through statements issued from Tehran, "have not been very encouraging," Gates conceded.
"We are not willing to pull the hand back yet, because we think there is still opportunity," he said.
Gates spelled out the two-fold U.S. goal regarding Iran. "Obviously we want to try to stop the Iranian nuclear weapons program," he said. "But we are also interested in stopping Iran's destabilizing efforts throughout the region."
Noting "very broad concern in the region about Iran and its activities," Gates said the United States will continue working with its friends there to find ways to influence its activities and behavior.
Gates reiterated the need for diplomatic and economic pressure that isolates Tehran, and strengthening of regional friends' security capabilities through cooperation with the Europeans and others.
This, he said, will help "show Iran that its behavior is unwelcome to virtually all the countries of the world."
American Forces Press Service
May 5, 2009 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates emphasized today that the United States will keep its Arab friends informed of any talks it enters into with Iran, and has no intention of springing on them "some kind of grand bargain developed in secret." The secretary spoke with reporters at Egypt's presidential palace after meeting with President Hosni Mubarek in a dialog he said included Iran and other security issues.
Gates worked to allay concerns about President Barack Obama's decision to reach out to Iran, and stressed that Washington will keep its regional friends and allies in the loop should any dialog occur. The secretary said he believes there's "some exaggerated concern" in the region "that there may be some grand bargain between the United States and Iran that will suddenly be sprung on them."
Such a prospect is "highly unlikely," he said. "What is important for our friends to understand is that we will keep them informed and be transparent about this process."
Gates offered a tempered assessment of prospects about increased U.S. dialog with Iran.
"The United States goes into this with its eyes wide open," he said. "There have been previous attempts to establish a dialog with the Iranian government, [and] they have not proven successful. Our hope is that this time, as the president stresses, if we extend an open hand, perhaps we will get something similar in response."
The big question, he said, is whether circumstances in Iran have changed enough for the Iranians to take advantage of Obama's opportunity for contact. So far, only "a few initial contacts" have taken place, and any broader dialogue, should it occur at all, will develop "over a period of time," he said.
Initial response to U.S. outreach, evidenced through statements issued from Tehran, "have not been very encouraging," Gates conceded.
"We are not willing to pull the hand back yet, because we think there is still opportunity," he said.
Gates spelled out the two-fold U.S. goal regarding Iran. "Obviously we want to try to stop the Iranian nuclear weapons program," he said. "But we are also interested in stopping Iran's destabilizing efforts throughout the region."
Noting "very broad concern in the region about Iran and its activities," Gates said the United States will continue working with its friends there to find ways to influence its activities and behavior.
Gates reiterated the need for diplomatic and economic pressure that isolates Tehran, and strengthening of regional friends' security capabilities through cooperation with the Europeans and others.
This, he said, will help "show Iran that its behavior is unwelcome to virtually all the countries of the world."
Face of Defense: Sisters Serve Together in Baghdad
By Army Pfc. Jasmine N. Walthall
Special to American Forces Press Service
May 5, 2009 - Some soldiers turn to friends within their unit for the support they need during a deployment. Others are lucky enough to have a family member serving with them. Army Staff Sgt. Melodie A. Hunt and Army Pfc. Mallorie A. Hunt, Lumberton N.C. natives, are sisters who are currently deployed to Baghdad. Although they serve in different units, they said, they still find time to get together.
Melodie Hunt is a member of the 449th Theater Aviation Brigade, an Army National Guard unit out of Morrisville, N.C. She is deployed as the air movement request noncommissioned officer in charge, with duties that include manifesting flights for soldiers. She also is the brigade's retention NCO.
Mallorie Hunt is a truck driver for Alpha Company, 47th Forward Support Battalion, out of Baumholder, Germany. When her unit moved here in early fall, it was a pleasant surprise for the sisters.
"We were still in the states when we found out that Mallorie would be at the same place as me," Melodie Hunt said. "It was pleasing to know that I would have someone there for me, and it made our parents more comfortable [with] us being together for my sister's first deployment."
Melodie Hunt, who is on her second deployment in her eight-year military career, works as a police officer for the Lumberton Police Department when at home.
The Hunt sisters are 12 years apart, and they said they have this deployment to thank for strengthening their relationship.
"It was good to be able to spend what time together that we could," Melodie Hunt said. "We work out together, and sometimes eat meals, which is more than we had when she was in Germany."
Her sister agreed. "The older we have become, the closer we have gotten," Mallorie Hunt said. "Sharing this deployment has helped that."
(Army Pfc. Jasmine N. Walthall serves with Task Force 449.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
May 5, 2009 - Some soldiers turn to friends within their unit for the support they need during a deployment. Others are lucky enough to have a family member serving with them. Army Staff Sgt. Melodie A. Hunt and Army Pfc. Mallorie A. Hunt, Lumberton N.C. natives, are sisters who are currently deployed to Baghdad. Although they serve in different units, they said, they still find time to get together.
Melodie Hunt is a member of the 449th Theater Aviation Brigade, an Army National Guard unit out of Morrisville, N.C. She is deployed as the air movement request noncommissioned officer in charge, with duties that include manifesting flights for soldiers. She also is the brigade's retention NCO.
Mallorie Hunt is a truck driver for Alpha Company, 47th Forward Support Battalion, out of Baumholder, Germany. When her unit moved here in early fall, it was a pleasant surprise for the sisters.
"We were still in the states when we found out that Mallorie would be at the same place as me," Melodie Hunt said. "It was pleasing to know that I would have someone there for me, and it made our parents more comfortable [with] us being together for my sister's first deployment."
Melodie Hunt, who is on her second deployment in her eight-year military career, works as a police officer for the Lumberton Police Department when at home.
The Hunt sisters are 12 years apart, and they said they have this deployment to thank for strengthening their relationship.
"It was good to be able to spend what time together that we could," Melodie Hunt said. "We work out together, and sometimes eat meals, which is more than we had when she was in Germany."
Her sister agreed. "The older we have become, the closer we have gotten," Mallorie Hunt said. "Sharing this deployment has helped that."
(Army Pfc. Jasmine N. Walthall serves with Task Force 449.)
Tuesday, May 05, 2009
DoD Announces Change in Status of Soldier
The Department of Defense today announced the death of a soldier while supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
On May 5, the Armed Forces Medical Examiner positively identified human remains recovered in Afghanistan to be those of a soldier who had been previously listed as Duty Status Whereabouts Unknown (DUSTWUN).
Staff Sgt. William D. Vile, 27, of Philadelphia, Pa. died of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using direct fire May 1 near the village of Nishagam, in Konar Province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.
For more information media may contact the Fort Riley public affairs office at (785) 240-0469; after hours (785) 210-8867.
For questions concerning the status change, please contact Shari Lawrence, Deputy Public Affairs Officer for the U.S. Army Human Resources Command in Alexandria, Va., at (703) 325-8856 or (703) 946-0791 (cell).
On May 5, the Armed Forces Medical Examiner positively identified human remains recovered in Afghanistan to be those of a soldier who had been previously listed as Duty Status Whereabouts Unknown (DUSTWUN).
Staff Sgt. William D. Vile, 27, of Philadelphia, Pa. died of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using direct fire May 1 near the village of Nishagam, in Konar Province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.
For more information media may contact the Fort Riley public affairs office at (785) 240-0469; after hours (785) 210-8867.
For questions concerning the status change, please contact Shari Lawrence, Deputy Public Affairs Officer for the U.S. Army Human Resources Command in Alexandria, Va., at (703) 325-8856 or (703) 946-0791 (cell).
Monday, May 04, 2009
Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died from wounds sustained after they were shot by enemy forces in Mosul, Iraq on May 2. They were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.
Killed were:
Spc. Jeremiah P. McCleery, 24, of Portola, Calif.; and
Spc. Jake R. Velloza, 22, of Inverness, Calif.
For more information, media may contact the Fort Hood public affairs office at (254) 287-9993; after hours (254) 291-2591.
Killed were:
Spc. Jeremiah P. McCleery, 24, of Portola, Calif.; and
Spc. Jake R. Velloza, 22, of Inverness, Calif.
For more information, media may contact the Fort Hood public affairs office at (254) 287-9993; after hours (254) 291-2591.
Afghan, Coalition Medics Help People of Herat District
American Forces Press Service
May 4, 2009 - Local medical professionals are working hand in hand with Afghan National Army commandos and medical personnel with Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force Afghanistan to provide medical assistance for the people of Shindand district in Afghanistan's Herat province. This melting pot of caregivers from different backgrounds and abilities has come together to operate a medical clinic and provide specialized care for the families of Afghanistan's western border province.
"For a developing country, this is a very good clinic," said a physician's assistant with coalition task force. "Due to the great vision and support of all those involved with the medical clinic and medical activities, we have become very successful here."
The physician's assistant said many different people actively participate in operating the clinic and providing assistance with different types of medical outreach programs. Afghan soldiers, local civilians and coalition medical personnel work together to bring a wide range of medical expertise to residents.
They collaborated to help bridge cultural gaps that can cause difficulties in providing the best possible care. One of the people helping to overcome these barriers is Nadra Barkzai, a nurse and midwife from a nearby village. She assists with children, but primarily works with pregnant women seeking medical assistance.
"I want to do something good for my people," she said. "They have a lot of problems, and I have a little skill. I'd like to help them. The best part is when I see a pregnancy case and I help them. I enjoy this."
Women in traditional Afghan families are in charge of everything in the house, including health care, Barkzai said. She added that medical personnel's ability to provide care for women has drastically improved over the past eight years.
"During the Taliban [rule], women were not allowed to go to school, college, to the hospital or even to the bazaar. Now we can do these things."
Barkzai said 30 pregnant women have come to the clinic recently for medical attention. Coalition forces also have provided some midwife and other medical classes for women in the area, which were well received.
These classes, in addition to the treatment provided, have helped to improve the health of the local people. Sakina, a widow from a nearby village, came into the clinic for a follow-up appointment after a surgery. She also brought in her daughter, who was having a tooth problem.
"I can get help here," she said. "The nurses are helpful."
Sakina added that when the clinic is closed, she goes to see a doctor and the nurses in the village. They are part of the civilian staff that operates in the clinic and the local communities.
"In the past, we have requested support of preventive medicine, dental and veterinary professionals in the area," said the physician's assistant. "Each have been here and provided great assistance."
Other medical outreach programs have been conducted in addition to the clinic, the physician's assistant said. Within the past two months, a medical, veterinary and dental civil action program has been held in the area. More than 1,600 people received medical and dental care, and more than 1,100 animals, mostly livestock, received treatment.
These medical programs have helped to improve the health of the people in the area and have brought a level of care that has not existed in the past in the impoverished region.
"Surgeons are very difficult to come by," the physician's assistant said. "Some of these people have had very old injuries that have not been treated. Not too long ago, we removed a bullet fragment from the hip of a village elder. The fragment was from a gunshot wound from more than 20 years ago. He is able to move now without the pain."
Dental personnel provided care for the people in the surrounding villages. Arbob Zacharia, a village elder, came in for a dental cleaning and had to have two teeth removed.
"This is the first time the dentist came, and they helped out a lot of people," he said. "There is no dentist in the village. The people have to go to Shindand or Herat, and it costs a lot."
This, in large part, is why the clinic is so successful, the physician's assistant said. On average, over the past couple of months, 600 to 700 people per week seek and receive medical aid in the clinic. The medical teams are working hard to meet the needs of the people and hope to continue doing so in the future.
"People have figuratively been doing handstands over the medical successes we've had in the region," the physician's assistant said. "I've been very impressed with what we've been able to accomplish so far, and look forward to continued successes in the future."
(From a U.S. Forces Afghanistan news release.)
May 4, 2009 - Local medical professionals are working hand in hand with Afghan National Army commandos and medical personnel with Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force Afghanistan to provide medical assistance for the people of Shindand district in Afghanistan's Herat province. This melting pot of caregivers from different backgrounds and abilities has come together to operate a medical clinic and provide specialized care for the families of Afghanistan's western border province.
"For a developing country, this is a very good clinic," said a physician's assistant with coalition task force. "Due to the great vision and support of all those involved with the medical clinic and medical activities, we have become very successful here."
The physician's assistant said many different people actively participate in operating the clinic and providing assistance with different types of medical outreach programs. Afghan soldiers, local civilians and coalition medical personnel work together to bring a wide range of medical expertise to residents.
They collaborated to help bridge cultural gaps that can cause difficulties in providing the best possible care. One of the people helping to overcome these barriers is Nadra Barkzai, a nurse and midwife from a nearby village. She assists with children, but primarily works with pregnant women seeking medical assistance.
"I want to do something good for my people," she said. "They have a lot of problems, and I have a little skill. I'd like to help them. The best part is when I see a pregnancy case and I help them. I enjoy this."
Women in traditional Afghan families are in charge of everything in the house, including health care, Barkzai said. She added that medical personnel's ability to provide care for women has drastically improved over the past eight years.
"During the Taliban [rule], women were not allowed to go to school, college, to the hospital or even to the bazaar. Now we can do these things."
Barkzai said 30 pregnant women have come to the clinic recently for medical attention. Coalition forces also have provided some midwife and other medical classes for women in the area, which were well received.
These classes, in addition to the treatment provided, have helped to improve the health of the local people. Sakina, a widow from a nearby village, came into the clinic for a follow-up appointment after a surgery. She also brought in her daughter, who was having a tooth problem.
"I can get help here," she said. "The nurses are helpful."
Sakina added that when the clinic is closed, she goes to see a doctor and the nurses in the village. They are part of the civilian staff that operates in the clinic and the local communities.
"In the past, we have requested support of preventive medicine, dental and veterinary professionals in the area," said the physician's assistant. "Each have been here and provided great assistance."
Other medical outreach programs have been conducted in addition to the clinic, the physician's assistant said. Within the past two months, a medical, veterinary and dental civil action program has been held in the area. More than 1,600 people received medical and dental care, and more than 1,100 animals, mostly livestock, received treatment.
These medical programs have helped to improve the health of the people in the area and have brought a level of care that has not existed in the past in the impoverished region.
"Surgeons are very difficult to come by," the physician's assistant said. "Some of these people have had very old injuries that have not been treated. Not too long ago, we removed a bullet fragment from the hip of a village elder. The fragment was from a gunshot wound from more than 20 years ago. He is able to move now without the pain."
Dental personnel provided care for the people in the surrounding villages. Arbob Zacharia, a village elder, came in for a dental cleaning and had to have two teeth removed.
"This is the first time the dentist came, and they helped out a lot of people," he said. "There is no dentist in the village. The people have to go to Shindand or Herat, and it costs a lot."
This, in large part, is why the clinic is so successful, the physician's assistant said. On average, over the past couple of months, 600 to 700 people per week seek and receive medical aid in the clinic. The medical teams are working hard to meet the needs of the people and hope to continue doing so in the future.
"People have figuratively been doing handstands over the medical successes we've had in the region," the physician's assistant said. "I've been very impressed with what we've been able to accomplish so far, and look forward to continued successes in the future."
(From a U.S. Forces Afghanistan news release.)
Officials Reject Allegations of Proselytizing in Afghanistan
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
May 4, 2009 - A report broadcast by the Arab news network Al Jazzera about U.S. servicemembers proselytizing in Afghanistan is just plain wrong, Pentagon officials said today. The Al Jazeera story showed an evangelical religious service on Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan and a discussion about distributing Bibles that had been translated into Dari and Pashtu – the two major languages of Afghanistan.
"American servicemembers are allowed to hold religious services," a Defense Department official speaking on background said. "The clip shows one of those services with an American chaplain leading a religious service for American servicemembers. In it, he spoke generically about the evangelical faith. That's all there was to it."
The chaplain did not urge servicemembers to go among the Afghan people and attempt to gain converts to Christianity, the official said.
In the second instance, a young sergeant received a shipment of Bibles translated into Dari and Pashtu from his church in the United States. The film showed a discussion about the Bibles. "What it did not show was the chaplain counseling the young sergeant that distributing the Bibles was against U.S. Central Command's General Order No. 1," the official said. The chaplain confiscated the Bibles. "As far as we know, none ever got off base."
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Navy Adm. Mike Mullen was asked about the incident – which happened in May 2008 – during a Pentagon news conference today. "It certainly is – from the United States military's perspective – not our position to ever push any specific kind of religion, period," Mullen said.
There is no indication disciplinary action was taken against the young servicemember. "The counseling sufficed," the official said.
General Order No. 1 specifically forbids "proselytizing of any faith, religion or practice."
American Forces Press Service
May 4, 2009 - A report broadcast by the Arab news network Al Jazzera about U.S. servicemembers proselytizing in Afghanistan is just plain wrong, Pentagon officials said today. The Al Jazeera story showed an evangelical religious service on Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan and a discussion about distributing Bibles that had been translated into Dari and Pashtu – the two major languages of Afghanistan.
"American servicemembers are allowed to hold religious services," a Defense Department official speaking on background said. "The clip shows one of those services with an American chaplain leading a religious service for American servicemembers. In it, he spoke generically about the evangelical faith. That's all there was to it."
The chaplain did not urge servicemembers to go among the Afghan people and attempt to gain converts to Christianity, the official said.
In the second instance, a young sergeant received a shipment of Bibles translated into Dari and Pashtu from his church in the United States. The film showed a discussion about the Bibles. "What it did not show was the chaplain counseling the young sergeant that distributing the Bibles was against U.S. Central Command's General Order No. 1," the official said. The chaplain confiscated the Bibles. "As far as we know, none ever got off base."
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Navy Adm. Mike Mullen was asked about the incident – which happened in May 2008 – during a Pentagon news conference today. "It certainly is – from the United States military's perspective – not our position to ever push any specific kind of religion, period," Mullen said.
There is no indication disciplinary action was taken against the young servicemember. "The counseling sufficed," the official said.
General Order No. 1 specifically forbids "proselytizing of any faith, religion or practice."
Army Casualties
The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers, and one soldier as Duty Status Whereabouts Unknown (DUSTWUN). The action occurred May 1 near the village of Nishagam, in Konar Province, Afghanistan, where all three were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Killed were:
Sgt. James D. Pirtle, 21, of Colorado Springs, Colo. He was assigned to the Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; and
Spec. Ryan C. King, 22, of Dallas, Ga. He was assigned to the Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.
These soldiers died of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked their unit using direct fire.
For more information on Pirtle and King, the media may contact the Fort Hood public affairs office at (254) 287-9993; after hours (254) 291-2591.
Staff Sgt. William D. Vile, 27, of Philadelphia, Pa. is now listed as DUSTWUN from this same incident. He is assigned to the 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.
For more information on Vile, the media may contact the Fort Riley public affairs office at (785) 240-0469; after hours (785) 210-8867.
Killed were:
Sgt. James D. Pirtle, 21, of Colorado Springs, Colo. He was assigned to the Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; and
Spec. Ryan C. King, 22, of Dallas, Ga. He was assigned to the Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.
These soldiers died of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked their unit using direct fire.
For more information on Pirtle and King, the media may contact the Fort Hood public affairs office at (254) 287-9993; after hours (254) 291-2591.
Staff Sgt. William D. Vile, 27, of Philadelphia, Pa. is now listed as DUSTWUN from this same incident. He is assigned to the 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.
For more information on Vile, the media may contact the Fort Riley public affairs office at (785) 240-0469; after hours (785) 210-8867.
CBR Weapons and WMD Terrorism News- May 4, 2009
Meet Santa Clara County [CA]'s chief flu-fighter
"Meet Dr. Marty Fenstersheib and his dark companions: anthrax and bioterrorism. West Nile virus and cryptosporidium. SARS, HIV and TB. As Santa Clara County [CA]'s public health officer since 1994, the small-statured, 59-year-old former pediatrician and marathon runner from Pittsburgh is accustomed to finding himself at the center of Silicon Valley's scariest public health threats. […] As drained as he was by the end of the week, Fenstersheib said these are the times he loves most in his job. 'All the training we've done and all the planning and the exercising,' the San Jose resident said, 'it really tells me it's all been for a good cause.'" (San Jose Mercury News; 03May09; Mike Swift)
http://www.mercurynews.com/health/ci_12285697
Sen. [Mark] Udall [D-CO] tours CSU [Colorado State University] disease center
"Sen. Mark Udall [D-CO] toured Colorado State University's infectious disease research complex in Fort Collins Saturday. He wanted to get a better idea about what kind of research is being done there. […] The facility is one of 10 centers in the United States for biodefense and emerging infectious diseases. It houses some of the leading scientists in the world. They study diseases like malaria, tuberculosis, plague, yellow fever, dengue and similar diseases that […] could potentially be used as biological weapons during war. 'This is also key to our national security,' said Udall." (CBS4Denver; 03May09; Andrea Lopez) http://cbs4denver.com/seenon/udall.csu.lab.2.1000336.html
Mobile food-safety labs get FDA [Food and Drug Agency] up to speed
"A month ago, three gleaming white trailers - the Food and Drug Administration's $3 million mobile food-safety lab - rolled into this major port of entry [Nogales, Arizona] for people and goods coming from Mexico. They joined an alphabet soup of federal agencies sifting through millions of tons of goods in search of drugs, guns, invasive plants and tainted foods. The lab represents a new era for the agency in keeping the food supply safe, says Michael Chappell, FDA acting associate commissioner for regulatory affairs. It is a tool that can be suited up and rolled out to anyplace in the country facing the danger of contaminated food, whether at the hand of terrorists or Mother Nature." (USA Today; 03May09; Elizabeth Weise) http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/food/2009-05-03-fda-mobile_N.htm
Preparing America for mandatory vaccination
"Time Magazine's coverage of the swine flu scare has a noticeable subplot - preparing Americans for draconian measures to combat a future pandemic as well as forcing them to accept the idea of mandatory vaccinations. […] [T]he article still introduces the notion that officials 'may soon have to consider whether to institute draconian measures to combat the disease.' Later we discover exactly what this will entail, namely 'when to institute mass vaccination programs,' according to Howard Markel, director of the Center for the History of Medicine at the University of Michigan and a historical consultant to the CDC on flu pandemics."(Global Research; 02Mar09; Paul Joseph Watson)
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=13466
New York's lab (don't ask where it is) readies its own tests for the new strain
"This is swine flu central, the real-life, top-secret laboratory where New York City technicians have been working almost around the clock tracking the progression of the virus, now officially influenza A(H1N1), through the populace. Before a tour of the biothreat response testing laboratory on Sunday, visitors had to promise not to reveal its location. 'We don't want somebody to put it in Google Maps,' said Sara T. Beatrice, the lab's director and an assistant commissioner for the city's health department. Unspoken was the thought that such a 'somebody' might turn out to be a mischief-maker or worse, a terrorist." (New York Times; 03May09; Anemona
Hartocollis)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/04/health/04lab.html?ref=nyregion
[Chicago, IL] hospitals see high traffic due to flu concern
"As the number of probable cases grows and hospitals try to keep up with the demand for testing, top scientists now say this flu strain may not be as dangerous as first thought. But health officials are still taking it seriously. […] The tents are intended for a major emergency situation such as biological warfare. They're set up in the parking lot of St. Mary of Nazareth Hospital right now, however, to screen patients for the H1N1 flu. The hospital has been inundated with about twice the normal number of patients concerned about the flu since the early part of the week." (ABC News; 01May09; John Garcia) http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=6792230
Hospitals get tech-savvy to fight viruses
"As the Influenza A (H1N1) infection spreads across the globe, technology is being used to tackle the crisis. Health updates from international agencies can be accessed on the internet through Twitter and AiroCide, a technology first developed by Nasa, is being used in city hospitals to destroy viruses. The Union health ministry also has put up its rules for treatment online. The Nasa-developed technology is used to kill all pathogens, including anthrax, Sars, Influenza A and other viruses [sic]. The technology is widely used abroad to destroy viruses in hospitals, institutions and points of entry into countries, like airports. It is being used in a few city hospitals, including Wockhardt Hospital in Mulund." (Times of India; 04May09; Ashley D'Mello) http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Mumbai/Hospitals-get-tech-savvy-to-fight-viruses/articleshow/4479943.cms
Scientists, FDA [Food and Drug Administration] at odds over benefits of marijuana
"Biology professor Robert Melamede […] spews scientific jargon as he discusses the 'thousands' of studies that prove it's one of the greatest drugs in modern medicine. […] On the other side is the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which declared in 2006 that 'no sound scientific studies supported medical use of marijuana treatment in the United States.' […] Physicians and scientists familiar with marijuana's medicinal uses generally agree that the drug has at least some benefits for some patients. […] Melamede, who teaches at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, […] says the drug has the potential to benefit almost everyone: […] possibly even soldiers exposed to chemical warfare. […] And he notes one claim in which marijuana reversed some of the effects of Sarin, a deadly nerve gas, in mice." (Colorado Daily; 04May09; Source: Associated Press)
http://www.coloradodaily.com/news/2009/may/04/scientists-fda-odds-over-benefits-marijuana/
Easy to forget about homegrown terrorism
"According to the [Seattle] Times, a Swedish jihadist named Oussama Kassir and Muslim convert James Ujaama (the former Jim Thompson, of Seattle), went to the small hamlet of Bly, Ore., 10 years ago to set up a terrorist training camp on U.S. territory. They were allegedly following orders from Hamza al-Masri, a radical Islamic preacher and purported al-Qaida recruiter in London. Ujaama will be the key witness against Kassir when the latter goes to trial on 12 felony counts of offering material support to terrorists, conspiring to kill innocent civilians and providing information about chemical weapons to potential terrorists." (Nevada Appeal; 03May09; Guy W. Farmer; Source: Seattle Times)
http://www.nevadaappeal.com/article/20090503/NEWS/905039915/1029/NONE&parentprofile=1061
2nd indictment suggests [terrorist network] Ergenekon funded via illegal sources
"'Tracing the funding will lead you to the criminals' is one of the basic rules of criminology. One of the least examined aspects of Ergenekon, a shadowy network nested within the [Turkish] state aiming to create chaos to incite an eventual military takeover, is the financing of the organization. Ergenekon secures its funding through robbery, trade in drugs and chemical weapons, money laundering, racketeering and blackmailing, in addition to voluntary contributions made to the organization." (Today's Zaman; 03May09; Ercan Yavuz)
http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=174195&bolum=101
Marine Corps systems command awards $96 million contract to SAIC
"Science Applications International Corporation [SAIC] today announced it has been awarded a prime contract by U.S. Marine Corps Systems Command (MARCORSYSCOM) to provide chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) and incident response program support. […] Under the contract, SAIC will provide support services and equipment procurement to the family of incident response systems (FIRS) section of Marine Corps Systems Command. The FIRS team provides leading edge consequence management and technologies to incident response and operating forces from Federal agencies including the Department of Defense, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the U.S. Marine Corps." (RedOrbit; 04May09; Source:PR Newswire/First Call)
http://www.redorbit.com/news/business/1681688/marine_corps_systems_command_awards_96_million_contract_to_saic/
WMD terrorism threat persists, report says
"The threat that extremists might acquire and use an unconventional weapon remains a significant danger to the United States, the U.S. State Department said yesterday in its annual report on terrorism. 'The nexus of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and terrorism poses one of the gravest risks to the national security of the United States and its global partners,'according to the Country Reports on Terrorism 2008. 'A successful major WMD terrorist attack could result in mass casualties and produce far-reaching economic and political consequences.' The report addresses four 'material threats' -- chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear." (Global Security Newswire; 01May09; Source: U.S. Department of State) http://www.globalsecuritynewswire.org/gsn/nw_20090501_3145.php
Islamist terrorism threat for at least a generation
"Islamist terrorism is likely to remain a direct threat to Australia for at least a generation, according to a white paper. The paper says Afghanistan will be 'a potential source of ongoing instability in the region' and will require international help for at least a decade. […] The Bali attacks and the attack on the Australian embassy in Jakarta were perpetuated by people with links to the training grounds in Afghanistan.[…] The paper says that despite its potential to cause mass casualties and catastrophic attacks on infrastructure, Islamist terrorism would continue to have limitations as a strategic threat. They would keep trying to get or develop chemical, biological radiological or even nuclear weapons."
http://www.watoday.com.au/national/islamist-terrorism-threat-for-at-least-a-generation-20090502-aqmq.html
Pakistan nuclear projects raise U.S. fears
"Pakistan is continuing to expand its nuclear bomb-making facilities despite growing international concern that advancing Islamist extremists could overrun one or more of its atomic weapons plants or seize sufficient radioactive material to make a dirty bomb, US nuclear experts and former officials say.David Albright, previously a senior weapons inspector for the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency in Iraq […] warned that the continuing development of Pakistan's atomic weapons programme could trigger a renewed nuclear arms race with India. But he suggested a more immediate threat to nuclear security arose from recent territorial advances in north-west Pakistan by indigenous Taliban and foreign jihadi forces opposed to the Pakistani government and its American and British allies." (Guardian; 03May09; Simon Tisdall).
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/may/03/pakistan-nuclear-security
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.
"Meet Dr. Marty Fenstersheib and his dark companions: anthrax and bioterrorism. West Nile virus and cryptosporidium. SARS, HIV and TB. As Santa Clara County [CA]'s public health officer since 1994, the small-statured, 59-year-old former pediatrician and marathon runner from Pittsburgh is accustomed to finding himself at the center of Silicon Valley's scariest public health threats. […] As drained as he was by the end of the week, Fenstersheib said these are the times he loves most in his job. 'All the training we've done and all the planning and the exercising,' the San Jose resident said, 'it really tells me it's all been for a good cause.'" (San Jose Mercury News; 03May09; Mike Swift)
http://www.mercurynews.com/health/ci_12285697
Sen. [Mark] Udall [D-CO] tours CSU [Colorado State University] disease center
"Sen. Mark Udall [D-CO] toured Colorado State University's infectious disease research complex in Fort Collins Saturday. He wanted to get a better idea about what kind of research is being done there. […] The facility is one of 10 centers in the United States for biodefense and emerging infectious diseases. It houses some of the leading scientists in the world. They study diseases like malaria, tuberculosis, plague, yellow fever, dengue and similar diseases that […] could potentially be used as biological weapons during war. 'This is also key to our national security,' said Udall." (CBS4Denver; 03May09; Andrea Lopez) http://cbs4denver.com/seenon/udall.csu.lab.2.1000336.html
Mobile food-safety labs get FDA [Food and Drug Agency] up to speed
"A month ago, three gleaming white trailers - the Food and Drug Administration's $3 million mobile food-safety lab - rolled into this major port of entry [Nogales, Arizona] for people and goods coming from Mexico. They joined an alphabet soup of federal agencies sifting through millions of tons of goods in search of drugs, guns, invasive plants and tainted foods. The lab represents a new era for the agency in keeping the food supply safe, says Michael Chappell, FDA acting associate commissioner for regulatory affairs. It is a tool that can be suited up and rolled out to anyplace in the country facing the danger of contaminated food, whether at the hand of terrorists or Mother Nature." (USA Today; 03May09; Elizabeth Weise) http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/food/2009-05-03-fda-mobile_N.htm
Preparing America for mandatory vaccination
"Time Magazine's coverage of the swine flu scare has a noticeable subplot - preparing Americans for draconian measures to combat a future pandemic as well as forcing them to accept the idea of mandatory vaccinations. […] [T]he article still introduces the notion that officials 'may soon have to consider whether to institute draconian measures to combat the disease.' Later we discover exactly what this will entail, namely 'when to institute mass vaccination programs,' according to Howard Markel, director of the Center for the History of Medicine at the University of Michigan and a historical consultant to the CDC on flu pandemics."(Global Research; 02Mar09; Paul Joseph Watson)
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=13466
New York's lab (don't ask where it is) readies its own tests for the new strain
"This is swine flu central, the real-life, top-secret laboratory where New York City technicians have been working almost around the clock tracking the progression of the virus, now officially influenza A(H1N1), through the populace. Before a tour of the biothreat response testing laboratory on Sunday, visitors had to promise not to reveal its location. 'We don't want somebody to put it in Google Maps,' said Sara T. Beatrice, the lab's director and an assistant commissioner for the city's health department. Unspoken was the thought that such a 'somebody' might turn out to be a mischief-maker or worse, a terrorist." (New York Times; 03May09; Anemona
Hartocollis)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/04/health/04lab.html?ref=nyregion
[Chicago, IL] hospitals see high traffic due to flu concern
"As the number of probable cases grows and hospitals try to keep up with the demand for testing, top scientists now say this flu strain may not be as dangerous as first thought. But health officials are still taking it seriously. […] The tents are intended for a major emergency situation such as biological warfare. They're set up in the parking lot of St. Mary of Nazareth Hospital right now, however, to screen patients for the H1N1 flu. The hospital has been inundated with about twice the normal number of patients concerned about the flu since the early part of the week." (ABC News; 01May09; John Garcia) http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=6792230
Hospitals get tech-savvy to fight viruses
"As the Influenza A (H1N1) infection spreads across the globe, technology is being used to tackle the crisis. Health updates from international agencies can be accessed on the internet through Twitter and AiroCide, a technology first developed by Nasa, is being used in city hospitals to destroy viruses. The Union health ministry also has put up its rules for treatment online. The Nasa-developed technology is used to kill all pathogens, including anthrax, Sars, Influenza A and other viruses [sic]. The technology is widely used abroad to destroy viruses in hospitals, institutions and points of entry into countries, like airports. It is being used in a few city hospitals, including Wockhardt Hospital in Mulund." (Times of India; 04May09; Ashley D'Mello) http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Mumbai/Hospitals-get-tech-savvy-to-fight-viruses/articleshow/4479943.cms
Scientists, FDA [Food and Drug Administration] at odds over benefits of marijuana
"Biology professor Robert Melamede […] spews scientific jargon as he discusses the 'thousands' of studies that prove it's one of the greatest drugs in modern medicine. […] On the other side is the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which declared in 2006 that 'no sound scientific studies supported medical use of marijuana treatment in the United States.' […] Physicians and scientists familiar with marijuana's medicinal uses generally agree that the drug has at least some benefits for some patients. […] Melamede, who teaches at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, […] says the drug has the potential to benefit almost everyone: […] possibly even soldiers exposed to chemical warfare. […] And he notes one claim in which marijuana reversed some of the effects of Sarin, a deadly nerve gas, in mice." (Colorado Daily; 04May09; Source: Associated Press)
http://www.coloradodaily.com/news/2009/may/04/scientists-fda-odds-over-benefits-marijuana/
Easy to forget about homegrown terrorism
"According to the [Seattle] Times, a Swedish jihadist named Oussama Kassir and Muslim convert James Ujaama (the former Jim Thompson, of Seattle), went to the small hamlet of Bly, Ore., 10 years ago to set up a terrorist training camp on U.S. territory. They were allegedly following orders from Hamza al-Masri, a radical Islamic preacher and purported al-Qaida recruiter in London. Ujaama will be the key witness against Kassir when the latter goes to trial on 12 felony counts of offering material support to terrorists, conspiring to kill innocent civilians and providing information about chemical weapons to potential terrorists." (Nevada Appeal; 03May09; Guy W. Farmer; Source: Seattle Times)
http://www.nevadaappeal.com/article/20090503/NEWS/905039915/1029/NONE&parentprofile=1061
2nd indictment suggests [terrorist network] Ergenekon funded via illegal sources
"'Tracing the funding will lead you to the criminals' is one of the basic rules of criminology. One of the least examined aspects of Ergenekon, a shadowy network nested within the [Turkish] state aiming to create chaos to incite an eventual military takeover, is the financing of the organization. Ergenekon secures its funding through robbery, trade in drugs and chemical weapons, money laundering, racketeering and blackmailing, in addition to voluntary contributions made to the organization." (Today's Zaman; 03May09; Ercan Yavuz)
http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=174195&bolum=101
Marine Corps systems command awards $96 million contract to SAIC
"Science Applications International Corporation [SAIC] today announced it has been awarded a prime contract by U.S. Marine Corps Systems Command (MARCORSYSCOM) to provide chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) and incident response program support. […] Under the contract, SAIC will provide support services and equipment procurement to the family of incident response systems (FIRS) section of Marine Corps Systems Command. The FIRS team provides leading edge consequence management and technologies to incident response and operating forces from Federal agencies including the Department of Defense, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the U.S. Marine Corps." (RedOrbit; 04May09; Source:PR Newswire/First Call)
http://www.redorbit.com/news/business/1681688/marine_corps_systems_command_awards_96_million_contract_to_saic/
WMD terrorism threat persists, report says
"The threat that extremists might acquire and use an unconventional weapon remains a significant danger to the United States, the U.S. State Department said yesterday in its annual report on terrorism. 'The nexus of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and terrorism poses one of the gravest risks to the national security of the United States and its global partners,'according to the Country Reports on Terrorism 2008. 'A successful major WMD terrorist attack could result in mass casualties and produce far-reaching economic and political consequences.' The report addresses four 'material threats' -- chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear." (Global Security Newswire; 01May09; Source: U.S. Department of State) http://www.globalsecuritynewswire.org/gsn/nw_20090501_3145.php
Islamist terrorism threat for at least a generation
"Islamist terrorism is likely to remain a direct threat to Australia for at least a generation, according to a white paper. The paper says Afghanistan will be 'a potential source of ongoing instability in the region' and will require international help for at least a decade. […] The Bali attacks and the attack on the Australian embassy in Jakarta were perpetuated by people with links to the training grounds in Afghanistan.[…] The paper says that despite its potential to cause mass casualties and catastrophic attacks on infrastructure, Islamist terrorism would continue to have limitations as a strategic threat. They would keep trying to get or develop chemical, biological radiological or even nuclear weapons."
http://www.watoday.com.au/national/islamist-terrorism-threat-for-at-least-a-generation-20090502-aqmq.html
Pakistan nuclear projects raise U.S. fears
"Pakistan is continuing to expand its nuclear bomb-making facilities despite growing international concern that advancing Islamist extremists could overrun one or more of its atomic weapons plants or seize sufficient radioactive material to make a dirty bomb, US nuclear experts and former officials say.David Albright, previously a senior weapons inspector for the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency in Iraq […] warned that the continuing development of Pakistan's atomic weapons programme could trigger a renewed nuclear arms race with India. But he suggested a more immediate threat to nuclear security arose from recent territorial advances in north-west Pakistan by indigenous Taliban and foreign jihadi forces opposed to the Pakistani government and its American and British allies." (Guardian; 03May09; Simon Tisdall).
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/may/03/pakistan-nuclear-security
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.
Strategic Focus Shifts to Afghanistan, Mullen Says
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
May 4, 2009 - U.S. military strategic focus is shifting from Iraq to Afghanistan, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said at a news conference today. Navy Adm. Mike Mullen also said he is very concerned about Taliban advances in Pakistan, and that officials in Pakistan and the rest of the region must be patient and persistent.
"We stand ready, and we have stood ready, to assist the Pakistanis in their fight against this common enemy of ours," Mullen said.
The chairman, who returned from a trip to the region last week, said the U.S. strategic focus must shift to Afghanistan. "I say that with the full knowledge that we still have about 136,000 American troops in Iraq, and that the fighting there isn't over," he said. America remains committed to operations in Iraq, and will remain in the country long enough to ensure the Iraqis can provide for their own security, he added.
"But Afghanistan has been an 'economy-of-force' operation for far too long," Mullen said. "The Taliban, aided by al-Qaida and other extremists and safe havens across the border, are recruiting through intimidation, controlling through fear and advancing an unwelcome ideology through thuggery."
The Taliban also are making advances in Pakistan. "I am gravely concerned about the progress they have made in the south and inside Pakistan," the chairman said. "The consequences of their success directly threaten our national interests in the region and our safety here at home. This isn't about 'can-do' any more; this is about 'must-do.'"
The United States must increase its efforts in Afghanistan and Pakistan, Mullen said. More manpower is flowing into Afghanistan, and more money and resources are moving in to Afghanistan and Pakistan. "But we need a commensurate commitment from the civilian side," he said. "And as I've said many times before, we need more, and more concerted, pressure applied from Pakistan as well."
The chairman said he is encouraged by military operations in Pakistan's Buner province, where the Taliban had moved in following a pact with the Pakistani government over the Swat Valley. The Pakistani military has confronted the Taliban in the region and has made progress, but sustaining that effort is key, the chairman said.
"The Pakistani military and the Frontier Corps have achieved some successes in recent days," he said, and he added a rhetorical question: "Can that be sustained?"
Mullen said he remains concerned about the reactions of the Pakistani government and military to the Taliban. If the Swat deal unravels as it has so far, he said, the political support is not consistent with what needs to be done from a security standpoint.
But that's for Pakistan's military and civilian leaders and the Pakistani people to work out, Mullen said.
The admiral said he is "comfortable" with the security Pakistan has on its nuclear weapons arsenal. He said the Pakistani military leadership, in particular, understands the danger extremists might pose to the weapons. The United States has helped the Pakistanis secure the facilities, and the Pakistani military is continuing to improve the security set-up.
"We all recognize, obviously, the worst downside of those nuclear weapons [coming] under the control of terrorists," he said. "I don't think that's going to happen. I don't see that in any way imminent whatsoever at this particular point in time. But it is a strategic concern that we all share."
American Forces Press Service
May 4, 2009 - U.S. military strategic focus is shifting from Iraq to Afghanistan, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said at a news conference today. Navy Adm. Mike Mullen also said he is very concerned about Taliban advances in Pakistan, and that officials in Pakistan and the rest of the region must be patient and persistent.
"We stand ready, and we have stood ready, to assist the Pakistanis in their fight against this common enemy of ours," Mullen said.
The chairman, who returned from a trip to the region last week, said the U.S. strategic focus must shift to Afghanistan. "I say that with the full knowledge that we still have about 136,000 American troops in Iraq, and that the fighting there isn't over," he said. America remains committed to operations in Iraq, and will remain in the country long enough to ensure the Iraqis can provide for their own security, he added.
"But Afghanistan has been an 'economy-of-force' operation for far too long," Mullen said. "The Taliban, aided by al-Qaida and other extremists and safe havens across the border, are recruiting through intimidation, controlling through fear and advancing an unwelcome ideology through thuggery."
The Taliban also are making advances in Pakistan. "I am gravely concerned about the progress they have made in the south and inside Pakistan," the chairman said. "The consequences of their success directly threaten our national interests in the region and our safety here at home. This isn't about 'can-do' any more; this is about 'must-do.'"
The United States must increase its efforts in Afghanistan and Pakistan, Mullen said. More manpower is flowing into Afghanistan, and more money and resources are moving in to Afghanistan and Pakistan. "But we need a commensurate commitment from the civilian side," he said. "And as I've said many times before, we need more, and more concerted, pressure applied from Pakistan as well."
The chairman said he is encouraged by military operations in Pakistan's Buner province, where the Taliban had moved in following a pact with the Pakistani government over the Swat Valley. The Pakistani military has confronted the Taliban in the region and has made progress, but sustaining that effort is key, the chairman said.
"The Pakistani military and the Frontier Corps have achieved some successes in recent days," he said, and he added a rhetorical question: "Can that be sustained?"
Mullen said he remains concerned about the reactions of the Pakistani government and military to the Taliban. If the Swat deal unravels as it has so far, he said, the political support is not consistent with what needs to be done from a security standpoint.
But that's for Pakistan's military and civilian leaders and the Pakistani people to work out, Mullen said.
The admiral said he is "comfortable" with the security Pakistan has on its nuclear weapons arsenal. He said the Pakistani military leadership, in particular, understands the danger extremists might pose to the weapons. The United States has helped the Pakistanis secure the facilities, and the Pakistani military is continuing to improve the security set-up.
"We all recognize, obviously, the worst downside of those nuclear weapons [coming] under the control of terrorists," he said. "I don't think that's going to happen. I don't see that in any way imminent whatsoever at this particular point in time. But it is a strategic concern that we all share."
Forces Capture Suspected Terrorists in Baghdad
American Forces Press Service
May 4, 2009 - U.S. forces captured two suspected terrorists during operations in Baghdad May 1 and 2, according to Multinational Corps Iraq officials. In the Adhamiyah district of Baghdad, coalition forces detained a suspect during an early early morning raid May 2. The troops were acting on a warrant issued by the Iraqi government.
The suspect was wanted in connection with the manufacture and distribution of improvised explosive devices. He was detained by soldiers with 5th Cavalry Regiment, attached to 1st Cavalry Division's 1st Brigade Combat Team. Once in custody, he was turned over to Iraqi security forces for questioning.
Explosive materials for use with IEDs were discovered and taken as evidence during a search of the house where the suspect was detained.
In a separate operation in Baghdad's Sadr City district on May 1, coalition and Iraqi security forces worked together to detain a suspect during a raid.
U.S. soldiers of the 1st Cavalry Division's 1st Brigade Combat Team partnered with Iraqi soldiers to capture the suspected criminal based on warrants issued by the Iraqi government for his connection to violent crimes.
Once captured, the suspect was transported to an Iraqi Security Forces facility for additional questioning.
(Compiled from Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)
May 4, 2009 - U.S. forces captured two suspected terrorists during operations in Baghdad May 1 and 2, according to Multinational Corps Iraq officials. In the Adhamiyah district of Baghdad, coalition forces detained a suspect during an early early morning raid May 2. The troops were acting on a warrant issued by the Iraqi government.
The suspect was wanted in connection with the manufacture and distribution of improvised explosive devices. He was detained by soldiers with 5th Cavalry Regiment, attached to 1st Cavalry Division's 1st Brigade Combat Team. Once in custody, he was turned over to Iraqi security forces for questioning.
Explosive materials for use with IEDs were discovered and taken as evidence during a search of the house where the suspect was detained.
In a separate operation in Baghdad's Sadr City district on May 1, coalition and Iraqi security forces worked together to detain a suspect during a raid.
U.S. soldiers of the 1st Cavalry Division's 1st Brigade Combat Team partnered with Iraqi soldiers to capture the suspected criminal based on warrants issued by the Iraqi government for his connection to violent crimes.
Once captured, the suspect was transported to an Iraqi Security Forces facility for additional questioning.
(Compiled from Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)
Afghan, Coalition Forces Kill 19 Militants
American Forces Press Service
May 4, 2009 - Afghan commandos, advised by coalition forces, killed 19 militants during overnight operations in Helgal Valley in the Shakail Shatel district of Afghanistan's Kunar province, May 1-2. The Afghan-led force was conducting a combat reconnaissance patrol about 150 miles east of Kabul in an area known to harbor militants when they were attacked by several armed enemy fighters with small-arms fire from a wooded area.
The combined force positively identified the enemy's position and, after ensuring there were no noncombatants in the area, returned fire on the militants and called for close-air support, killing seven fighters.
The remaining enemy fighters attempted to reposition themselves on a ridge line, but the commandos maintained positive identification of their location. The force engaged the militants again with close-air support, killing 12 of them.
"This engagement was another blow to militant operations in eastern Afghanistan," a coalition spokesman said. "Due to the expertise of these elite forces the insurgents are quickly losing their ability to operate in the region."
No Afghan or coalition casualties were reported.
In another operation in Kunar province's Marawara district, Afghan forces and a small supporting element of coalition forces captured a suspected Taliban commander in an operation in May 2. The suspect is believed to be responsible for helping bring improvised explosive devices into the area.
Forces did not fire any shots during the operation, protecting eight adults and six children.
(Compiled from U.S. Forces Afghanistan news releases.)
May 4, 2009 - Afghan commandos, advised by coalition forces, killed 19 militants during overnight operations in Helgal Valley in the Shakail Shatel district of Afghanistan's Kunar province, May 1-2. The Afghan-led force was conducting a combat reconnaissance patrol about 150 miles east of Kabul in an area known to harbor militants when they were attacked by several armed enemy fighters with small-arms fire from a wooded area.
The combined force positively identified the enemy's position and, after ensuring there were no noncombatants in the area, returned fire on the militants and called for close-air support, killing seven fighters.
The remaining enemy fighters attempted to reposition themselves on a ridge line, but the commandos maintained positive identification of their location. The force engaged the militants again with close-air support, killing 12 of them.
"This engagement was another blow to militant operations in eastern Afghanistan," a coalition spokesman said. "Due to the expertise of these elite forces the insurgents are quickly losing their ability to operate in the region."
No Afghan or coalition casualties were reported.
In another operation in Kunar province's Marawara district, Afghan forces and a small supporting element of coalition forces captured a suspected Taliban commander in an operation in May 2. The suspect is believed to be responsible for helping bring improvised explosive devices into the area.
Forces did not fire any shots during the operation, protecting eight adults and six children.
(Compiled from U.S. Forces Afghanistan news releases.)
On the Ground: Forces Train Iraqis to Manage Radio Waves, Information Security
American Forces Press Service
May 4, 2009 - U.S. forces in Iraq increasingly are focused on training Iraqis to be self-sufficient, and most recently that training has brought Iraqis closer to managing their communications frequencies, information security and automotive maintenance. Fourteen students drawn from Iraq's ministries of Communications, Defense and Interior and from the Communications and Media Commission graduated from a course on electromagnetic spectrum management taught by members of the U.S. Defense Information Systems Agency's Joint Spectrum Center based in Annapolis, Md. The spectrum provides a finite number of frequencies to enable communications and technologies such as radar and weapons systems.
Multinational Security Transition Command Iraq's communications directorate conducted the course for select Iraqi frequency managers who learned how to use, operate, manage, and maintain client-server hardware and software associated with Spectrum XXI, a spectrum-management software application the coalition gave to the Iraqi government.
U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Gregory Brundidge, co-chair of the Security Agreement Joint Committee on Spectrum Management, presented the students with their course certificates of completion. He reminded them that good stewardship and cooperation between Iraqi ministries was an important part of their new roles as frequency managers.
"Frequencies have to be managed, and you have to coordinate, and that takes teamwork," Brundidge said. Just as the students cooperated closely during the course, he said, he hopes they will take that spirit back to their respective organizations.
He also noted that the frequency spectrum is a valuable resource to the continued growth and development of Iraq's security forces as well as to commercial and private industry, linking the graduates' responsibilities directly to their country's success.
"I hope you will all understand the significance of what you learned and the importance that that's going to have as the government of Iraq moves forward in the areas of telecommunications and information exchange," Brundidge said.
A special aspect of the course was a train-the-trainer component designed by U.S. Joint Spectrum Center instructors to hand over teaching responsibility for future courses to Iraqis.
Salah Abed Alamer, a Defense Ministry employee who teaches computer applications at the ministry's training center, was selected to receive special training to become the first spectrum management instructor in Iraq.
"Now the instructor that is trained will begin to build the curriculum and the format and the classroom processes for how we will continue," Brundidge said.
Salah said he expects to train about 150 Defense employees from across Iraq in the next two years.
Also, two senior trainers with the coalition's Intelligence Transition Team graduated 45 students representing several Iraqi ministries April 29 from an introductory security management course in Baghdad. The two-week course provides instruction on the dangers of security lapses and the importance of complying with security management policies.
"This was a special course, because many intelligence and security agencies were represented," Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 Chad LeBoeuf, a senior trainer for the team, said. "This course represents the next step in ensuring our counterparts are prepared for the role of information sharing and safeguarding classified information."
Having a well-developed security program protects not only equipment and information but unit personnel as well, he said. "Security management programs are essential in preventing adversaries, foreign countries and traitors from gaining sensitive information and assets and using it against a nation and its people."
The security managers serve on the front line to safeguard that information.
"This course was excellent, because it provided me an update on how to manage sensitive information," said one student who serves with an Iraqi intelligence service. "The management of secure information is a daily process, and this course has helped me to become more aware of up-to-date procedures."
Another student found the facility security portion of the course especially helpful.
"I used to work on a SWAT team and didn't know about security management," said a student who has been in a security management role for five months. "I now have the bigger perspective on the importance of facility security management, and that will help me to be more professional in the future."
The course is part of ongoing efforts to prepare Iraqis for an increased role in information sharing, the chief said. "Knowing that they have the right security concepts in place enables other countries to confidently share information with Iraq. This course is another step in the direction of global information sharing."
Meanwhile, Multinational Security Transition Command Iraq trained 33 national policemen as automotive mechanics in the past two weeks, bringing to 86 the number of police who have graduated to provide basic maintainer skills necessary to sustain the M1114s used to perform their daily police activities.
"The Iraqi people were isolated from training for a long period, and the Iraqi people are intelligent and picked themselves up," Iraqi Maj. Gen. Adnan, commander of the Iraqi National Police, said at the graduation.
the Iraqi National Police asked for this training in an effort to legitimize and professionalize their automotive mechanics to increase and maintain equipment readiness. Coalition officials said they expect to have 120 national police trained by May 28 to be certified as automotive mechanics.
(Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq and Multinational Security Transition Command Iraq news releases.)
May 4, 2009 - U.S. forces in Iraq increasingly are focused on training Iraqis to be self-sufficient, and most recently that training has brought Iraqis closer to managing their communications frequencies, information security and automotive maintenance. Fourteen students drawn from Iraq's ministries of Communications, Defense and Interior and from the Communications and Media Commission graduated from a course on electromagnetic spectrum management taught by members of the U.S. Defense Information Systems Agency's Joint Spectrum Center based in Annapolis, Md. The spectrum provides a finite number of frequencies to enable communications and technologies such as radar and weapons systems.
Multinational Security Transition Command Iraq's communications directorate conducted the course for select Iraqi frequency managers who learned how to use, operate, manage, and maintain client-server hardware and software associated with Spectrum XXI, a spectrum-management software application the coalition gave to the Iraqi government.
U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Gregory Brundidge, co-chair of the Security Agreement Joint Committee on Spectrum Management, presented the students with their course certificates of completion. He reminded them that good stewardship and cooperation between Iraqi ministries was an important part of their new roles as frequency managers.
"Frequencies have to be managed, and you have to coordinate, and that takes teamwork," Brundidge said. Just as the students cooperated closely during the course, he said, he hopes they will take that spirit back to their respective organizations.
He also noted that the frequency spectrum is a valuable resource to the continued growth and development of Iraq's security forces as well as to commercial and private industry, linking the graduates' responsibilities directly to their country's success.
"I hope you will all understand the significance of what you learned and the importance that that's going to have as the government of Iraq moves forward in the areas of telecommunications and information exchange," Brundidge said.
A special aspect of the course was a train-the-trainer component designed by U.S. Joint Spectrum Center instructors to hand over teaching responsibility for future courses to Iraqis.
Salah Abed Alamer, a Defense Ministry employee who teaches computer applications at the ministry's training center, was selected to receive special training to become the first spectrum management instructor in Iraq.
"Now the instructor that is trained will begin to build the curriculum and the format and the classroom processes for how we will continue," Brundidge said.
Salah said he expects to train about 150 Defense employees from across Iraq in the next two years.
Also, two senior trainers with the coalition's Intelligence Transition Team graduated 45 students representing several Iraqi ministries April 29 from an introductory security management course in Baghdad. The two-week course provides instruction on the dangers of security lapses and the importance of complying with security management policies.
"This was a special course, because many intelligence and security agencies were represented," Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 Chad LeBoeuf, a senior trainer for the team, said. "This course represents the next step in ensuring our counterparts are prepared for the role of information sharing and safeguarding classified information."
Having a well-developed security program protects not only equipment and information but unit personnel as well, he said. "Security management programs are essential in preventing adversaries, foreign countries and traitors from gaining sensitive information and assets and using it against a nation and its people."
The security managers serve on the front line to safeguard that information.
"This course was excellent, because it provided me an update on how to manage sensitive information," said one student who serves with an Iraqi intelligence service. "The management of secure information is a daily process, and this course has helped me to become more aware of up-to-date procedures."
Another student found the facility security portion of the course especially helpful.
"I used to work on a SWAT team and didn't know about security management," said a student who has been in a security management role for five months. "I now have the bigger perspective on the importance of facility security management, and that will help me to be more professional in the future."
The course is part of ongoing efforts to prepare Iraqis for an increased role in information sharing, the chief said. "Knowing that they have the right security concepts in place enables other countries to confidently share information with Iraq. This course is another step in the direction of global information sharing."
Meanwhile, Multinational Security Transition Command Iraq trained 33 national policemen as automotive mechanics in the past two weeks, bringing to 86 the number of police who have graduated to provide basic maintainer skills necessary to sustain the M1114s used to perform their daily police activities.
"The Iraqi people were isolated from training for a long period, and the Iraqi people are intelligent and picked themselves up," Iraqi Maj. Gen. Adnan, commander of the Iraqi National Police, said at the graduation.
the Iraqi National Police asked for this training in an effort to legitimize and professionalize their automotive mechanics to increase and maintain equipment readiness. Coalition officials said they expect to have 120 national police trained by May 28 to be certified as automotive mechanics.
(Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq and Multinational Security Transition Command Iraq news releases.)
Sunday, May 03, 2009
Taliban Push in Pakistan Served as Wake-Up Call, Gates Says
By Fred W. Baker III
American Forces Press Service
May 3, 2009 - The recent push by Taliban forces to take more ground in Pakistan has served as a wake-up call for the government there, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said today. In a broad-ranging interview with CNN that aired today, Gates said he feels the Pakistani leaders now realize that the Taliban is an existential threat there.
"We and others have been talking with them about how what is happening there in the western frontier area is truly an existential threat to democratic government in Pakistan," Gates said. "And I think the movement of the Taliban into Buner really got their attention."
Last month, the Taliban seized control of Buner, in the North West Frontier Province of Pakistan, causing alarm as it moved within only about 60 miles of the capital city of Islamabad.
It is feared that al-Qaida could also use the border areas of Pakistan to launch attacks against coalition forces in Afghanistan.
Pakistan has long focused on India to its east as its main threat, Gates said, with little regard for the largely ungoverned western front.
"I think that ... they've always felt that if it really got serious, it was a problem they could take care of," Gates said. "That's why I think the movement of the Taliban so close to Islamabad was a real wake-up call for them."
Gates said he believes Pakistan is now starting to develop its military capacity to fight a counterinsurgency, and the United States is willing to share equipment and training. But, he said, there has been reluctance on the part of the Pakistani government up to this point to accept much help.
"They don't like the idea of a significant American military footprint inside Pakistan. I understand that," Gates said. "But we are willing to do pretty much whatever we can to help the Pakistanis in this situation."
Gates said there are a small number of U.S. military advisors in Pakistan helping to train the Pakistani military on counterinsurgency operations.
Speaking on Afghanistan, Gates said there could be a spike in violence as the U.S. military moves thousands more troops into the southern region. But, he said, the Taliban may not be prepared to take on a larger military force toe-to-toe and instead may choose to leave and return later.
The key will be to hold areas that have been cleared of the Taliban, he said.
"The people are going to be ambivalent as long as they can't tell who's going to win," Gates said. "They're going to try and not take sides, because they're afraid that once we leave, the Taliban will come in and kill them."
Gates said the U.S. must work to grow and train the Afghan security forces so they can establish an enduring presence in the small villages and districts that dot the country.
And, Gates said, the Afghan government has to increase its capabilities down to the district level.
"This is where I think development programs and assistance are more likely to actually happen, and for school rooms to be built, for roads to be built, for wells to be dug, ... where the people can actually see government, ... it may not be the national government, but the provincial government or the district government actually delivering a service and improving the quality of life," Gates said.
Strengthening the civilian capabilities at the provincial level, part of the administration's new strategy, will also play a key role in delivering those much-needed services, he said.
"We have to make the provincial reconstruction teams much more robust, with civilian experts, so we can begin to help the Afghans deliver these kinds of services," the secretary said. "I think, at the end of the day, that, plus the increased effectiveness and strength of the army and the police, are really the pathway forward."
Gates said that he likely would not recommend sending more U.S. troops to Afghanistan. Once the troops that President Obama ordered there earlier this year are on the ground, there will be nearly 100,000 U.S. and partner nation troops there. Gates said it would be better to focus on building the capacity of Afghan forces so the U.S. military is not viewed as an occupying force.
"It is absolutely critical that the Afghans believe that this is their war. It is their war against people who are trying to overthrow their government that they democratically elected," he said. "We must be their partner and their ally. If we get to the point where the Afghan people see us as occupiers, then we will have lost."
Gates spoke highly of the political progress made in Iraq, despite the recent spikes in violence. He said that, for the most part, the violence is seen as al-Qaida working to undermine the gains there.
"There's no question that the roots of democracy are still very shallow in Iraq. But there's been a lot of progress," Gates said. "And I don't think there are very many Iraqis who want to return to the kind of violence that they saw in 2006. So I think this is mainly al-Qaida."
In the interview, Gates was also asked about President Obama's vision for a nuclear weapons-free world. Gates said that while it would be a "long march" toward the goal, it is a laudable objective.
Gates said that continued nonproliferation efforts, the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, another post-START agreement with the Russians, and further reducing America's stockpile of nuclear weapons are all important steps.
Gates defended both the U.S. military budget and its involvements globally and said he did not feel the United States was becoming an imperial power.
"Well, if we are an imperial power, we are a unique one in history in that we are the only one in history that has - is always looking for an exit strategy," he said.
Gates said that the United States has global interests, and the defense budget is not a burden on the economy. Gates called the United States an "indispensable power."
"This is about how the United States exercises global leadership," Gates said. "And being willing to listen, as well as to talk, is important in that regard."
American Forces Press Service
May 3, 2009 - The recent push by Taliban forces to take more ground in Pakistan has served as a wake-up call for the government there, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said today. In a broad-ranging interview with CNN that aired today, Gates said he feels the Pakistani leaders now realize that the Taliban is an existential threat there.
"We and others have been talking with them about how what is happening there in the western frontier area is truly an existential threat to democratic government in Pakistan," Gates said. "And I think the movement of the Taliban into Buner really got their attention."
Last month, the Taliban seized control of Buner, in the North West Frontier Province of Pakistan, causing alarm as it moved within only about 60 miles of the capital city of Islamabad.
It is feared that al-Qaida could also use the border areas of Pakistan to launch attacks against coalition forces in Afghanistan.
Pakistan has long focused on India to its east as its main threat, Gates said, with little regard for the largely ungoverned western front.
"I think that ... they've always felt that if it really got serious, it was a problem they could take care of," Gates said. "That's why I think the movement of the Taliban so close to Islamabad was a real wake-up call for them."
Gates said he believes Pakistan is now starting to develop its military capacity to fight a counterinsurgency, and the United States is willing to share equipment and training. But, he said, there has been reluctance on the part of the Pakistani government up to this point to accept much help.
"They don't like the idea of a significant American military footprint inside Pakistan. I understand that," Gates said. "But we are willing to do pretty much whatever we can to help the Pakistanis in this situation."
Gates said there are a small number of U.S. military advisors in Pakistan helping to train the Pakistani military on counterinsurgency operations.
Speaking on Afghanistan, Gates said there could be a spike in violence as the U.S. military moves thousands more troops into the southern region. But, he said, the Taliban may not be prepared to take on a larger military force toe-to-toe and instead may choose to leave and return later.
The key will be to hold areas that have been cleared of the Taliban, he said.
"The people are going to be ambivalent as long as they can't tell who's going to win," Gates said. "They're going to try and not take sides, because they're afraid that once we leave, the Taliban will come in and kill them."
Gates said the U.S. must work to grow and train the Afghan security forces so they can establish an enduring presence in the small villages and districts that dot the country.
And, Gates said, the Afghan government has to increase its capabilities down to the district level.
"This is where I think development programs and assistance are more likely to actually happen, and for school rooms to be built, for roads to be built, for wells to be dug, ... where the people can actually see government, ... it may not be the national government, but the provincial government or the district government actually delivering a service and improving the quality of life," Gates said.
Strengthening the civilian capabilities at the provincial level, part of the administration's new strategy, will also play a key role in delivering those much-needed services, he said.
"We have to make the provincial reconstruction teams much more robust, with civilian experts, so we can begin to help the Afghans deliver these kinds of services," the secretary said. "I think, at the end of the day, that, plus the increased effectiveness and strength of the army and the police, are really the pathway forward."
Gates said that he likely would not recommend sending more U.S. troops to Afghanistan. Once the troops that President Obama ordered there earlier this year are on the ground, there will be nearly 100,000 U.S. and partner nation troops there. Gates said it would be better to focus on building the capacity of Afghan forces so the U.S. military is not viewed as an occupying force.
"It is absolutely critical that the Afghans believe that this is their war. It is their war against people who are trying to overthrow their government that they democratically elected," he said. "We must be their partner and their ally. If we get to the point where the Afghan people see us as occupiers, then we will have lost."
Gates spoke highly of the political progress made in Iraq, despite the recent spikes in violence. He said that, for the most part, the violence is seen as al-Qaida working to undermine the gains there.
"There's no question that the roots of democracy are still very shallow in Iraq. But there's been a lot of progress," Gates said. "And I don't think there are very many Iraqis who want to return to the kind of violence that they saw in 2006. So I think this is mainly al-Qaida."
In the interview, Gates was also asked about President Obama's vision for a nuclear weapons-free world. Gates said that while it would be a "long march" toward the goal, it is a laudable objective.
Gates said that continued nonproliferation efforts, the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, another post-START agreement with the Russians, and further reducing America's stockpile of nuclear weapons are all important steps.
Gates defended both the U.S. military budget and its involvements globally and said he did not feel the United States was becoming an imperial power.
"Well, if we are an imperial power, we are a unique one in history in that we are the only one in history that has - is always looking for an exit strategy," he said.
Gates said that the United States has global interests, and the defense budget is not a burden on the economy. Gates called the United States an "indispensable power."
"This is about how the United States exercises global leadership," Gates said. "And being willing to listen, as well as to talk, is important in that regard."
Saturday, May 02, 2009
Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Sgt. Christopher D. Loza, 24, of Abilene, Texas, died Apr. 10, 2009, at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, D.C., of a non-combat related illness after becoming ill 17 March in Radwaniyah, Iraq. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 124th Cavalry Regiment, 56th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 36th Infantry Division, Waco, Texas.
For more information media may contact the Texas National Guard public affairs office at 512-782-5050, or email: paotx@tx.ngb.army.mil.
Sgt. Christopher D. Loza, 24, of Abilene, Texas, died Apr. 10, 2009, at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, D.C., of a non-combat related illness after becoming ill 17 March in Radwaniyah, Iraq. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 124th Cavalry Regiment, 56th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 36th Infantry Division, Waco, Texas.
For more information media may contact the Texas National Guard public affairs office at 512-782-5050, or email: paotx@tx.ngb.army.mil.
Friday, May 01, 2009
Marine Casualties
The Department of Defense announced today the death of two Marines who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
The following Marines died April 30 while supporting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq:
Sgt. James R. McIlvaine, 26, of Olney, Md.
Staff Sgt. Mark A. Wojciechowski, 25, of Cincinnati, Ohio.
Sgt. McIlvaine was assigned to 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, Calif.
Staff Sgt. Wojciechowski was assigned to 7th Engineer Support Battalion, 1st Marine Logistics Group, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.
For additional background information on Sgt. McIlvaine, news media representatives may contact the 1st Marine Division public affairs office at (760) 763-5397.
For additional background information on Staff Sgt. Wojciechowski, news media representatives may contact the 1st Marine Logistics Group public affairs office at (760) 763-5966.
The following Marines died April 30 while supporting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq:
Sgt. James R. McIlvaine, 26, of Olney, Md.
Staff Sgt. Mark A. Wojciechowski, 25, of Cincinnati, Ohio.
Sgt. McIlvaine was assigned to 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, Calif.
Staff Sgt. Wojciechowski was assigned to 7th Engineer Support Battalion, 1st Marine Logistics Group, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.
For additional background information on Sgt. McIlvaine, news media representatives may contact the 1st Marine Division public affairs office at (760) 763-5397.
For additional background information on Staff Sgt. Wojciechowski, news media representatives may contact the 1st Marine Logistics Group public affairs office at (760) 763-5966.
Face of Defense: Marine Serves as Gunner, 'Lioness' in Iraq
By Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Melissa LattySpecial to American Forces Press Service
May 1, 2009 - Cpl. Susy H. Aguilar was a city girl from coastal California when she shocked her family and friends in 2005 to become the first in her family to join the Marine Corps. But joining the Marines was only the first step in many that would surprise and impress those around her.
Aguilar started her military career as a supply clerk at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, Calif. Shortly thereafter, she deployed to Iraq in 2006.
During her deployment, Aguilar stepped out of the warehouse and into the ranks of an infantry unit to serve as a "lioness," the name given to female servicemembers who search Iraqi women. The program was created to ease cultural sensitivities over interaction between coalition forces and Iraqi women.
Aguilar said she jumped at the chance to serve with the otherwise all-male infantry unit, and that her experiences with the "grunts" have had a profound impact on her.
"There was a time when we were out in what seemed like the middle of nowhere," she said, recalling her first combat experience. "I was already scared as it was, and then we started to get mortared.
"There was a little [Iraqi] boy who I had been interacting with," she continued. "He was really scared, and wouldn't leave my side. One of the grunts came back, gave me his flak jacket and told me to put it on the boy. He had no problem giving up his flak and risking his own safety. That is when I decided I wanted to do a more combat-related [job]. I wanted to be more like them."
Before her next deployment to Iraq, Aguilar volunteered to go through the machine gunner's course, even though she doubted that she, as a woman, would be called upon to put the skills to use. She already had extended her enlistment contract in hopes of experiencing the deployment from the turret of an armored vehicle.
"I was really shocked when my name was called and I had been chosen," she said.
Aguilar was then assigned to Transportation Support Company, Combat Logistics Battalion 7, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, and deployed for her second tour to Iraq in February. She not only was new to the company, but also had to establish her capabilities in the eyes of her male counterparts.
"I wasn't nervous, but I knew I had to prove myself to them when I was taking apart the gun, cleaning it, or doing a test fire," she said. "I always felt like they were watching me to see if I knew what I was doing." However, it didn't take long for the platoon to realize that Aguilar had what it took to be a gunner and could be counted upon to provide fire support if necessary.
Aside from her role as a gunner, Aguilar ensures the trucks are ready to go before a convoy, and makes sure the right personnel are on manifest documents.
"Of all of my corporals, Aguilar is definitely one of the best," said Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Andy Smith, Aguilar's platoon commander. "She does her job and a lot more. She does a lot around the motor pool. She shows up to the convoys an hour early just to make sure everything's ready so we can roll out."
Aguilar said she has worked hard to gain the respect of her fellow Marines, and that she thinks highly of her platoon mates.
"We have the best drivers, the best assistant drivers and the best mechanics," Aguilar said. "Everyone is good at what they do, and there is a lot of trust in our platoon. It's awesome just knowing that they trust me on the gun to protect them and knowing that they can protect me if I need them to."
Aguilar said she encourages more female Marines to step up and do the jobs that women don't often do.
"I have grown a lot both as a Marine and as a person," she said. "Even through the bad times, I have never regretted my decision to become a gunner."
(Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Melissa Latty serves with the 2nd Marine Logistics Group's public affairs office.)
Clinton, Gates Say Pakistan Now Understands Taliban Threat
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
May 1, 2009 - The Pakistani government finally is beginning to respond to the threat that Taliban extremists pose inside the country, the secretaries of State and Defense said yesterday before the Senate Appropriations Committee. The Taliban now control the Swat Valley in Pakistan and have encroached into the area around Buner. This puts the extremist group within 60 miles of Islamabad, the capital. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Pakistani leaders are demonstrating "much greater concern" about the Taliban threat.
"We believe that we're getting a much more thoughtful response and actions to follow," she said. "It was heartening to see the military sent in to Buner province and to begin to try to push the Taliban advance back."
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said Pakistani leaders had not regarded the Taliban "as an existential threat" to the government.
Since the Partition of British India in 1947 into India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, Pakistan has fought three wars with India – once in the initial partition, again in 1965 and another in 1971. The two countries maintain large conventional forces on the border. Though tensions have eased in recent years, more than 60 years of distrust have existed between the two.
The Pakistani government seldom has directly governed the area to the west – the so-called tribal areas. "The Pakistani population is dominated by Punjabis," Gates said during the testimony. "They dramatically outnumber the number of Pashtuns in the western part of the country, and have always tried to deal with that situation out there either by setting tribes against one another, working with individual tribes, cutting the kinds of deals that we've seen, and occasionally using the military."
With little control and even less infrastructure improvements from the government, the tribes fended for themselves. "What has happened just in recent weeks, and really since ... the assassination of [former Prime Minister Benazir] Bhutto, is the reality dawning on the Pakistanis that what has happened in the west is, in fact, now a real threat to them," Gates said. "I think that the Taliban moving into Buner set off an alarm bell that may, in fact, begin to create a broader political consensus in Pakistan."
The people of Pakistan must feel the threat of the Taliban, and President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani must convince them that the Taliban are a real threat, Gates said.
The Pakistani government had seen the Taliban presence in the far western provinces as the result of American troops driving the group out of Afghanistan. "Now, they're beginning to see these guys have designs on the Pakistani government itself," Gates said. "And so I think those realities that have begun to dawn on them, I think, provide some grounds for – I won't go as far as optimism, but some grounds to believe that there is a growing awareness in Islamabad and [throughout] Pakistan that this is a threat to them."
Gates used al-Qaida attacks on the United States as an analogy to Pakistan. The terror group first attacked the United States in 1993 with a truck bombing at the World Trade Center in New York. "Al-Qaida was at war with the United States for eight years before we decided we were at war with al-Qaida," he said. "I think the same kind of thing has kind of happened in Pakistan. The Pakistanis haven't realized the threat that has been posed to them over the last several years."
Pakistan has a nuclear arsenal, and a danger is that extremists could gain control of the weapons. "Let me just reiterate that, based on everything that we are aware of, the Pakistani military is very focused on the protection of their arsenal, and we have certainly kept our eyes very closely on that," Clinton said.
American Forces Press Service
May 1, 2009 - The Pakistani government finally is beginning to respond to the threat that Taliban extremists pose inside the country, the secretaries of State and Defense said yesterday before the Senate Appropriations Committee. The Taliban now control the Swat Valley in Pakistan and have encroached into the area around Buner. This puts the extremist group within 60 miles of Islamabad, the capital. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Pakistani leaders are demonstrating "much greater concern" about the Taliban threat.
"We believe that we're getting a much more thoughtful response and actions to follow," she said. "It was heartening to see the military sent in to Buner province and to begin to try to push the Taliban advance back."
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said Pakistani leaders had not regarded the Taliban "as an existential threat" to the government.
Since the Partition of British India in 1947 into India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, Pakistan has fought three wars with India – once in the initial partition, again in 1965 and another in 1971. The two countries maintain large conventional forces on the border. Though tensions have eased in recent years, more than 60 years of distrust have existed between the two.
The Pakistani government seldom has directly governed the area to the west – the so-called tribal areas. "The Pakistani population is dominated by Punjabis," Gates said during the testimony. "They dramatically outnumber the number of Pashtuns in the western part of the country, and have always tried to deal with that situation out there either by setting tribes against one another, working with individual tribes, cutting the kinds of deals that we've seen, and occasionally using the military."
With little control and even less infrastructure improvements from the government, the tribes fended for themselves. "What has happened just in recent weeks, and really since ... the assassination of [former Prime Minister Benazir] Bhutto, is the reality dawning on the Pakistanis that what has happened in the west is, in fact, now a real threat to them," Gates said. "I think that the Taliban moving into Buner set off an alarm bell that may, in fact, begin to create a broader political consensus in Pakistan."
The people of Pakistan must feel the threat of the Taliban, and President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani must convince them that the Taliban are a real threat, Gates said.
The Pakistani government had seen the Taliban presence in the far western provinces as the result of American troops driving the group out of Afghanistan. "Now, they're beginning to see these guys have designs on the Pakistani government itself," Gates said. "And so I think those realities that have begun to dawn on them, I think, provide some grounds for – I won't go as far as optimism, but some grounds to believe that there is a growing awareness in Islamabad and [throughout] Pakistan that this is a threat to them."
Gates used al-Qaida attacks on the United States as an analogy to Pakistan. The terror group first attacked the United States in 1993 with a truck bombing at the World Trade Center in New York. "Al-Qaida was at war with the United States for eight years before we decided we were at war with al-Qaida," he said. "I think the same kind of thing has kind of happened in Pakistan. The Pakistanis haven't realized the threat that has been posed to them over the last several years."
Pakistan has a nuclear arsenal, and a danger is that extremists could gain control of the weapons. "Let me just reiterate that, based on everything that we are aware of, the Pakistani military is very focused on the protection of their arsenal, and we have certainly kept our eyes very closely on that," Clinton said.
Joint Forces Kill 15 Militants, Detain Seven in Afghanistan
American Forces Press Service
May 1, 2009 - Afghan and coalition forces killed 15 militants, wounded 12 others and detained one in the Arghandab district of Afghanistan's Zabol province after their convoy came under attack today. The patrol was en route to a local village to talk with elders about security issues when it was attacked from a compound by several armed militants with small-arms fire. The combined force returned fire, killing one militant. Afghan forces secured and searched the compound.
During searches of other compounds in the area, the combined forces came under small-arms fire from militants on a nearby hillside. The Afghan-led force returned fire with mortars and called for close-air support to suppress the threat.
The combined forces pursued the militants into a nearby cave complex, killing 14 and wounding 12 others.
One militant was detained and remains in Afghan custody.
During an overnight patrol in Paktia province's Dzadran district to capture Haqqani terrorist group militants, Afghan and coalition forces detained one suspect.
Forces then located a campsite a short distance from the initial search location and detained five more suspected militants. Two of the suspects were concealing AK-47 assault rifles, but surrendered to forces without incident and were unharmed.
(Compiled from U.S. Forces Afghanistan news releases.)
May 1, 2009 - Afghan and coalition forces killed 15 militants, wounded 12 others and detained one in the Arghandab district of Afghanistan's Zabol province after their convoy came under attack today. The patrol was en route to a local village to talk with elders about security issues when it was attacked from a compound by several armed militants with small-arms fire. The combined force returned fire, killing one militant. Afghan forces secured and searched the compound.
During searches of other compounds in the area, the combined forces came under small-arms fire from militants on a nearby hillside. The Afghan-led force returned fire with mortars and called for close-air support to suppress the threat.
The combined forces pursued the militants into a nearby cave complex, killing 14 and wounding 12 others.
One militant was detained and remains in Afghan custody.
During an overnight patrol in Paktia province's Dzadran district to capture Haqqani terrorist group militants, Afghan and coalition forces detained one suspect.
Forces then located a campsite a short distance from the initial search location and detained five more suspected militants. Two of the suspects were concealing AK-47 assault rifles, but surrendered to forces without incident and were unharmed.
(Compiled from U.S. Forces Afghanistan news releases.)
Terrorist Suspects Killed During Iraq Operations
American Forces Press Service
May 1, 2009 - Acting on a warrant, coalition advisors operating with Iraq's 4th Emergency Response Battalion in Tikrit, Iraq, killed two suspected terrorists while attempting to arrest them today. Both of the men were associated with developing and placing homemade bombs targeting Iraqi and coalition forces in the area, officials said.
After entering the residence of the person listed on the warrant, the Tikrit battalion and coalition advisors moved to arrest the suspect. After repeated calls in Arabic to drop their weapons, the suspect and an associate aimed their weapons at the forces, who shot and killed them.
In other news from Iraq, two men attacked Iraqi soldiers serving alongside Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers with RKG-3 anti-tank grenades April 29 in Baghdad's Khadra neighborhood. One of the grenades detonated on the ground, and the other failed to detonate.
Iraqi soldiers immediately responded to the attack and detained the men, one of whom had fled to a nearby mosque. They are being held for further questioning.
(Compiled from Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)
May 1, 2009 - Acting on a warrant, coalition advisors operating with Iraq's 4th Emergency Response Battalion in Tikrit, Iraq, killed two suspected terrorists while attempting to arrest them today. Both of the men were associated with developing and placing homemade bombs targeting Iraqi and coalition forces in the area, officials said.
After entering the residence of the person listed on the warrant, the Tikrit battalion and coalition advisors moved to arrest the suspect. After repeated calls in Arabic to drop their weapons, the suspect and an associate aimed their weapons at the forces, who shot and killed them.
In other news from Iraq, two men attacked Iraqi soldiers serving alongside Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers with RKG-3 anti-tank grenades April 29 in Baghdad's Khadra neighborhood. One of the grenades detonated on the ground, and the other failed to detonate.
Iraqi soldiers immediately responded to the attack and detained the men, one of whom had fled to a nearby mosque. They are being held for further questioning.
(Compiled from Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)
Al-Qaida Remains No. 1 Threat to United States, Official Says
By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service
May 1, 2009 - The al-Qaida terrorist network and its affiliate members continue to pose the greatest danger to the United States and its allies, a senior U.S. State Department official said here yesterday. Ronald L. Schlicher, acting coordinator for the State Department's counterterrorism directorate, shared with reporters at a news conference some highlights of his agency's just-released reports that examine events in 2008.
The annual compilation of terrorist activity gathered from around the world, Schlicher said, provides "a very good idea of the challenges we face in the counterterrorism field, of the progress we've made, and of the problems that still need to be addressed effectively."
Since the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, Schlicher said, al-Qaida has moved its base of operations eastward from Afghanistan into remote areas of Pakistan's northwest frontier. Today, al-Qaida is using the mountainous terrain in Pakistan's federally administered tribal areas "as a safe haven," he said, "where they can hide, where they can train, where they can communicate with their followers, where they can plan attacks and where they can make plans to send their fighters to support the insurgency in Afghanistan."
The tribal areas now provides al-Qaida "with many of the benefits that it once derived from the base that it had across the border in Afghanistan," Schlicher said.
During his April 29 news conference, President Barack Obama said he is "gravely concerned" about the situation in Pakistan.
However, the Pakistani military is continuing its offensive against militants who have taken up residence in Pakistan's Swat Valley and were threatening Islamabad, the country's capital city.
"You're starting to see the Pakistani military take much more seriously the armed threat from militant extremists," Obama said during the news conference.
Turning to Iraq, Schlicher observed that although al-Qaida terrorists residing there remain dangerous, the group has lost influence and experienced "significant" defections.
Al-Qaida in Iraq has "lost key mobilization areas," Schlicher continued, noting the terrorist group suffers from "disruption of support, infrastructure and funding." The deteriorating state of affairs, he added, has forced al-Qaida in Iraq "to change its targeting priorities in some instances." Also, the numbers of al-Qaida bombings in Iraq "fell significantly" in 2008, Schlicher pointed out.
"And, very importantly, tribal and local leaders in Iraq continue to encourage Sunni tribes and local citizens to reject al-Qaida and to reject its ideology," Schlicher said.
However, Somalia now appears to be emerging as a new terrorist "hot spot," Schlicher said. The al-Shabab terrorist group in Somalia has ties to al-Qaida, he said, noting these terrorists have "overrun" the southern and central parts of the country.
"And Somalia's newly-established unity government remains in need of more substantial international support to face this and other challenges," Schlicher added.
American Forces Press Service
May 1, 2009 - The al-Qaida terrorist network and its affiliate members continue to pose the greatest danger to the United States and its allies, a senior U.S. State Department official said here yesterday. Ronald L. Schlicher, acting coordinator for the State Department's counterterrorism directorate, shared with reporters at a news conference some highlights of his agency's just-released reports that examine events in 2008.
The annual compilation of terrorist activity gathered from around the world, Schlicher said, provides "a very good idea of the challenges we face in the counterterrorism field, of the progress we've made, and of the problems that still need to be addressed effectively."
Since the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, Schlicher said, al-Qaida has moved its base of operations eastward from Afghanistan into remote areas of Pakistan's northwest frontier. Today, al-Qaida is using the mountainous terrain in Pakistan's federally administered tribal areas "as a safe haven," he said, "where they can hide, where they can train, where they can communicate with their followers, where they can plan attacks and where they can make plans to send their fighters to support the insurgency in Afghanistan."
The tribal areas now provides al-Qaida "with many of the benefits that it once derived from the base that it had across the border in Afghanistan," Schlicher said.
During his April 29 news conference, President Barack Obama said he is "gravely concerned" about the situation in Pakistan.
However, the Pakistani military is continuing its offensive against militants who have taken up residence in Pakistan's Swat Valley and were threatening Islamabad, the country's capital city.
"You're starting to see the Pakistani military take much more seriously the armed threat from militant extremists," Obama said during the news conference.
Turning to Iraq, Schlicher observed that although al-Qaida terrorists residing there remain dangerous, the group has lost influence and experienced "significant" defections.
Al-Qaida in Iraq has "lost key mobilization areas," Schlicher continued, noting the terrorist group suffers from "disruption of support, infrastructure and funding." The deteriorating state of affairs, he added, has forced al-Qaida in Iraq "to change its targeting priorities in some instances." Also, the numbers of al-Qaida bombings in Iraq "fell significantly" in 2008, Schlicher pointed out.
"And, very importantly, tribal and local leaders in Iraq continue to encourage Sunni tribes and local citizens to reject al-Qaida and to reject its ideology," Schlicher said.
However, Somalia now appears to be emerging as a new terrorist "hot spot," Schlicher said. The al-Shabab terrorist group in Somalia has ties to al-Qaida, he said, noting these terrorists have "overrun" the southern and central parts of the country.
"And Somalia's newly-established unity government remains in need of more substantial international support to face this and other challenges," Schlicher added.
U.S. Afghanistan Strategy Strengthens Germany's Effort
By German Air Force Master Sgt. Mark Winkler
Special to American Forces Press Service
May 1, 2009 - The focus on civil matters as well as security that is part of the new U.S. strategy in Afghanistan strengthens the reconstruction mission that has been the focus of Germany's efforts there, German Defense Minister Franz-Josef Jung said here yesterday. Jung discussed the mission in Afghanistan with students at the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies.
Teamed with the United States and other nations, Germany's efforts are turning Afghanistan into a success story, Jung said.
"The terror regime of the Taliban has been ended," he said. "Among other things, education for children, upon whom the future of Afghanistan rests, has profited from this -- 3,500 new schools have been built, [and] 30,000 new teachers have been trained. The number of school children has increased five-fold to approximately 6.5 million."
However, he added, the work is ongoing. He noted the U.S. commitment in Afghanistan, with troop increases and more funding ahead.
"This is without a doubt an important contribution to securing the future of Afghanistan," he said. "This modified U.S. strategy significantly strengthens the reconstruction component and dovetails with our German stabilization approach, which places the civilian aspect of our operations in Afghanistan at the center of all our endeavors."
Speaking to more than 154 students from 45 nations attending the Program for Advanced Security Studies here, Jung discussed why Germany's role in Afghanistan continued to be crucial now and into the future.
"We are participating in operations in Afghanistan to protect citizens in Germany, Europe and beyond," he said. "By intervening militarily, the international community has succeeded in depriving the terrorists of their operational headquarters and safe havens in Afghanistan. It is the goal of the international community to secure this success long-term and to contribute to creating a stabile and functioning Afghanistan."
German forces are the third-largest contingent in NATO's International Security Assistance Force. Germany has provided quick-reaction forces in the northern part of Afghanistan, where it is also the lead nation in the region. Germany also runs two provisional reconstruction teams. Germany's armed forces also are involved in training Afghan security forces.
Jung said the consequences of failure in Afghanistan ring clear.
"If we fail in Afghanistan, this will be a problem for everyone, not only the alliance," he said. "That is why it is so important that all countries and international organizations work very closely together to achieve overall success in this very complex civil-military mission.
"NATO is making a decisive contribution in the field of protection and security," he continued, "and is proving its political will and determination in the process."
(German Air Force Master Sgt. Mark Winkler serves at the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies' public affairs office.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
May 1, 2009 - The focus on civil matters as well as security that is part of the new U.S. strategy in Afghanistan strengthens the reconstruction mission that has been the focus of Germany's efforts there, German Defense Minister Franz-Josef Jung said here yesterday. Jung discussed the mission in Afghanistan with students at the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies.
Teamed with the United States and other nations, Germany's efforts are turning Afghanistan into a success story, Jung said.
"The terror regime of the Taliban has been ended," he said. "Among other things, education for children, upon whom the future of Afghanistan rests, has profited from this -- 3,500 new schools have been built, [and] 30,000 new teachers have been trained. The number of school children has increased five-fold to approximately 6.5 million."
However, he added, the work is ongoing. He noted the U.S. commitment in Afghanistan, with troop increases and more funding ahead.
"This is without a doubt an important contribution to securing the future of Afghanistan," he said. "This modified U.S. strategy significantly strengthens the reconstruction component and dovetails with our German stabilization approach, which places the civilian aspect of our operations in Afghanistan at the center of all our endeavors."
Speaking to more than 154 students from 45 nations attending the Program for Advanced Security Studies here, Jung discussed why Germany's role in Afghanistan continued to be crucial now and into the future.
"We are participating in operations in Afghanistan to protect citizens in Germany, Europe and beyond," he said. "By intervening militarily, the international community has succeeded in depriving the terrorists of their operational headquarters and safe havens in Afghanistan. It is the goal of the international community to secure this success long-term and to contribute to creating a stabile and functioning Afghanistan."
German forces are the third-largest contingent in NATO's International Security Assistance Force. Germany has provided quick-reaction forces in the northern part of Afghanistan, where it is also the lead nation in the region. Germany also runs two provisional reconstruction teams. Germany's armed forces also are involved in training Afghan security forces.
Jung said the consequences of failure in Afghanistan ring clear.
"If we fail in Afghanistan, this will be a problem for everyone, not only the alliance," he said. "That is why it is so important that all countries and international organizations work very closely together to achieve overall success in this very complex civil-military mission.
"NATO is making a decisive contribution in the field of protection and security," he continued, "and is proving its political will and determination in the process."
(German Air Force Master Sgt. Mark Winkler serves at the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies' public affairs office.)
CBR Weapons and WMD Terrorism News- May 1, 2009
Albany [NY] man [Manik Gupta] fabricated terror plots about C.U. [Cornell University]
"According to prosecutors, Gupta sent a series of e-mails to the FBI in February 2008 in which he pretended to be a Cornell student and claimed that a fellow student was 'dangerous' and a 'threat to the nation.' 'Gupta falsely claimed in his e-mail messages that this other Cornell student was looking at websites that provided instructions as to how to make bombs, and that the student was making statements threatening violence against teachers,' the United States Attorney's office said in a statement. [...] Gupta informed the FBI that the Cornell student 'repeatedly joked about acts of terrorism and talked about sending anthrax [sic] to the White House.' Gupta targeted the Cornell student in his accusations of terrorism because the student was a romantic rival who had begun dating Gupta's estranged girlfriend [...]." (Cornell Daily Sun; 30Apr09; Michael Stratford)
http://cornellsun.com/section/news/content/2009/04/30/albany-man-fabricated-terror-plots-about-cu
Company pumps out masks amid flu scare
"Concerns over swine flu are keeping Adex Medical in Riverside busy 24 hours a day, producing the surgical-style masks now in high demand by agencies in the U.S. and Mexico. Adex CEO Michael Ghafouri said Thursday his company has churned out between 30 million and 40 million of the masks during the past week [...] he's only seen similar demand twice in the 25 years his company has been in business. The last was the SARS avian-flu outbreak of 2006 and, before that, the anthrax scare that followed the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11." (Press Enterprise; 30Apr09; Lou Hirsh) http://www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stories/PE_News_Local_S_swinemask01.442b508.html
How to make better vaccines, quickly
"The ability to make a vaccine quickly isn't easy, but we're better able to do it today than just five years ago. This is because we've taken steps to improve our ability to thwart biological threats: both the naturally occurring kind, like swine flu, and even the ones that could be used deliberately as weapons. It's especially true in the vaccine industry, which has undergone a renaissance in recent years partly as a result of government incentives and improvements in how vaccines are regulated. These policy steps have improved our medical footing and are worth bearing in mind as we deal with swine flu." (Forbes; 30Apr09; Scott Gotlieb) http://www.forbes.com/2009/04/30/swine-flu-vaccine-fda-opinions-contributors-swine-flu.html
Experts want scientists to monitor their colleagues
"University researchers who work with dangerous pathogens should keep an eye on each other and report any signs of suspicious behavior to lab managers, says a panel of life scientists that was asked by the U.S. government to think of ways to tackle the threat of lab insiders carrying out a bioterrorist attack. However, in recommendations released yesterday, the panel rejected psychological screenings, drug tests, and medical monitoring as useful methods for enhancing personnel reliability in the academic setting. The National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity (NSABB) began looking into personnel reliability last fall after officials from the Federal Bureau of Investigation said that the 2001 anthrax [sic] letter attacks had been perpetrated by U.S. Army researcher Bruce Ivins." (Science Insider; 30Apr09; Yudhijit Bhattacharjee) http://blogs.sciencemag.org/scienceinsider/2009/04/experts-want-sc.html
GS1 [Global Standards One, supply chain monitoring system] compliant fresh produce product bar code and RFID [radio frequency identification] labeling solution hardware recommendations
"Premier produce business process management food tracking software, eProduce, recently helped fresh produce supply chain firms adhere to the product labeling standards required for GS1 compliance through the recommendation of superior hardware and software labeling solutions. [...] GS1 compliance [...] [will] reduce or possibly eliminate fresh produce product category recalls [...] eProduce [...] in response to the US Bioterrorism Act 2002 [...]." (Data Collection Online; 30Apr09) http://www.datacollectiononline.com/article.mvc/GS1-Compliance-Barcode-RFID-Labeling-Solution-0001?VNETCOOKIE=NO
Texas biolab bill would keep too many secrets, opponents say
"Deadly agents in Texas research labs would get top-secret treatment under a bill lawmakers are considering. Sen. Joan Huffman's bill, which passed through a Senate committee this week with no debate, would make most information on so-called 'select agents' in Texas labs confidential. Lawmakers say it's a necessary step to keep dangerous pathogens such as ebola [sic] and anthrax [sic] out of the hands of bioterrorists - and to protect the privacy of those working with it. But opponents say the effort has nothing to do with security and everything to do with avoiding transparency." (Denton Record-Chronicle; 29Apr09; Emily Ramshaw) http://www.dentonrc.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/043009dntexbiolab.3b7674f.html
Ex-DHS head [Michael] Chertoff points to possibilities of biological attack
"Former Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff says the biggest threat from terrorists may come in the form of biological weapons. In an interview segment aired Thursday on the FederalNewsRadio program Homeland Security: Inside and Out, the ex-DHS head said concerns about the possibility of a biological attack should outweigh fears of an attack using a nuclear weapon, chemical agents or conventional explosives. [...] the chief priority, in Chertoff's opinion, is ensuring rapid and effective distribution of the antidote [sic] in case of a biological attack. He advocates a program to pre-distribute many of the counter-measures, 'if not to individual families, then - at a minimum - to schools and police stations and first responders.' Currently, he explained, antidotes are kept in regional storage houses, which might make it difficult to get it to the recipient 'in a matter of hours.'" (Federal News Radio; 30Apr09; Michael Chertoff & Andrew Mitchell)
http://www.federalnewsradio.com/index.php?nid=35&sid=1665406
Parliament square hunger striker taken to hospital [Parameswarn Subramaniyan]
"Twenty four days into his hunger strike for a ceasefire in Sri Lanka between the government and the Tamil Tigers, 28 year old student Parameswarn Subramaniyan from London has decided to start taking liquids and food again. He started his hunger strike and has not eaten solid food since Tuesday 7 April. This change came as the Foreign Secretary David Miliband agreed to one of the five conditions put to him by the Tamil protesters who have been occupying Parliament Square since Monday 6 April.
Their protest started in response to claims that the Sri Lankan government has used chemical weapons against civilians in Tamil areas of the country." (Indy Media; 30Apr09) http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2009/04/429000.html
[Blue Grass Army] Depot holds nation's last nerve agent stockpile [KY]
"The Blue Grass Army Depot is now the home of America's remaining stockpile of nerve agent (VX and GB) after the Army's Chemical Materials Agency (CMA) officials announced Tuesday the destruction of 60 percent of the nation's declared stockpile under the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). 'All of the sites that are currently operating still have agent left, but it's a blister agent,' said Dick Sloan, spokesperson for the chemical activity operations at the depot. [...] There is 523 tons of nerve and blister agents combined that remain at the depot." (Richmond Register; 30Apr09; Ronica Shannon) http://www.richmondregister.com/localnews/local_story_120083447.html
[Juwhan Yun] Man in Fort Lauderdale [FL] court over possible rocket export
"A New Jersey man once imprisoned for trying to sell deadly nerve gas to Iran pleaded not guilty Thursday in Fort Lauderdale federal court to new military hardware violations: attempting to broker the sale of Russian rocket boosters to South Korea. Juwhan Yun, a 68-year-old Korean American, was arrested earlier this month at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport after meeting with a former arms-trafficker-turned-federal-informant with Russian contacts. [...] In 1989, Yun was charged with attempting to supply Iran with 500 quarter-ton bombs of deadly sarin nerve gas. Convicted of conspiracy, he was sentenced to 30 months and released in 1991. None of the gas was ever acquired by Yun or shipped to Iran." (Miami Herald; 30Apr09; Jay Weaver) http://www.miamiherald.com/news/breaking-news/story/1024795.html
Al Qaeda 'enemy combatant' pleads guilty [Ali al-Marri, Peoria, IL]
"Ali al-Marri pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to provide material support to al Qaeda under an agreement with prosecutors that calls for a maximum prison sentence of 15 years. A sentencing hearing in U.S. District Court in Peoria, Ill., is scheduled for July 30 [2009]. Al-Marri had been held in isolation for nearly six years without charges at a Navy brig in South Carolina before the Obama administration brought criminal charges against him in February. [...] 'Ali al-Marri was an al-Qaeda 'sleeper' operative working on U.S. soil and directed by the chief planner of the 9-11 attacks. Al-Marri researched the use of chemical weapons, potential targets and maximum casualties,' said Arthur M. Cummings II, executive assistant director of the FBI's national security branch." (Washington Times; 01May09; Ben Conery) http://washingtontimes.com/news/2009/may/01/al-qaeda-enemy-combatant-detained-in-us-pleads-gui/
Company pumps out masks amid flu scare
"Concerns over swine flu are keeping Adex Medical in Riverside busy 24 hours a day, producing the surgical-style masks now in high demand by agencies in the U.S. and Mexico. Adex CEO Michael Ghafouri said Thursday his company has churned out between 30 million and 40 million of the masks during the past week [...] he's only seen similar demand twice in the 25 years his company has been in business. The last was the SARS avian-flu outbreak of 2006 and, before that, the anthrax scare that followed the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11." (Press Enterprise; 30Apr09; Lou Hirsh) http://www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stories/PE_News_Local_S_swinemask01.442b508.html
Pakistan eases fears by sharing nuclear secrets
"Senior civil and military officials are sharing tightly-held information about the country's nuclear arms programme with Western countries in an effort to allay fears about the security of weapons in the face of a Taliban advance, a Financial Times (FT) report said on Thursday. [...] A senior Western envoy in Islamabad said diplomats had been assured about the security in place for the weapons systems and also their distance from Taliban-held territory. The FT report said the Pakistani officials presented this as an action to satisfy the West that its weapons would not fall into Taliban hands. 'We have renewed our pledge to keep our nuclear weapons safe,' said an official. [...] The Pakistan Army said this week it had halted the latest Taliban incursion in Buner district of Malakand division, 100km north-west of Islamabad, after two days of fighting."
(Daily Times; 01May09; Source: Financial Times)
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2009\05\01\story_1-5-2009_pg1_13
Preventing nuclear terrorism: a global intelligence imperative "
As Mohamed El Baradei's term as head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) draws to a close, the organization is struggling to choose a new leader. After deadlocking on an initial vote in March, a new round of nominations closed on April 27, with the next vote scheduled in the coming months. While the IAEA sorts out changes at the top, the United States should try to expand the agency's mandate and responsibilities. One such change would be the establishment of a full-fledged intelligence office [...] The biggest obstacle to multilateral intelligence cooperation is leadership and finding the courage to work together. Groupthink and risk aversion must be overcome in the name of urgency. The IAEA must garner the support of member states, their resources, methodologies, and most of all, their information." (Washington Institute for Near East Policy; 30Apr09; Rolf Mowatt-Larssen)
http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/templateC05.php?CID=3048
Attorney tries to throw out puffer fish toxin indictment [of Edward Bachner, Lake in the Hills, Illinois]
"The Lake in the Hills man charged with possessing the deadly puffer fish poison is asking a federal court to dismiss the indictment against him, claiming the toxin cannot be weaponized and he had the right to have it. The claims are among a flurry of motions filed Tuesday by the defense for Edward F. Bachner, who faces up to life in prison if found guilty of a 10-count indictment alleging he intended to use the lethal tetrodotoxin (TTX) as a weapon. [...] Federal authorities arrested Bachner after the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force raided his home and said they found 45 full or partially full vials of tetrodotoxin, along with evidence Bachner had obtained at least 19 more vials that were missing." (Daily Herald; 29Apr09; Charles Keeshan)
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=290044
Training gets team ready for ricin [Las Vegas, Nevada]
"When a biochemist intent on suicide injected himself with the deadly poison ricin in 2003, Las Vegas authorities were unprepared and ill-equipped to handle it. Police officers at the scene handled the liquid toxin and its main ingredient, castor beans, without any protective equipment as they packaged them to send to the hospital for testing. Some officers went home without any decontamination. The victim, Tomoo Okada, was taken to Valley Hospital with the ricin, and the ambulance that took him dropped him off and went back to answering calls without being decontaminated. [...] But five years later when a second ricin incident grabbed headlines in Las Vegas, the team responded and identified the poison within 23 minutes thanks to an array of sophisticated testing equipment. The team's handling of that incident at an Extended Stay America hotel in February 2008 made it a model for future training courses." (Las Vegas Review-Journal; 28Apr09; Brian Haynes) http://www.lvrj.com/news/43867622.html
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.
"According to prosecutors, Gupta sent a series of e-mails to the FBI in February 2008 in which he pretended to be a Cornell student and claimed that a fellow student was 'dangerous' and a 'threat to the nation.' 'Gupta falsely claimed in his e-mail messages that this other Cornell student was looking at websites that provided instructions as to how to make bombs, and that the student was making statements threatening violence against teachers,' the United States Attorney's office said in a statement. [...] Gupta informed the FBI that the Cornell student 'repeatedly joked about acts of terrorism and talked about sending anthrax [sic] to the White House.' Gupta targeted the Cornell student in his accusations of terrorism because the student was a romantic rival who had begun dating Gupta's estranged girlfriend [...]." (Cornell Daily Sun; 30Apr09; Michael Stratford)
http://cornellsun.com/section/news/content/2009/04/30/albany-man-fabricated-terror-plots-about-cu
Company pumps out masks amid flu scare
"Concerns over swine flu are keeping Adex Medical in Riverside busy 24 hours a day, producing the surgical-style masks now in high demand by agencies in the U.S. and Mexico. Adex CEO Michael Ghafouri said Thursday his company has churned out between 30 million and 40 million of the masks during the past week [...] he's only seen similar demand twice in the 25 years his company has been in business. The last was the SARS avian-flu outbreak of 2006 and, before that, the anthrax scare that followed the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11." (Press Enterprise; 30Apr09; Lou Hirsh) http://www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stories/PE_News_Local_S_swinemask01.442b508.html
How to make better vaccines, quickly
"The ability to make a vaccine quickly isn't easy, but we're better able to do it today than just five years ago. This is because we've taken steps to improve our ability to thwart biological threats: both the naturally occurring kind, like swine flu, and even the ones that could be used deliberately as weapons. It's especially true in the vaccine industry, which has undergone a renaissance in recent years partly as a result of government incentives and improvements in how vaccines are regulated. These policy steps have improved our medical footing and are worth bearing in mind as we deal with swine flu." (Forbes; 30Apr09; Scott Gotlieb) http://www.forbes.com/2009/04/30/swine-flu-vaccine-fda-opinions-contributors-swine-flu.html
Experts want scientists to monitor their colleagues
"University researchers who work with dangerous pathogens should keep an eye on each other and report any signs of suspicious behavior to lab managers, says a panel of life scientists that was asked by the U.S. government to think of ways to tackle the threat of lab insiders carrying out a bioterrorist attack. However, in recommendations released yesterday, the panel rejected psychological screenings, drug tests, and medical monitoring as useful methods for enhancing personnel reliability in the academic setting. The National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity (NSABB) began looking into personnel reliability last fall after officials from the Federal Bureau of Investigation said that the 2001 anthrax [sic] letter attacks had been perpetrated by U.S. Army researcher Bruce Ivins." (Science Insider; 30Apr09; Yudhijit Bhattacharjee) http://blogs.sciencemag.org/scienceinsider/2009/04/experts-want-sc.html
GS1 [Global Standards One, supply chain monitoring system] compliant fresh produce product bar code and RFID [radio frequency identification] labeling solution hardware recommendations
"Premier produce business process management food tracking software, eProduce, recently helped fresh produce supply chain firms adhere to the product labeling standards required for GS1 compliance through the recommendation of superior hardware and software labeling solutions. [...] GS1 compliance [...] [will] reduce or possibly eliminate fresh produce product category recalls [...] eProduce [...] in response to the US Bioterrorism Act 2002 [...]." (Data Collection Online; 30Apr09) http://www.datacollectiononline.com/article.mvc/GS1-Compliance-Barcode-RFID-Labeling-Solution-0001?VNETCOOKIE=NO
Texas biolab bill would keep too many secrets, opponents say
"Deadly agents in Texas research labs would get top-secret treatment under a bill lawmakers are considering. Sen. Joan Huffman's bill, which passed through a Senate committee this week with no debate, would make most information on so-called 'select agents' in Texas labs confidential. Lawmakers say it's a necessary step to keep dangerous pathogens such as ebola [sic] and anthrax [sic] out of the hands of bioterrorists - and to protect the privacy of those working with it. But opponents say the effort has nothing to do with security and everything to do with avoiding transparency." (Denton Record-Chronicle; 29Apr09; Emily Ramshaw) http://www.dentonrc.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/043009dntexbiolab.3b7674f.html
Ex-DHS head [Michael] Chertoff points to possibilities of biological attack
"Former Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff says the biggest threat from terrorists may come in the form of biological weapons. In an interview segment aired Thursday on the FederalNewsRadio program Homeland Security: Inside and Out, the ex-DHS head said concerns about the possibility of a biological attack should outweigh fears of an attack using a nuclear weapon, chemical agents or conventional explosives. [...] the chief priority, in Chertoff's opinion, is ensuring rapid and effective distribution of the antidote [sic] in case of a biological attack. He advocates a program to pre-distribute many of the counter-measures, 'if not to individual families, then - at a minimum - to schools and police stations and first responders.' Currently, he explained, antidotes are kept in regional storage houses, which might make it difficult to get it to the recipient 'in a matter of hours.'" (Federal News Radio; 30Apr09; Michael Chertoff & Andrew Mitchell)
http://www.federalnewsradio.com/index.php?nid=35&sid=1665406
Parliament square hunger striker taken to hospital [Parameswarn Subramaniyan]
"Twenty four days into his hunger strike for a ceasefire in Sri Lanka between the government and the Tamil Tigers, 28 year old student Parameswarn Subramaniyan from London has decided to start taking liquids and food again. He started his hunger strike and has not eaten solid food since Tuesday 7 April. This change came as the Foreign Secretary David Miliband agreed to one of the five conditions put to him by the Tamil protesters who have been occupying Parliament Square since Monday 6 April.
Their protest started in response to claims that the Sri Lankan government has used chemical weapons against civilians in Tamil areas of the country." (Indy Media; 30Apr09) http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2009/04/429000.html
[Blue Grass Army] Depot holds nation's last nerve agent stockpile [KY]
"The Blue Grass Army Depot is now the home of America's remaining stockpile of nerve agent (VX and GB) after the Army's Chemical Materials Agency (CMA) officials announced Tuesday the destruction of 60 percent of the nation's declared stockpile under the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). 'All of the sites that are currently operating still have agent left, but it's a blister agent,' said Dick Sloan, spokesperson for the chemical activity operations at the depot. [...] There is 523 tons of nerve and blister agents combined that remain at the depot." (Richmond Register; 30Apr09; Ronica Shannon) http://www.richmondregister.com/localnews/local_story_120083447.html
[Juwhan Yun] Man in Fort Lauderdale [FL] court over possible rocket export
"A New Jersey man once imprisoned for trying to sell deadly nerve gas to Iran pleaded not guilty Thursday in Fort Lauderdale federal court to new military hardware violations: attempting to broker the sale of Russian rocket boosters to South Korea. Juwhan Yun, a 68-year-old Korean American, was arrested earlier this month at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport after meeting with a former arms-trafficker-turned-federal-informant with Russian contacts. [...] In 1989, Yun was charged with attempting to supply Iran with 500 quarter-ton bombs of deadly sarin nerve gas. Convicted of conspiracy, he was sentenced to 30 months and released in 1991. None of the gas was ever acquired by Yun or shipped to Iran." (Miami Herald; 30Apr09; Jay Weaver) http://www.miamiherald.com/news/breaking-news/story/1024795.html
Al Qaeda 'enemy combatant' pleads guilty [Ali al-Marri, Peoria, IL]
"Ali al-Marri pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to provide material support to al Qaeda under an agreement with prosecutors that calls for a maximum prison sentence of 15 years. A sentencing hearing in U.S. District Court in Peoria, Ill., is scheduled for July 30 [2009]. Al-Marri had been held in isolation for nearly six years without charges at a Navy brig in South Carolina before the Obama administration brought criminal charges against him in February. [...] 'Ali al-Marri was an al-Qaeda 'sleeper' operative working on U.S. soil and directed by the chief planner of the 9-11 attacks. Al-Marri researched the use of chemical weapons, potential targets and maximum casualties,' said Arthur M. Cummings II, executive assistant director of the FBI's national security branch." (Washington Times; 01May09; Ben Conery) http://washingtontimes.com/news/2009/may/01/al-qaeda-enemy-combatant-detained-in-us-pleads-gui/
Company pumps out masks amid flu scare
"Concerns over swine flu are keeping Adex Medical in Riverside busy 24 hours a day, producing the surgical-style masks now in high demand by agencies in the U.S. and Mexico. Adex CEO Michael Ghafouri said Thursday his company has churned out between 30 million and 40 million of the masks during the past week [...] he's only seen similar demand twice in the 25 years his company has been in business. The last was the SARS avian-flu outbreak of 2006 and, before that, the anthrax scare that followed the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11." (Press Enterprise; 30Apr09; Lou Hirsh) http://www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stories/PE_News_Local_S_swinemask01.442b508.html
Pakistan eases fears by sharing nuclear secrets
"Senior civil and military officials are sharing tightly-held information about the country's nuclear arms programme with Western countries in an effort to allay fears about the security of weapons in the face of a Taliban advance, a Financial Times (FT) report said on Thursday. [...] A senior Western envoy in Islamabad said diplomats had been assured about the security in place for the weapons systems and also their distance from Taliban-held territory. The FT report said the Pakistani officials presented this as an action to satisfy the West that its weapons would not fall into Taliban hands. 'We have renewed our pledge to keep our nuclear weapons safe,' said an official. [...] The Pakistan Army said this week it had halted the latest Taliban incursion in Buner district of Malakand division, 100km north-west of Islamabad, after two days of fighting."
(Daily Times; 01May09; Source: Financial Times)
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2009\05\01\story_1-5-2009_pg1_13
Preventing nuclear terrorism: a global intelligence imperative "
As Mohamed El Baradei's term as head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) draws to a close, the organization is struggling to choose a new leader. After deadlocking on an initial vote in March, a new round of nominations closed on April 27, with the next vote scheduled in the coming months. While the IAEA sorts out changes at the top, the United States should try to expand the agency's mandate and responsibilities. One such change would be the establishment of a full-fledged intelligence office [...] The biggest obstacle to multilateral intelligence cooperation is leadership and finding the courage to work together. Groupthink and risk aversion must be overcome in the name of urgency. The IAEA must garner the support of member states, their resources, methodologies, and most of all, their information." (Washington Institute for Near East Policy; 30Apr09; Rolf Mowatt-Larssen)
http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/templateC05.php?CID=3048
Attorney tries to throw out puffer fish toxin indictment [of Edward Bachner, Lake in the Hills, Illinois]
"The Lake in the Hills man charged with possessing the deadly puffer fish poison is asking a federal court to dismiss the indictment against him, claiming the toxin cannot be weaponized and he had the right to have it. The claims are among a flurry of motions filed Tuesday by the defense for Edward F. Bachner, who faces up to life in prison if found guilty of a 10-count indictment alleging he intended to use the lethal tetrodotoxin (TTX) as a weapon. [...] Federal authorities arrested Bachner after the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force raided his home and said they found 45 full or partially full vials of tetrodotoxin, along with evidence Bachner had obtained at least 19 more vials that were missing." (Daily Herald; 29Apr09; Charles Keeshan)
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=290044
Training gets team ready for ricin [Las Vegas, Nevada]
"When a biochemist intent on suicide injected himself with the deadly poison ricin in 2003, Las Vegas authorities were unprepared and ill-equipped to handle it. Police officers at the scene handled the liquid toxin and its main ingredient, castor beans, without any protective equipment as they packaged them to send to the hospital for testing. Some officers went home without any decontamination. The victim, Tomoo Okada, was taken to Valley Hospital with the ricin, and the ambulance that took him dropped him off and went back to answering calls without being decontaminated. [...] But five years later when a second ricin incident grabbed headlines in Las Vegas, the team responded and identified the poison within 23 minutes thanks to an array of sophisticated testing equipment. The team's handling of that incident at an Extended Stay America hotel in February 2008 made it a model for future training courses." (Las Vegas Review-Journal; 28Apr09; Brian Haynes) http://www.lvrj.com/news/43867622.html
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.
Navy Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a sailor who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Petty Officer 2nd Class Tyler J. Trahan, 22, of East Freetown, Mass., died on April 30 while conducting combat operations in Fallujah, Iraq. Trahan was assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit Twelve in Norfolk, Va., and was deployed with an East Coast based Navy SEAL team.
For further information related to this release, contact Naval Special Warfare Group Two Public Affairs at (757) 462-2282.
Petty Officer 2nd Class Tyler J. Trahan, 22, of East Freetown, Mass., died on April 30 while conducting combat operations in Fallujah, Iraq. Trahan was assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit Twelve in Norfolk, Va., and was deployed with an East Coast based Navy SEAL team.
For further information related to this release, contact Naval Special Warfare Group Two Public Affairs at (757) 462-2282.
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