TAKING CHARGE — U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, 1st Armored Division commander, addresses his staff as a group for the last time on June 9, at Baghdad International Airport, before taking over the top U.S military position in Iraq as the V Corps Commander. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Shama Parker.
NATO Ministers Okay Sweeping Command Changes
By Jim Garamone - American Forces Press Service
BRUSSELS, Belgium, June 12, 2003 – NATO defense ministers approved the most extensive command structure revision in the history of the alliance today.
Under the plan, the number of NATO headquarters will drop from 20 to 11 and will place the alliance firmly on the road to counter the threats of the 21st century, NATO officials said.
U.S. officials are pleased with the changes. A senior defense official speaking on background said this will leave NATO forces better organized to conduct joint combined operations. There will be two new strategic commands: Allied Command-Europe will become Allied Command- Operations; Allied Command-Atlantic changes to Allied Command-Transformation.
U.S. Navy Adm. Edmund P. Giambastiani Jr. has been nominated as the Supreme Allied Commander-Transformation, which will be headquartered in Norfolk, Va. U.S. Marine Corps Gen. James Jones will remain Supreme Allied Commander-Europe; his headquarters will remain the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, but his NATO command will be Allied Command-Operations. Jones' geographic area of operations will also expand.
Below the supreme allied command level will be three joint force commands: Naples, Italy; Brunssum, the Netherlands; and Lisbon, Portugal.
Under the Brunssum headquarters will be three component commanders: the Component Commander-Air will be at Ramstein; CC-Maritime at Northwood, England; and CC-Land at Heidelberg, Germany.
Under the Naples command, the CC-Air will be in Izmir, Turkey; CC-Maritime in Naples; and CC-Land in Madrid, Spain. The Lisbon command will be primarily maritime and will add other components if needed.
Giambastiani also heads U.S. Joint Forces Command, also headquartered in Norfolk. That command leads the U.S. military's push toward transformation and officials expect a lot of synergy from the grouping of the NATO and U.S. commands.
Officials said Allied Command-Transformation will have a significant European footprint. NATO will establish a Joint Warfare Center in Stavanger, Norway. The alliance will also build a Joint Force Training Center in Bydgoscz, Poland. An element of the command will be located here as liaison to the Allied Command-Operations.
Officials said there are also prospects for countries to develop centers of excellence in areas such as maritime capabilities and chemical and biological warfare defense capabilities.
NATO officials said the change mirrors developments in the U.S. military.
U.S. officials said the changes finally configure NATO to fight the war on terror and not on its old nemesis, the Soviet Union.
The NATO command structure was originally set up to provide defense for Western Europe in the event of an attack by the Soviet Union. Heavy infantry and armor units were the formations of choice to counter a Soviet land attack. These formations were based near the area they were to defend.
The United States, for example, had 300,000 service members permanently based in Europe at the height of the Cold War. Yearly, the U.S. military practiced deploying heavy divisions from the United States to Europe.
This command structure was fine as long as there was one known enemy poised on the border of Western Europe, officials said.
But times changed. The Soviet Union imploded and the Warsaw Pact broke up. "The NATO command arrangement survived longer than the Soviet Union," quipped one NATO official.
The emphasis is now on creating lethal and highly deployable forces that can be sustained in remote areas. During the Warsaw NATO meeting in 2001, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld proposed creating a NATO Reaction Force. NATO leaders officially adopted the idea at the Prague Summit in November 2002.
Deployability will challenge the NATO members. Allies must invest in strategic and tactical airlift capabilities, said U.S. officials. Fast-sealift capabilities must also be developed and acquired. American officials said they have seen encouraging signs that the NATO allies are investing in these capabilities.
Allies will not need the mass armies of the past, and personnel are expensive. U.S. officials said the allies can finance many needed capabilities enhancements by shifting funds from personnel costs.
Spain Pledges Troops to Polish Division
By Jim Garamone American Forces Press Service
BRUSSELS, Belgium, June 12, 2003 – Spain today pledged 1,100 troops to the Polish-led division that will become part of the coalition force in Iraq.
At the NATO defense ministerial, Spanish Defense Minister Federico Trillo-Figueroa y Martínez-Conde confirmed his country would provide the military aid.
NATO has already agreed to help Poland with the force. The alliance will not have any permanent presence in Iraq, but will aid Poland in supporting roles. These include help with force generation, communications, logistics and movements, said NATO officials.
Poland volunteered to form the division. A Polish brigade will be the nucleus for the division, which could ultimately number between 7,000 and 9,000 soldiers, according to Polish officials.
Ukraine has also volunteered to contribute 1,700 troops, and Hungary will provide 500, along with 800 from Honduras and El Salvador. Several other countries have also volunteered smaller numbers.
Force-generation conferences will occur over the next few weeks to figure out in what particular areas that NATO will be able to support the Poles, officials said.
U.S. officials are pleased both with Poland's decision to form the division and with NATO's offer of support.
"We are enthusiastic about NATO's decision to help the Poles," said a senior DoD official speaking on background. "It's a big step for NATO. It's a strong commitment to a new ally who is stepping up to very important responsibilities and it will be viewed as very helpful to the coalition. It's a winner all around as far as we're concerned."
Poland joined NATO in 1999. Its troops have supported operations in the Balkans and in Afghanistan, providing important support in the war against global terrorism.
NATO officials said they will study the Polish deployment experience in Iraq carefully with an eye toward what lessons it would have for the NATO Reaction Force.
The reaction force will ultimately consist of 20,000 service members from NATO countries. It will be able to deploy out of the European area in days rather than months, it will be light and lethal, and NATO will be able to sustain the force in place for up to a year.
NATO defense ministers approved a concept of operations for the NATO Response Force during the defense planning committee meeting today. A senior defense official said there is strong enthusiasm for the force, which has translated into its accelerated development. He said plans now call for an early capability by this fall and initial operational capability in fall 2004.
The NATO Reaction Force will also be a focal point for another important NATO initiative to develop new capabilities for the alliance. The official said the capabilities needed to create the reaction force represent the high-priority capabilities that nations need to invest in. He pointed specifically to strategic airlift and sealift as particularly important aspects.
NATO also must invest in secure communications technologies and precision-guided weapons.
U.S. Iraq Operation Snags Pro-Saddam Suspects, Weapons, Ammo
By Gerry J. Gilmore - American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, June 12, 2003 – Operation Peninsula Strike, a U.S. military effort to eliminate Saddam-regime loyalists remaining in Iraq, has "bagged" nearly 400 suspects, according to U.S. Central Command press releases.
The operation began June 9, according to Central Command, when Task Force Ironhorse soldiers conducted a series of raids to eliminate Baath Party regime loyalists, paramilitary groups – such as Fedayeen Saddam – and other pro-Saddam groups.
By the second day, Operation Peninsula Strike had rounded up 397 suspects, according to Central Command, and had collected "numerous" weapons and ammunition.
By June 12, 59 of the 397 detainees had been released, having been deemed as too young or old or having little value for obtaining intelligence, according to the command.
The raids were mounted against subversive elements located on a peninsula along the Tigris River, northeast of Balad, Iraq.
The U.S. Army's 4th Infantry Division is leading the strike force, which is comprised of Army infantry, armor, artillery, aviation and engineer elements, and U.S. Air Force aircraft and personnel, according to CENTCOM.
In related news, two more Saddam supporters on Central Command's "Iraqi Top 55" officials' list are in coalition custody, according to Central Command. They are:
Latif Nusayyif al-Jasim al Dulaymi, No. 18 on the Top 55 list. He's a former member of the deposed regime's Revolutionary Command Council, a Central Baath Party member and Deputy Secretary of the Baath Military Bureau.
Brig. Gen. Husayn al-Awadi, the former Baath Party Regional Chair, Ninawa Governorate, and Chemical Corps officer. He is No. 53 on the "Top 55" list. U.S. Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld has noted in recent days that pro- Saddam paramilitary units such as Fedayeen Saddam, Baathists and other subversive groups remaining in Iraq are responsible for a recent spate of sometimes fatal attacks on U.S. troops serving in Iraq.
Those groups, Rumsfeld pointed out June 10 at Fort Sao Juliao, Portugal, while on a four-day European trip, "are the ones that are periodically attacking coalition forces, sometimes successfully."
However, "the United States is adding forces in Iraq," Rumsfeld said in Portugal, while "altering the mix of our forces so that their increased presence will be seen and felt in the country."
The defense secretary also noted that discussions are now ongoing with 41 countries for more Iraq peacekeeping assistance. And "additional countries are already putting forces into Iraq," he said.
Attacks on U.S. troops in Iraq won't cease within the next two or three months, Rumsfeld pointed out, noting "it will take time to root out the remnants of the Saddam Hussein regime."
However, "we intend to do it," Rumsfeld told reporters.
CENTCOM
COALITION AND IRAQI POLICE WORK TO MAKE IRAQ SECURE (June 12, 2003)
CAMP DOHA, Kuwait -- Coalition Forces continue to aggressively patrol Iraq to eliminate crimes against people and property, rid populated areas of weapons, ammunition and explosives, and stop the black market trade in fuel and other commodities. Coalition Forces also continue to conduct joint security patrols with Iraqi police to increase the professionalism of the police force and prepare them for their role in a self-governed Iraq.
Coalition Continues to Seek and Destroy Subversive Elements
A Coalition raid was conducted 150 kilometers Northwest of Baghdad Wednesday as part of the continued effort to eradicate Ba' ath Party loyalists, paramilitary groups and other subversive elements.
The assault on the terrorist training camp began at approximately 1:45 a.m. (Baghdad time) with a coordinated air strike. A direct firefight ensued with ground forces early this morning. Ground forces included members of the 101st Airborne Division.
One Coalition soldier received minor wounds.
Any information or intelligence gathered at the site of the raid by specially trained soldiers would assist coalition forces in providing a safe and secure environment for the Iraqi people.
Task Force "Ironhorse" Continues Operation Peninsula Strike
A joint, combined arms task force led by the 4th Infantry Division began Operation Peninsula Strike Monday by conducting a series of raids to eradicate Ba'ath Party loyalists, paramilitary groups and other subversive elements located on a peninsula along the Tigris River, Northeast of Balad, Iraq.
Fifty-nine of the 397 detainees have been released because of age (young or elderly) or were of no intelligence value.
Any information or intelligence gathered at the site of the raid by specially trained soldiers would assist coalition forces in providing a safe and secure environment for the Iraqi people.
Weapons Turn-In Program:
Iraqi citizens voluntarily turned in a variety of weapons under the Weapons Turn-In Program, which began June 1. As of today, Iraqi citizens have delivered to weapons collection points a total of 113 pistols, 75 semi-automatic rifles or shotguns, 386 automatic rifles, 40 machine guns, 130 anti-tank weapons (i.e., rocket-propelled grenade launchers), 10 anti-air weapons, and 249 grenades and other explosive devices.
The amnesty period for the Weapons Turn-In Program will run through June 14.
Public Notice Regarding Public Incitement to Violence and Disorder:
Office of the Administrator of the Coalition Provision Authority advises all citizens, residents of, and visitors to Iraq of the following security measure(s). Any person making a prohibited pronouncement in a public place, distributing or attempting to distribute any prohibited material in whatever form, will be subject to immediate detention by Coalition security forces and held as a security internee under the fourth Geneva convention of 1949.
Examples of prohibited pronouncements and material are provided as follows:
- Material that incites violence against any individual or group, including racial, ethnic or religious groups and women.
- Incites civil disorder, rioting or damage to property. - Incites violence against Coalition forces.
- Advocates alterations to Iraq's borders through violent means.
- Advocates the return to power of the Iraqi Ba'ath Party or make statements that purport to be on behalf of the Iraqi Ba'ath Party.
The notice clarifies that it is not designed to exclude or inhibit legitimate debate and criticism, or to stifle political expression. Prohibited pronouncements and materials are limited to those that incite violence or destabilization of the sensitive environment that currently exists in Iraq.
Coalition Activity:
Marines in An Najaf detained 10 individuals from Fallujah at a vehicle checkpoint after receiving information about their plans for possible attacks against Coalition Forces. The suspects were detained for questioning, as they matched the description provided by informants. Locals confirmed their identities.
Coalition efforts to improve local policing remain effective. Al Kut police detained 4 individuals for possession of a stolen bus and truck. After a search of their home, the police confiscated 100 rockets and propellant mechanisms, a cache of RPGs, an AK-47, a 60 mm mortar, 4 new desktop computers, and a stolen air conditioning unit.
The An Najaf police academy held a graduation ceremony in which 88 candidates graduated to assist in law enforcement operations.
In Al Basrah, British forces conducted a raid to disrupt possible criminal elements in a village. They detained five individuals, and seized eight RPG’s and 29 warheads, six assault rifles, one machine gun and 20,000 rounds of mixed ammunition, two computers, and a possible stolen bed vehicle with dodgy paper work.
1st Armored Cavalry Regiment conducted a raid on a suspected Ba’ath Party meeting and detained three personnel.
101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) arrested and turned over to local authorities three Iraqi men after they shot and killed a fellow Iraqi in Mosul. Five AK47 assault rifles and 23 magazines, three long rifles, a 30 cal machine gun, assorted ammunition and 77,050 Dinar were confiscated.
Local citizens in Mosul led an Army patrol to an ammunition cache that contained 160 mortar rounds and 500 anti-aircraft artillery rounds.
Conducted a raid on a house in Mosul to locate possible bomb-making material. After a cordon of the area, a laptop computer containing bomb-making instructions was confiscated, along with other documentation.
Conducted a raid on a suspected arms market in Baghdad, but found a stolen car market instead. Twelve personnel were also detained for questioning, and the raid netted nine stolen cars, $3,300 dollars, 26 million Dinar, 30 license plates, and a pistol.
3rd MP Company came across looters during a routine patrol in Al Fallujah. Five looters were detained and two stolen vehicles were recovered.
3rd MP delivered two vehicles to the Habbiniyah and Khalidyah mayors for transfer to their police forces. The first IPF uniform was completed for the police chief yesterday and the first roll call formation was conducted with 292 police officers present.
Police Activity in the Last 24 Hours:
Coalition Forces conducted eight raids and a total of 2,176 patrols throughout Iraq. Of those patrols, they conducted 264 joint Iraqi and Coalition patrols. They also detained or arrested 273 individuals for a variety of criminal activities including looting, curfew violations, weapons violations, theft, larceny and dealing drugs.
Recent Police Activity:
The Al Kut police detained four individuals for possession of a stolen bus and truck. After a search of their home, the police confiscated 100 rockets and propellant mechanisms, a cache of RPGs, an AK-47, a 60 mm mortar, four new desktop computers, and a stolen air conditioner. Clearly our police force is increasingly effective.
Unknown assailants in Northwest Baghdad shot at two Iraqi police officers, killing one. One of the officers returned fire as the suspects fled. The officer did not die at the scene of the crime, but at a hospital as a result of his wounds.
A joint patrol in West Baghdad served an arrest warrant to a suspect for a stabbing and robbery incident. The suspect was taken under custody without incident to the New Baghdad Police Station.
APACHE DOWN IN IRAQ
CAMP DOHA, Kuwait -- One AH-64 Apache was apparently shot down by hostile fire today in Western Iraq. Coalition ground forces were able to recover the uninjured two-member crew almost immediately and secure the crash site.
Two additional Apache helicopters assisted in engaging irregular forces in the vicinity of the downed aircraft.
All helicopters involved belong to the 101st Airborne Division.
F-16 CRASHES OVER IRAQ; PILOT SUCCESSFULLY RESCUED
DEPLOYED AIR BASE NEAR IRAQ — A U.S. Air Force F-16CG fighter aircraft crashed at approximately 6:30 a.m. local time today southwest of Baghdad. The aircraft was flying from a forward-deployed air base in Southwest Asia supporting operations in Iraq.
The pilot ejected safely from the single-seat aircraft and was rescued at approximately 7:30 a.m. He was transported to the nearest facility for medical care.
The cause of the incident is unknown at this time and will be investigated.
COALITION EFFORTS AID IRAQ’S RECOVERY (June 12, 2003)
CAMP DOHA, Kuwait – Coalition Forces continue to assist in developing a safer and more secure environment in Iraq through the following activities.
NORTHERN AND CENTRAL IRAQ
Coalition Forces recently:
• Delivered 20 tons of propane (3d Infantry Division) Wednesday in Baghdad.
• Reported the court system is functioning in Baghdad.
• Reported a World Food Program convoy of 222 trucks arrived from Jordan with food for delivery to Baghdad, Babil, and Wasit.
• Made final arrangements for the shipment of 4,000 soccer balls from Karachi, Pakistan. The shipment will fly to Kuwait (via Kuwait Air) but will require military ground transport from Kuwait to Baghdad. Nike has donated 4 x 40’ mil vans as part of the international effort to support youth sports within Iraq. The OCPA Youth Ministry has developed a distribution plan for the soccer balls.
• Met with the Mosul City Council Executive Steering Committee (UN, OCPA, Mosul Vice Mayor) to synchronize the Mosul rebuilding effort, and coordinated discussions among attendees and the “big eight” city service providers of public works, health, education, safety, transportation, fuel, food and agriculture and municipality). • Assessed water lift stations in Al Fallujah in order to monitor progress in water distribution.
• Conducted school assessments, and trash pick-up missions in Al Fallujah as part of a "Task Force Neighborhood" mission.
• Coordinated with the Ar Ramadi hospital administrator to re-establish regular medical supply channel shipments to the local warehouse, and completed an assessment of on-hand supplies. Delivered medical supplies to the Fallujah Hospital, and continued to work through medical channels to provide supplies as needed.
• Received 159 benzene and 58 propane trucks from Turkey this morning. Reported 51 of 97 trucks entering Iraq from Syria as carrying humanitarian assistance supplies.
• Received $20 million to support payments for wheat harvest in Northern Iraq. Additionally, received $200,000 for the silos in four Northern Governates.
• Turned over a Habitat for Humanity model house to contractors in Mosul, and reported "Task Force Graffiti" removed more than 60 Ba’ath Party symbols from various buildings.
• World Food Program Director is prepared to support the Coalition plan to support food distribution efforts.
• Attended the Mosul City Council meeting today and discussed a variety of issues with the city’s leaders. Met with the Preventive Medicine Department of Mosul to create a vaccination plan for the city.
SOUTHERN IRAQ
• Army military police performed CPR on an injured Iraqi driver in Al Hillah until an ambulance arrived to take the driver to a hospital in Baghdad.
• Identified an interim city council in As Samawah that consists of 12 highly respected citizens, a widely popular city manager, and an interim governor. The courts continue to function and more than 300 workers opened the As Samawah Cement Factory for business.
• Pro-Coalition sentiment is high as essential services such as electricity and water improve beyond pre-war conditions in As Samawah.
• GOAL (non-governmental aid organization) completed the extension of a 106 mm water-pipe to an apartment complex in As Samawah. Water-pipe is an extension from a municipal water facility.
• Reported the retirement office in An Najaf paid $40 stipend payments to 2,100 pensioners.
• Reported a convoy of 19 benzene gasoline trucks downloaded a 5-day supply of fuel for the city of Karbala.
• Assisted the Karbala electricity manager to develop a plan to distribute electricity to industrial sites, while maintaining a reasonable level of service to residential customers.
• Met with the International Development and Relief Board to discuss the possibility of providing training to Iraqi doctors in modern medical and surgical techniques and providing medical equipment.
• Reported that temporary blackouts are expected for several hours as final repairs to the 400- Kilovolt power line between Al Kut and An Nasiriyah are completed. Otherwise, power in An Nasiriyah remains consistent with 23 hours of service each day.