Posted on 03/03/2006 4:06:36 PM PST by Gucho
BUMP to this thread and a peaceful weekend.
By Samantha L. Quigley - American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, March 2, 2006 – Decisions made by a capable Iraqi government and executed by capable Iraqi security forces have limited damage and saved lives during recent violence, a Multinational Force Iraq spokesman in Baghdad said today.
"The Iraqi government, at the point of crisis, decided to impose certain emergency measures," Army Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch told reporters during a news conference. "They relied on the Iraqi security forces to implement those measures."
To date, beginning with the Feb. 22 bombing of the Golden Mosque in Samarra, there have been 33 attacks on mosques across Iraq, Lynch said. The attacks destroyed a second mosque and caused significant damage to seven others.
In response to the Shiite-vs.-Sunni sectarian violence, which has resulted in the confirmed deaths of 319 civilians and 21 mostly peaceful protests, the Iraqi government put its security forces on full alert. It also relied on curfews and a vehicle ban in Baghdad, measures that worked to dampen violence during last year's constitutional referendum and elections, to keep violence from escalating out of control, Lynch said.
Civilian murders increased after the officials lifted the curfews and vehicle ban, Lynch said, because the enemy also used the down time to prepare for surge operations. However, the general added, the measures probably saved many lives.
"Over the last three days, just inside Baghdad, we've seen seven (vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices), one suicide attack and one IED," he said. Seventy-one civilians were killed in those attacks and 62 were injured.
Lynch said despite the increased attack level, "it could have been much, much worse."
Ongoing joint operations in Anbar province are focused on disrupting the insurgency and defeating Jordanian terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's network, which is orchestrating these attacks to incite sectarian violence, Lynch said.
The operation is continuing with good effects, he said. For example, one 30 miles northeast of Fallujah on Feb. 27 uncovered an al Qaeda facility used for training and bomb making.
"Detailed planning and execution led to the apprehension of 61 members of the Zarqawi network in Iraq, to include some of his critical facilitators," Lynch said. "Inside this facility was clearly indications of bomb making (and) munitions. Many weapons were confiscated."
However, Lynch said, operations in Anbar, Iraq's largest province, also must "work to meet the needs of the people in that province. We've seen great outreach from the national government to the provincial government in al Anbar."
Improving security is a main issue, he said. Officials have decided that Anbar, by the end of the year, should have an 11,330-person strong police force representative of the province. The current police force totals 3,300, Lynch said.
"There's going to be an active recruiting ... and training program to outfit the al Anbar police with folks from al Anbar," he said, adding that two Iraqi army divisions are in the province as well.
Lynch said the people of the province as well as the national government want residents to fill the ranks to bring those divisions up to their desired end-strength.
Anbar's governor and its council also have submitted a list of reconstruction projects they want completed. The Iraqi prime minister has dedicated $75 million to these projects.
"So we're seeing progress in al Anbar, not just along on the security line," but also on the governance line and the economic line,' Lynch said.
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U.S. Army Spc. Miguel Contreras provides security while on a dismounted patrol in Kirkuk, Iraq, Feb. 28, 2006. Contreras is assigned to Headquarters Platoon, Bravo Company, 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Russell Lee Klika)
Fri Mar 3, 2006
NATO Secretary General, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, right, shakes hands with Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg during his visit in Oslo Friday March 3, 2006. De Hoop Scheffer on Friday said alliance stabilization efforts stand firm in Afghanistan despite increasing violence. (AP Photo/ Knut Falch, Scanpix)
U.S. Army 10th Mountain Division hands over operations to 3rd Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division.
Iraqi army soldiers from 3rd Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, stand tall during a transfer of authority ceremony March 2, 2006 at Forward Operating Base Constitution. The Iraqi army brigade assumes the security responsibilities from U.S. Army 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Jason Thompson)
By U.S. Army Pfc. Jason Jordan - 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mtn. Div.
CAMP LIBERTY, Iraq, March 3, 2006 — “We are comrades. The Iraqi army and the American forces are brothers. We bleed together. We shed tears over the same fallen comrades,” said Brig. Gen. Aziz Noor, commander, 3rd Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division.
These words rang clear to all those present as soldiers of 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, handed over operations to 3rd Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, during a transfer of authority ceremony March 2, 2006 at Forward Operating Base Constitution.
It was a historical day for both the Iraqi army and the Coalition Forces. The transfer of operations was one of the largest and most prominent since the training of Iraqi forces began.
“The American forces are giving freedom back to the people of Iraq, just as they did in Japan, Germany and Korea,” said Brig. Gen. Aziz, 3-6 Iraqi Army. “We are receiving this area of responsibility and the job to protect it. God willing, we will be able to do so.”
More than 1,500 members of the Iraqi army stood proudly in formation as the ceremony took place.
The Iraqi army took over operations of western Baghdad and eastern Abu Ghraib.
“Today marks a great day for the people of Baghdad and the country of Iraq, as we celebrate the accomplishments of this brigade,” said Col. Jeffrey Snow, commander, 1st BCT, 10th Mtn. Div. “Never have I seen a group of soldiers learn so quickly and advance so efficiently.”
The two brigades have been working alongside each other for several months in training and combat operations – ridding the area of insurgents and winning the hearts of the Iraqi people.
“Soldiers of the 1-10 Mtn. Div., and the 3-6 Iraqi army – are truly brothers in arms,” said Snow. “We both sacrifice for life, liberty and the belief that all people – no matter their tribe, religion or background – can live together as one.”
The Iraqi soldiers’ success has been aided by the support of tribal leaders, police, counsel members and the local citizens.
Local council members commented that progress has been made despite resistance, and that it will continue to improve.
“Progress for the area has been hindered because the insurgents bomb our contractors and kill the innocent civilians,” said Mr. Hamed, a chairman for the Kadha council of Abu Ghraib. “Still, we have completed more than eighty percent of what we have been tasked to do, including water treatment for the people.”
Iraqi army soldiers with flags stand tall during a transfer of authority ceremony March 2 at Forward Operating Base Constitution. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Jason Thompson)
Change in this landscape and infrastructure has been difficult and expensive for the soldiers.
“The price of freedom will always be paid through the blood and hard-work of the Iraqi soldiers and police force,” said Snow. “Without your efforts, there is no future for this great land.”
The Iraqi soldiers were clearly excited as the day progressed, and displayed their enthusiasm to continue the fight.
“It is a great day and a great thing to be taking over these operations, and we gladly assume the responsibilities before us,” said Aziz. “We were able to secure the Abu Ghraib area, and we will work together with the citizens to bring more security to the area and rid it of terrorists.”
Coalition Forces will continue to transfer security responsibilities to the Iraqi army.
“The Iraqi army has gained the trust and support of the local citizens, who are the ultimate source of strength for Iraq’s future,” said Snow.
“The Iraqi army is here for all people, and just as the army must be as one force in order to be effective, so must the people they serve,” he said.
“This is your army and they represent all Iraqis in words and deed,” Snow said. “Follow its example, and this country will never fail, nor tire – and Iraq will once again take its place as the center of knowledge and culture in the Middle East.”
By Robby Kennedy
FORT LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (March 3, 2006) – The Combined Arms Center hosted experts from the CIA, State Department and academia last week during a two-day workshop aimed at providing input to authors rewriting the Counterinsurgency, or COIN, Field Manual, FM 3-24.
The intelligence analysts and experts gathered Feb. 23 and 24 at the 35th Infantry Division headquarters on Fort Leavenworth to work at solving what many of them consider an urgent and acute problem facing the U.S. military today: how to respond to an insurgency.
The new COIN FM will contain chapters dealing with operations and operations design, intelligence, indigenous forces, leadership and ethics, logistics and more, said Lt. Col. Jan Horvath, one of the authors of FM 3-24.
Outside experts review draft
“We established that we wanted to do a workshop to bring in some of the best and brightest minds to get input,” said Horvath.
“We tried to write something and get a very accomplished group of people to look at that and tell us what they think of it early on so we can make significant adjustments where they are needed, or adjust and put in nuances,” Horvath said.
An interim COIN manual was penned and distributed to the invitees before their arrival at Fort Leavenworth to give them a chance to consider the suggested doctrine and add their own expertise to the dialogue. Horvath said the participants were invited from widely divergent backgrounds to bring contrasting perspectives, and consequently, impassioned debate.
“We pick up a lot of diverse and differing opinions … sometimes you have two opposing viewpoints,” Horvath said. “There is passion because there is disagreement – that’s why we brought them here, to get a different viewpoint to find out what we’ve missed or what we didn¹t consider. It may not change what we write, but it may.”
FM author: Debate fosters solutions
During the workshop, participants and authors debated or augmented existing ideas, brainstormed new solutions and otherwise expanded the COIN dialogue with the goal of improving the final product to the benefit of Soldiers and commanders in the field, Horvath said.
“What should we cull from what we have? Can we make it better, or should we move one out and put another one in?” Horvath said. “That’s what all the authors are doing with their discussants, as well as other people throughout the seminar.”
With the U.S. military heavily engaged in counterinsurgency operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, the need for effective guidance is both vital and pressing, Horvath said.
“We’ve committed so much treasure in blood and people to Iraq and Afghanistan, but overall within the Global War on Terrorism – this is a key manual within our efforts while we are at war,” Horvath said.
120 insurgencies worldwide
Horvath and the other FM 3-24 authors are trying to keep the scope of their manual broad so it will continue to have utility beyond current situations.
“There are more than 120 extended insurgencies around the world; that’s a lot of instability,” he said. “Iraq is one insurgency – it’s just one area. We’re going to be involved in insurgencies in other places, so this manual, we don¹t want it to be too Iraq-centric.”
While the COIN FM workshop concluded Feb. 24, the authors will continue to receive guidance and written input from discussants through the mail, Horvath said. The final product is expected to be finished by early summer and should provide immediate guidance for commanders in the field.
“It should provide them (commanders) a framework for thinking … explaining what is an insurgency, what will it look like, what should you expect, in what type of environments will it thrive, how does it develop, how can we contribute to it inadvertently, what is our methodology and what is our way of thinking and assessing, what stage is it, how violent, how widespread in the public, how much support does it have? All those factors impact what method or actions we take,” Horvath said.
Manual will look back at Vietnam
In addition, the manual will incorporate lessons learned from Vietnam and other past insurgencies.
“I think of Vietnam as the gold standard of insurgencies,” Horvath said. “It was very well developed and we never collected any of those lessons. We wanted to capture those and look at other insurgencies … and I think we’re doing that right now.”
As for the success of the workshop, Horvath was enthusiastic.
“I think we had the right people here. We’ve had some tremendous discussion … we wanted to know what we¹re doing well but also what we’ve missed on, what we need to reshape or refocus, and I think we’ve gotten a lot of that,” he said. “It’s been a grand slam.”
(Robby Kennedy serves as a staff writer for the Fort Leavenworth Lamp newspaper.)
American Forces Press Service
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, March 3, 2006 – Five coalition servicemembers were injured today in a suspected improvised explosive device attack east of here.
Officials did not release the nationalities of the servicemembers. The troops, assigned to the coalition's Multinational Brigade South, were traveling in an armored vehicle to the Kandahar Provincial Reconstruction Team site at about 10:30 a.m. when the attack occurred.
They all received on-scene medical care and were evacuated to the military hospital at Kandahar Airfield for further treatment. One servicemember was listed in serious but stable condition. Information on the condition of the other four servicemembers was not available.
A reaction force from Kandahar Airfield, joined by Afghan National Army soldiers, secured the site.
The attack will not deter Afghan and coalition forces from combat patrols and reconstruction efforts to set the conditions for a stable, democratic society, U.S. Army Col. Jim Yonts, a coalition spokesman, said. "We're working with our international partners to remove the causes that enabled terrorism to take root in Afghanistan," he said. "Events such as these only solidify our resolve to eradicate terrorism now."
(From a Combined Forces Command Afghanistan news release.)
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March 03, 2006
KIRKUK, Iraq -- Bastogne Soldiers from the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, working with police in Kirkuk, Iraq, detained 28 insurgents during cordon and search missions this past week, thanks in part to a new method of processing information.
"Within 48 to 72 hours of receiving intelligence information, we detain the insurgent," confirmed Sgt. 1st Class Lawson Adkins, a native of Virginia Beach, VA., and the non-commissioned officer in charge of the intelligence shop for the 1st Brigade Combat Team’s 2nd Battalion. "The goal is to take action while the information is still current."
Though every search might not turn out according to plan, the majority of missions are successful, even in areas outside of Kirkuk.
In a recent mission, Soldiers from Company D, 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, conducted a combined search with Iraqi Police during which they detained nine suspected terrorists. One of those detained is known to be involved in attacks against Iraqi Security Forces working in and around Kirkuk. Another of the detainees, a security guard employed by the Northern Oil Company, is linked to attacks against Coalition Forces and is known to transport Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) and weapons to and from the nearby village of Hawijah. Hawijah has been a hotbed of insurgent activity ever since the Bastogne Brigade arrived in Iraq last November.
In another cordon and search, Soldiers from Company C, 2nd Battalion detained one terrorist and confiscated material from the IED assembly workshop set up in his home. Three days later, after receiving another intelligence report of activity in the area, Bastogne Soldiers returned to the same residence to find that yet another suspect had reopened the IED workshop with twice as many materials. Bastogne Soldiers detained this terrorist and again confiscated all the IED material in the home.
The combined efforts of U.S. Soldiers and Iraqi Police Officers in the Kirkuk region continue to pay big dividends. In addition to the 28 captured terrorists, the discovery of the workshop filled with IED materials, weapons and fake documentation, Soldiers have collected information on a number of insurgent cells (groups) working in the area.
"Most of the detainees are leading to more suspects," Adkins commented. "Hopefully we will see a drop in their activity and reduce the current threat in Kirkuk."
By 1st Brigade Combat Team - Public Affairs Office - 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault)
ADDITIONAL PHOTO:
SSG RODNEY SUTTON OF 3RD PLATOON CHARLIE COMPANY,2ND BATTALION,327TH INFANTRY REGIMENT, 1ST BRIGADE COMBAT TEAM,101ST AIRBORNE DIVISION CLIMBS OVER A WALL AFTER CHECKING OUT A HOME THOUGHT TO BE USED BY INSURGENTS IN THE CITY KIRKUK IRAQ.
March 03, 2006
Forward Operating Bare Speicher, Tikri, Iraq -- Though they are separated by thousands of miles and have never met, Erik Smith, a concerned citizen out of Rolling Meadows, Ill., has changed the life of Sgt. 1st Class Darryl Leonard and all the Soldiers in 542nd Medical Company, deployed to Forward Operating Bare Speicher, near Tikrit, Iraq.
Smith and his sister, Heidi Milner, have taken it upon themselves to "adopt" the 542nd Medical Company through a program they started with Leonard called "Project Recreation."
The program has provided the Soldiers from the company with recreation outlets during their long deployment to Iraq, where they work providing helicopter medical evacuations to wounded Soldiers throughout northern Iraq.
"When we arrived here, there was no Morale, Welfare and Recreation facility," Leonard said in a building full of recreation and personal hygiene items. He was surrounded by a dart board, a handcrafted ping pong table, television, microwave, library, video collection, and shelves of board games and hygiene items. "This facility was a building that had nothing in it."
All of the items around Leonard were donated by people in Illinois through Project Recreation.
"Because of these items, the morale of the Soldiers has increased significantly," Leonard said. "They are more enthused, and you can see the difference in how they perform everyday."
Project Recreation was born Christmas Day through a simple Christmas card, and correspondence between Leonard and Smith. Smith had participated in something called Project Santa, a massive Christmas project in which Americans sent thousands of Christmas stockings to troops deployed to the Middle East. Leonard decided to pick up a stocking on Christmas morning, and in it found a Christmas card from Smith.
"I got his name and his e-mail address off his Christmas card," Leonard said. "I took it upon myself to e-mail him back, thanking him for the Christmas card."
The two continued corresponding and Smith asked what more he could do. Together, they came up with the idea of Project Recreation, a project which would provide recreation opportunities to Soldiers from the company year-round. Since, aside from a weight set, there weren’t any recreation items in the company area, Leonard compiled a list of items the Soldiers could use.
Specialist Ryan Young, a Soldier who works in the 542nd Medical Company motorpool, enjoys a game of catch on Forward Operating Base Speicher in Tikrit, Iraq, with balls and gloves donated by people from Illinois as part of Project Recreation.
Smith took the list to his local newspaper, the Peru News Tribune, and the project was underway. Soon, Leonard started receiving box upon box of donated recreation items. Leonard, the company motor pool sergeant, said he started making use of the donations when he and his Soldiers weren’t busy maintaining the company’s vehicles.
One day, he uncovered some concrete underneath an old building by the motorpool. Leonard and his Soldiers shoveled away all the sand on top and found the pad was big enough to become a basketball court. The only problem was they had no hoops. Soon after Smith’s article reached the paper, the company had three sets of rims, nets and backboards. Leonard and his Soldiers - Sgt. Joshua Solem, Spc. Andrew Tiede, Spc. Ryan Young, Spc. Joshua Kodya, and Pvt. Omar Firpi - installed all three on the pad and a basketball court grew out of the desert sand. Beside it, they moved some gravel and set up a volleyball net. The Soldiers even found a chair in the dump and made a stand for it, creating an umpire’s chair.
"Once the article hit the paper and it went to the town, it became very big," Leonard said.
In fact, he said it spread throughout the state of Illinois. Schools, churches and citizens sent both care packages and recreation items. Senator Gary Dahl and his wife Debbie even donated $500 to the project.
Leonard and his Soldiers said they have made use of all donated items. He appointed Staff Sgt. James White to run the MWR building -- a small wooden building located just off the flight line. It’s close enough to allow flight medics and pilots on stand-by to relax in between calls. The Soldiers built shelves to hold all the donated books, making a small library in the center. They did the same for a VCR and donated VHS tapes, creating a video library. A microwave was donated and placed in the center for Soldiers to heat up meals and snacks between calls.
The donations didn’t end there.
"Some of the items they have sent include numerous baseball gloves, balls and bats, a karaoke machine, karaoke CDs, rackets, softballs, whiffle balls, and they’re even sending a foosball table," Leonard said. "They’ve also sent food and many, many board games."
Besides the basketball and volleyball courts, Leonard and his Soldiers also constructed a horseshoe pit and he said plans are in the works to build a softball field this spring to make use of the donated gloves bats and balls.
Story and photos by Sgt. Ryan Matson - 101st Combat Aviation Brigade
ADDITIONAL PHOTO:
Sergeant 1st Class Darryl Leonard, a former drill sergeant and the Soldier in 542nd Medical Company who spearheaded Project Recreation, stands amidst boxes of games, books, sporting goods and other recreation supplies donated to the medical evacuation company deployed to Iraq from people in Illinois.
Story by Cpl. Mark Sixbey
CAMP MERCURY, Iraq (Feb. 23, 2006) -- Technology continues to make its way to the front lines, giving Marines new tools to counter improvised explosive devices, the biggest threat to Marine patrols in the area.
Marines with Company L, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, recently received the MARCbot IV, a remote-operated robot equipped with a video camera and control console with a 5-inch LCD screen that gives a continuous video feed from the extendable arm.
“It’s a good tool to have, considering the amount of IEDs in the area,” said Cpl. Chris Kozuch, an armorer with Headquarters and Support Platoon.
Nicknamed “Bigfoot” by Marine operators for its monster-truck appearance, the MARCbot IV operates much like any remote control car, said Cpl. Chris W. Sachs, a motor transport operator for Headquarters and Support Platoon.
“It drives exactly the same, it just has a camera added on,” said Sachs, a 22-year-old from Jefferson City, Mo.
“It’s a basic joystick layout, very easy to operate,” added Kozuch, 22, from Castle Rock, Colo.
Bigfoot’s relative long-distance range effectively puts a safety buffer between the Marine and any suspected roadside bomb, Kozuch said.
“Primarily, when we spot a potential IED, we send it out to investigate whether it’s an IED or trash,” Kozuch said.
Explosive ordnance disposal units have been equipped with similar units for some time, but equipping infantry companies with their own robots can save time while waiting for EOD to arrive on the scene, Sachs explained.
“We can assess the situation, and EOD doesn’t have to come out if we don’t need them,” he explained. “We see an IED … if it’s real, they can take care of it.”
The batteries aboard the mobile unit are good for a relatively short time in continuous use, but long enough to get up on the suspected bomb, Sachs said. It comes with LED, or light emitting diode, for night use, with two long protruding antennae, one for the video feed, one for controls. The camera swivels back and forth on command, allowing the operator to view from virtually any angle.
“You can look at pretty much anything you want, Kozuch said. “It can also handle rough terrain.”
Kozuch had first seen a MARCbot IV back in 2005, but never thought he’d ever get a chance to drive one. He said he always had an interest in technology and when the company got the new robot, he was quick to volunteer.
The two-part system, which fits inside a single black plastic case, carries a price tag of roughly $50,000. Kozuch will say it’s well worth the cost should the robot be blown up doing its job.
“Anything is better than losing a Marine, no matter how much it costs,” Kozuch said. “You can get a new robot, but you can’t put a price on a Marine’s life.”
The MARCbot IV remote-operated robot extends its camera at a firm base, near Fallujah, Iraq, Feb. 22. Company L, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 5, recently acquired the device to investigate unexploded ordnance encountered during patrols. (Photo by: Cpl. Mark Sixbey)
A close look at the extendable camera of the MARCbot IV remote-operated robot, taken Feb. 22 at a firm base near Fallujah, Iraq, shows the eyes of the system. Company L, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 5, recently acquired the device to employ when convoys come across unexploded ordnance. (Photo by: Cpl. Mark Sixbey)
March 03, 2006
Kirkuk, Iraq -- For the past week, the village of Amal Shabi has been denied their normal supply of propane gas, essential to the people for many needs including heating and cooking.
Iraqi police in Kirkuk escorted the propane trucks to Amal Shabi today; ensuring the citizens of this village received the much needed shipment.
"Availability of propane has been an issue," said Iraqi police Sgt. Nawzad Ahmed Muhamed. "We want to help solve this issue."
The price for propane has increased exponentially over the course of the past month due to increases in gas prices and bootleggers taking advantage and selling it on the black market. Iraqi police and coalition forces believe that many times the bootleggers are the same drivers responsible for delivering the shipments. But, there’s no way to know for sure because the gas is only tracked at the distribution plant.
"The propane comes up missing somewhere between being loaded on the trucks to be distributed and the trucks arriving at the villages," said 1st Lt. Andrew V. Salmo, first platoon leader B. Co., 2nd Battalion, 2-327th Infantry, 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division.
After meeting with community leaders, Iraqi police and coalition forces planned a mission to escort a propane shipment to the village.
The Iraqi police escorted the propane to Amal Shabi, while coalition forces provided an additional security presence during the distribution of the propane.
"We’re really just here to overlook," said Pfc. Erik Regalado, a medic with first platoon and native of Los Angeles, Calif. "The [Iraqi police] do most of the interaction with the people."
Pfc. Erik Regalado, a medic with first platoon of B Co., speaks with children standing in line with their families to receive their propane. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Michael Pfaff)
After the propane truck made it safely to the village with its full supply, locals lined up to receive their gas. Citizens are allotted a number of tickets to get propane.
Iraqi police supervised the distribution and then proceeded to meet and greet with the people of the village. Iraqi police Sgt. Muhamed believes that providing services to the people like this will help police build a rapport with locals to better serve them.
"We continue serving Iraqi people, especially in Kirkuk," said Muhamed. "If we solve this, there will be fewer problems and we develop a trust between the people and the police."
Salmo said that he saw many months of training coming together on today’s joint mission.
"Today was a big win for Iraqi police and Americans," Salmo said. "The Iraqi police are showing they are capable of doing it."
Muhamed said he is grateful for the assistance of the coalition forces because it helps the Iraqi police do their job; protecting and serving the people of Kirkuk.
As the Iraqi police continue to make progress, Muhamed said they want the people to know the police are here for them.
"People can come to us and ask us for help. We’ll do it immediately," Muhammed said.
Story and photos by Spc. Michael Pfaff - 133rd MPAD
ADDITIONAL PHOTO:
An Iraqi police officer oversees the propane distribution in Amai Shabi. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Michael Pfaff)
March 03, 2006
BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Coalition Forces conducted multiple raids Feb. 27. northeast of Fallujah to capture Al-Qaeda in Iraq facilitators involved in the logistical support of suicide bombers, foreign fighters and funding terrorist activities.
Based on intelligence and reporting, numerous safe houses were targeted by Coalition Forces.
Troops detained a total of 61 individuals who will be questioned regarding their knowledge of, or involvement in, terrorist activities.
There were a large number of weapons and ammunition found during the raids, and the caches were destroyed in place.
Source : MULTI-NATIONAL FORCE-IRAQ COMBINED PRESS INFORMATION CENTER - BAGHDAD, Iraq
KABUL, March 3 (KUNA) -- At lease 10 members of Taliban were killed and half a dozen were captured alive in a clash with Afghan law-enforcement agencies in southern Afghanistan on Friday.
Police officials said five cops were also injured in the firefight that erupted in the volatile Helmand province and continued for more than three hours.
Senior police official, Mohammad Ayoub, told journalists the insurgents ambushed a police party in the Sangeen area of the province in the morning. Police retaliated and exchange of fire continued for more than three hours.
As the police personnel were trying to surround the fighters, they fled the scene leaving behind 10 dead bodies. The police officer suspected several of the 'enemies' might be injured in the clash. He said police and military had cordoned the area and commenced a search to arrest the fleeing insurgents. More contingents of police and Afghan army had been deployed and they were searching for the militants in nearby caves and mountains.
Meanwhile, provincial governor's spokesman Muhayuddin confirmed the bloody clash and said several insurgents had been captured alive during the fight. He said heavy weapons had also been recovered from them.
Confirming the fight, Taliban purported spokesman said only two of their fighters were killed. He said they had incurred heavy losses on the government side.
Earlier, five Canadian soldiers were injured in a suicide attack in the neighboring province of Kandahar. Helmand is one of the most dangerous provinces of Afghanistan and a hot bed for insurgency. Some 18 insurgents and more than six policemen were killed in the same province about a month back when Taliban attacked the convoy of a senior government official.
WASHINGTON, March 3 (KUNA) -- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has asked Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asia Richard Boucher to travel to Karachi, Pakistan, to personally express her condolences and sorrow in the wake of a terrorist bombing that killed U.S. envoy David Foy, State Department deputy spokesman Adam Ereli announced on Friday.
Boucher, the former State Department spokesman, will go to Karachi soon, and Rice will be reaching out to the Foy family members to personally express her condolences as well, Ereli said during a department briefing.
"There may be meetings (by Boucher) with Pakistani officials, but the purpose is to reach out to the consulate staff, and our brave men and women who are there serving their country, and express the praise and admiration and thanks of the secretary, of the department, for their service," Ereli said.
ISLAMABAD, March 3 (KUNA) -- A homemade bomb explosion Friday in Southwest Pakistani province of Baluchistan killed two children and wounded three others, police sources said.
Speaking to Kuwait News Agency (KUNA), the sources said unknown armed motorcyclists hurled the homemade bomb at the children who were playing in a ground in DIG Colony of Quetta, the provincial capital.
The explosion killed two children of ages between 10 and 13 on the spot and wounded three others, the sources said, adding that police rushed to the scene but the motorcyclists escaped.
While no group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack, police suspects that nationalist militants were behind the explosion.
Story by Lance Cpl. Jeffrey A. Cosola
NAVAL AIR STATION OCEANA, Va. (Feb. 28, 2006) -- They exercise the ultimate advantage of being both invisible and seeing the unseen. Skimming across rooftops while scanning for danger, these superheroes are on call 24 hours day and ready to fight terrorism wherever it may lurk.
But this crew is no Justice League, they aren’t Spiderman and they don’t need the Dark Knight’s bat symbol to know when to fight. They’re the "Blue Knights" of Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 365 (Reinforced) and they’re “second to none” when it comes to working night operations with image intensifying gear.
Flying in the Norfolk, Va., area as the air combat element of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit during its Training in an Urban Environment exercise, HMM-365 (Rein.), is constantly perfecting their skill with night vision goggles during low-light operations.
“There are no lights on the helicopter,” said Lance Cpl. Chris W. Colbath, HMM-365 (Rein.) crew chief. “Nothing can see us but we can see everything – it’s an awesome feeling.”
The alien sensation of operating a helicopter in the blackness of night is “a lot like looking through a toilet paper tube,” added Capt. Rich P. Ayers, HMM-365 (Rein.) aviation safety officer and CH-46E Sea Knight pilot. “You have to scan the horizon a lot more and look around because you lose a lot of your depth perception.”
Losing that depth perception – from 180 degrees down to 40 – increases the need for the entire crew to work together, said Ayers.
“Flying night operations is a total crew effort,” explained Ayers. “The crew chiefs are the ones calling you down to the deck, because we can’t see. Landing in an urban environment means that you’ll be landing in some tight zones and crew chiefs will save you more times than you can count.”
“The goggles drop the field of view and the nose comes up high,” added Sgt. Jared E. Daly, HMM-365 (rein.) crew chief. “The pilots lose all perception. We’re actually looking to see where the ground is and see that it’s clear and avoid any holes.”
The midnight ballet performed by helicopter crews is made more difficult by NVG fatigue, a condition that occurs due to the strenuous scanning of the horizon, said Capt. Randall T. Schindler, HMM-365 (Rein.) CH-46E Sea Knight pilot.
“When you’re actually flying not only are you looking though the goggles but you’re also looking down without them at the gauges then back through the NVG’s,” said Schindler. “A lot of people don‘t know about the fatigue the goggles cause. Because you have to scan so much it wears you out faster. After the first time you wear the goggles you’re really worn out after the flight.”
In addition to fatigue, ambient and cultural lighting can play havoc on the goggles, hampering the NVG’s capabilities, said Ayers.
“In an urban environment, like the Norfolk area, there’s a lot of ambient and cultural light that tend to bloom out the goggles,” said Ayers. “Flying in an urban area when that’s happening makes it hard to pick out details like landing zones and lights for navigation.”
That situation can be even more hair-raising in a combat environment like Iraq, where a dust cloud or an unidentified person standing outside a building can increase the threat to the crew, said Schindler.
“Over in Iraq you could fly into a dust cloud and the dust would create a sparkle effect in the goggles and you can lose your references,” said Schindler. “You depend on the crew chiefs to see the ground. It’s like having four pilots on the plane.”
“In Iraq you have a different mindset, you’re mind is doing different things,” added Cpl. John R. Miller, HMM-365 (rein.) crew chief. “When you see someone outside their house here, in reality, it’s no big deal, but over there, it’s a lot more exciting. Anything and everything you do is amplified 10 fold during night operations.”
For the Marines of HMM-365 (Rein.) night operations don’t require the crew to wear capes. They don’t have to be mutants and they don’t have to run faster than a speeding bullet. However, they do have the ability to fly and they do use their X-Ray vision to own the night and keep evil on its toes and Americans safe - whether it’s training stateside or fighting terrorists abroad.
Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 365 (Reinforced) is scheduled to deploy this spring to the European and Central Command theaters of operations as the air combat element of the 24th MEU, which is composed of its Command Element; Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment; and MEU Service Support Group 24.
Corporal Jacob I. Parks, Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 365 (Rein.) crew chief, scans the horizon during a night flight on Feb. 27. HMM-365 is the Air Combat Element of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit and is taking part in the MEU’s Training in an Urban Environment exercise being conducted in the Hampton Roads, Va., area. (Photo by: Lance Cpl. Jeffrey A. Cosola)
By Staff Sgt. Melissa Koskovich, USAF - Special to American Forces Press Service
BAGHDAD, March 3, 2006 – A fully certified aircrew takes flight, and a single air base opens its gates. These feats represent giant steps toward independence and national security to Iraqi airmen training side by side here with U.S. Air Force members.
Since November, the U.S. Air Force has taken on the mission of standing up the Iraqi air force, enabling Iraqis to gradually take over operations and help secure their nation's future. "In only a few months they have made significant progress," U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. David W. Eidsaune, Air Component Coordination Element director, said. "We're working closely with them on a plan for their future. We agree on where they're going and how to get there."
Iraqi airmen agree that progress has been made, but know there's still a long road to travel. "We are starting over," Iraqi Air Force Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Kamal Barzanjy said. "America has given us a lot of help, and we have already accomplished many things, but we need to keep growing."
Building an air force is no simple undertaking. Eidsaune noted that Iraqis will face many challenges along the way. "One of the major challenges for them is funding," Eidsaune said. "The whole country is really stretched right now as far as funding and commerce, and air forces are not cheap entities. It will take them time to build up their capabilities."
To assist them, the U.S. has given the Iraq a small fleet of C-130 Hercules cargo aircraft.
But funding is not the only obstacle Iraqis will face. Recruiting the next generation of Iraqi airmen will also be a challenge. "Right now, most Iraqi airmen come from the 'old air force' - prior to the 1990s," Eidsaune said. "The Iraqis need to recruit more airmen and build up their air academy and staff colleges. There are already initiatives under way to accomplish this, but it will take time."
Despite these growing pains, the Iraqi air force is taking part in some coalition operations. "The IAF is playing a limited, but effective role in our operations," Eidsaune said. "Their current aircraft are kept busy transporting troops, supplies and distinguished visitors."
In addition, the Iraqi air force plays a small role in intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations. "Iraqi ISR assets are tasked by the local (Iraqi) army division to scan their local infrastructure, including pipelines and borders," he said. "These assets bring back valuable intelligence to ground commanders, and are definitely making a difference."
With the first Iraqi air base opening March 7, the air force will begin to take on ground and airfield operations as well. "Mastering these functions is critical for survival as a defense force," Eidsaune said. "The Iraqis are motivated and eager to learn. They welcome our help. Our efforts are very much a partnership."
Barzanjy agrees. "We are working together as one team," he said. "Of course we still need support from our allies, but we are growing."
When asked about how he sees the Iraqi air force, Eidsaune said, "(The service) is small, but proud. One day they will be large and proud, like they once were."
(Air Force Staff Sgt. Melissa Koskovich is assigned to U.S. Central Command Air Forces Forward.)
An Iraqi airman (right) and U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Dominic Pecoraro, both loadmasters, watch carefully for enemy weapons fire from the ground below their C-130E Hercules cargo aircraft. If necessary, they can fire flares away from the aircraft to distract various weapons. This is one of three cargo aircraft given to the Iraqi air force by the United States. Pecoraro is from the 517th Airlift Squadron, Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, and a native of Limington, Maine. (Photo by Master Sgt. Lance Cheung)
An Iraqi loadmaster monitors the engine start-up of the four turboprop engines of a C-130E Hercules, one of three cargo aircraft given to the Iraqi air force by the United States. (Photo by Master Sgt. Lance Cheung)
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