Posted on 05/11/2006 4:14:29 PM PDT by Gucho
By Sgt. Sara Wood, USA - American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, May 11, 2006 The Defense Department announced yesterday an increase in foreign language proficiency pay for qualified military personnel, effective June 1.
The maximum monthly pay for active-duty servicemembers who are proficient in another language will be increased from $300 to $1,000. For National Guard and reserve members, a $6,000 per-year bonus will be offered.
This increase comes under the fiscal 2005 National Defense Authorization Act and will be focused on languages that are strategically important to DoD, such as Middle Eastern languages and Chinese Mandarin, said Air Force Lt. Col. Ellen Krenke, a Pentagon spokeswoman.
The goal of this increase is not necessarily to boost recruiting and retention, but to identify already qualified servicemembers whose skills are untapped, Krenke said.
"This will encourage them to self-identify so we can get a better handle on what we have," she said.
The increase is also meant to motivate servicemembers to study languages, so the military can develop a strong corps of language professionals, Krenke said.
"It's another way that we have to encourage people to pursue this skill as part of a military career," she said.
According to Pentagon figures, about 247,000 servicemembers have some language proficiency, but only about 20,000 have had their skill certified and receive proficiency pay. About 7,249 servicemembers are listed as proficient in Arabic.
By Leo Shane III - Stars and Stripes Mideast edition
Thursday, May 11, 2006
WASHINGTON The top U.S. commander in Afghanistan on Wednesday said he is confident NATO forces will be able to handle increasing Taliban activity in southern parts of the country when they take over military responsibilities there this summer.
They are already on the ground and they are proving themselves, said Lt. Gen. Karl Eikenberry, commander of Combined Forces Command-Afghanistan, during a news conference Wednesday. I have absolute confidence that all the NATO forces coming in will be very capable forces and will prevail in the south and do well.
Eikenberry confirmed reports of increased Taliban activity in southern Afghanistan, but also blamed tribal fighting and other criminal activity in the region for an upsurge in violence there. Attacks in the region are up so far this year as compared to 2005.
NATO forces are scheduled to take over military command of several southern provinces by the end of July, though Eikenberry emphasized that U.S. forces will still provide much of the equipment and manpower to operations there.
But he dismissed concerns that the transition will leave the region vulnerable, and possibly provide an opportunity for Taliban or terrorist organizations to regroup.
We will maintain, even as the NATO mission proceeds, this capability to strike against high value targets or the al-Qaida structure, he said. There is no distinction between the U.S. and NATO. We will have combat forces in southern Afghanistan under NATO. And all forces are committed to fight against the enemies of Afghanistan.
Canadian forces currently in Kandahar, Australian troops in Uruzgan province and British fighters in Helmand province will make up much of the new security force for that region, along with the U.S. forces already in the south, he said.
Eikenberry would not say whether the increased NATO role could lead to a drawdown in U.S. troop levels in coming months, only that the United States will continue to provide the most troops of any country involved in Afghanistan.
Stars and Stripes Mideast edition
Thursday, May 11, 2006
The death toll from a suicide car bombing in Tal Afar, Iraq, has risen to at least 22 people, according to the Associated Press. The Tuesday bombing occurred shortly after 8 p.m. and wounded more than 130 other people, U.S. military officials said.
Many of those wounded were treated at U.S. military medical facilities after the Tal Afar Hospital became overwhelmed by the number of injured. U.S. soldiers from the Germany-based 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division treated more than 60 of the bombing victims.
According to Task Force Band of Brothers officials, 24 of the Iraqi bombing victims were listed in critical condition and were transported by American aircraft to combat support hospitals in Mosul and Tikrit.
Iraqi army units and Tal Afar municipal emergency services teams treated many of the other wounded at the site of the bombing, a market in the downtown of the ancient city.
Attacks in Tal Afar have increased in recent weeks, with some U.S. commanders attributing that rise to President Bushs repeated citations of the city as a model of success in Iraq. In one of a series of speeches this spring, Bush said Tal Afar is a free city that gives reason for hope for a free Iraq.
Officials in 1st Armored Division have said insurgents would likely step up attacks to disprove that contention. Earlier this week, a 1st AD soldier was killed when troops were clearing a building from which theyd received small-arms fire.
Last month, in the single largest military operation waged in this ancient city since armored cavalry units recaptured it from insurgents last fall, U.S. and Iraqi troops cordoned off an entire neighborhood and rounded up nearly 100 suspected insurgents.
The operation was largely in response to a series of roadside bombings and ambushes waged over the previous several weeks.
Stars and Stripes Mideast edition
Thursday, May 11, 2006
For the third time in three days, U.S. forces pounded an abandoned train station with precision munition during fighting in the Anbar province capital of Ramadi, officials said Wednesday.
The train station, on the southern edge of the city, is a known hub of insurgent activity, a Multi-National Force-West press release read. Just one day before, U.S. and Iraqi forces bombed another abandoned building in south Ramadi after reporting small-arms fire. That building is near the train station, officials said.
Ramadi, about 75 miles west of Baghdad, remains a stronghold of Sunni insurgents battling both American troops and the Shiite-led Iraqi security forces.
Last week, American officials said that U.S. and Iraqi forces had killed more than 100 insurgents during seven days of fighting in the city.
By Donna Miles - American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, May 11, 2006 The intelligence community has a far more complicated job now, during the global war on terror, than ever before, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said yesterday on the "Brian and the Judge Show" on Fox News Radio.
Rumsfeld told interviewers Brian Kilmeade and Andrew Napolitano that threats faced in the 21st century pose tremendous challenges for intelligence professionals. Gone are the days when the United States faced a superpower enemy and tracked big armies, navies and air forces around the world.
"We're worried about non-state actors getting their hands on & increasingly lethal weapons (and) taking sanctuary in countries that we're not at war with," the secretary said. "And it is a vastly more complex and more difficult task that the men and women in the intelligence community have facing them.
"So it's a tough job they have, but it's a different job than (during) the earlier period," he said.
The secretary noted that even before the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, he had concerns about intelligence. He recalled that during his January 2001 confirmation hearing, he was asked what one thing will keep him up at night. "The quality of intelligence" was his response.
"If you asked me the question today, I would answer the question the same way," he said.
Rumsfeld called Air Force Gen. Air Force Gen. Michael V. Hayden "an excellent choice" as CIA director and dismissed talk about the appropriateness of a military man heading the organization.
"I just don't understand the argument on military versus civilian," the secretary said. "It seems to me the central issue that people ought to be debating and discussing is, 'How does our country get the best possible intelligence to protect the American people?'"
Rumsfeld said concerns raised by some that Hayden, if confirmed by the Senate to the CIA post, will cow-tow to the defense secretary are "utter nonsense."
He praised Hayden's long list of professional credentials that he will bring to the job. "He is a person who has knowledge, background and position," the secretary said. "And he will use it, and he will use it effectively."
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Thursday, May 11, 2006
Afghan poppy farmers expect record opium crop and the Taliban will reap the reward
Thursday, May 11, 2006
Wed May 10, 10:39 PM ET - US soldiers get ready for a patrol as the sun rises in Afghanistan. Attacks by the Taliban in southern Afghanistan are on the rise and the rebels fighting US forces are increasingly using improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and suicide bombings, US Lieutenant General Karl Eikenberry said. (AFP/Pool/File/Eugene Hoshiko)
By Donna Miles - American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, May 11, 2006 The decision to delay deployment of one Army brigade from Germany to Iraq does not mean officials have decided to draw down troops in Iraq, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said yesterday.
Concluding that putting an Army brigade's deployment to Iraq on hold makes a statement about Iraq's stability or a troop drawdown ahead is like "taking one tulip and deciding it's spring," the secretary said on a radio talk show.
It's premature to draw sweeping conclusions from the decision to keep the 2nd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, in Schweinfurt, Germany, until further notice, Rumsfeld told Brian Kilmeade and Andrew Napolitano on Fox News Radio's "Brian and the Judge Show."
The Pentagon announced the decision, which affects about 3,500 active-duty soldiers, May 8. "This is a very narrow decision to hold one brigade from deploying and to give the commanders on the ground additional time to continue their assessments," DoD spokesman Bryan Whitman told Pentagon reporters the day of the announcement.
"What's happened is that (Army) General (George) Casey, (commander of Multinational Force Iraq), recommended and the president and I approved a delay in the movement of that particular unit into Iraq, at the request of General Casey," Rumsfeld said. "Now, might it go in later? Sure. Might it not? That's possible."
The United States has 133,000 troops in Iraq and a goal to reduce that number, the secretary said. But "the fact that some unit may not be going in does not necessarily mean that the number of total troops will be going down," he said.
Rumsfeld noted that the U.S. presence in Iraq extends beyond combat brigades. He pointed to a full range of combat support and combat service support troops, including those embedded with Iraqi security forces, providing infrastructure protection, advising ministries and carrying out other critical but non-combat roles.
It's too soon to tell how Prime Minister-Designate Jawad al-Maliki's appointment of a Cabinet committed to a unity government will affect the U.S. military role in Iraq, the secretary said.
Once ministers are in place, Casey and U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Zalmay Khalilzad will begin discussions about issues that will affect decisions about U.S. forces there, he said.
They'll talk about how quickly the United States can transfer responsibility to Iraqi security forces and how the Iraqi government can put together a budget to pay for this security. "And then we'll work out a comfortable arrangement between our two countries so that we can transfer responsibility over time as they're capable and as conditions on the ground permit to the Iraqis," Rumsfeld said.
Rumsfeld expressed concern about Iran's impact on progress taking place in Iraq. "We're concerned about the fact that we're finding Iranian equipment that's being used to kill Americans and Iraqis in Iraq," he said. Although it's not absolutely clear that the Iranian government sent this equipment to Iraq, "it's very clear that Iranian equipment is being found there," he said.
In closing the interview, Rumsfeld praised the American people for support to the people who serve in the military. He specifically cited the Defense Department's "America Supports You" Web site.
"It lists a whole host of things that the wonderfully generous and compassionate American people are doing for the troops and for the troops' family," the secretary said. "You can go to the Web site and find things that schools are doing, corporations, clubs, churches, all kinds of activities that people are doing to let the troops and their families know how much we appreciate their superb work for our country."
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May 11, 2006
By LOUIS HANSEN
VIRGINIA BEACH - Three small Navy patrol boats bounced over the wake of a destroyer Wednesday morning.
The trio of new boats hooked left, accelerated to 30 knots and cruised past the lumbering giant in the calm waters. Sailors on all the craft waved to one another .
These quick patrol boats soon will become best friends with the blue-water ships. Next week, the Navy will establish its first coastal warfare squadron on the East Coast.
Based at Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base, the 300-sailor unit will be charged with protecting ships entering harbors and ports and guarding key installations from terrorist attacks.
The force also boasts a range of mobile security and communications systems. It can follow behind a hurricane or other natural disaster, deploy and set up within a few days and become a free-standing command and control center for military or civilian personnel.
The bombing of the Norfolk-based destroyer Cole in 2000 and the 2004 suicide attack against sailors in the Persian Gulf stand as vivid examples of the danger posed by small enemy craft.
Coastal patrols from other commands are operating in the Persian Gulf and have been running on high deployment schedules.
"The need was apparent," said Cmdr. James Campbell, commanding officer of Navy Coastal Warfare Squadron 4 .
The coastal warfare squadron draws together a variety of Navy responsibilities into a tight package and allows combat commanders to pick the units they need - for example, base protection or additional harbor patrol - to supplement combat troops.
The key is to deploy quickly to missions that could include base security in Kuwait or domestic disaster relief.
Campbell said the teeth of the new force are the small, fast boats.
The 34-foot, twin-engine cruisers can do 35 knots in calm seas. The craft are armed with three automatic rifles and a grenade launcher - enough firepower to drive away enemies or signal neutral crafts to pull over for inspection. The squadron will receive 18 new boats.
Campbell said the unit has been popular with sailors because of its small size and combat mission. Personnel and equipment are added weekly.
Lt. j.g. Adam Arbogast , 28, left the surface fleet about eight months ago to lead a small boat unit. It's been rewarding, he said.
"I came here for something different," he said. "It's an opportunity for everyone to get out of their comfort zone."
Petty Officer 3rd Class David Walsh, 24, a gunner's mate, aims to try out for the special warfare community next year.
First, though, he said, "I want to get combat experience."
On Wednesday afternoon at Fort Story, sailors ran through force protection and anti-terrorism drills at their base camp.
About a dozen sailors guarded the base against suicide bombers and domestic disputes brought to their gates. The unit played through several different scenarios throughout the day.
Lt. Matthew Cook, training officer for the unit, said the drills are designed to mimic the high stress of the battlefield.
Repetition is key, Cook said, "all the time, all the time, all the time."
A group with Navy Coastal Warfare trains on patrol boats Wednesday morning in the Chesapeake Bay off Little Creek Amphibious Base.
May 10, 2006 - 10:45 AM EDT
RENO, NV. -- Another happy homecoming for a Northern Nevada sailor with a surprise from family and friends.
Navy Seaman Cody Cannon is back from service overseas with a Purple Heart and quite a story to tell.
Cannon is happy to be home after a serious injury during his tour of duty in Iraq.
A big crowd of family, friends and supporters met him at the Reno Tahoe International Airport Tuesday night, thanks to the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Reno.
The VFW was called by Cannon's mother who asked the them to organize a welcome home party.
Cannon was injured when a vehicle he was in was hit by a bomb and he was literally thrown out of the hatch. He earned the Purple Heart and the nickname "Cannonball" for surviving the attack.
Story by Gunnery Sgt. Mark Oliva
CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq (May 9, 2006) -- Duty in the turret of Regimental Combat Team 5s seven-ton trucks just got clearer with new ballistic-glass and steel encased firing positions.
The new turrets, called Marine Corps Armored Turret Systems, are being installed on seven-ton trucks, the first in an upgrade to give gunners greater visibility and beefed-up protection for convoy operations.
The advantage of these turrets is the protection it provides the gunner, said Master Sgt. Adam Lyttle, the 42-year-old Motor Transport chief for the regiment. The most noticeable change is the ballistic glass. They also have higher turrets and they traverse a lot easier.
Ballistic shields replaced steel plates in front of the gunners position and side ballistic glass allows Marines to scan from side to side without having to expose themselves to fire. Its an important feature. Until now, Marines had to crouch down behind their guns.
The gunner can stay higher on the guns now, Lyttle explained. Their field of view is a whole lot better. The gunner plays a major part on all convoys.
Higher blast protection and windows that will deflect gunfire and shrapnel now allows gunners to perform duties with a greater degree of confidence. Marines arent just gripping .50-caliber machine guns behind the ballistic shields. Theyre on the lookout for improvised explosive devices or roadside bombs.
I feel a lot safer, said Cpl. Jose M. Ramirez, a 22-year-old from Lemoore, Calif., assigned to RCT-5s motor transport platoon. Before I was afraid of standing up. Now, theres no fear to get up and peek at something suspicious.
Ramirez is one of the few gunners in the regiments motor transport platoon who has already conducted several missions riding in the new turret. He said it has a lot more room, space to keep his rifle and other tools handy and best of all, better protection.
Its a blessing from the gods to get these here, Ramirez said. Theyre a lot better. This is a big improvement. Everybody likes these.
Lyttle said the turrets are being added as fast as they arrive in theater, with help from 1st Marine Logistics Groups, Combat Logistics Battalion-5. Its not just the regimental headquarters getting the new turrets. Each battalion is getting outfitted as well.
The hope is before the month is out, well have new turrets on every truck, Lyttle said.
Lance Cpl. Trevor A Chapman, a 20-year-old from Norwich, Conn., has also ridden a couple of missions in the new turret and said Marines have a lot in which to look forward.
I figured it would be good with having the windows on each side, said Chapman, assigned to RCT-5 Motor Transport Platoon. I felt a lot safer. The armor goes all the way around.
Chapman explained the old turrets had gaps that left him feeling exposed to hazards. Now, hes completely encased in a turret system that allows him to see more and move quicker.
Its a lot easier to use, Chapman explained. You dont have to swivel as far because of the windows. That makes the gunners job easier because he can react faster.
Lyttle witnessed the change the Marine Corps has made over the past several years with armoring. Initially, gunners were exposed with nothing protecting them but helmets and flak vests. Then barrel-style turrets were installed and now, the angular turret with ballistic glass has taken force protection to a new level.
The Marines are pretty pleased, he said. They were excited about getting them. The Marines are eager to ride in anything, but you see these big improvements
it built their confidence up, big time.
Lance Cpl. Trevor A. Chapman, a 20-year-old from Norwich, Conn., assigned to Regimental Combat Team 5 makes sure his M-2 .50-caliber machine gun is mounted correctly in the new Marine Corps Armored Turret System. The new turret offers gunners greater protection and visibility with ballistic glass shielding. (Photo by: Gunnery Sgt. Mark Oliva)
Lance Cpl. Trevor A. Chapman, a 20-year-old from Norwich, Conn., assigned to Regimental Combat Team 5 makes sure his M-2 .50-caliber machine gun is mounted correctly in the new Marine Corps Armored Turret System. The new turret offers gunners greater protection and visibility with ballistic glass shielding. (Photo by: Gunnery Sgt. Mark Oliva)
Story by Lance Cpl. William L. Dubose III
AR RAMADI, Iraq (May 11, 2006) -- Marines with 3rd Battlion, 8th Marine Regiment participate in the sandbag program. The note on the chair reads One meal = One sandbag. The program is strictly enforced and regulated by the food service specialists in an effort to help aid the reconstruction and fortification of various observation sites in Ar Ramadi, Iraq. The high demand of sandbags is due to recent damages to posts, caused by enemy forces. 3/8 is currently deployed with I Marine Expeditionary Force (FWD) in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in the Al Anbar province of Iraq.
U.S. Army Gen. Peter J. Schoomaker met with Task Force Spartan and Afghan National Army leaders and soldiers operating in Kunar Province.
U.S. Army Col. John Nicholson (center right), Task Force Spartan commander, escorts Gen. Peter J. Schoomaker, U.S. Army chief of staff, through the base landing zone at Forward Operating Base Asadabad, Afghanistan, April 21, 2006. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Michael Pintagro)
By U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael Pintagro - Task Force Spartan
FORWARD OPERATING BASE ASADABAD, Afghanistan, May 11, 2006 The U.S. Army chief of staff met with U.S. soldiers assigned to Task Force Spartan and Afghan National Army leaders and soldiers operating in Kunar Province during a visit of Regional Command East April 21.
Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army Gen. Peter J. Schoomaker, U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Benjamin C. Freakley, Combined Joint Task Force-76 commander, and U.S. Army Col. Burke Garrett, chief of staff executive officer, met with Spartans and Afghan National Army partners at four eastern Afghan positions.
Afghan National Army Brig. Gen. Zmarai, commander of 3rd Brigade, 201st Afghan National Army Corps, and U.S. Army Col. John Nicholson, Task Force Spartan commander, escorted the general through their respective areas of responsibility.
U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Benjamin C. Freakley (right), Combined Joint Task Force-76 commander, identifies a position on a map as U.S. Army Col. John Nicholson (left), Task Force Spartan commander, and Gen. Peter J. Schoomaker, U.S. Army chief of staff, observe at Forward Operating Base Asadabad, Afghanistan, April 21, 2006. U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class William Yenser, task force fire support noncommissioned officer in charge, awaits further instructions at the task force tactical operations center. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Michael Pintagro)
The visit began at Forward Operating Base Asadabad with a brief tour of base facilities including the airfield, provincial reconstruction team headquarters, a forward surgical hospital and the task force tactical operations center.
Nicholson and Zmarai briefed the chief of staff on Operation Mountain Lion operations, the coalitions ongoing offensive operation to disrupt enemy activities. Afterward, Zmarai offered an optimistic appraisal of allied efforts and regional prospects.
We have cooperated very closely with the American units, the Afghan National Army general said. The operation is going very well. Our brigade and our soldiers have conducted many operations, but we will never forget this one.
Zmarai expressed the peoples desire for long-term allied partnership, recounting meetings he and Nicholson recently attended in the Korengal Valley.
Village elders, the Afghan National Army commander noted, warmly embraced allied security and reconstruction efforts but feared the enemy would perpetrate reprisals against coalition-friendly villagers once Afghan National Army and American forces departed.
We promised them that until we defeat the enemy, were not going anywhere, the Afghan National Army leader said. This is very important; we want to separate the enemy from the people. With the people on our side, we cannot fail.
Schoomaker quickly seconded the point.
Afghan National Army Brig. Gen. Zmarai, commander of 3rd Brigade, 201st Afghan National Army Corps, briefs Gen. Peter J. Schoomaker, U.S. Army chief of staff, as U.S. Army Col. Burke Garrett, chief of staff executive officer, and Zmarais interpreter look on at the task force tactical operations center at Forward Operating Base Asadabad, Afghanistan, April 21, 2006. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Michael Pintagro)
Thats the most important point of the whole exercise; thats the goal: to get the people on our side, Schoomaker said. In the end, (the operation) is not only about the impact on the enemy, but also its impact on the people how they feel about the [Afghan National Army], the Afghan National Police and the coalition.
Schoomaker offered Zmarai his congratulations on your great achievement and looked forward to further Afghan National Army progress in the future.
In the future we look for continued cooperation, but also for the [Afghan National Army] to enhance its capability to accomplish more and more on its own, Schoomaker said. Were doing a great job, but we need to continue to work hard. There are still a lot of areas where we can improve.
The general emphasized the importance of developing the Afghan National Army, Afghan National Police and Afghan National Security Forces as well as expanding the authority and influence of the Afghan government. Citing recent conversations with Gen. Bismullah Kahn, Afghan National Army chief of staff, Schoomaker characterized the allies as dedicated to Afghan security, prosperity and progress.
I dont think theres any question in Gen. Bismullah Kahns mind about our commitment and our determination to move ahead, he said.
Following his tour of Forward Operating Base Asadabad, the chief of staff traveled to Naray in the extreme northeast near the Pakistani border. He flew over the Pech River Valley and visited troops on the top of the Abbas Gar Mountain, meeting with Afghan National Army soldiers from 2nd Kandak, 3rd Brigade, 201st Afghan National Army Corps along the way.
Schoomaker greeted U.S. soldiers from 3rd Squadron, 71st Cavalry Regiment at their jump TAC on the Kunar and infantrymen from 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment on their mountaintop position.
Leaders described the visit as productive.
The visit was very successful -- I think it accomplished a great deal, said Nicholson. The chief had an opportunity to survey the Mountain Lion battlefield firsthand and meet with the Afghan as well as the American soldiers who are taking the fight to the enemy."
During his visit to allied forward bases, check points and TACs, Schoomaker distributed his unique coins, emblazoned with the generals emblem on one side and the Warrior Ethos on the other.
The soldiers really enjoyed his visit, he added. Theyre working very hard accomplishing important things for our nation in one of the most austere environments in the world. They appreciate our Army chief of staff recognizing their hard work and sacrifice.
UPDATED: 6:22 pm EDT - May 11, 2006
BAGHDAD, Iraq -- U.S. and Iraqi forces Thursday rescued seven Sunni Arab men seized by suspected Shiite militiamen near Baghdad, part of a campaign to suppress sectarian death squads responsible for hundreds of deaths this year.
Baghdad residents wait in line to get some fuel, Thursday, May 11, 2006. The amount of fuel is limited to 30 liters (8 gallons) per person bi-weekly and due to recent electricity cuts petrol is mostly used for powering generators. (AP Photo/Karim Kadim)
The kidnapping was the latest in a wave that is plaguing the country. Many of the abductions are part of the sectarian warfare plaguing the Iraqi capital, home to large communities of Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds.
Iraqi police said the trouble started when dozens of gunmen, some of them wearing military uniforms, raided two Sunni villages near Khan Bani Saad, 25 miles northeast of Baghdad, and abducted 10 young men.
Village leaders and clerics alerted police and U.S. soldiers, who rushed to the scene, clashed with the gunmen and rescued seven of the hostages, police said. Three others were missing and presumed taken away by gunmen, police said.
U.S. troops killed at least one kidnapper and wounded another, said Lt. Col. Thomas Fisher, commander of the 1st Battalion, 68th Armor. Some of the hostages had been severely beaten, he told Associated Press TV News.
More than 30 people were taken into custody, Iraqi police said, and interrogators were trying to determine their identities. Some gunmen told police they belong to the militia loyal to radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr and had come from Baghdad, Iraqi authorities said.
Kidnappings are believed to have risen steadily since the U.S.-led invasion of 2003, although police believe few are reported. A study by the Brookings Institution estimated that between 30 and 40 Iraqis were kidnapped per day in the Baghdad area alone during March, compared with two a day in the capital in January 2004.
Fisher said the incident may have been "tribal in nature." He did not elaborate, but tensions have been running high for months between Shiite and Sunni communities in religiously mixed Diyala province.
With the rise in sectarian tensions, much of the violence has shifted from Sunni insurgent strongholds such as Anbar province to Baghdad and other areas with a mixed population.
The shift has impacted heavily on civilians, many of whom have been targeted simply because of their religious affiliation. According to the Health Ministry, 952 people were killed nationwide last month in "terrorist" violence, among them 686 civilians.
By comparison, ministry figures showed that 548 civilians were killed nationwide in January, 545 in February and 769 in March.
Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch, spokesman for the U.S. command, said attacks against civilians were up by about 80 percent over the level of six months ago. He blamed the increase on al-Qaida in Iraq and its Jordanian leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who he said were trying to ignite a Sunni-Shiite war.
"We acknowledge that the primary targets of the insurgency are the innocent men, women and children of Iraq," Lynch told reporters. He said attacks against civilians were aimed at enflaming sectarian hatred "and then folks like the militias, either Shiite militias or Sunni militias, are carrying out retaliatory attacks and killing innocent men, women and children."
Three U.S. soldiers were killed when roadside bombs hit two U.S. Army convoys southwest of Baghdad, the military said. The U.S. command also announced that a U.S. soldier died Tuesday from non-combat related wounds.
Their deaths raised to at least 2,429 the number of members of the U.S. military who have died since the beginning of the Iraq war in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count.
President Jalal Talabani has appealed to clerics to condemn sectarian violence, which has raised fears of civil war.
In a show of solidarity with the Sunnis, Iraq's most revered Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, ordered all Shiite mosques in the mostly Sunni town of Zubayr to close through Saturday to protest the assassination of a Sunni cleric there.
Al-Sistani's order followed the slaying of Sheik Khaled Ali Obeid al-Saadoun, who was gunned down Wednesday with two associates as he left a mosque. The ayatollah has often spoken out against sectarian violence and played a key role in curbing attacks after the bombing of a Shiite shrine in February.
U.S. officials hope the new unity government of Shiites, Kurds and Shiites can win public confidence and in time quell the violence so that American and other international troops can go home.
The framework of the government was put in place last month with the appointment of Nouri al-Maliki as prime minister-designate. Al-Maliki, a Shiite, is trying to put together a Cabinet, but the process has bogged down over who will lead the defense and interior ministries.
Shiite officials said al-Maliki may ask parliament to approve the rest of his Cabinet within a few days while negotiations continue on the two contested ministries.
Also Thursday, insurgents attacked U.S. Marines from an abandoned hotel in Haqlaniyah, 140 miles northwest of Baghdad, the U.S. military said. The Marines responded with small arms fire, a shoulder-fired rocket and an airstrike on the hotel. There were no U.S. casualties but one child suffered minor injuries, the military said.
In other violence Thursday, according to police:
_At least 14 people were killed in Baghdad, including five municipal street cleaners in an explosion.
_A Shiite professor, Widad al-Shimri, and her 7-year-old daughter were slain as they drove through Baqouba.
_A professor of Islamic law, Dr. Khalaf al-Jumaili, was shot dead after assailants stopped his car in Fallujah.
_One policeman was killed when gunmen fired on a police station in Kirkuk.
_Police killed a man who tried to plant a bomb under the car of Baqouba's mayor.
Associated Press
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4:00pm ET - 5:00PM ET ~~ The Kyle Warren Show
6:00PM ET - 8:00PM ET ~~Mark Levin
10:00PM ET - 12:00AM ET~~John Batchelor
12p.m. ET - 2 p.m. ET~~Bill O'Reilly
6:00am ET - 10:00am ET~~Imus in The Morning
9am ET -12pm ET ~~ Glenn Beck Show (Audio Feed)
10:00pm ET -1:00am ET ~~ The Jim Bohannon Show
Click Rollin Down the Road ~~ 12:00am ET - 5am ET
Thr Michael Reagan Show~~ 9:00pm ET - 12:00am ET
The Mike Gallagher Show~~12:00am ET - 3:00am ET
The Hugh Hewitt Show ~ 9:00pm ET - 12:00am ET
Michael Savage Show ~ 9:00pm ET - 12:00am ET (Click Bitcaster)
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