**Operation Infinite Freedom - Situation Room - 2 JUN 03/Day 75

Bwahahahahahaha!

I am shocked beyond shocked that I do not have a ton of work waiting for me!

Are you saddened, too? **ducking**

Google Images: My favorite internet tool!

Yes, deeply saddened. LOL!

What was life like before Google?

Morning! It has been a busy time recently. Been out of town visiting with family. Also went for an interview and am now going to be a teacher again next fall! Whatever happened to the original poster of this thread, Americanexpat?

I don't remember back that far! LOL!

Seriously, I should credit Chariman_December_19th_Society on the "America the Right Way" thread for patiently helping me learn how to post pictures. Seein as how I was woefully uninformed about the possibilities of computers, it opened up a whole new world for me in posting possibilities.

Plus, as is often said, a picture is sometimes worth a thousand words! HA!

Congrats, Laura. Good luck next fall. Rest up this summer.

The Chairman can be credited for many good deeds, good man that he is.

"What was life like before Google?"

One big Dog Pile?

So Google is the giant pooper scooper....:)

TOON' FOR THE DAY

Thanks FRiends! It is a bittersweet time of life when they graduate. ~sniff~ At least for the moms, LOL!

Love that pix of the Pres and Froggie---Bush has his back to the Frog! heh heh

What's interesting about the coverage of the Israeli-Palestinian visit is the that none of the media report that the reason Bush didn't engage before this was because nobody but that terrorist Arafat was in place on the Palestinian side. Bush was absolutely correct to not acknowlege Arafat! And now that the new PM is in place, Bush can more easily get involved more deeply.

I hope the PM doesn't turn into just a puppet of Arafat. Arafat needs to wake up dead one day very soon IMO.

I'm off and running. See y'all later.

Prairie

5.2?

Thanks! It's going to be fun because it will be teaching art in elementary school. (or several)

Morning, all! Congrats on your daughter's graduation, prairie.

Thanks for the thread, nully and the posts, Kat.

Carolina, Miss Marple - the shadow knows the DNC war room's still in place.

Welcome back from vacation, kitten.

Congratulations on your new job, Laura. Teaching art to children - cool.

Dolly, your energy's contageous. Now if we could burn calories by thinking...(^:

Today in the Department of Defense, Monday, June 2, 2003

Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld is in Washington. There are no public or media events on his schedule.

Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz is traveling to Singapore, the Republic of Korea and Japan. See press advisory for details. See press advisory for details.

05/31/2003: Deputy Secretary Wolfowitz Interview with Maria Ressa, CNN International

05/31/2003: Deputy Secretary Wolfowitz Roundtable with Singapore Media

05/31/2003: Deputy Secretary of Defense Wolfowitz Interview with Michael Dwyer, Australian Broadcasting

05/31/2003: Deputy Secretary Wolfowitz Interview with Yusuke Takahashi, NHK Television

Paul Wolfowitz

Deputy Secretary of Defense

On February 5, 2001, President Bush announced his intention to nominate Dr. Paul Wolfowitz to be Deputy Secretary of Defense. He was unanimously confirmed by the Senate on Feb. 28th and sworn in March 2, 2001 as the 28th Deputy Secretary of Defense. This is Dr. Wolfowitz's third tour of duty in the Pentagon.

For the last seven years, Dr. Wolfowitz has served as Dean and Professor of International Relations at the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) of The Johns Hopkins University. SAIS is widely regarded as one of the world's leading graduate schools of international relations with 750 students, studying on campuses in Washington, D.C.; Nanjing, China; and Bologna, Italy. As Dean, he led a successful capital campaign that raised more than $75 million and doubled the school's endowment. Also under his leadership, the curriculum and facilities were modernized and new faculty and programs were added to shift the school's focus from the Cold War to the era of globalization.

From 1989 to 1993, Dr. Wolfowitz served as Under Secretary of Defense for Policy in charge of the 700-person defense policy team that was responsible to Secretary Dick Cheney for matters concerning strategy, plans, and policy. During this period Secretary Wolfowitz and his staff had major responsibilities for the reshaping of strategy and force posture at the end of the Cold War.

Under his leadership, the Policy Staff played a major role in reviewing war plans for the Gulf War, and developing and executing plans that successfully raised more than $50 billion in Allied financial support for the war and prevented Iraq from opening a second front with Israel. Other key initiatives included the development of the Regional Defense Strategy, the Base Force, and two presidential nuclear initiatives that led to the elimination of tens of thousands of U.S. and Soviet nuclear weapons.

During the Reagan administration, Dr. Wolfowitz served for three years as U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia - the fourth largest country in the world and the largest in the Moslem world. There he earned a reputation as a highly popular and effective Ambassador, a tough negotiator on behalf of American intellectual property owners, and a public advocate of political openness and democratic values. During his tenure, Embassy Jakarta was cited as one of the four best-managed embassies inspected in 1988.

Prior to that posting, he served three and a half years as Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, where he was in charge of U.S. relations with more than twenty countries. In addition to contributing to substantial improvements in U.S. relations with Japan and China, Assistant Secretary Wolfowitz played a central role in coordinating the U.S. policy toward the Philippines that supported a peaceful transition from the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos to democracy.

Dr. Wolfowitz's previous government service included:

Two years as head of the State Department's Policy Planning Staff (1981-82):
An earlier Pentagon tour as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Regional Programs (1977-80), where he helped create the force that later became the United States Central Command and initiated the Maritime Pre-positioning Ships, the backbone of the initial U.S. deployment twelve years later in Operation Desert Shield;
Four years (1973-77) in the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, working on the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks and a number of nuclear nonproliferation issues; and
A year as a Management Intern at the Bureau of the Budget (1966-67).
Dr. Wolfowitz taught previously at Yale (1970-73) and Johns Hopkins (1981). In 1993, he was the George F. Kennan Professor of National Security Strategy at the National War College. He has written widely on the subject of national strategy and foreign policy and was a member of the advisory boards of the journals Foreign Affairs and National Interest .

Among his many awards for public service are:

The Presidential Citizen's Medal,
The Department of Defense's Distinguished Public Service Medal,
The Department of State's Distinguished Honor Award,
The Department of Defense's Distinguished Civilian Service Medal, and
The Arms Control and Disarmament Agency's Distinguished Honor Award.
Dr. Wolfowitz received a bachelor's degree from Cornell University (1965) in mathematics, and a doctorate in political science from the University of Chicago (1972).

USS CONSTELLATION HOMECOMING

CENTCOM:

June 2, 2003
Release Number: 03-06-04

COALITION AND IRAQI POLICE WORK TO MAKE IRAQ SECURE (June 2, 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 in their efforts to increase the professionalism of the police force and prepare them for their role in a self-governed Iraq.

Weapons Turn-In Program:

Iraqi citizens voluntarily turned in a variety of weapons under the Weapons Turn-In Program that began June 1. In Baghdad alone, Iraqi citizens turned in 9 AK-47 rifles, 50 heavy machine gun rounds, 35 rocket-propelled grenade launchers and a variety of small arms ammunition to Coalition Forces. They expect an increase in the number of weapons and munitions the Iraqi people will turn in as they become more confident about the value of the program. The amnesty period of the Weapons Turn-In Program will run through June 14.

Coalition Activity:

Soldiers from the 173d Airborne Brigade raided several sites yesterday in Kirkuk to capture former regime members. They captured the former personal bodyguard of Uday Hussein at one site and captured a total of six other suspected former regime members.

Soldiers from the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) raided a suspected black market for weapons in the Qayyarah market yesterday. They detained 18 people for questioning, and seized 92 blasting caps and 3 rolls of detonation cord.

Soldiers from the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division raided two sites north of Baghdad yesterday. They detained two people for questioning, and seized two AK-47 rifles and several cases of ammunition.

Soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 44th Infantry Regiment raided a site in Tikrit yesterday after they observed tracer fire coming from the same direction. They detained one man for questioning, and confiscated six AK-47 rifles, several hundred light machine-gun rounds and a shotgun.

Members from 1st Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment and U.S. Army military police worked in Al Hillah together and arrested two men yesterday for selling Liquid Petroleum Gas on the black market. They also confiscated several weapons and about 1 million Iraqi Dinar from confessed gun dealers during Al Hillah vehicle checkpoint operations.

Police Activity in the Last 24 Hours:

Coalition Forces conducted 14 raids and a total of 2,363 patrols throughout Iraq. Of those patrols, they conducted 249 joint Iraqi and Coalition patrols. They also detained or arrested 76 individuals for a variety of criminal activity, including looting, curfew violations, weapons violations, theft, larceny and dealing drugs.

Recent Police Activity:

In the last 24 hours of raids and patrolling activity, soldiers from V Corps seized 12 AK-47 rifles, 5 light machine guns, 17 rocket-grenade launchers, 11 pistols and 14 grenades. They turned the weapons into U.S. military collection points for safekeeping or disposal.

Iraqi police and soldiers from the 233d Military Police Company served a larceny warrant on an Iraqi man in Baghdad recently. They took the suspect to the Al Karrada Police Station.

Soldiers from the 204th Military Police Company raided a site in Baghdad recently to capture former regime members. They captured 16 people who were members of the Old National Police Academy Faculty and high-ranking associates in the Ba'ath Party. They took the captured former faculty and regime members to a U.S. military facility for questioning.

Iraqi police and soldiers from the 307th Military Police Company apprehended four suspects while on a joint patrol in Baghdad recently. The suspects fired on them when the patrol attempted to stop the small truck they were driving. The truck occupants attempted to flee the scene, but they disabled the truck when they tried to drive through several strands of concertina wire. The passengers fired at the patrol as they attempted to flee. The patrol members returned fire, chased after the suspects, and finally apprehended them. They searched the truck and confiscated 2 AK-47 rifles and 45 rounds of ammunition. Patrol members took the four suspects to the East Baghdad Jail, and turned the truck and contraband into a U.S. military collection point.

CENTCOM:

June 2, 2003
Release Number: 03-06-03

COALITION EFFORTS AID IRAQ'S RECOVERY (June 2, 2003)

CAMP DOHA, Kuwait – Coalition Forces continue to assist in developing a safer and more secure environment in Iraq through the following activities.

BAGHDAD
Coalition Forces:
- Have assessed 57 of 212 banks in Baghdad, report 31 are operational and report that the Central Bank opened June 1.
- Participated in an electricity-oil ministry coordination meeting to discuss fuel/power issues.
- Participated in Baghdad Power Distribution Summit with Iraqi power officials to troubleshoot the control of the hundreds of electricity distribution nodes in the city. Also discussed was a public information campaign.
- Assisted the Al-Zara Charitable Clinic to expedite its reopening.
Met with LIFE and Children of the World representatives to get the Village of Iraq orphanage running.
- Executed $40,000 in payments to the Kadhimiya University Hospital and paid 2000 workers.
- Reported Baghdad received 1,400 million liters of water on May 30, mainly due to increased power delivered to city, which represents an increase in production for the fifth straight day.
- Reported funding authority was received for $100 million in sewer system repairs and $50 million in water system repairs.
- Reported 50,400 bottles of propane were distributed at 86 locations, and 3.1 million liters of gas were distributed on May 30.
- Worked with medical facilities near Baghdad International Airport to coordinate the delivery of US medical supplies, particularly antibiotics.
- Received 152 truckloads of World Food Program food and 16 truckloads of UNICEF supplies from Jordan.
- Reported numerous aid missions, including Missionaries of Charity, Islamic Enlightenment and the Salvation Army, The Royal Saudi Air Force, Red Cross, UAE and the UN are moving supplies to Baghdad through Baghdad International Airport.
- Met with the Central Statistical Office (CSO) of the Ministry of Planning Ministry of Planning to discuss the upcoming 2004 Iraqi census.
- Interviewed the directors of nine Iraqi fertilizer/petro-chemical and construction material companies ascertain which could make the best use of outside funding
- Assisted with assessments of the Iraqi mental health system, and will collaborate with elements of U.S. national psychiatric and psychological associations to improve delivery of mental health care services.
- Worked to reestablish Iraqi pharmaceutical company Kimadia to reestablish medical supply acquisition and distribution and to examine reform options such as privatization as a non-profit corporation.
- Delivered the payroll for the central Oil Ministry headquarters and the associated companies located in the Baghdad area. These include State Oil Marketing, Projects, Exploration, Drilling, Research and Development and the Baghdad Training Institute.
- Delivered the initial budget and startup fund of $35,270 to the Iraqi Organization for Standardization and Quality Control.
- Paid the first salary installments of 765,000,000.00 Iraqi Dinar to approximately seven of the fifteen Director General departments of the Iraqi Ministry of Culture.

NORTHERN IRAQ

IRBIL / MOSUL / TIKRIT / KIRKUK
Coalition Forces:
- Hosted Iraqi families at the opening of a children's amusement park.
Reported the World Food Progam delivered 308 truckloads of humanitarian aid to Sulaymaniyah and 510 truckloads of humanitarian aid to Dohuk and Mosul.
- Worked with the World Food Program to receive and deliver three grain evacuators from aircraft to a World Food Program warehouse for use in the Kirkuk grain harvest.
- Secured an additional $1,000 in funds for computer center cleanup and school supply purchases for the Sananek School. Also paid $50 each to teachers from nine schools.
- Working to acquire replacement parts for Iraqi wheat silos. The Kansas Wheat Association has identified suppliers that might be interested in donating parts.
- Received 139 benzene and 32 propane trucks from Turkey today.
- Assessed Iraqi Airlines operations in Mosul to develop a plan to reestablish commercial airline service.
- Arranged for the shipment of 40 tons of propane to the town of Ar Rutbah.

SOUTHERN IRAQ

AL KUT
23rd Marine Regiment recently:
- Assisted electric power employees to reconstruct the four towers that hold the 400 kV power lines, which will provide consistent power to the province when they are repaired.
- Met with the Coalition Provisional Authority to develop future chlorine supplies for the province.

AN NAJAF
7th Marine Regiment recently:
- Received 36 truckloads of diesel fuel at the electric power plant.

AN NASARIYAH
- Conducted a Humanitarian Assistance mission to deliver and distribute 400 cases of water to 189 families in the village of Al Harza.

AD DIWANIYAH
5th Marine Regiment recently:
- Provided security for a convoy that carried the civil servant salary payments from Baghdad to Ad Diwaniyah.

KARBALA
- 7th Marine Regiment recently:
- Met with Coalition medical personnel, Iraqi Minister of Health, and the Director of Al Hindyah Hospital regarding upcoming projects for the hospital, and to complete estimates for repairing the septic system.
- Met with the principal of the Karbala girls’ school to review conditions and discuss how to make improvements.
- Attended the Public Safety Day at a local school to teach the dangers of handling ordnance, the role of the police and fire departments.

Great photo of the crying democrat baby! Amazing that they can take joy in the difficulties of our troops in bringing a peaceful nation to Iraq.