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Dutch support Afghanistan troop deployment Agencies Friday February 3, 2006 The Dutch parliament last night overwhelmingly supported the deployment of more than 1,000 soldiers under British command in southern Afghanistan, overcoming opposition from MPs concerned about the activities of insurgents and poppy farmers in the region. The prime minister, Jan Peter Balkenende, emerged at the end of a late night debate to say it was clear the deployment had support and added that he would relay the news to the cabinet. "The mission can go ahead," he told reporters. Britain is due to take up the command in spring and...

WASHINGTON, Jan. 27, 2006 – Defense leaders took time today to thank civilian leaders who have demonstrated solid support for men and women in uniform. The civilian leaders, at the Pentagon for an alumni meeting of the Joint Civilian Orientation Conference, represent a "who's who" of civilian business owners, chief executive officers, educators, local politicians and civic leaders. All have participated in the JCOC program and many serve as advocates for military members in their communities and businesses. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld lauded the group members' efforts and those of others supporting military members in myriad ways. He cited the...

WASHINGTON, Dec. 25, 2005 – Maintaining a proper balance of coalition and Iraqi forces is the key to success in returning U.S. forces home at the right time, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said today. Appearing on "Fox News Sunday," Marine Gen. Peter Pace said coalition forces must support the Iraqi forces and the country's new government while preparing them to handle the responsibilities themselves. "There's a real balance here between having sufficient forces to get the job done and having too many forces," Pace explained. "If they're Iraqi forces, they will not be too many. They'll...

WASHINGTON, Dec. 23, 2005 – The U.S. ambassador to Iraq and the commander of coalition forces there issued a joint statement in the wake of today's announcement of a reduction in U.S. forces in Iraq. Zalmay Khalilzad and Army Gen. George W. Casey Jr. issued the following statement: In a move we regard as a demonstration of the real progress in Iraq, the Iraqi Prime Minister, the Minister of Defense, the Minister of the Interior, the U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld today announced a reduction of U.S. forces by two brigades. That will bring down the total level from...

BAGHDAD, Dec. 23, 2005 – Two U.S. brigades will not deploy to Iraq as originally planned, the commander of coalition forces in Iraq said here today. Army Gen. George W. Casey Jr., commander of Multinational Force Iraq, said President Bush has accepted his recommendation that the number of American forces in Iraq drop over the coming months. Progress with the Iraqi security forces means the number of American brigades in Iraq can drop from 17 to 15. The 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, will remain at Fort Riley, Kan., and the 2nd Brigade, 1st Armored Division, will deploy to Kuwait...

CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq, Dec. 23, 2005 – The United States will have two fewer brigades in Iraq in 2006, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said here today. Rumsfeld announced before a cheering group of Marines that the United States will drop from 17 to 15 brigades in the coming year. The change will drop the number of Americans in the country under the 138,000-level baseline, officials said. The decision reflects the proper balance between coalition and Iraqi forces, the secretary said. The coalition footprint must be large enough to help maintain security and allow the Iraq forces to train up,...

CAMP VICTORY, Iraq, Dec. 22, 2005 – Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld hinted at an announcement on troops levels in Iraq during a flight here today. The secretary said there has not been an official U.S. government announcement, but said one will be forthcoming soon. "It's possibly the worst-kept secret in Baghdad," said a senior defense official. News reports have said that there will be a two-brigade cut in the number of troops needed in Iraq. Senior defense officials said the increasing size and capabilities of Iraqi forces are primarily responsible for the possible cut. Iraqi soldiers and police handled...

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20, 2005 – President Bush's national security adviser today dismissed critics who demand an immediate or early withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq. "The advocates of these policies share a core belief that the war in Iraq is unwinnable and that America and the world will be better off by abandoning Iraq," Stephen J. Hadley said during remarks given at the Center for Strategic and International Studies here. "The president respectfully disagrees," Hadley said. "He believes that setting a timetable for withdrawal would send the wrong message to our men and women in uniform and in civilian service...

WASHINGTON, Dec. 16, 2005 – The new year is likely to include troop reductions in Iraq, but exactly how quickly those reductions will occur will be based on recommendations of U.S. commanders there in conjunction with wishes of the new Iraqi government, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said here today. One day after Iraq's parliamentary elections, Rumsfeld said during a Pentagon Channel interview it's too soon to know exactly what role that new government will want the United States to play. Just as in the United States after an election, Iraq's new government is likely to take a few months...

WASHINGTON, Dec. 9, 2005 – The United States expects to reduce its troop numbers in Iraq by more than 17,000 following the Dec. 15 national elections, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said Dec. 8. Rumsfeld, speaking on PBS' "News Hour With Jim Lehrer," said he expects to reduce the force, which surged to about 155,000 to ensure adequate security for the elections, to the previous baseline of 137,000 or 138,000. "I'm sure of that," he said, noting that violence is expected to drop following the upcoming election, as it did following the Oct. 15 referendum on the constitution and the...

WASHINGTON, Nov. 29, 2005 – The U.S. commander in chief today dismissed talk of any major withdrawal of American troops from Iraq before victory over insurgents there is achieved. "We've heard some people say pull them out right now. That's a huge mistake. It'd be a terrible mistake," President Bush told reporters during a visit to U.S. Border Patrol headquarters in El Paso, Texas. Bush said a precipitous withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq would damage military morale, encourage the enemy, and send a bad message to the Iraqis. "And I want our troops to come home, but I don't...

WASHINGTON, Nov. 23, 2005 – Recent news reports that say major U.S. troop reductions in Iraq may occur next year are speculative in nature, a senior Defense Department official said today. "When we have any major force adjustments, I think we've always been very good about making those decisions known to you," DoD spokesman Bryan Whitman told Pentagon reporters. The Defense Department routinely prepares for possible contingencies, Whitman said, noting such planning could include increasing or decreasing troop levels in a certain geographic area. Currently, there are more than 150,000 U.S. troops in Iraq. "The United States military looks at...

I've gotten a LOT of positive feedback on my poster idea -- THANKS! Now, I'd like to ask for your help in taking it to the next level. I'm hoping to counter some of the emotional propaganda that's being spewed by the left. As such, a poster that uses emotional imagery to help put things into better perspective could help us tip the scales back toward sanity. If you feel that this poster is worthwhile, please copy it and send it to your friends, as well as anyone in the armed services who might like to know that there are...

WASHINGTON, Nov. 7, 2005 – Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld today announced the next major units to deploy to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He emphasized that rotation planning remains flexible and will be based on conditions on the ground, not political pressures or artificial timetables. Today's announcement affects about 92,000 servicemembers -- more than 65,000 from the active component and 26,000 from the Guard and Reserve -- who will begin their scheduled rotation in mid-2006, according to Army Lt. Col. Barry Venable, a Defense Department spokesman. Major units to deploy include: Division Headquarters and 3rd Brigade, 25th...

WASHINGTON, Nov. 3, 2005 – The American men and women fighting in Iraq believe in their mission, and the Iraqi people appreciate what the U.S. military has done for them, top military leaders told the House Armed Services Committee here today. Three senior leaders from the Army and Marine Corps who have served multiple tours in Iraq testified at the hearing, titled "Your Troops: Their Story." The leaders spoke about the quality of America's servicemembers and their dedication to duty. "In all of my experiences -- both tours -- in all of the improvised-explosive-device attacks I either observed or came...

SHANNON, Ireland, Oct. 24, 2005 – Dr. Neil Fruman didn't realize how much of an impact a trip to military installations around the world had made on him until, during an airport stopover in Ireland on the way home Oct. 22, he saw a group of soldiers headed to Iraq. "It became very clear to me then," said Fruman, a family practitioner from Lafayette, Calif. "Looking in the eyes and shaking the hands of these men and women of different countries of origin, nationalities, heights, weights, sexes - all with smiles on their faces, eager, anxious and respectful, standing proudly...

WASHINGTON, Oct. 9, 2005 – Country music fans phoned WMZQ radio throughout the day Oct. 8 asking one question: would the heavy rains stop the Tribute to the Troops? Not to worry, the disc jockeys said. The show would go on. People with tickets for lawn seats at the Nissan Pavilion in Manassas, Va., could now sit inside the open-air concert arena. One caller vowed the sporadic downpours wouldn't keep her away. "I'll be there," she said. "The troops don't stop fighting just because it rains." Thousands of other country-music-loving troop supporters showed the same determination. They coped with the...

WASHINGTON, Oct. 6, 2005 - After circling the globe more times than she can count, taking musical headliners around the world to entertain U.S. servicemembers in remote locations, the driving force behind the "Stars for Stripes" program said it's easy to stay pumped up about the effort. Stars for Stripes President and Chief Executive Officer Judy Seale (right) hugs country music legend Charlie Daniels following a Stars for Stripes concert at the Association of the U.S. Army annual meeting in Washington Oct. 4. Photo by Donna Miles (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. The Stars for Stripes program brings...

The task force treats more than 100 villagers during a medical assistance visit. A U.S. Army 116th Brigade Combat Team medic from Task Force 1-163 Infantry tries to coax an Iraqi child during a medical assistance visit to the village of Husseinia, Iraq, Aug. 1, 2005. U.S. Army photo by Task Force 1-163 Infantry FORWARD OPERATING BASE WARRIOR, Iraq, Aug. 12, 2005 — U.S. soldiers from the 116th Brigade Combat Team’s Task Force 1-163 Infantry delivered much-needed medical care to the village of Husseinia, Iraq, Aug. 1. "The visit was intended to be a mini-(medical assistance visit) but it turned...

The visit marked the unit's first purely humanitarian mission in Iraq, a mission made possible from donations by church groups and family members at Fort Stewart, Ga. TAWAITHA, Iraq, Aug. 11, 2005 — U.S. soldiers assigned to F Company, 26th Forward Support Battalion, brought smiles to Tawaitha children as they distributed hundreds of shoes and toys near a landfill July 23. The community of squatters who live in the landfill, located near the Rasheed Airfield, often suffer foot injuries caused by walking over sharp debris without shoes. The F Company troops, who operate in direct support of 1st Battalion, 9th...