Thursday,Apr 24 2008, 05:16:51 PMCoalition, Iraqi Forces Kill, Detain Terrorists

American Forces Press Service

April 21, 2008 - Coalition forces battling al-Qaida terrorists and Iranian-trained "special group" criminals killed 23 terrorists and detained 42 others during multiple engagements and missions across Iraq between April 18 and 21.  "Iraqi security and coalition force soldiers are targeting criminals who violate the Iraqi rule of law," said U.S. Army Col. Allen Batschelet, chief of staff for Multinational Division Baghdad.

"Coalition soldiers are not targeting any political group or organization, but rather working with the [Iraqi security forces] targeting criminals who are engaged in violent acts or about to commit a violent act," Batschelet emphasized.

"It is the Iranian-supported special group criminals who are the primary reason the people of Baghdad are suffering. They are responsible for continued [improvised-explosive-device] attacks and firefights that are causing innocent civilian deaths," he said.

During two operations in Mosul, coalition forces captured an alleged al-Qaida leader and a suspected associate today. The missions were based on information gathered in an April 3 raid. The alleged al-Qaida leader is believed to oversee attack operations.

In separate operations yesterday, Multinational Force Baghdad soldiers took part in a series of engagements with terrorists and special group criminals.

-- At 4 a.m., soldiers assigned to the 10th Cavalry Regiment's 7th Squadron detained two men carrying illegal weapons and bomb-making materials in the East Rashid district.

-- At 6:40 a.m., soldiers assigned to the 21st Infantry Regiment's 1st Battalion spotted five individuals emplacing an improvised explosive device in the Adhamiyah district. The soldiers engaged the terrorists, and during the engagement, the IED detonated, killing three terrorists and wounding another.

-- At 8 a.m., the 21st Infantry Regiment's 1st Battalion engaged and killed seven terrorists carrying three PKC machines guns, three AK-47 rifles, and a rocket–propelled-grenade launcher. A Stryker element supporting the mission killed two more criminals carrying AK-47s on a nearby rooftop.

-- At 3:30 p.m., a coalition force observation post in Baghdad's Sadr City neighborhood was fired upon by three special group criminals. U.S. soldiers returned fire killing one and wounding the other two.

-- At about 4 p.m., soldiers from the 4th Infantry Division's 1st Brigade Combat Team discovered a substantial weapons cache containing 14 blocks of high explosives in the Zubaida area of Baghdad's Rashid district.

-- At 4: 45 p.m., following a rocket attack, an unmanned aerial vehicle positively identified five special group criminals loading a vehicle with rocket rails in Sadr City. The UAV followed the vehicle to a house and engaged the criminals as they were unloading the vehicle, firing one Hellfire missile, destroying the vehicle and rockets rails, and killing the two criminals.

-- At 10:20 p.m., soldiers assigned to the 4th Infantry Division's 3rd Brigade Combat Team killed three criminals with a missile fired from an unmanned aerial vehicle after they were positively identified carrying weapons at a cache site in eastern Baghdad.

In other operations yesterday, coalition forces also captured a suspected Iranian-trained special groups commander and three other suspected criminals in the Kadamiyah district of Baghdad. Coalition forces also killed four terrorists and detained four suspects in an operation north of Baqouba that targeted individuals believed to be housing foreign terrorists in the area.

"We are not initiating these engagements," U.S. Army Lt. Col. Steve Stover, a 4th Infantry Division member and a spokesman for Multinational Division-Baghdad, said of the April 20 actions. "Coalition forces will continue to defend ourselves against criminals who ignore the Iraqi rule of law."

In earlier operations, tips from local citizens netted three weapons caches in operations in Hakara and Basra on April 18 and 19.

-- Based on a tip, Iraqi army and U.S. from Multinational Division Center found a weapons cache during a combat patrol in Hakara on April 19.

-- Also acting on a tip, Iraqi army soldiers assigned to 1st Battalion, 36th Brigade, 9th Division, working with Multinational Division Southeast forces discovered a weapons cache in two vehicles during Operation Charge of the Knights in the Quibla district of Basra on April 19.

-- A tip from another local citizen led Multinational Division Center soldiers from 187th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), to a weapons cache near the Abu Eid bridge April 18.

In other operations April 18:

-- Coalitio forces detained four suspected terrorists during operations targeting alleged associates of al-Qaida leaders southwest of Samarra and in southern Baghdad.

-- In southern Baghdad, coalition forces secured a building and detained a suspect allegedly involved in procuring bomb-making materials, including components for suicide vests.

-- In Beiji, coalition forces coordinated three operations targeting individuals believed to conspire with an al-Qaida leader known for coordinating bombing attacks. One suspect who attempted to evade the ground force was injured in the operation and taken to a military medical facility. Coalition forces captured two wanted men and detained 12 additional suspected terrorists.

-- During two operations in Mosul, coalition forces killed three and detained seven suspected terrorists, including one who was believed to have hidden a senior terrorist leader in his house. The targeted individual allegedly conducted attacks against Iraqi security and coalition forces and was involved in killings in Baghdad.

(Compiled from Multinational Corps Iraq and Multintional Force Iraq news releases.)

Thursday,Apr 24 2008, 12:48:48 AMAfghan Army Making Progress; Police Force Needs Wo

By Gerry J. Gilmore

American Forces Press Service

April 18, 2008 - Afghanistan's growing army is starting to take the lead in battles against Taliban insurgents, but the country's constabulary still requires work, the U.S. commander in charge of training and equipping those forces said today.  The pace of Afghan Army development has been "quite remarkable in terms of their ability to field a force," said Army Maj. Gen. Robert W. Cone, chief of Combined Security Transition Command – Afghanistan.

In addition, Afghan soldiers have been taking the lead in most of the major operations against the enemy over the past three months, Cone told Pentagon reporters from his base in Kabul during a satellite news conference.

"This is critically important, because the Afghans learn by doing and when they're out in front it reinforces the classroom learning that they've had on staff planning and anticipating and synchronization," he explained.

Cone took command of the Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan on July 16, 2007. Based on Camp Eggers in Kabul, the command's mission is to train, equip and advise the Afghan Army and national police force.

The Afghan Army now has about 63,000 soldiers on duty and in training, Cone reported, with a projected force-growth to about 76,000 troops by the end of this year. The Afghan Army's end strength is expected to reach 80,000 soldiers in 2009, he said.

Today, the Afghan Army has fielded 12 of 14 authorized brigades and 33 infantry battalions, Cone said. Last month, the Afghans certified one of their infantry battalions as trained and ready to conduct independent operations.

"This is a positive milestone for this relatively young Army, and it says something about the leadership of this specific unit and the commitment of the Afghan National Army and of its leaders," he said.

The Afghan Army didn't have any commando battalions at this time last year. Today, however, the Afghans have trained and stood up four commando units that are the equivalent of the U.S. Army's elite Ranger light-infantry units. A fifth Afghan commando battalion is slated to come on line this summer, he said.

Cone praised the fighting spirit of Afghanistan's soldiers.

"I would tell you that the Afghan fighter is in my view a top-ranked individual; this is a martial people, they are very good at fighting at the individual level," he said. Afghan troop leaders, he noted, are being taught how to incorporate command-and-control, communications as well as military logistics systems.

Meanwhile, Afghan troops are very happy with ongoing deliveries of M-16 rifles and armored Humvee trucks to replace old or obsolete equipment, he observed.

"We are very optimistic, as we look at this summer that we will close all of their equipment shortages," Cone said, in time for anticipated increased confrontation with Taliban insurgents with the coming of warmer weather.

Hwever, training Afghanistan's police remains a work in progress, Cone acknowledged, citing past resource priorities including the availability of trainers.

"The shortfall in trainers has specifically affected the police training program ... we can only cover down on about 30 percent of the police districts in Afghanistan," Cone explained. The shortage of trainers, he said, has prolonged the development and reform of the police.

"To date, we have been able to meet the requirements for the Afghan National Army. That was our first priority and that has been covered by a combination of U.S. and NATO trainers," Cone noted. "But, the police program is clearly where the shortfall is felt most."

The Focused District Development program that was launched in October targets deficiencies in police conduct and performance, he said.

"This strategy is aimed at reforming the way that policing is done at the district and community levels," he explained. Seven police districts have completed the program's eight weeks' of formal police training and those officers have returned to duty under the mentorship of U.S. trainers.

Cone's organization is working with the Afghan Ministry of Interior to train up the police. The goal, he said, is to reform 52 of the more than 300 Afghan police districts by the end of 2008. He estimated it will take about five years to complete the program.

"It is important to note that the police are the 'face' of government to the Afghan people and for so long that face has been associated with corruption and unprofessionalism," Cone observed.

"Focused District Development is the first real, major step in breaking this cycle of corruption and (to) provide Afghans a professional, well-led and well-trained police force," he said.

Wednesday,Apr 23 2008, 02:16:28 AMBush Marks 25th Anniversary of Terror Attack on U.

By Donna Miles

American Forces Press Service

April 18, 2008 - Twenty-five years after terrorists detonated a massive car bomb, killing 52 people at the U.S. Embassy in Beirut, President Bush urged unity in condemning terrorism he said continues to threaten the United States.  The Islamic Jihad Organization, today known as the terrorist group Hizballah, launched the April 18, 1983, attack that left 17 Americans and 35 Lebanese citizens dead. Those killed included Marine Cpl. Robert V. McMaugh, an embassy guard, and Army trainers Sgt. 1st Class Richard Twine, Staff Sgt. Ben H. Maxwell and Staff Sgt. Mark E. Salazar.

Employees of the State Department and U.S. Agency for International Development and members of the Central Intelligence Agency's Middle East contingent were also killed.

President Ronald Reagan quickly denounced the "vicious terrorist bombing" as a "cowardly act" that would not deter U.S. goals of peace in the region.

Bush marked the anniversary of the Beirut embassy bombing in a statement released yesterday remembering those killed and honoring the sacrifice of their family and friends and those wounded in the attack. He called the anniversary "a timely reminder of the danger U.S. diplomats, military personnel and locally employed staff bear in their service to the the United States."

"Since the Beirut attack, we and citizens of many countries have suffered more attacks at the hands of Hizballah and other terrorists, backed by the regimes in Tehran and Damascus, which use terror and violence against innocent civilians," Bush said. "All nations should condemn such brutal attacks and recognize that the purposeful targeting of civilians is immoral and unjustifiable."

The bombing was the deadliest terrorist attack the United States had ever faced in its history, although more attacks were to follow.

The Beirut embassy bombing opened a new chapter in attacks against Americans overseas. Six months later, on Oct. 23, 1983, two truck bombs struck barracks in Beirut that houses U.S. and French members of the Multinational Force in Lebanon. The attacks, which occurred 20 seconds apart, killed 241 U.S. Marines, as well as 58 French servicemen and six civilians.

Other embassy attacks were to follow: in 1998 on the embassies in Dar es Salaam,Tanzania; and Nairobi, Kenya; and in 2002 on the U.S. Consulate in Karachi, Pakistan.

Bush noted that the people of Lebanon have remained resilient despite living the better part of three decades living under the threat of violence, assassinations and other forms of intimidation.

"They and their leaders continue to work for a peaceful and democratic future, even as Syria, Iran, and their Lebanese proxies seek to undermine Lebanese democracy and institutions," he said.

"The United States will continue to stand with the Lebanese people and their government as they struggle to preserve their sovereignty and independence, seek to bring justice to victims of terrorism and political violence, and seek election of a president committed to those values," Bush said.

Tuesday,Apr 22 2008, 05:00:59 PMBush, U.K. Prime Minister Talk Tough on Terrorism

By John J. Kruzel

American Forces Press Service

April 17, 2008 - In two-part harmony, President Bush and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown vowed to work together to combat terrorism.  During a joint news conference at the White House Rose Garden following a closed-door meeting, the two leaders pledged continued multilateral military commitment in Afghanistan and spoke critically about Iran's uranium enrichment.

"Prime Minister Brown understands our enemies remain determined to strike our countries and to kill our people. He and I share a determination -- a fierce determination -- that these evil men must be stopped and that we can defeat their hateful ideology by the spreading of liberty and freedom," Bush said, calling the prime minister his good friend.

Invoking Winston Churchill's famous phrase, Brown said no bilateral bond has better served the world than the "special relationship" between the United States and United Kingdom. "And following our excellent meeting, I'm able to report that the bond between our two countries is stronger than ever," he added.

Brown praised his American counterpart for leading the crusade against global extremism. "The world owes President George Bush a huge debt of gratitude for leading the world in our determination to root out terrorism and to ensure that there is no safe haven for terrorism and no hiding place for terrorists," he said.

On Iraq, the president said the two nations are working together and lauded recent efforts by British troops in Basra. "During the recent fighting in the Basra province, our nations coordinated our support for the Iraqi security forces as they took on extremists and criminals," he said. "I'm most thankful for the brilliance of the British helicopter crews that fired under courage and helped evacuate wounded Iraqi soldiers."

Brown agreed that his nation's overwatch role in Basra in southern of Iraq is making "substantial progress." He added that much of the leaders' discussion involved U.S.-U.K. forces serving together in Iraq and Afghanistan. "We praise the commitment of the troops of both America and Britain and all who serve in these two countries," he said.

America and Britain, respectively, have the first and second largest number of forces in Afghanistan and are determined on the success of our missions, the prime minister said. He added that he and Bush agreed at the NATO summit in Bucharest, Romania, early this month to match the military effort in Afghanistan with proposals that will enable economic and social development there.

Bush said he appreciates the 7,900 British troops bravely serving in Afghanistan. "We talked about the very successful NATO summit that we just concluded in Romania," he said, referring to his afternoon discussion with Brown. "We talked about our commitment to see to it that e succeed in Afghanistan."

The heads of state also agreed on mounting multilateral opposition to Iran's defiant pursuit of nuclear capabilities.

"Our position is clear: that we're going to work together, along with other nations, to make it abundantly clear to the Iranian regime that they must not have the capability of developing a nuclear weapon," the president said.

Echoing Bush, the prime minister said, "Iran continues to defy the will of the international community, and we are agreed on the need to strengthen the sanctions regime and ensure these sanctions are effectively implemented."

Brown said he will meet with other European leaders over the next few days to discuss moving forward with the issue across the continent.

Wednesday,Apr 16 2008, 03:12:03 AMCoalition Forces to Release Detained AP Photograph

American Forces Press Service

April 15, 2008 - Coalition military officials in Baghdad have informed attorneys for Associated Press photographer Bilal Hussein Zaidon that they intend to release Hussein from custody tomorrow.  After confirming that the main charges for which Hussein was scheduled to be tried had been determined by Iraqi judicial committees to be covered by Iraq's new amnesty law, Army Maj. Gen. Douglas M. Stone, Multinational Force Iraq's deputy commanding general for detainee operations, signed the order approving his release. Hussein has been in coalition custody since April 2006.

"After the action by the Iraqi judicial committees, we reviewed the circumstances of Hussein's detention and determined that he no longer presents an imperative threat to security," Stone said. "I have therefore ordered that he be released from coalition force custody."

On Nov. 14, Multinational Force Iraq officials notified the Associated Press under a previous arrangement that command intended to provide evidence against Hussein to the Central Criminal Court of Iraq. On Dec. 9, the Iraqi judge assigned to investigate the case conducted an investigative hearing, and on March 11, he referred the case to trial.

Officials said Hussein was alleged to have possessed bomb-making materials, conspired with insurgents to photograph explosions directed at Iraqi and coalition forces, and offered to forge an identification card for a wanted terrorist who was being pursued by coalition forces. The allegations and evidence provided by Multinational Force Iraq supported the main charge against Hussein, that of terrorism under Iraq's anti-terrorism law. Under this law, as under the terrorism laws of many countries, journalistic motives are not a legal defense, officials said.

In the March 11 ruling, the Iraqi investigative judge determined that the evidence in the Iraqi criminal case against Hussein supported two separate charges, which he forwarded for trial: the terrorism charge, as well as another charge of participating in kidnapping.

After the February passage of the Iraqi amnesty law, the charges against Hussein were reviewed to determine its applicability. On April 7, the judicial committee appointed to implement the amnesty law dismissed the main charge of terrorism against Hussein.

Under the amnesty law, acts of terrorism are subject to amnesty if they do not result in killing or permanent disability. Following the April 7 order, Hussein remained in coalition custody under a second Iraqi charge alleging that Hussein had participated in a kidnapping.

His detention in coalition custody continued under authorities granted under international law. On April 13, a separate Iraqi judicial committee concluded that the second charge also should be dismissed.

The amnesty law applies only to criminal cases before Iraqi courts and does not apply to people detained in coalition custody as security detainees in accordance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1790.

The amnesty panel's determinations are based only on the charges and not the evidence in each case, officials said. A finding that amnesty applies is not an acquittal, but a determination that the alleged misconduct, whether proved or not, will be excused by the Iraqi government to srve the purposes of the amnesty law, officials explained.

Stone said the Multinational Force Iraq determination in Hussein's case was based on specific information in his file, as well as improvements in the security situation that have lessened the threat posed by his release.

"The decision to detain is based on an assessment of the threat the individual poses to the security of Iraq," the general said. "These determinations will continue to be made on a case-by-case basis and as a separate action from any determination of amnesty."

(From a Multinational Force Iraq news release.)