Vermont general prepares for new mission in Afghanistan

By Army Sgt. 1st Class Jon Soucy
National Guard Bureau

(12/10/09) -- The Vermont National Guard’s second in command recently learned that he will join the 1,500 other Vermont Soldiers that are set to deploy to Afghanistan early next year. Army Brig. Gen. Jonathan Farnham, the Vermont Guard’s joint staff director, will head up the newly created Afghan National Security Forces Development Assistance Bureau, which will oversee the training of Afghanistan’s security forces.

“It appears that my group will be doing some data collection, some analysis, receiving reports and doing some war-gaming of things to make suggestions on how to improve on how things are going given the resources that are available,” said Farnham in an interview with Vermont Public Radio Dec. 8.

He added that he will lead about 100 Soldiers, including some military members from Macedonia, which is one of Vermont’s State Partnership Program countries.

Farnham’s mission in Afghanistan is an offshoot of the Vermont Guard’s original mission of heading up Combined Joint Task Force Phoenix, which was responsible for training the Afghan National Army.

“I know that Task Force Phoenix, which we originally believed that Vermont would be manning and managing, is in the process of going away and being reorganized,” he said. “It appears to me to be a little leaner and a smaller footprint than it originally was.”

The role of Farnham’s bureau is to monitor the training and make recommendations on how to improve that training.

“I understand that one of the responsibilities of the bureau will be to gather the information and do some monitoring of things and make recommendations that maybe folks that are so close to it may not see on a daily basis,” said Farnham. “And, hopefully help to accomplish the missions of the commander on the ground and to help provide some positive input on how things can be improved or streamlined.”

Farnham said he sees the bureau as providing a lasting legacy in Afghanistan. “The bureau itself is designed to be an enduring piece of what will remain there for what will be awhile in terms of monitoring how things are going in Afghanistan from the coalition force perspective,” he said.

While many of the other deploying Vermont Soldiers have had months to prepare for the deployment, Farnham was notified last week that he was to deploy.

“This has been a very compressed and condensed, very hectic week and we’ve had to make a lot of decisions here,” he said. “I did have a discussion with my family and they’re in the shock mode.”

And as a senior leader of the Vermont Guard that also may mean a reshuffling of roles among Vermont’s senior leaders.

“Obviously, as a senior person from the Guard how we will cover down on that, said Farnham. “We will have things well covered here at home and of course our focus will remain on the families of the deployed Soldiers and supporting them, that’s number one.”

As for now, Farnham is preparing for the upcoming mission and sees the mission as an important one and one key to long term successes.

“I believe that success will be measured in the fact that we are going to continue to turn over the destiny and the long-term rule of Afghanistan to the Afghan people and its government,” said Farnham. “I think our success will be the more they can do and the sooner they can do it … that will be our measure of success.”

Airman returns home with a Purple Heart

By Airman 1st Class Jessica Green
California National Guard

An Air Guardsman from the 129th Rescue Squadron here was awarded a Purple Heart at the Santa Clara Convention Center, Dec 6. Capt. Mary Jennings, HH-60G Pave Hawk pilot, received the Badge of Military Merit, also known as the Purple Heart, by Maj. Gen. Dennis Lucas, commander of the California Air National Guard, in a ceremony attended by her family, friends and fellow Airmen from the 129th Rescue Wing.

She recently returned home from her deployment to Afghanistan after being wounded by enemy forces during the rescue of three injured American soldiers. Air Force rescue helicopter PEDRO 15 launched July 29 from Kandahar Airfield in route to the convoy that had fallen under attack once striking an improvised explosive device.

“We couldn’t see any enemy fire as we arrived on scene,” said Maj. George Dona, Capt. Jennings’ Pave Hawk co-pilot on PEDRO 15, also from 129th RQS. “We were in voice contact with the soldiers on the ground and we could hear over their radios that they were under distress.”

The soldiers were taking cover from hidden enemy positions on the western side of the convoy. PEDRO 15 took immediate fire upon the first landing, taking off right away, in enough time to drop off two pararescuemen, or PJs, in the zone, Major Dona said.

“One shot actually came directly into the cockpit and pretty much destroyed the entire co-pilot windshield,” said Major Dona. “Captain Jennings took shrapnel and there was blood instantly all over her side.”

The pararescue team lead from the 71st RQS assigned to the 23rd Wing at Moody Air Force Base, Ga., stayed on the aircraft after the first landing to ensure Captain Jennings was alright, while the rest of his pararescue team deplaned to collect the patients. PEDRO 15 flew about a mile south to escape enemy fire and guarantee that both the helicopter and crew were in good enough condition to continue the save, Captain Jennings said.

“The helicopter was determined fully functional,” she said. “We couldn’t bring ourselves to return home without the patients.”

Despite the danger PEDRO 15 faced, the crew, including 129th RQS flight engineer Senior Master Sgt. Steven Burt and 129th RQS aerial gunner Tech Sgt. Tiejie Jones, returned to the scene after getting a call from the PJs saying they were ready to haul out the three patients, Major Dona said.
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“Then again, as soon as we landed we took immediate fire. We landed next to the patients and the PJs were already moving them in,” he said. “We took constant fire, and in about 20 rounds to the backside of the helicopter the systems started to deteriorate slowly.”

Captain Jennings told Major Dona, who was on controls, to hold the helicopter on the ground through the fire as she watched the PJs load the patients on the helicopter.

“There were people yelling, lights flashing, and people screaming through the radios, all while dodging bullets,” said Captain Jennings. “Major Dona had a lot of patience and confidence in his team to stay on the ground through all the chaos. His amazing pilotage skills saved all our lives.”

About 30 seconds after takeoff the back cabin was full of fuel, hydraulics were leaking, and systems were not working correctly. Captain Jennings flipped the fuel selector to cross feed between the two fuel tanks to keep the engine from flaming out. This was a huge factor in keeping the helicopter airborne, Major. Dona said.

“As I enabled the second tank I saw it was ticking down to zero as well,” said Captain Jennings. “We needed to land. It was a decision to either crash three miles away or land two miles away.”

The crew of PEDRO 15 made the right decision. After landing the helicopter about two miles south of the convoy attack the crew shut down and quickly secured a perimeter to protect the patients. Nearby flight PEDRO 16 landed next to their crippled wingmen and loaded all patients and as many crew members as possible before departing, Major Dona said.

“Army OH-58D Kiowa helicopters came to retrieve the rest of the crew,” said Captain Jennings. “Being small single-engine, single-rotor, two-seater helicopters, there was no room for us inside. We had to stand on the skids and hold onto rocket pods.”

As if the heroic pilotage of Captain Jennings and Major Dona weren’t enough, Sergeant Burt also showed extreme valor. While PJs were loading patients onto PEDRO 16 and the crew was being exfiltrated on to the skids of their cover ships, one of the pararescuemen called for help. Sergeant Burt ran through the rain of fire to help, Captain Jennings said.

“He totally put his life on the line,” she said. “I’m extremely proud of my crew’s heroism.”

Looking back at the incident, Captain Jennings is thankful for her crew and their bravery.

“In a country where rocket propelled grenades are used everywhere, it was a amazing that no one had an RPG. Everything was covered in fuel, including ourselves.” she said. “It was nothing short of a miracle that we survived.”

DHS’ Major Accomplishments in 2009

December 15, 2009: Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano today highlighted the Department's 2009 accomplishments in an address to employees—emphasizing the major steps the Department has taken this year to enhance America's capabilities to guard against terrorism; secure the nation's borders; engage in smart enforcement of our immigration laws; prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters; and unify and mature the Department and its 230,000-employee global workforce.

"We have built a spirit of collaboration into everything we do—within DHS and with our state, local, tribal, private sector and international partners," said Secretary Napolitano. "DHS and our 230,000 employees are connected by a common mission and responsibility to protect the United States from all threats and disasters."

The year-end accomplishments outlined today reflect Secretary Napolitano's commitment to strengthening activities in each priority area through three cross-cutting initiatives—increasing cooperation with federal, state, local tribal, private sector and international partners, deploying the latest science and technology to support DHS' mission; and maximizing efficiency in operations across the Department.

To guard against terrorism and threats to cyber networks and critical infrastructure, Secretary Napolitano forged new global partnerships in 2009 to share information, facilitate scientific research and coordinate law enforcement efforts; opened a new DHS-led coordinated cybersecurity watch and warning center; and created a new Fusion Center Program Management Office to support information sharing between federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement partners.

To secure our borders while facilitating lawful travel and trade, Secretary Napolitano deployed additional personnel and technology to the Southwest border while increasing coordination with federal, state, local and Mexican law enforcement as part of the Obama administration's Southwest Border Initiative; implemented the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative for land and sea travel to the United States; expanded Global Entry, a pilot program that streamlines the screening process at airports for trusted travelers through biometric identification; and entered into new partnerships across the federal government and with international counterparts to crack down on drug and firearms trafficking.

To engage in smart and effective enforcement of our immigration laws, Secretary Napolitano implemented a new, comprehensive worksite enforcement strategy to reduce demand for illegal employment and protect employment opportunities for the nation's lawful workforce; initiated major reforms to the nation's immigration detention system to enhance security and efficiency while prioritizing the health and safety of detainees; and expanded the Secure Communities program, which uses biometric information to target criminal aliens in U.S. correctional facilities, to over 100 jurisdictions across the country.

To prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters, Secretary Napolitano awarded more than $2.1 billion to Louisiana and Mississippi for recovery and rebuilding from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita; established two joint public assistance teams and a new arbitration process to resolve long-standing issues over public assistance funding; and partnered with the Department of Housing and Urban Development to provide long-term housing to more than 11,000 families displaced by Hurricanes Gustav and Ike while providing families remaining in temporary Katrina-Rita housing new options to buy their mobile homes and park models.

To unify and mature the Department, Secretary Napolitano has launched major reforms to foster a culture of responsibility and fiscal discipline, including a Department-wide Efficiency Review to cut costs and streamline operations through a series of initiatives ranging from eliminating non-mission critical travel to acquiring enterprise licenses for commonly used software—collectively expected to lead to hundreds of millions of dollars in cost avoidances.

Conway Notes Importance of Iraq Mission

By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service

Dec. 15, 2009 - Despite a new U.S. strategy for Afghanistan that entails sending 30,000 additional American forces, the more important operation for the Marine Corps is Iraq, the service's top officer said today. Gen. James Conway, the Marine commandant who returned recently from visiting troops in Afghanistan and Iraq, called the Afghan mission more dangerous but less vital than Iraq.

"What I told the troops in Iraq is that the most dangerous thing that our corps is doing today is happening in Afghanistan," he told Pentagon reporters. "The most important thing we're doing today is happening in Iraq. And that is because we're sealing the win there."

Currently, some 5,000 Marines are operating in Iraq as the phased drawdown of U.S. forces continues there.

"The major equipment items are 95 percent out of Iraq," he said. "Our folks there in this last rotation, if you will, have been doing a magnificent job phasing down, breaking trail for the much larger army, shipment of equipment that's going to follow."

Conway said the way the U.S. Marine Corps views operations in Afghanistan will be predicated on what happens in Iraq.

"I would also offer that the way we see Afghanistan is very much through the filter of Iraq," he said. "And that we come out of Iraq under a victory pennant, facing now what we see in Afghanistan, I think, is the way we ... would hope and expect American forces to be able to do that."

The commandant's remarks come weeks after President Barack Obama announced a U.S. strategy for Afghanistan that will send 30,000 additional forces over the next six months with the nonbinding goal of beginning to withdraw troops starting in July 2011.

Some 13,000 Marines currently are operating in Afghanistan – a number that is expected to rise to 20,000 by spring of next year. Military officials have said the distribution of additional troops would factor in the current U.S. footprint in Afghanistan, which comprises about 68,000 troops -- a mixture of combat forces and trainers -- spread throughout, but with the east and south serving as focal points.

In July, U.S. Marines and Afghan security forces launched an operation in southern Afghanistan's Helmand River valley, waging war against Taliban operatives in the area.

Currently, some 8,000 Marines of the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade of Camp Leujeune, N.C., are responsible for southern and western Helmand province and in the western border province of Farah.

Conway acknowledged significant differences between the two wars, but said that lessons learned in Iraq might find valid application in Afghanistan.

"Certainly I can offer that although Afghanistan has a lot of things different about it," he said, "we have validated our tactics, techniques and procedures that we used in Iraq."

Crime Mapping

Editor's Note: The discussion will have application for domestic law enforcement in their counterterrorism role.

On January 28, 2010, Conversations with American Heroes at the Watering Hole will feature a discussion with Michael R. King on Crime Mapping.

Program Date: January 28, 2010
Program Time: 1700 Hours Pacific
Topic: Crime Mapping
Listen Live: www.americanheroesradio.com/crime_mapping.html

About the Guest
Michael R. King is a National Law Enforcement Account Manager for ESRI, the Environmental Systems Research Institute, a worldwide leader of GIS software. He was a Product Planning Manager for Motorola, Inc. from 2004-2006. In 2004, Michael R. King retired from full-time Law Enforcement and has over 28 years of service. He began his law enforcement career in 1979. After 8 years of experience with the Ogden Utah Police Department, Michael R. King became the Chief of Staff for Weber County Attorney, Reed M. Richards. He served in that capacity and as lead investigator for 8 years.

In 1993, Michael R. King became an investigator with the Utah Attorney General’s Office where he investigated sexual offenses, cult activity and white-collar crimes. He was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant and eventually promoted to Chief of Staff under Attorney General Jan Graham. During this time, King was trained as a criminal profiler through the FBI. He served as the co-chair of the FBI’s Violent Criminal Apprehension Program National Board. Michael R. King has consulted on hundreds of complex criminal cases around the world.

Michael R. King has a Master of Criminal Justice Degree and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice. He is an adjunct faculty member for the school of Criminal Justice at Salt Lake Community College and Weber State University. He is a member of the Harvard Medical School Program in Psychiatry and the Law (2003-present) and is a Visiting Scholar for the School of Nursing at Boston College (2005-present).

Mike has authored, in part or whole, a number of books, including: Analyzing Criminal Behavior; Cold Case Methodology; and, Predators: Who They are and How to Stop Them.

About the Watering Hole
The Watering Hole is Police slang for a location cops go off-duty to blow off steam and talk about work and life. American Heroes Radio brings you to the watering hole, where it is Sometimes funny; sometimes serious; but, always interesting.

About the Host
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster was a sworn member of the Los Angeles Police Department for 24 years. He retired in 2003 at the rank of Lieutenant. He holds a bachelor’s from the Union Institute and University in Criminal Justice Management and a Master’s Degree in Public Financial Management from California State University, Fullerton; and, has completed his doctoral course work. Raymond E. Foster has been a part-time lecturer at California State University, Fullerton and Fresno; and is currently a Criminal Justice Department chair, faculty advisor and lecturer with the Union Institute and University. He has experience teaching upper division courses in Law Enforcement, public policy, Public Safety Technology and leadership. Raymond is an experienced author who has published numerous articles in a wide range of venues including magazines such as Government Technology, Mobile Government, Airborne Law Enforcement Magazine, and Police One. He has appeared on the History Channel and radio programs in the United States and Europe as subject matter expert in technological applications in Law Enforcement.

Listen, call, join us at the Watering Hole:
Program Contact Information
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster, LAPD (ret.), MPA
editor@police-writers.com
909.599.7530

Mullen Tours Bases, Outposts in Afghanistan

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

Dec. 15, 2009 - The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff met with U.S, NATO and Afghan forces based throughout Afghanistan's Regional Command East today. Navy Adm. Mike Mullen's first stop was with U.S. and French forces at Task Force Lafayette, outside Kabul. The chairman spoke with French soldiers and their U.S. liaisons during the visit. He thanked the French forces for their contributions to the Afghan people and the coalition.

The visit highlighted the coalition nature of the effort in Regional Command East. In addition to the French forces, Polish forces are in charge of battle space, and the Czech Republic, Turkey and New Zealand manage provincial reconstruction teams. In addition, servicemembers and civilians from Egypt, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates work with the command, and South Korea runs a hospital in the region.

The admiral then moved to the village of Mata Kahn, where American soldiers work closely with Afghan police. The village is small and is built along the highway. The Americans and Afghans live, work and fight together as they attempt to bring security to the village.

Army 1st lt. John Billings of the 1st Battalion, 501st Airborne Infantry, escorted the admiral. Billings told Mullen that there has been a "wholesale change" in the way the Afghan people regard the American-and-Afghan unit. "We get out among them every day," Billings said to the admiral.

District subgovernor Qadir Gule Zabran pointed to the children who materialized to see the admiral and said the town needs a school. Village elder Shir Kham agreed, and added that a mosque also would be welcome.

Zabran told Mullen that he is a great friend of America, "and I hope America stays here forever."

Mullen shook his head. "We're not going to stay forever," he said. "But we will stay friends forever."

Mullen presented awards to some of the soldiers at the outpost and then flew into Forward Operating Base Sherana, where he took a Texas Air National Guard C-130 to Islamabad, Pakistan, for meetings with Pakistani leaders.

Some Guantanamo Detainees to Move to Illinois Prison

By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

Dec. 15, 2009 - President Barack Obama's administration plans to transfer a limited number of detainees held at the detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to a prison in rural western Illinois, senior administration officials said here today. The federal government plans to acquire Thomson Correctional Center, a 10-year-old maximum security prison in Thomson, Ill., a farming community about 150 miles west of Chicago, officials said in a background briefing.

The administration would need to work with Congress to amend the law related to the pending transfer and to seek necessary funding, officials said.

Some of the detainees affected by the transfer will be tried under the military commission process at the prison. Five detainees held at Guantanamo, including 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, are slated to be transferred to New York for trial in a civilian court.

Obama announced shortly after taking office that he would close the Guantanamo facility, citing its use as a terrorist recruiting tool.

Upgrades to Thomson, a maximum-security prison currently underused due to Illinois state budget woes, will include additional perimeter security, officials said.

More than 200 detainees are being housed at the Guantanamo facility, which was opened shortly after the start of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Critical Infrastructure Resiliency: The Next Frontier in Homeland Security

Monday, December 21, 4:15 – 5:15 PM (EST)
Presenter: Rand Beers, Under Secretary for National Protection and Programs Directorate

Under Secretary Beers will discuss the Infrastructure Protection mission and the important role of resiliency. He will address the complex interdependencies and important steps the Department of Homeland Security and its partners are taking to protect our nation’s critical infrastructure.

To register for this event please go to: https://connect.hsin.gov/e33382319/event/registration.html

Grant Guidance for More Than $250 Million in Fiscal Year 2010 Transit Security Grants

December 14, 2009: Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano today announced the release of application guidance for the Transit Security Grant Program (TSGP) totaling an estimated $253 million—funds for state, local and territorial governments and private sector entities to strengthen the nation’s transportation infrastructure and protect the traveling public from acts of terrorism and other major disasters.

“These transit grants play a major role in our efforts to work with our state, local, tribal, territorial, and private sector partners to build a national culture of readiness and resilience,” said Secretary Napolitano. “This year’s guidance focuses on maximizing efficiency and value while prioritizing risk in awarding grants to strengthen our nation’s transportation security.”

TSGP awards funds to owners and operators of transit systems—including intercity bus, commuter bus, ferries and all forms of passenger rail—based on their capabilities to reduce risk through training, operational deterrence, drills and public awareness activities; key critical infrastructure and asset protection; and other mitigation activities.

Eligible agencies were determined by the Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) urban areas list and the National Transit Database. TSGP Tier I is comprised of the transit agencies in the eight highest-risk urban areas, and will continue to utilize the cooperative agreement process, while Tier II will consist of all other eligible transit agencies.

Applications for the TSGP programs are due Feb. 18, 2010.

On Tuesday, Secretary Napolitano announced the release of fiscal year 2010 grant application guidance kits for 13 additional DHS grant programs totaling more than $2.7 billion. The guidance packages incorporate the input of DHS’ state, local, tribal, territorial, and private sector partners and include specific steps undertaken by DHS to improve the ability of state and local partners to apply for and utilize grant funding.

The fiscal year 2010 guidance announced by Secretary Napolitano this week has increased tribal funding, reduced administrative paperwork for state and local government, and enabled local jurisdictions to use preparedness funding for ongoing maintenance contracts, warranties, repair or replacement costs, upgrades and user fees for equipment purchased with previous DHS grants.

The fiscal year 2010 application guidance packages reflect DHS’ strategic priorities, as well as the National Preparedness Guidelines and the National Response Framework.

DHS oversees more than 50 grant and financial assistance programs representing approximately $4 billion in non-disaster grant funding annually to help state, local, tribal, territorial, and private sector entities strengthen the nation’s ability to prevent, protect, respond to and recover from terrorist attacks, major disasters and other emergencies.

Commanders Look to Boost Security Force Training

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

Dec. 15, 2009 - With the first additional Marines beginning to stream into Afghanistan to help bolster security in the south and east, preparations are under way for the arrival of soldiers to focus on the other key goal of the surge: recruiting, equipping and training Afghan security forces. Initial elements of the 10th Mountain Division's 1st Brigade Combat Team, based at Fort Drum, N.Y., are slated to deploy to Afghanistan starting in January, Army Lt. Gen. William B. Caldwell IV, commander of the NATO Training Mission Afghanistan and Combined Security Transition Command Afghanistan, reported last week.

Speaking with reporters less than a month after standing up the new NATO Training Mission Afghanistan, Caldwell emphasized the importance of building well-trained, properly equipped Afghan National Army and Afghan National Police forces to ultimately take responsibility for Afghanistan's security.

The goal, he said, is for the United States and NATO's International Security Assistance Force to "work our way out of a job" as Afghan forces step up to provide the critical ingredient needed for President Barack Obama's new Afghanistan strategy to succeed.

Obama's strategy calls for the formal transition to begin by July 2011. That's when U.S. forces are slated to begin drawing down in Afghanistan, based on conditions on the ground. Caldwell is focused on growing Afghan security forces by about 100,000 by then -- from the current 187,000 to about 287,000. The goal is two-fold: increasing the forces, but also ensuring that growth reflects Afghanistan's ethnically diverse population, he said.

Most of the growth must occur within the Afghan army, which has struggled to reach recruiting goals, but appears to be having more success since a more generous pay system took effect this month, Caldwell said. The Afghan National Police force is largely intact, so the big emphasis there will be on reform, he said.

While recruiting and retention challenges continue, developing highly developed leaders remains the biggest hurdle in building Afghan security forces, Caldwell said.

"Leader development doesn't happen overnight," the general said. "It's not a six-week course. It's not a three-month program. It's not a four-year school. It's a continuing process that continues through a person's career."

Caldwell's team is exploring innovative ways to build mid-grade leaders within the Afghan security forces. In the meantime, he said, the effort depends heavily on mentorship provided by U.S. and ISAF forces after trainees join their operational units.

"The day they walk out of graduation and get assigned to the 205th [Afghan Army] Corps, that does not stop the training of those units," Caldwell said.

That makes mentors critical, he said. "They keep that process going, ... and the sustainment and development of an ethical, professional military is a process that continues all the time. It never stops."

Army Lt. Gen David M. Rodriguez, commander of ISAF Joint Command, said the additional 30,000 U.S. troops to deploy to Afghanistan, along with another 7,000 troops committed by NATO, will "increase our capacity to train the Afghan national security forces," in the schoolhouse, then in the field.

With the additional troops, "we can and will be successful," he told reporters.

Rodriguez said he's impressed by what he's seen among Afghanistan's security forces. They already have security responsibility for all but one district in Kabul, he noted, and will soon begin taking the lead in operations in more of the country.

"Our Afghan partners are out there with us every day," he said. "They are relentless, they are tough, and they are committed to success."

Meals Bring Marines Together in Afghanistan

By Marine Corps Sgt. Brian Tuthill
Special to American Forces Press Service

Dec. 15, 2009 - When Marines hear they must live at a small patrol base for a long time, many think of primitive facilities, dirty conditions and bland, packaged meals coming from brown bags. But for Marines with the police mentoring team assigned to the 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, living on Patrol Base Jaker near the Nawa district's bazaar means good eats.

Dozens of Marines of 1/3's Alpha Company and Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, skipped the regular meal lines Dec. 5 and followed their stomachs to the improvised wood stove kitchen on camp, where Marine Corps Sgt. Juan A. Flores and his team were frying chicken, cooking rice and topping it all with fresh pico de gallo over Afghan flat bread. Their fresh ingredients were purchased from the bazaar earlier that day.

The 1/3 "Lava Dogs" living at Jaker inherited the kitchen from the Marines of 1/5, from whom they recently took over the area. The hand-built, dual-burner stove is made from engineer stakes, barrier steel wire grates, British military ammunition cans and parachute cord.

"Before we made it in October, everyone had their own little cooking areas when we first got here, so we consolidated them into one big one," said Marine Corps Cpl. Michael H. Gobel, a Humvee driver for Charlie Company, 1/5, who helped to build the kitchen.

"We looked through the junk pile and scavenged parts to build with," said Gobel, 21, from El Cajon, Calif. "I used it to cook on every night I was here. It was way better than the usual chow, and I'm glad we're able to pass it on to the 1/3 Marines so they can enjoy it."

"Out here, real chow halls are not easily accessible, so you rely on your Marine ingenuity to make things better," said Flores, 28, a platoon sergeant from Los Angeles. "We want to live as comfortably as possible, and dinner is a big deal to all of us. Preparing a meal together, cooking together and eating together – it's just like family."

Flores said he was very happy to see a kitchen already in place on the camp, saving his Marines the effort of building one. Before his team deployed from Military Police Company at Camp Pendleton, Calif., he already had dreamed of making his own meals while deployed.

"When I was deployed to Iraq last year, my staff [non-commissioned officer in charge] wanted to make life better and decided we were not going to eat [packaged rations] every day if we could avoid it. We were living in a house with the Iraqi police as we trained them, so we bought and rented pots and pans, a stove – everything we would need to make a good dinner every night.

"Pretty soon, we had infantry Marines from down the street fighting to come over to our house for dinner," he said.

Meals usually start early in the afternoon, with police mentoring team Marines chopping vegetables, gathering wood scraps, preparing and seasoning meat, cleaning pots and pans and buying last-minute ingredients. Their seasonings and spices are mostly collected and donated from care packages. "Out here we can grill it, boil it, bake it or fry it," Flores said.

Flores admits his team's cuisine has a Mexican bias, since his main chef and more than half of his Marines are Mexican-American or married to Hispanic women. Judging by the crowd and smiles on faces of Marines gathered around the kitchen, nobody seems to mind.

Marines like Cpl. Carlos J. Orellana of 1/3, who are not as experienced with cooking, take it as a great opportunity to learn.

"It's exciting for me to be able to do this here," said Orellana, 22. "I cooked a little back home, but this is cooking in the raw. It's a whole new experience, and I'm going to learn a lot, too.

"What's great about this is that it all comes down to taking care of people," he continued. "If someone says, 'Wow! This is really good!' then that made everything worth it for us."

As the Marines begin training Afghan police forces, they won't always be at Jaker to cook, but when they are, "you'll see us cooking," Orellana said.

(Marine Corps Sgt. Brian Tuthill serves with Regimental Combat Team 7.)

Presidential Task Force on Controlled Unclassified Information Releases Report and Recommendations

Secretary Napolitano and Attorney General Holder announce dedicated offices to support threat-based information sharing and reporting between all levels of government

Report and Recommendations of the Presidential Task Force on Controlled Unclassified Information (PDF - 50 pages, 1.25 MB)

December 15, 2009: Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano and Attorney General Eric Holder today announced two major steps in their efforts to implement reforms to enhance information sharing among federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies and safeguard sensitive information used by the government—designed to expand joint capabilities to protect the United States from terrorist activity, violent crime and other threats to the homeland.

The Presidential Interagency Task Force on Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), led by Secretary Napolitano and Attorney General Holder, today released a report recommending a single, standardized framework for marking, safeguarding and disseminating sensitive but unclassified (SBU) information across the federal government. SBU information refers collectively to the various designations for documents and information that are sufficiently sensitive to warrant some level of protection but that do not meet the standards for classification.

Secretary Napolitano and Attorney General Holder also announced the creation of dual Program Management Offices (PMOs) to coordinate support for state and local Fusion Centers and the Nationwide Suspicious Activity Reporting Initiative (NSI), housed within DHS and the Department of Justice (DOJ), respectively, to work in partnership to enhance information sharing between federal, state, local and tribal agencies and the private sector. Coupled with the CUI framework, these new offices represent a significant milestone toward fully implementing information sharing reforms called for following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

"Our review of policies and procedures for access to and sharing of sensitive but unclassified information across the U.S. Government revealed a need for a more open, standardized approach," said Secretary Napolitano. “The task force recommendations, coupled with newly-dedicated federal-wide resources to support Fusion Centers, will improve information sharing, transparency and engagement with our partners in state and local law enforcement as we work together to combat terrorism, violent crime and other dangerous threats to the homeland."

"Our recommendations will allow the federal government to be more open and transparent while still meeting our first priority of keeping the American people safe," said Attorney General Holder. "By streamlining and modernizing the system for designating, marking and handling sensitive information, we can achieve the appropriate balance between the public’s right to access information and the government's imperative to maintain the security and privacy of all Americans."

Both announcements reflect the Obama administration's commitment to improving the ability of federal state, local and tribal governments as well as the private sector to gather, analyze, share and utilize information in order to protect communities from violent crime including terrorism, while protecting the privacy and civil rights of Americans.

The Task Force report proposes 40 actions intended to mitigate current inconsistencies among SBU information policies in federal agencies by simplifying and consolidating procedures—intended to enhance standardization, information sharing, government transparency, and protection of information only where there is a compelling requirement to do so. The recommendations also seek to balance the imperatives of protecting legitimate security, law enforcement, privacy and civil liberties interests.

The Task Force was directed to review the ongoing efforts of the CUI Council, which was established by a 2008 Presidential Memorandum, and its ongoing efforts to establish a CUI Framework for terrorism-related information. One significant recommendation in the report would expand the scope of the CUI Framework to the designation, marking, safeguarding and dissemination of all SBU information.

The new PMOs will work jointly to provide sustained funding and personnel support to 72 state and local Fusion Centers nationwide and provide training and resources to frontline law enforcement officials to better document activities possibly linked to terrorism through NSI, a DHS-DOJ collaboration designed to detect, analyze and share intelligence about suspicious behavior and other indicators while protecting privacy and civil liberties.

The Fusion Center and NSI PMOs will establish strong cross-linkages, including the exchange of senior-level specialists and management personnel, and joint program performance measures in order to ensure efficient oversight and coordination of current initiatives and successfully facilitate ongoing efforts to build and develop the Information Sharing Environment.

State and major urban area Fusion Centers help fulfill key recommendations of the 9/11 Commission by providing critical links for information sharing between and across all levels of government. NSI operates in coordination with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, Major City Chiefs, Major County Sheriffs, and other state, local and tribal partners to gather, blend and analyze information gathered from local law enforcement about suspicious activity.

There are more than 100 different SBU markings and handling procedures currently in use across the federal government. The report recommends that all SBU markings be replaced with one, simplified set of markings—"CUI"—which will be standardized under the CUI Framework. Additional recommendations include simplifying the definition of CUI; clarifying that CUI markings have no bearing on releases either under the Freedom of Information Act or to Congress; and phasing in implementation of the expanded scope of the CUI Framework.

President Obama initiated the review on May 27 with a Presidential Memorandum directing Secretary Napolitano and Attorney General Holder to lead a 90-day review of current procedures for categorizing and sharing SBU information. If implemented, the recommendations would revise the 2008 Presidential Memorandum that established the CUI Framework for handling and disseminating CUI information.

The Task Force, which involved senior representatives from 12 federal agencies, met with representatives both within and outside the information sharing environment; state, local and tribal partners; privacy and open government organizations; and members of Congress. The Task Force also analyzed previous studies of SBU and the efforts of the CUI Council.

http://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/cui_task_force_rpt.pdf

Afghans Bid 'Colonel Bill' Farewell

By Marine Corps Sgt. Brian Tuthill
Special to American Forces Press Service

Dec. 15, 2009 - Five months ago, the Marines and sailors of 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, arrived in Nawa district here to the sounds of gunfire, rockets and mortars. Today, Nawa is quiet – a place where they can walk through the city center without body armor as children crowd at their feet. On Dec. 11, at Forward Operating Base Geronimo, with leaders from 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, local Afghan leaders and Marines of 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, on hand, Marine Corps Lt. Col. William F. McCollough cased his battalion's battle colors during a transfer-of-authority ceremony, marking the end of 1/5's successful deployment.

The commanding officer of 1/3, Marine Corps Lt. Col. Matt Baker, called forward his battalion's colors and unfurled the flag and streamers to the wind, marking the start of the unit's operational commitment to the Nawa district.

Through the success of 1/5's Marines over their five months in Nawa, "Colonel Bill" has forged strong ties with local leaders and much of the population, said Mohammed Khan, Nawa district administrator, at a lunch celebration held in McCollough's honor, Dec. 8.

McCollough dressed in traditional Afghan clothes and a headdress for the party to show his sincere respect for Afghan culture.

"Colonel Bill and his Marines patrolled in the heat, drenched in sweat every day, and brought security to our streets and wonderful jobs to our people," Khan said. "They touch our children on the heads and give them candy, and when they play in streets they pretend to be Colonel Bill or one of his brave Marines. We thank you."

McCollough noted the bond that had formed during his battalion's time in the district. "When we first came here, we had no friends," he said. "Now, we are leaving as more than friends. We slept in this very spot in the dirt, and we sweated and bled together here." McCollough recognized the bravery of the Afghan men gathered before him and evoked the memory of three who were assassinated by the Taliban for stepping forward to lead in their communities.

After lunch, Afghans and 1/5 Marines exchanged gifts.

Khan adorned McCullough, Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. William T. Sowers, sergeant major of 1/5, and Marine Corps Capt. Brian Huysman, commanding officer of the battalion's Charlie Company, with colorful paper arrangements that hung from their necks – reminiscent of large Hawaiian leis, and traditionally given by Afghans at celebrations.

To District Gov. Abdul Manaf and Khan, McCollough presented Mameluke swords of Marine Corps officers.

"Many years ago after fighting alongside our Muslim brothers in Africa, Marines were presented a sword – a sword we still carry today," McCollough said. "Now, it is my great honor to be able to present you with that sword as a symbol of the struggles we have endured together and the friendship we have built here in Nawa."

McCollough also presented Manaf and Khan's sons with Ka-Bar fighting knives. "You do a great job protecting your father," he said, "but if anything happens, you'll be ready, just like Marines are."

Others received watches to recognize their consistent punctuality and reliability in helping to revitalize Nawa.

"Whenever I or my men hear about Afghanistan, we will stop and wonder how our friends are doing," McCollough said. "We will remember each other for the rest of our lives."

(Marine Corps Sgt. Brian Tuthill serves with Regimental Combat Team 7.)

Homeland Security Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report for 15 December 2009

Top Stories

According to the Associated Press, a gas leak at Heartland Petroleum in Columbus, Ohio led to the evacuation of 1,000 to 2,000 people in the industrial area on Monday. (See item 1)

The Associated Press reports that eight people were under arrest Saturday after protesters broke windows, lights, and planters outside the home of the chancellor of the University of California, Berkeley. Police also arrested 66 protesters demonstrating against state funding cuts at a campus classroom building that was partially taken over for four days. (See item 32)

More Information
http://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/DHS_Daily_Report_2009-12-15.pdf

Forces Detain Taliban Commander, Kill Militants

American Forces Press Service

Dec. 15, 2009 - A combined Afghan-international security force detained a Taliban commander and other militants in Afghanistan today, and militants caught planting a roadside bomb were killed yesterday, military officials reported. The Taliban commander is linked to a bombing network in Zabul province and is believed to be responsible for several attacks in the area.

The combined force searched a compound in the provincial capital of Qalat where intelligence sources reported the commander to be located and detained a few militants, one of whom identified himself as the man targeted in the operation. No shots were fired, and no one was harmed.

In another operation, security forces killed four militants yesterday as they planted a roadside bomb near the village of Charhar Bagh in Kandahar province.

The unit ended the engagement when two insurgents fled into the village. International Security Assistance Force officials said they believe no civilians were injured or killed in this operation, but are investigating claims to the contrary.

(From an International Security Assistance Force Joint Command news release.)

Partnership in Iraq Provides School Supplies

American Forces Press Service

Dec. 15, 2009 - Police in Iraq's Babil province soon will distribute 2,000 backpacks filled with notebooks, coloring books, pencils and pens to the children in their province. The provincial police received the school supplies here Dec. 6 from their partners in the 3rd Infantry Division's 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team.

"These supplies will help Babil children and their families," said Wesam al-Zabayde, a television producer for the Babil provincial police. "By distributing these, we hope to show the local people that we care about them."

Maj. Muthana, the provincial police department's public affairs officer, said the backpacks will be distributed Jan. 9 as part of the celebration for the Iraqi National Police's birthday at their headquarters in Hillah.

"We will make sure that the families of our fallen policemen or those who were injured get these supplies for their children," he said.

In addition to the school supplies, the U.S. soldiers also gave the policemen pamphlets outlining the security agreement between the United States and Iraq.

"We want to encourage the Iraqi security forces we are working with to let the people they serve know how we are operating," said Army Staff Sgt. Patrick Byers of Psychological Operations Detachment 3031 out of Pittsburgh, 305 Psychological Operations Company, assigned to 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team. "We are making sure our units are staying within the agreement."

(From a Multinational Division South news release.)

Iraqi Forces Arrest 9 Terrorism Suspects

American Forces Press Service

Dec. 15, 2009 - Iraqi security forces arrested nine suspected terrorists in four operations today, military officials reported. In a rural area north of Baghdad, an Iraqi emergency response unit and U.S. advisors searched a home for a suspected al-Qaida in Iraq member who is believed to make and distribute bombs for use in attacks throughout the Tarmiyah and Baghdad region.

Preliminary questioning and evidence collected at the scene led Iraqi police to identify and arrest the warranted man and a suspected criminal associate.

During a second security operation near Beiji in Salahuddin province, police and U.S. advisors searched several buildings for a suspected al-Qaida in Iraq member believed responsible for rocket attacks and kidnappings in the area. They arrested two suspected criminal associates of the warranted man based on evidence discovered at the scene.

In eastern Mosul, Iraqi forces and U.S. advisors searched several buildings for a suspected al-Qaida in Iraq leader for Salahuddin province believed to oversee terrorist activities throughout the region. Two suspected criminal associates of the warranted man were arrested without incident.

Based on intelligence and warrants issued by the Central Criminal Investigation Court of Karkh, Iraqi special operations forces and U.S. advisors arrested three alleged al-Qaida in Iraq members.

One of the suspects is believed to be a high-level terrorist financier with direct ties to Dec. 8 attacks in Baghdad that resulted in numerous deaths and injuries, as well as other violence.

The other suspects arrested with him are believed to be associated with multiple sectarian killings and attacks on Iraqi security forces and U.S. forces in the Abu Ghraib area.

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

Key to Afghanistan Success Lies in Southern Provinces

By Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden
American Forces Press Service

Dec. 14, 2009 - The road to success in Afghanistan goes through the South, a former commander of international forces there said today. "We all recognize that key to success in Afghanistan is the situation in southern Afghanistan," Dutch army Maj. Gen. Mart de Kruif said during a Pentagon press briefing. De Kruif is a former commander of International Security Assistance Force's Regional Command South, which oversees operations in extremist strongholds such Helmand and Kandahar provinces.

De Kruif, who relinquished his command last month, explained that conditions in his former region changed greatly during his 12-month assignment. He noted that early in his tenure it was government, not security, that was central in the planning process. De Kruif's force quickly grew from about 18,000 U.S. and NATO troops to roughly 40,000, as the level of violence grew, he said.

An order by President Barack Obama in March sent about 21,000 more U.S. troops to Afghanistan, allowing U.S. and international forces there to extend their reach to parts of the country, including the South, where there was little coalition interaction. The increase provided more troops to train Afghan security forces, with some allotted for combat-focused operations.

"You can't do just a little bit of counterinsurgency," the general said. "You do counterinsurgency and protect 90 to 95 percent of the population, or you don't do counterinsurgency at all."

Not only did NATO military leaders need to address the emerging threat of insurgent attacks on Afghan security forces, they recognized that civilian assistance to improve governance and local development is needed for the enduring efforts, he said.

"I think we've learned that it's not security that's going to deliver the effect, but it's the integrated approach, the comprehensive approach, and you will never have security without the civilian capabilities to support government, reconstruction and development," he added.

Also, de Kruif acknowledged that counterinsurgency operations can only be successful through increased pressure on insurgent leadership, which is why he feels Obama's most recent order for more troops was the right decision, he said.

Obama announced Dec. 1 that the United States would send an additional 30,000 troops to deploy to Afghanistan. The majority of those forces will operate in the South, and are expected to arrive by summer's end. The remaining forces, estimated at 3,000 to 4,000 troops, will arrive next fall, Pentagon officials said.

About 16,000 of the new influx of U.S. troops have already been identified. European nations also have agreed to send about 7,000 more forces since Obama's December announcement.

"The bottom line up front, I think the announcement by President Obama ... is spot on, and from my point of view, is very well received in Europe," de Kruif said. "It shows us two things: First, there's a very clear understanding of the concept of how to secure Afghanistan, and secondly, there's a clear political will to have success in Afghanistan. I think these two issues alone have really had a positive influence on the discussion of Afghanistan in Europe."

The general added that "to be able to deliver the effects and to have success, it is key to deploy these additional forces to Afghanistan, with the bulk of them to be deployed to southern Afghanistan."

Now that more troops are on the way, de Kruif said patience is of the upmost importance.

"What we need to have is strategic patience; let the constants mature and bear through," he said. "It will not be security that lifts us in the long run, it's governance that I see as key for success."

Looking back on his experience in Afghanistan, de Kruif conveyed that the fight in southern Afghanistan is coalition fight. Under his watch, 284 soldiers were killed in action, fewer than half of which were NATO troops.

The general stressed that NATO works, and although arguments can be made about the organization's slow decision-making process, their efforts in Afghanistan have set conditions for a better future there, he said.

However, he cautioned that the next year will be difficult on the troop-contributing nations, as he expects NATO casualties and insurgent violence to increase with the larger force there.

"It's going to get worse before it gets better," he said.

The general will be in the United States for the next few days "paying gratitude" and visiting relatives and families of troops who were wounded and killed under his watch. He'll also spend time discussing his thoughts on the mission in southern Afghanistan with various audiences and organizations, he said.

Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Pvt. Jhanner A. Tello, 29, of Los Angeles, Calif., died Dec. 10 in Baghdad, Iraq, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the 3rd Aviation Support Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

The circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation.

For more information media may contact the Fort Hood public affairs office at 254-287-9993.

Iraqis Arrest 4 Terrorism Suspects

American Forces Press Service

Dec. 14, 2009 - Iraqi soldiers and police arrested four terrorism suspects in two operations yesterday, military officials reported. Iraqi soldiers arrested a suspect yesterday during an operation in northeastern Baghdad targeting the Promised Day Brigade terrorist network.

The soldiers and U.S. advisors searched a home for a suspected leader of the group believed to be responsible for attacking security forces in the Baghdad region. Preliminary questioning and evidence collected at the scene led the soldiers to arrest a suspected criminal associate of the leader.

In a separate operation, Iraqi constables, with U.S. advisors, arrested three alleged terrorist cell members under the authority of warrants issued Dec. 12.

The three are suspected of operating within a terrorist group, with two of them suspected of playing roles in the media cell responsible for propaganda, distribution of terrorist procedures, and tactics and subversion of the Iraq government.

One suspect allegedly produced and gathered media designed to showcase various attacks. Another allegedly is a high-ranking member within the terrorist media cell responsible for coordinating media efforts. The third allegedly is a former media manager responsible for distributing the cell's propaganda.

(Compiled from Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)

FEMA Administrator Fugate Meets With HBCU Leadership To Discuss Partnership In Preparedness

The Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Craig Fugate today addressed presidents, provosts, chancellors, and deans from a number of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) from across the country at FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute (EMI) in Emmitsburg, Md. The meeting -- part of the second offering of an Emergency Management Planning, Preparedness, Training and Education Workshop for Colleges and Universities -- is designed to provide schools and their leadership with an introduction to emergency management, a basic overview of EMI’s higher education programs and an opportunity to hear from leading professionals in the field of emergency management.

“FEMA is only one part of our nation’s emergency response team,” said Administrator Fugate. “As we work with our partners in the states, the private sector, and across the federal government to build this team, it is imperative that we continue to engage those who are responsible for developing the next generation of emergency managers and community leaders. Today’s meeting was an important step in the process, and I thank the leadership from HBCUs across the country for their interest and willingness to engage their students in the important field of emergency management.”

The conference, which runs from December 14-17, in partnership with the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities, allows attendees to hear from other university officials who have successfully implemented emergency management degree programs, certification programs, and Campus Community Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) at their institutions.

Approximately 40 HBCU executives were scheduled to attend. The agenda included an introduction to emergency management, information on FEMA’s higher education program, DHS and FEMA funding opportunities for colleges and universities, and a tabletop exercise focusing on the university/college participation in preparing for their own disasters and partnering with the community as part of their emergency management plan.

For more information on EMI’s training programs, please visit, training.fema.gov/.

Afghan Insurgency More Pervasive, Mullen Says

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

Dec. 14, 2009 - The insurgency in Afghanistan has become more pervasive, more sophisticated and more violent, said the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff here today. Navy Adm. Mike Mullen said during a news conference with Afghan and American reporters that the insurgents "have a dominant influence in 11 of Afghanistan's 34 provinces."

The insurgents are becoming more effective at using improvised explosive devices and small-unit tactics, Mullen said. "I remain deeply concerned by the growing level of collusion between the Afghan Taliban and al-Qaida and other extremist groups taking refuge across the border in Pakistan," he said.

Getting at this network is key to success in the country, the chairman added.

Mullen said he will discuss with Afghan and Pakistani leaders how all can better cooperate and coordinate activities against the terror network, and that he'll meet with Pakistani Gen. Asfaq Kiyani later this week. The Pakistani offensive in South Waziristan is going well, he said, and the Pakistani military is meeting its objectives.

"The Pakistani military, while taking a significant number of casualties, is taking the fight to this most dangerous enemy of their state," he said.

Consolidating military gains by ensuring a safe environment for building and governance is the most difficult part of counterinsurgency operations, Mullen said.

During visits with troops at Fort Campbell, Ky., and Camp Lejeune, N.C., last week, the chairman said, he told the troops to "steel themselves for more combat and more casualties, even as I told them to use the time before deployment to learn all they can about the Afghan culture."

American forces coming into Afghanistan will be familiar with local dialects, the ways of the population and their customs, Mullen said. "The Afghan people -- their needs, their perceptions, and, above all, their actions -- must remain the center of gravity in this conflict," he added.

The mission here is to defeat al-Qaida and prevent Afghanistan from succumbing to Taliban rule again, Mullen said, and the Afghan people are the key. They must feel safe to stand up to Taliban intimidation and brutality, he explained.

American forces will continue to work with and through Afghan national security forces and will continue to train Afghan forces leading up to July 2011, when American forces will begin to thin out, Mullen said.

"We must quickly reverse the momentum of this insurgency, and build the capacity of the Afghan army and police to provide for the security of their own country," he said.

Mullen said he is encouraged by Afghan President Hamid Karzai's stated intent to combat corruption and bring governance to all levels of government.

Forces Kill Militants in Eastern Afghanistan

American Forces Press Service

Dec. 14, 2009 - A combined Afghan and international security force killed five enemy militants and detained another in Afghanistan's Laghman province yesterday while pursuing a Taliban bomb maker linked to several attacks in the area. The force targeted a compound near Tingawar village where intelligence sources reported militant activity. During the operation, several militants threatened the force with assault rifles and shotguns and were killed. The force then searched the compound without incident.

In a Dec. 12 operation, a combined force killed an enemy militant and detained another in Paktia province while pursuing a Taliban commander responsible for several attacks in the area.

The force searched a compound near Sar Mast Kheyl village in the Zormat district where reports indicated there was militant activity. One enemy militant was killed when he threatened the force with hostile intent. The joint force then searched the compound without incident and detained a suspected militant.

In Kandahar province Dec. 11, a combined force detained a suspected militant while pursuing a Taliban commander.

The force searched a vehicle and detained the suspect near Khak-e-Shirin village in Shah Wali Kot district after reports indicated militant activity.

(Compiled from International Security Assistance Force Joint Command news releases.)

Marine Might Sends Taliban Into Hiding

By Marine Corps Cpl. Zachary Nola
Special to American Forces Press Service

Dec. 14, 2009 - When the Marines and sailors of Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, came to the Now Zad region in Afghanistan, the message they received from outgoing units was simple: Beware of the village of Changwalak. "[The outgoing units] wouldn't ever go to Changwalak," said Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Estevan White, 22, an assault man with Lima Company from Anthony, Texas. "They told us never go there, because that's where they took all their casualties."

Word of Taliban fighters using Changwalak to house their families, supplies and station reinforcements quickly cemented Now Zad's reputation for being one of the more dangerous areas in southern Afghanistan. It was reported the Taliban even went as far as boasting that coalition forces could never take the town by force.

So Lima Company entered the town with artillery, tanks and both fixed and rotary-wing air support readily available. But such support wasn't needed, and the Marines quickly began the tedious process of searching for weapons caches and improvised explosive devices.

"We found a lot of IED-making material, and it's totally in our favor to do that, because we're going to be traveling these roads for the next four or five months, and we don't need any more casualties from IEDs," said Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Shelton Foerster, 22, a rifleman.

The Marines also located weapons and mortar positions used to launch attacks on the nearby forward operating base, spoke will villagers, and promoted the legitimacy of the Afghan national security forces.

As Lima Company continued to exploit caches and fighting positions, it became apparent the town was supporting Taliban efforts, but the Marines were quick to point out that support probably was the result of intimidation.

"[Changwalak] is definitely harboring the enemy, but I think the people are stuck between a rock and a hard place," said Foerster, from Sealy, Texas.

During the three days the Marines operated in the town, their enemy -- who had promised to fight hard to defend the city -- did little to impede the company's progress. However, the Marines were not fooled by the Taliban's absence, and were aware that much more work remains in the village.

"I think [the Taliban] went down in their little holes they've dug for years. So I still think they're in Changwalak, I just think we need to dig a little bit deeper to get them out," Foerster said. "[The Taliban] are biding their time and afraid to fight us, because they saw all our assets. But I think a couple months down the road they are going to give us a little more resistance."

In the three days Lima Company was in Changwalak, they made a critical step toward purging the area of Taliban fighters. Once Taliban manipulation in the area is ended, Afghan national security forces and coalition forces will be able to take greater strides en route to a safer and more secure Now Zad.

"If we can take Changwalak away from the enemy, then people will start coming back to this area, and then eventually flow into Now Zad and have this whole area back to civilian control," Foerster said.

(Marine Corps Cpl. Zachary Nola serves with the Regimental Combat Team 7 public affairs office.)

Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Pfc. Jaiciae L. Pauley, 29, of Austell, Ga., died Dec. 11 in Kirkuk, Iraq, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga.

The circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation.

For more information the media may contact the Fort Stewart public affairs office at 912- 767-2479.

Bagram Post Office Kicks Into High Gear

By Army Spc. William E. Henry
Special to American Forces Press Service

Dec. 14, 2009 - The holidays are a special time of year when family and friends get together and celebrate the season in various ways, but many servicemembers serving Afghanistan cannot go home for the holidays due to their military obligations. Fortunately, the post office here excels at bringing a bit of home to America's troops on the front lines.

Here at the largest hub of transportation and delivery to those on the battlefield in the central and northern parts of Afghanistan, workers at the U.S. Post Office are doing their best to ensure servicemembers receive packages from loved ones over the holiday season.

Army Sgt. 1st Class Chris Tyler, noncommissioned officer in charge of the post office, said his crew is processing about 170,000 pounds of incoming and outgoing mail daily, even on Sundays.

"Mail is a tremendous morale booster," said Tyler, a Hooper, Utah, resident. "It means a lot to people to receive something from home."

Tyler said his group of civilian workers and almost 100 servicemembers from different units based here have stepped up to the nearly doubled the workload that separates December from the other months in terms of mail volume.

Indianapolis residents Army Spc. Arianne Jimenez-Mora, a postal worker, and Army Sgt. Carletha Woods, a mail clerk, agree that mail is crucial to the troops serving in Afghanistan.

"It's always good to get something from home," Jimenez-Mora said. "I really like to see the faces of the workers here when we have a lot of mail."

Both soldiers said knowing what their work means to their fellow servicemembers here keeps them in a cheerful mood.

"The reason I walk around here happy so much is because I get to see the smiling faces of our soldiers who receive mail every day," Woods said.

(Army Spc. William E. Henry of Task Force Cyclone serves with the Indiana National Guard's 38th Infantry Division public affairs office.)

Homeland Security Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report for 14 December 2009

Top Stories
WNBC 4 New York reports that the offices of the American Express headquarters in downtown New York were evacuated on December 10 after several suspicious envelopes containing a “white powdery substance” were discovered. Seven envelopes in all were sent to various locations in Manhattan, including the JP Morgan headquarters, but there was nothing to indicate they were any real threat. (See item 14)

According to the Omaha World-Herald, a propane-fueled fire at a dairy production and processing plant in Norfolk, Nebraska caused approximately 7,000 people to be evacuated on December 10. The fire was put out after crews managed to shut valves that cut off the flow from a 30,000-gallon propane tank. (See item 19)

More Information
http://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/DHS_Daily_Report_2009-12-14.pdf

Soldiers, Families Fund Iraqi Baby's Surgery

By Army Spc. Ruth McClary
Special to American Forces Press Service

Dec. 14, 2009 - U.S. soldiers, family members and friends have brought the gift of sight to an Iraqi baby born blind with congenital cataracts. North Carolina National Guard soldiers of Troop C, 150th Armored Reconnaissance Squadron, 30th Heavy Brigade Combat Team, were invited to a small celebration Dec. 9, hosted by the family of Noor Hassam Oudah – known as "Baby Nourah" -- in appreciation for setting up and covering expenses for the baby's Nov. 15 eye surgery, three days after her first birthday.

Though Nourah's condition is reversible with surgery, the operation is out of reach for a family living in Baghdad. The city's hospitals lack the facilities and physicians to perform the procedure.

"I was very pleased to be able to do something for this family," said Army 1st Lt. Jason Hickman, a platoon leader. "They have been very hospitable. It has truly been a pleasure to be able to help Nourah. I was relieved and very pleased that everything fell into place, considering all the obstacles that we faced."

Hickman said that if ever there were a more perfect example of divine intervention, it happened on a dark road about five months ago when a convoy made a wrong turn and ended up in Zwaynat, a small village southwest of Baghdad. Nourah was there visiting with her uncle, Muhameed Gharbi Sultan, who informed him of the baby's plight.

"So there we were at a place we hadn't intended on being," said Hickman. "Wrong turn, perhaps, but that's not how I see it. My interest and contacts with the Order of Saint John, the wrong turn, her being there with her uncle instead of with her parents in Baghdad -- no, not a coincidence."

The Order of St. John, accredited by the United Nations, provides first aid, health care and support services in more than 40 countries.

"I don't believe in the traditional sense of the word 'destiny,' but I do believe that God puts people in certain places at certain times," Hickman said. "Things don't happen solely by coincidence. All you have to do is look for the road signs. The signs were clear, so I sent some e-mails, and that's how we arrived here."

Once Nourah was diagnosed, Hickman e-mailed St. John's Jerusalem Eye Hospital, the main provider of eye care in the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem, and a cause he has contributed to in the past.

Through contact with Ruth Ann Skaff, the U.S. executive director of the Priory of St John's, Hickman was referred to Dr. Mehyar of the Khalidi Medical Center in Amman, Jordan, where the procedure was performed.

Hickman asked for donations from his fellow brigade soldiers, and e-mailed his family about the baby. Family members and friends from the West Virginia communities of Greenville, Belmont and St. Marys were the main contributors of the $5,000 needed to help Nourah.

From that point on, Hickman said, he was determined to help Nourah, and even in his darkest hour, he thought of her.

"Lieutenant Hickman's father passed away as we were working out all the details for Nourah," said Army Staff Sgt. Travers Brake of Elkins, W. Va., who took over the campaign while Hickman was on emergency leave. "He asked for the guys in the platoon to give donations to Nourah in lieu of sending flowers. Now that's special."

Many e-mails and meetings followed, and led to the celebration where Hickman, who didn't get a good look at Nourah that first night, finally was able to hold her. Dressed in a plush, pink, puppy snowsuit with a yellow-and-pink hat and yellow-rimmed glasses, Nourah made her rounds at the celebration; oblivious to her stardom. She looked around, waved and stared at some of the people instrumental in giving her such a special gift.

Nourah's paternal grandfather, Oudah Ghardi Sultan al-Jubori, said she has to go back for a check-up in a month and will have to wear glasses for five years -- a small sacrifice for a lifetime of vision.

"We are very grateful to you," Jubori said to Hickman and the other soldiers. He recalled a time when Iraqis and U.S. soldiers couldn't sit and talk without wearing armored vest and helmets. "Now we are very close," he said. "You should visit more. Please come back and visit before you go back to the states."

Hickman, Brake and the elders of Nourah's family shared a traditional Iraqi meal together, drank chai tea and talked late into the evening; laughing and joking like old-time acquaintances.

Since the operation, family members said, Nourah crawls, grabs for things and follows hands, fingers and objects placed in front of her. With her big, pouty cheeks and little cherry lips, she quietly absorbs her surroundings and responds at will.

"The Lord may not push you around the board like a pawn, but every now and again he puts you where he wants you," Hickman said. "We were supposed to end up in Zwaynat that night. It was just up to us what we were going to do when we got there."

(Army Spc. Ruth McClary serves in the North Carolina National Guard's 30th Heavy Brigade Combat Team public affairs office.)

Secretary Napolitano Announces Grant Guidance for More Than $250 Million in Fiscal Year 2010 Transit Security Grants

December 14, 2009: Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano today announced the release of application guidance for the Transit Security Grant Program (TSGP) totaling an estimated $253 million—funds for state, local and territorial governments and private sector entities to strengthen the nation’s transportation infrastructure and protect the traveling public from acts of terrorism and other major disasters.

“These transit grants play a major role in our efforts to work with our state, local, tribal, territorial, and private sector partners to build a national culture of readiness and resilience,” said Secretary Napolitano. “This year’s guidance focuses on maximizing efficiency and value while prioritizing risk in awarding grants to strengthen our nation’s transportation security.”

TSGP awards funds to owners and operators of transit systems—including intercity bus, commuter bus, ferries and all forms of passenger rail—based on their capabilities to reduce risk through training, operational deterrence, drills and public awareness activities; key critical infrastructure and asset protection; and other mitigation activities.

Eligible agencies were determined by the Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) urban areas list and the National Transit Database. TSGP Tier I is comprised of the transit agencies in the eight highest-risk urban areas, and will continue to utilize the cooperative agreement process, while Tier II will consist of all other eligible transit agencies.

Applications for the TSGP programs are due Feb. 18, 2010.

On Tuesday, Secretary Napolitano announced the release of fiscal year 2010 grant application guidance kits for 13 additional DHS grant programs totaling more than $2.7 billion. The guidance packages incorporate the input of DHS’ state, local, tribal, territorial, and private sector partners and include specific steps undertaken by DHS to improve the ability of state and local partners to apply for and utilize grant funding.

The fiscal year 2010 guidance announced by Secretary Napolitano this week has increased tribal funding, reduced administrative paperwork for state and local government, and enabled local jurisdictions to use preparedness funding for ongoing maintenance contracts, warranties, repair or replacement costs, upgrades and user fees for equipment purchased with previous DHS grants.

The fiscal year 2010 application guidance packages reflect DHS’ strategic priorities, as well as the National Preparedness Guidelines and the National Response Framework.

DHS oversees more than 50 grant and financial assistance programs representing approximately $4 billion in non-disaster grant funding annually to help state, local, tribal, territorial, and private sector entities strengthen the nation’s ability to prevent, protect, respond to and recover from terrorist attacks, major disasters and other emergencies.

For more information about TSGP and other preparedness grant programs, visit www.dhs.gov and www.fema.gov/grants.

Marine Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Sgt. Ralph Anthony Webb Frietas, 23, of Detroit, Mich., died Dec 8. as a result of unknown causes in Baghdad. He was assigned to Marine Wing Support Squadron 172, Marine Wing Support Group 17, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Okinawa, Japan.

The incident is under investigation.

For additional background information on this Marine, news media representatives may contact the III MEF public affairs office at OkinawaPAO@usmc.mil or 011-81-90-6861-4397.

CBR Weapons and WMD Terrorism News, December 11, 2009

Doctors seek to reopen inquest in to death of U.K. weapons expert
"Six doctors, convinced that the man said to have revealed how the government of Tony Blair exaggerated the threat posed by Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction did not commit suicide, are pressing for a new inquiry into the man's death. In July 2003, 59-year-old Dr. David Kelly, the head of microbiology at the Porton Down biowarfare research laboratories near Salisbury, Wiltshire in the Southwest of England, was found dead in woods near his home in the neighboring county of Oxfordshire. Dr. Kelly had cuts to his left wrist and three packets of a painkiller known as co-proxamol, there was only one tablet remaining out of the 30 that would have been contained in three packets, were found on or near to his body. [...] Dr. Michael Powers QC, a former assistant coroner, is adamant that the cut to the ulnar artery in Dr Kelly's left wrist could not have caused death by bleeding. Furthermore toxicology reports allegedly indicated a level of co-proxamol in Dr Kelly's body consistent with him having taken a normal dose of the painkiller and inconsistent with him having taken 29 tablets. The London Times quotes Dr. Powers - joined in the legal action by trauma surgeon David Halpin, epidemiologist Andrew Rouse, surgeon Martin Birnstingl, radiologist Stephen Frost, and internal general medicine specialist Chris Burns-Cox - as saying of the death of Dr. Kelly, who said in a phone conversation just prior to his death that it would be no surprise if his body 'was found in the woods'." (Digital Journal; 05Dec09; Chris Dade)
http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/283276

Gov't auditors say food-tracing program flawed
"A crucial part of the nation's rapid-response plan -- the ability to trace food through the supply chain during an illness outbreak or bioterrorism attack – is seriously flawed, an independent watchdog agency has found. Federal auditors found that nearly half the food manufacturers they surveyed that are supposed to register with the Food and Drug Administration failed to give the agency accurate contact information [...] Companies that manufacture, process, pack or hold food that is eaten in the United States are required by federal law to provide their address and basic contact information to the FDA, so investigators can follow suspect foods through the supply chain. After interviewing managers at a sample of 130 such companies, however, government investigators found that 48 percent didn't give the agency accurate information. More than half were unaware companies had to register, and about a quarter provided no emergency contact information, because current rules don't require it." (Associated Press; 11Dec09; Garance Burke)
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5grL18pvFD3L3076Ia3NfNW4AVPMAD9CGTB281

Preventing synthetic pathogens from getting into the wrong hands
"[...] on November 27, the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Preparedness and Response (ASPR) within the Department of Health and Human Services issued the Notice of proposed rulemaking, 'Screening Framework Guidance for Synthetic Double-Stranded DNA Providers.' ASPR is the lead agency in a broad interagency process to draft the guidance stemming from the [National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity] NSABB's recommendations. The Notice stated that 'technologies that permit the directed synthesis of polynucleotides, which underlie synthetic biology and more specifically synthetic genomics, could enable individuals not authorized to possess [physical biological] Select Agents to gain access to them through their de novo synthesis. Such synthesis obviates the need for access to the naturally occurring agents or naturally occurring genetic material from these agents, thereby greatly expanding the potential availability of these agents.' [...] Synthetic bio-threats are carefully being monitored by American intelligence authorities and bio-weapons experts. And apparently there's reason for them to be more concerned than they were more than two years ago when the Viral Visions report noted that the ability of individuals to create frightening new viruses in their basements was rapidly growing." (Homeland Security Today; 10Dec09; Anthony L. Kimery)
http://www.hstoday.us/content/view/11397/149/

Army researcher contracts tularemia
"A military researcher at the United States Army Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) has contracted what appears to be a laboratory-acquired infection of tularemia. The researcher was working on developing a vaccine for the disease at the institute. [...] Tularemia, also known as rabbit fever, is caused by the bacterium Francisella tularensis. This is one of several dangerous pathogens being researched at USAMRIID. [...] Tularemia is treatable with antibiotics (streptomycin and gentamicin). There is no person to person transmission of this bacterium. F. tularensis is of concern as a possible agent of bioterrorism and biowarfare." (Infectious Disease Examiner; 08Dec09; Robert Herriman)
http://www.examiner.com/x-7707-Infectious-Disease-Examiner~y2009m12d8-Army-researcher-contracts-tularemia

HHS Cancels RFP for rPA procurement and modifies their approach in favor of BAA for development of rPA vaccines
"Emergent BioSolutions Inc. [...] announced today that it has been advised by the Office of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) that the Request for Proposal (RFP) for the procurement of rPA vaccines has been cancelled in favor of a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) for rPA vaccine development. According to BARDA officials, BARDA took this action after a technical evaluation panel determined that none of the vaccine developers submitting proposals could meet the Project BioShield statutory requirement of having a product ready for licensure within 8 years. [...] This decision by BARDA has no impact on the company's $400 million procurement contract with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for the manufacture and delivery of 14.5 million doses of BioThrax(r) into the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS). The company is currently delivering BioThrax under this contract and expects to complete deliveries by September 2011." (Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News; 07Dec09; Source: Business Wire)
http://www.genengnews.com/news/bnitem.aspx?name=70437108

Allegheny County's bioterrorism lab overdue, over budget [PA]
"Allegheny County officials give no signs a sophisticated Health Department bioterrorism lab, two years overdue and at least $2 million over budget, will open by year's end. The 500-square-foot biosafety level-3 [BSL-3] lab was supposed to begin operating in August as part of the county's $6.4 million biosecurity lab in Lawrenceville. [...] In August, the lab failed to pass an inspection by an independent consultant. [...] The BSL-3 lab is intended to allow the Health Department to examine potentially deadly pathogens such as anthrax bacteria, the smallpox virus and H1N1 flu virus. [...] Larry Milchak, a former University of Pittsburgh biological safety officer [...], reported [...] the lab passed most tests but noted some alarms did not work during a simulated power outage, some doors did not close properly and seals in the lab could allow air contaminated with pathogens to escape. [...] Although [BSL-3 labs] are complex to build, such long delays are not the norm." (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review; 07Dec09; Jeremy Boren)
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/pittsburgh/s_656549.html

HIV-as-terrorism case [involving Daniel Allen of Clinton Township] draws national protests
"The HIV-as-terrorism case involving 44-year-old Daniel Allen of Clinton Township is now the subject of [...] cyber-protests. Allen was charged with terrorism in Macomb County because he allegedly bit a neighbor during a fight in October. The prosecutor, upon learning Allen was HIV-positive, announced he would seek additional charges from the original assault charges filed [...] Allen, and his attorney [...] were notified of the terrorism charge. Law makers have questioned the charges. And that charge has spurred two cyber protests. [One] protest comes from Change.org. There, Michael Jones writes: ' [...] for [Prosecutor] Eric Smith, it's a charge he wants to use to send a message that HIV-positive people themselves are terrorists. Smith's decision to prosecute Allen with bioterrorism charges is entirely ignorant of science. According to the Center for Disease Control, it is nearly impossible to transmit HIV through a human bite, and there's no evidence that asserts that HIV can be spread through saliva. [...] While biting someone should never be tolerated, charging someone with bioterrorism for doing so is a gross misuse of justice, and a sorry effort to criminalize those with HIV. Demand that Prosecutor Eric Smith drop this HIV-as-terrorism charge.'" (Michigan Messenger; 08Dec09: Todd A. Heywood)
http://michiganmessenger.com/31510/hiv-as-terrorism-case-draws-national-protests

HazMat team simulates biohazard scenario in Mesquite [TX]
"'We train for what we hope never happens.' Those are the words of Major David Sellen, the head of the Nevada National Guard's 92nd Civil Support Team. Sellen and his team of 22 men were in Mesquite on Monday to train in responding to a biohazard. [...] Monday's six-hour session revolved around a scenario involving the 'discovery' of a fictitious biohazard lab in an abandoned house near the Oasis Resort. The morning began with the HazMat team arriving in more than a half-dozen unmarked dark blue vehicles, including a high-tech communications truck used to coordinate transmissions between local first responders such as the fire and police department, as well as military bands for communicating with technicians inside and outside the targeted area. [...] Inside the target area, an abandoned house sitting on top of a hill near I-15, teams of two worked their way through the upstairs and basement areas in search of the planted 'lab.'" (Mesquite Local News; 03Dec09; Morris Workman)
http://www.mesquitelocalnews.com/viewnews.php?newsid=4336&id=2

U.S. health-threat response to be reviewed
"Citing the balky swine flu vaccination campaign and other shortcomings in the nation's medical defenses, a top Obama administration official has announced a major review of the government's efforts to develop new protections against pandemics, bioterrorism and other health threats. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said Tuesday that she ordered the evaluation in part because the H1N1 vaccine shortage had highlighted the nation's dependence on antiquated technology. [...] The review will be led by Nicole Lurie, assistant secretary for preparedness and response, and will be complete by 'early next year,' Sebelius said. [...] The nation's ability to respond to such threats depends not only on having enough hospital beds, emergency rooms, doctors, and equipment such as masks and ventilators, but also on state-of-the-art diagnostic tests, medications and vaccines, she said. 'But the countermeasure that saves the day during a quick-hitting public health emergency can often take years to discover, develop, manufacture and distribute,' she said. 'Like a lot of countries, we've often failed to make the kind of long-term investments in countermeasures we need to stay safe.'" (Washington Post; 02Dec09; Rob Stein)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/01/AR2009120101288.html

[500 million Pounds Sterling] superlab aims to lead fight against cancer [and potential biological weapons agents]
"The research facility will cover 3.6 acres near the British Library in King's Cross and house 1,500 scientists. Scheduled to open in 2014, it will study the basic biology that causes the formation and spread of cancer and other diseases such as malaria. The lab is a partnership between Cancer Research UK, the Medical Research Council, University College London and the Wellcome Trust. [...] Professor Sir Paul Nurse, chairman of scientific planning at the centre, said: 'UKCMRI will be the most exciting project for UK biomedical research in the next 50 years. Its ambition is immense and the promise of what can be achieved will excite and energise the global scientific community.' [...] The planning application will be submitted next spring. Construction is scheduled to begin in early 2011." (London Evening Standard; 08Dec09; Mark Prigg)
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23780539-pound-500m-superlab-aims-to-lead-fight-against-cancer.do

U.S. rejects biological weapons checks
"President Barack Obama is sticking to the U.S. refusal to negotiate monitoring of biological weapons, the top U.S. arms official said Wednesday. But Ellen Tauscher, under-secretary of state for arms control and international security, said Obama's administration wanted to strengthen the Biological Weapons Convention because of growing threats from terrorism and pandemic disease. Tauscher said it would be difficult to monitor compliance because a biological weapons program could be disguised within legitimate activities and rapid scientific advances made it hard to detect violations. [...] Tauscher said the Obama administration's National Strategy for Countering Biological Threats, released Tuesday, recognized that there was no comprehensive strategy to deal with gaps in efforts to prevent the proliferation of biological weapons and scientific abuse. 'President Obama fully recognizes that a major biological weapons attack on one of the world's major cities could cause as much death and economic and psychological damage as a nuclear attack could,' she said. Advances in the life sciences, which have put such weapons within the reach of groups as well as countries, meant the United States was more concerned about the possibility of bioterrorism than state-sponsored biological warfare." (Thomson Reuters; 09Dec09; Jonathan Lynn)
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE5B82DG20091209

Opening up the Biological Weapons Convention to new voices
"Each year, the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BWC), the world's foremost forum to abolish biological weapons, focuses on one or two areas that have been identified by States Parties as warranting more collective wor k. This year, [the chair of the BWC Meeting of Experts, Marius Grinius, led] efforts for capacity building in the fields of disease surveillance, detection, and diagnosis and infectious disease containment--a process intended to forge links between those able to provide assistance in dealing with disease and those in need of such assistance. The August BWC Meeting of Experts drew diverse participation from the private sector, governments, international organizations, and academia. To take advantage of this spectrum of expertise, the meeting focused on how to engage participants—from hosting informal working sessions to conducting speed networking activities. These methods led to open discussion about the challenges and opportunities that come with addressing this year's area of interest: global disease response." (Bulletin of Atomic Scientists; 07Dec09; Marius Grinius)
http://www.thebulletin.org/web-edition/op-eds/opening-the-biological-weapons-convention-to-new-voices

New chemical destruction method weighed [KY, CO]
"Army officials want to use explosives to eliminate some of the chemical weapons stockpiled in Kentucky and Colorado, a change they say could improve safety and prevent lags in the nation's weapons destruction schedule. Kevin Flamm, manager of the Army's Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives Program, met Tuesday with community leaders in Richmond to explain the changes being considered for operations at Blue Grass Army Depot. He scheduled a similar meeting Wednesday in Pueblo, Colo. [...] At issue is the use of explosive technologies to eliminate some of the most troublesome mustard-filled projectiles - 15,000 of which are stored in Richmond. Although there are several devices under consideration, including some mounted on trailers, they all rely in part on an explosive charge to eliminate or contain the weapons. [...] The Army says the technique isn't considered incineration. The two states are using a chemical neutralization process rather than incinerators for destroying their stockpiles to comply with an international treaty. Under the current schedule, Kentucky would be the last weapons site to begin operations in 2018 and the last to finish in 2021. [...] Craig Williams, director of the watchdog Chemical Weapons Working Group, complained the community wasn't given sufficient notice. Flamm needs to provide a final recommendation to the Pentagon next week." (Lexington Herald-Leader; 08Dec09; Jefferey McMurray; AP)
http://www.kentucky.com/471/story/1050927.html

Oregon fines chemical depot contractor $111,000
"The state of Oregon has fined the contractor operating the incinerator at the Umatilla Chemical Depot $111,000 for violations of hazardous waste and air contaminant discharge permits. The Umatilla Chemical Agent Disposal Facility has not incinerated any chemical weapons agent or containers for 40 days while it addresses the issue." (Tri-City Herald; 08Dec09; Source: AP)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/1154/story/821818.html

Russian plant begins new chemical weapons disposal project
"Russia has begun disposal of mixtures of lewisite and mustard blister agents at a chemical weapons disposal factory in the Kirov Region, RIA Novosti reported yesterday. 'Work has started at the Maradykovsky facility to destroy mustard-lewisite mixtures,' said regional official Mikhail Manin. [...] A total of 150.1 metric tons of mustard-lewisite mixtures, contained in 277 units of ammunition, is set to be eliminated at the facility, Manin said." (Global Security Newswire; 10Dec09; Source: Russian Information Agency Novosti)
http://www.globalsecuritynewswire.org/gsn/nw_20091210_3547.php

Kurdish boy who 'died' in Halabja gas attack is reunited with his mother
"For two decades Fatima Hama Saleh thought that she had lost all her children in a poison gas attack carried out by Saddam Hussein against the Kurdish town of Halabja, in what was the single worst atrocity of the former Iraqi dictator's rule. Now, however, she has been reunited with her son, Ali Pour, in a dramatic meeting after DNA tests confirmed that the young man, now 21, was the infant she lost when chemical weapons rained down on the Kurdish market town. [...] A judge ordered a DNA test to be carried out by a medical lab in Jordan.The massacre in Halabja on March 16, 1988, was part of Saddam's 1987 to 1988 Anfal campaign that killed up to 200,000 Kurds. Three quarters of the 5,000 killed in Halabja were women and children. Four of Mrs Saleh's five children died in the attack, as well as her husband, Mr Pour's father. After the reunion, she said: 'I will not die in sorrow and grief after all the miseries I have experienced.'" (The Times, U.K.; 07Dec09; Yahya Ahmed, AP) http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/iraq/article6946299.ece

Agent Orange a lethal legacy [a five part series on Agent Orange]
"Memories of the Vietnam War are dimming, but veterans and Vietnamese nationals who were exposed to Agent Orange and other dioxin-laced defoliants are still experiencing devastating health effects, and birth defects have brought the impact into a second generation. Yet the U.S. government has yet to make full amends, either in the U.S. or overseas. To report this series, the Tribune interviewed nearly two dozen civilians and former soldiers in Vietnam as well as researching thousands of pages of government documents and traveling to the homes of veterans in the U.S." (Chicago Tribune; 10Dec09; Jason Grotto, Chris Groskopf, Ryan Mark, Joe Germuska and Brian Boyer)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/health/agentorange/

Death penalty for cult member [Yoshihiro Inoue of Aum Shinrikyo]
"Japan's Supreme Court rejected an appeal on Thursday against the death penalty handed to a senior member of the doomsday cult behind the 1995 deadly sarin nerve gas attack on the Tokyo subway. The ruling makes Yoshihiro Inoue, 39, the ninth member of the Aum Supreme Truth cult awaiting execution after final rulings by the country's highest court. [...] Four sect members are awaiting rulings on appeals against their death sentences. The Supreme Court upheld the high court's verdict on Inoue, deciding that he 'played an essential and significant role on his initiative' in the 1995 sarin attack, said presiding judge Seishi Kanetsuki. According to the ruling of the high court, Inoue plotted the attack, which killed 12 people and injured thousands, with Aum Supreme Truth sect leader Shoko Asahara." (Straits Times; 10Dec09; Source: AFP)
http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Asia/Story/STIStory_464950.html

Six arrested over murder of former Chilean president [Frei Montalva, poisoned with thallium and mustard gas]
"Six men have been arrested in Chile over the murder of the country's former president Eduardo Frei Montalva, whose death in 1982 has been one of the most enduring mysteries of the Pinochet regime. Three suspects were charged with murder and three others with being accomplices to murder. [...] Judge Alejandro Madrid, who investigated the case for seven years, said yesterday that the former Chilean leader was poisoned to death as multiple doses of thallium and mustard gas were secretly mixed with medications and injected into the president's body. [...] Family members had suspected Frei was poisoned after being tipped off by former aides to General Pinochet. In his 2002 book, Imperfect Crime, Chilean journalist Jorge Molina profiled Eugenio Barrios, a chemist who worked for the Chilean secret police on a series of radical experiments including the production of anthrax [spores], botulism [toxin] and the nerve gas sarin. Barrios, who was murdered in Uruguay, is suspected of administering the poison to Frei." (The Guardian; 8Dec09; Jonathan Franklin)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/dec/08/murder-chile-president-frei-montalva

Pakistan re-elected to body against chemical weapons
"Pakistan has been re-elected to the executive council of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) for a two year-term, starting from May 2010 [...] The election took place at the 14th Conference of States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), currently underway in The Hague." (The Peninsula; 05Dec09; Source: Internews)
http://tiny.cc/HlpKC

Egypt to host United Nations workshop on implementing Security Council Resolution 1540 (2004), in Cairo, 7 to 10 December
"A regional United Nations workshop on implementing United Nations Security Council resolution 1540 (2004) will be held from 7 to 10 December in Cairo, Egypt. Hosted by the Government of Egypt, the workshop is organized by the Office for Disarmament Affairs, with financial support from the European Union and the Governments of Norway and the United States. Officials from the Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa, Sudan, United Republic of Tanzania and Uganda, as well as representatives from a number of international, regional and subregional organizations, have been invited to participate. Consistent with the objectives of resolution 1540 (2004), the workshop aims to enhance national capacities for the management of export-control processes at a practical level, and to improve information- and experience-sharing between participating countries. The workshop is also expected to facilitate assistance related to the resolution's implementation. [...] The Cairo workshop is the fifth regional workshop organized by the Office for Disarmament Affairs on the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004) after the adoption of resolution 1810 (2008)." (04Dec09; 7th Space Interactive; Gabriele Kraatz-Wadsack)
http://7thspace.com/headlines/327743/egypt_to_host_united_nations_workshop_on_implementing_security_council_resolution_1540_2004_in_cairo_7_to_10_december.html

UK believed Iraqi weapons had been dismantled
"John Scarlett, who chaired the committee from 2001 to 2004 before moving to MI6, Britain's foreign intelligence agency, told a panel of inquiry that it had long been believed that Iraq had been dismantling weapons in order to conceal them. [...] Scarlett made the comments to a panel probing Britain's role in the Iraq war. The inquiry is most extensive look yet at the conflict, which was deeply unpopular in Britain, triggered huge protests and left 179 British soldiers dead. Scarlett said the March assessments didn't contradict or change the earlier belief that Saddam had access to weapons and that the regime was dismantling them. He said the reports didn't say the weapons didn't exist -- but that they might be difficult to find." (Associated Press; 8Dec09)
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5h3md2ReGxE9CkpczxPehN4pM-z7gD9CFAH7G0

Call the bio-chem busters
"[...] software to monitor the spread of chemical agents real-time was developed by the DSO National Laboratories, the national defence research and development organisation. The prototype was rolled out in the Singapore Armed Forces' Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Explosives (CBRE) Defence Group in early March and tested at the recent Formula One race, four years after scientists started working on the project. [...] Speaking at a conference on CBRE threats on Tuesday, [Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean], who is also the Defence Minister, said the boots on the ground 'needed to be backed up' by labcoat-clad scientists to come up with the best solution most suited to the climate here. Soldiers dealing with the deadly substances will be also more confident when they know 'the research and science behind it was properly founded' [he said, while] speaking to 340 scientists and military planners from 23 countries at the 6th Singapore International Symposium on Protection Against Toxic Substances and the 2nd International CBRE Ops Conference at the Raffles City Convention Centre." (Straits Times; 08Dec09; Jermyn Chow)
http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_463970.html

Homeland Security to study dispersion of biological weapons in Boston subway [MA]
"The U.S. Homeland Security Department has announced that it will release harmless gases and dye tracers into Boston's subway system next week to study the circulation of airborne contaminants through public transit networks in the event of a biological or chemical attack. The planned study, which will examine how both smoke and airborne toxins move throughout the transit system, is expected to assist experts in developing future chemical-agent monitoring while also providing guidance for future improvements in air-purification systems, evacuation plans and emergency-response protocols for transportation systems. [...] The airborne contaminants study will run from December 5 through December 11. The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority will oversee the study, which will be conducted in more than 20 below-ground subway stations and trains throughout Boston." (Bioprepwatch.com; 04Dec09; Ted Purlain)
http://www.bioprepwatch.com/news/211165

AFM [Armed Forces of Malta] receive equipment from Italian Military Mission [including WMD incident response training equipment]
"The Armed Forces of Malta have received [Euro] 4 million worth of military hardware equipment from the Italian Military Mission in Malta during a symbolic ceremony at Silver Citybarracks, Pembroke. The equipment includes light to medium transport vehicles [...] and also heavy plant machinery, including bulldozers, excavators, cranes and large tipper trucks. Also donated were spare part supplies and kit items related to combat engineering, radio communications, anti-nuclear-biological-chemical warfare and maritime workshop equipment, which will all go a long way in supporting the AFM's roles, operations and duties." (Times of
Malta; 07Dec09)
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20091207/local/afm-receive-equipment-from-italian-military-mission

CNS ChemBio-WMD Terrorism News is prepared by the Chemical and Biological Weapons
Nonproliferation Program of the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at
the Monterey Institute of International Studies in order to bring timely and focused
information to researchers and policymakers interested in the fields of chemical,
biological, and radiological weapons nonproliferation and WMD terrorism.

Corps of Engineers Prepares for Iraqi Elections

By Mike Scheck
Special to American Forces Press Service

Dec. 11, 2009 – In preparation for the upcoming Iraqi national elections, the Gulf Region District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is serving as the managing partner for the construction of 15 “expedient police stations” in northern Iraq. The police station design is similar to the living conditions of compounds on U.S. installations in Iraq. The area is cordoned off with concrete T-walls, a staple of the force-protection measures in Iraq. The office and living quarters within the stations are containerized housing units set on concrete blocks. An entry control point is the only access into the station, and it’s backed-up by a metal sliding door.

The stations also have a central parking lot for police vehicles, and each station will have a generator unit to provide uninterrupted electrical power. The stations cost about $1 million with all of the current modifications and are scheduled to be completed by January. Funding for the police stations is provided by the Iraq Security Forces Fund.

The Corps of Engineers also is improving the quality of life for Iraqi police officers in a number of Baghdad-area police stations, with current renovation projects ranging from minor cosmetic upgrades to complete major construction overhauls with oversight from Gulf Region District’s Baghdad Area Office. The contract expenditures range from $278,000 for renovations to $1.4 million for the construction of several new fully functioning police stations in and around Baghdad.

Renovations to the police stations include upgrades to electrical distribution systems, repair and replacement of sewer and potable water systems, upgrades to communication systems and the addition of fueling and pump island stations. Some stations also will receive new perimeter walls, an entry control point, guard towers and a new parking lot.

Army Maj. Chad Wendolek, officer in charge of the USACE International Zone Resident Office, said the sites designated for renovation and new construction met two criteria. “The strategic positioning of each police station should help balance out protection throughout the area and display to the local population that the Iraqi police are in control,” he said.

Wendolek called the national police rest site under construction the “cornerstone” of the law-enforcement project.

“This $13 million project will act as the command and control node for all police stations and will house the majority of the prime decision-makers for the Iraqi police,” he said. “Due to its location, it will serve as a symbol of the commitment to the rule of law by the Iraqi people.”

Even the Baghdad police divisional headquarters is on the renovation list. Upgrades include construction of a guard ready room, addition of a second floor to the engineering wing and minor repairs to the interior and exterior walls and doors.

The projects are scheduled to be completed by late summer.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Iraq has completed thousands of reconstruction projects in partnership with the U.S. and Iraqi governments. Since 2004, USACE has completed 5,257 projects throughout Iraq valued at more than $8.9 billion, and has 361 projects ongoing.

(Mike Scheck works in the Gulf Region District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.)

Afghanistan Tops Agenda at Gates Town Hall

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

Dec. 11, 2009 – Gather about 300 deployed soldiers and airmen, give them the opportunity to ask the defense secretary about what matters to them, and you might expect to hear questions about military pay and benefits, or complaints about spending too much time away from home. That wasn’t the case today at Forward Operating Base Warrior here. Instead, the troops peppered Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates with high-level, strategic questions about issues ranging from operations in Afghanistan to the Iranian threat to the health of an over-stressed force and the future of the Air Force in light of asymmetric threats.

Gates thanked the group, a mix of soldiers from the 1st Cavalry Division’s 2nd Brigade and 1st Armored Division’s 1st Brigade, and airmen from the 506th Air Expeditionary Group gathered in front of two mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicles and a Buffalo route-clearing vehicle for the contributions they’re making in Iraq.

Although Iraq has fallen from the headlines, the mission here matters greatly, Gates said. It helps to ensure that the tremendous progress the U.S. military helped to bring about -- at tremendous sacrifice from its members and their families – sticks, the secretary told the servicemembers.

Gates then turned the microphone over to his audience, asking what they’d like to hear directly from the horse’s mouth.

Many of the questions focused on the more publicized combat theater, Afghanistan. “Why has the mission in Afghanistan taken so long?” one questioner asked, with another following up, “How long will the United States be there?”

Gates said he understands the impatience on the part of the military as well as the American people. He cited what he called a myth in the international community that the United States likes war and said history has proven again and again that it doesn’t.

Afghanistan isn’t a conventional war, with conventional enemies, he added, and success there will require a lot more than just overwhelming power.

In reality, Afghanistan has been two separate conflicts, Gates told servicemembers. “We essentially won” the first one, he said, noting the sense of calm that settled over Afghanistan in 2002 after the Taliban had been driven from power. But the Taliban crossed the border into Pakistan to regroup before launching new attacks in 2005 and 2006. That’s the war that’s been under way for the past three years, Gates said, and he conceded it has been under-resourced.

Gates reiterated his support for President Barack Obama’s new strategy, and said he expects the new troop commitment to look a lot like the 2007 surge in Iraq and, at least initially, to encounter the same challenges.

He emphasized that the drawdown of U.S. forces in Afghanistan planned to begin in July 2011 doesn’t mean the mission will end. The drawdown will be gradual and based on conditions on the ground, just as it has been in Iraq, he told the group.

“We don’t want to be there one day longer than we have to be,” Gates said, a point he said he made clear during his visit to Kabul earlier this week. “We have no desire to be an occupying force,” he said.

Gates said he’s impressed by the way Pakistan has stepped up to confront the more dangerous threat that has emerged on its side of the border with Afghanistan.

The Taliban in Pakistan made a big mistake in expanding their control within 60 miles of the national capital of Islamabad, he said. The Pakistani government took notice and launched aggressive operations to crack down on the threat.

One soldier asked Gates what impact the Afghanistan buildup will have on efforts under way to increase “dwell time” at home stations between deployments for overstressed soldiers and Marines.

The Marine Corps remains on track to go to a 2-to-1 ratio, Gates said, with two years at home for every year deployed. Progress is continuing in the Army, but at a slower pace, he said.

“Dwell time will not decline,” he assured the soldier, “but it will increase more slowly because of the surge in Afghanistan.”

Gates recognized the challenges this puts on the force, and said he expects the high operating tempo to continue “for the foreseeable future.”

In the meantime, he said, various support programs throughout the military are designed to help servicemembers and their families cope with post-traumatic syndrome, combat stress and other deployment-related issues. Gates has pressed to ensure they’re properly funded, and made available more evenly throughout the military.

“I work on this every single day,” Gates said.

Responding to an aviator’s question, Gates said more combat aviation assets will be needed in Afghanistan. These will support combat missions and provide more medical evacuation capabilities so troops can get to advanced care within 60 minutes – the so-called “golden hour” – after being wounded.

Gates assured an Air Force captain he’s a firm believer in the capabilities air power brings to the fight, noting various programs to get more emphasis in the fiscal 2011 budget and Quadrennial Defense Review. But for the immediate future, he said, the Air Force’s biggest challenge will be logistical: moving troops and equipment out of Iraq, while deploying 30,000 new forces and their equipment to Afghanistan.

He credited teamwork among the Air Force, U.S. Transportation Command and U.S. Central Command that’s working out the logistical details. “It’s a huge challenge,” he said.

Gates told one questioner he’s been a strong advocate of more resources for the State Department, the U.S. Agency for International Development and other civilian agencies where the work goes hand in hand with military missions.

The United States needs a larger, permanent cadre of civilian professionals for missions the military has been performing for lack of anyone else to carry them out, the secretary said. But he clarified that he doesn’t mean redirecting the military’s funding or resources. “I have never talked about diverting resources from the Department of Defense to someone else,” he said.

In response to a question about Iran, Gates said he expects diplomatic pressure to come to bear soon, with the international community likely to impose more sanctions if Iran doesn’t live up to its promises to abandon its nuclear arms program.

“Iran is one of the most complex national security problems,” Gates said. And the consequences of a nuclear-armed Iran are “enormous.”

In reality, he said, “there are no good options in Iran.”

Asked about the likelihood of military action against Iran, Gates said no options should be ruled out completely. But military action, if ever taken, would really only buy time, not solve the problem, he added.

Gates raised another point: “If we have learned anything from Iraq,” he said, it’s “the inherent unpredictability of war.”

Troops at the town hall session said Gates’ visit had a big impact.

“It means a lot to me,” said Army Spc. Jerry Dickerson, a member of the 501st Brigade Support Battalion in the 1st Armored Division’s 1st Brigade, who was part of the troop surge in Iraq, and returned two weeks ago for his second deployment. “The fact that he comes out here and speaks to us to see what the people down below think shows he truly cares.”

Air Force Capt. Emily Eschbacher, a psychologist from the 506th Air Expeditionary Group who asked about health and morale support in light of the operational tempo, said it felt good hearing Gates call it a top priority.

“It’s nice to hear firsthand that he recognizes it’s a problem, and has daily discussions about it at the highest levels,” she said.

Before leaving Forward Operating Base Warrior, Gates presented a Purple Heart to Army 1st Lt. Felice Terringo. The 3rd Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Battalion, soldier was wounded by precision small-arms fire that hit the front of his body armor while he was investigating the site of a failed rocket attack in Kirkuk City.

Gates also awarded honors to Army Staff Sgt. Craig Wayman from the 4th Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, as brigade noncommissioned officer of the quarter, and to Army Pfc. James Shindo as the 15th Brigade Support Battalion’s soldier of the year. Army Sgt. William Allbrooks, from the 1-8 Cavalry’s Foxtrot Forward Support Company, received the Combat Action Badge for his ground-combat performance when an enemy attacker fired on his patrol.

Iraqis Arrest 7 in Multiple Operations

American Forces Press Service

Dec. 11, 2009 – Iraqi security forces arrested seven terrorism suspects in multiple operations in Iraq today, military officials reported. In Baqubah, northeast of Baghdad, Iraqi police and U.S. advisors searched two buildings for a suspected al-Qaida in Iraq leader in the Tarmiyah area. Police identified and arrested the suspect, who allegedly assists in acquiring suicide vests and coordinating suicide attacks in the region. A suspected associate also was arrested without incident.

In southern Baghdad, Iraqi forces and U.S. advisors searched a home for an alleged leader of an al-Qaida in Iraq bombing cell operating in the Rusafa-Karkh area. He also is suspected of executing Iraqi civilians and staging deadly attacks against security forces in the region. Evidence collected at the scene led Iraqi forces to identify and arrest him, along with two suspected criminal accomplices.

In an operation near Abu Ghraib, west of Baghdad, Iraqi forces working with U.S. advisors arrested a suspected al-Qaida in Iraq member who leads communications and logistics efforts for the terrorist group within the Anbar area.

While searching in northwestern Baghdad with an arrest warrant for a senior member of the Promised Day Brigade terrorist organization, Iraqi forces working with U.S. advisors arrested a suspected associate based on incriminating evidence found at the scene.

The man wanted on the warrant, who was not found, is believed to be in charge of distributing funds and acquiring weapons for terrorist cells in the Shullah area.

(Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq news releases.)

Commentary: A General’s View From Iraq

By Army Brig. Gen. Stephen Lanza
Special to American Forces Press Service

Dec. 11, 2009 – I'm frequently asked for my assessment of the situation in Iraq, especially after an incident like the heinous terrorist attacks that killed innocent civilians Dec. 8. Our deepest condolences go to the families and friends of the people killed or injured. The attacks against the people of Iraq are clear indications of an enemy threatened by Iraq's progress in representative government and strengthening national unity. They stand in stark contrast to the compromise and consensus reached on the election law less than a week ago. Iraqis' choice to move forward to a bright future created an environment that increasingly limits the terrorists' effectiveness.

Simply put, the terrorists have failed; their attacks have not achieved their intended purposes. The government of Iraq and the resiliency of the people continue to strengthen.

Iraq has shown its forward progress in significant ways over the past several months. Representative government is strengthening, diplomatic efforts are expanding, and key legislation and discussions have laid the groundwork for foreign investment and economic growth. Today, the country's oil bids conference began in full transparency, allowing the people of Iraq insight into how their natural resources are handled.

In another clear sign of accountability in this nascent democracy, the Council of Representatives hosted the prime minister yesterday to discuss the recent attacks in Baghdad and other concerns. The session clearly indicates a functioning government with a representative legislative branch that is empowered and capable of exercising government oversight.

All of this is occurring within a security environment that is vastly improved over past years.

The improving security environment is the direct result of the government of Iraq and Iraqi security forces' focus on increasing capability and capacity. They successfully ensured a safe and secure Eid as well as several successful, important events over the past recent months, such as two mass Shiia pilgrimages in July and August. Millions of pilgrims participated with no major security incidents.

This year during Ramadan, which has in the past reflected a sharp increase in insurgent and extremist activity, saw fewer than 20 ethno-sectarian incidents, compared to 978 in 2006.

The government of Iraq has the lead to investigate Tuesday's attacks and continues to assess what happened and how. In two of the four attacks, there are early indications that the actions of the Iraqi security forces disrupted the terrorists from reaching what is believed to be their intended targets. These brave Iraqis are to be commended for their bravery and courage, giving their lives to protect their fellow countrymen.

As we've said in the past, challenges remain, and the security environment's importance is heightened as Iraq moves toward its national elections.

The ultimate retaliation against terrorists who attack Iraq's innocent men, women, and children and forward progress is to conduct credible and legitimate elections next year. Every day the Iraqis move forward - in elections, economy, diplomacy, investment - it is more difficult for violent extremists' ideology to take root.

Today, in part through a strong partnership with the United States, Iraq, is succeeding in using the improved security environment to establish strategic depth; building diplomatic, economic, and cultural relationships with its neighbors. This strategic depth, in turn, aids improvement of the country's security environment.

I am encouraged by the signs of progress in Iraq - the people, the government and their partners will not be deterred from the bright future taking shape.

I'm scheduled to meet with Pan-Arab journalists in Dubai early next week, and look forward to my interaction with them. I also look forward to the opportunity to collaborate with you as you work to connect the world to Iraq's significant story when I return. Thanks for all you do in support of all our men and women serving our country.

(Army Brig. Gen. Stephen Lanza serves as a spokesman for Multinational Force Iraq.)

Marine Offense Gives Afghan City Second Chance

By Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden
American Forces Press Service

Dec. 11, 2009 - A battalion of Marines in southern Afghanistan now has the upper hand in a city they believed to be a Taliban stronghold, a senior Marine Corps officer in Helmand province said today. For many months, Now Zad, the province's second-largest city, was occupied by the Taliban. The city was almost a ghost town, except for the militants who forced residents to abandon their homes.

There's been no Afghan army, police or even government represented there for months, with the exception of one Marine company -- about 100 infantrymen -- in a small corner of the city, Marine Corps Col. Randy Newman told reporters today from his Helmand base camp.

Newman, who commands Marine Regimental Combat Team 7, and his unit took operational responsibility in the region in late October. He's now overseeing a Marine offensive, which is dubbed Operation Cobra's Anger, to regain stability in Now Zad. The mission kicked off Dec. 1, shortly after President Barack Obama announced his order to send 30,000 additional U.S. troops to Afghanistan.

The timing was a coincidence, Newman said, noting that the Now Zad operation is something coalition forces were planning to do long before the president's decision.

"Taking Now Zad and giving it back to the Afghan people is something we've been looking at doing for a long time here," Newman told the Washington Post. "Now Zad was something we would've done whether more forces were coming or not. One company of Marines held a corner of the city, but in front of them was an area that was impassable, unusable and uninhabitable by everyone. So we've looked at that for a long time."

More than 900 Marines and roughly 150 Afghan troops pushed through the city, clearing every section and building of militants. Most of the militants fled or were captured or killed. As of today, the Marines have encountered "a few, but not many" enemy fighters, Newman said.

"Initially we've seen success," he said in the Washington Post interview. "We've been able to achieve our objectives, which was to get in there and assume some security positions to allow us to provide a security bubble around the city."

Newman didn't talk about the casualties on either side, but said much clearing, the initial phase, is left to be done to locate all of the enemy munitions and explosives hidden throughout the city.

"[Marines] still have a great deal of clearing to do," he said. Once the Marines are comfortable with conditions there, they'll "begin to allow Afghans back into certain portions of the city, allow them to get back into their markets and allow their government representatives to come back to that area," he added.

Early success in Cobra's Anger is an important victory for U.S. forces and the Afghan people, Newman said. Not only will Now Zad residents be able to return soon, but the operation also struck a significant blow to extremist operations in the city, province and possibly the country, he said.

Too many weapons and explosives have been found so far for Newman to believe the focus of the Taliban stronghold there was focused on just the city, he said. In one compound alone, Marines found 80 pressure plates used to set off homemade bombs, 30 gallons of homemade liquid explosives and a horde of other weapons. Every place coalition forces operate in Afghanistan is fueled by militant strongholds and cells like Now Zad, he said.

"When you look at [the Taliban operation] in Now Zad, all of that [weapons and fighters] would've gone somewhere, and it certainly wouldn't have remained in Now Zad," Newman explained. "It was a safe haven for Taliban where they could, at will, develop [and] distribute sources of instability, both material and in the human sense.

"They could train fighters there, they could build explosives there, and they could export that throughout the rest of the province," he continued. "In addition, they were denying that city to the Afghan people. For those... , we decided to put an end to that and change that dynamic."

It's difficult to estimate how long it will take and how many of the displaced residents will return, Newman said, while adding that he's pleased with the initial phase of the operation.

Marines there will now focus on continuing their security efforts in hopes to build upon their success by re-establishing the local government and essential services and eventually transition full responsibility to the Afghans, Newman said. "Our belief is that [if] we provide that security bubble, we show initial progress there and the Afghan government begins to show they're going to make progress there, the people will have every reason to come back," he said. "It'll be a month or so before we can see exactly what kind of response we'll have from the displaced population."

U.S. Role in Iraq Remains Critical, Gates Says

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

Dec. 11, 2009 - The U.S. military role remains critical to preserving gains made in Iraq and helping to prevent sectarian violence in the roll-up to Iraq's national elections, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told about 300 soldiers and airmen at a town hall session today at Forward Operating Base Warrior. "Whether you are just rotating in, or rotating out, you may have noticed that this theater has largely disappeared from the headlines," Gates said, calling it the result of tremendous contributions U.S. servicemembers have made.

"That doesn't mean that this theater is not important," Gates told the group, a mix of soldiers from the 1st Cavalry Division's 2nd Brigade and 1st Armored Division's 1st Brigade, and and airmen from the 506th Air Expeditionary Group. "Your mission here is still critical to preserving the gains of recent years."

Gates noted that Forward Operating Base Warrior, a former Iraqi military facility just west of Kirkuk, stands at a fault line between Iraq's Arab-led central government and the self-ruled Kurdish region in the north. The secretary called this rift "perhaps the most worrisome issue here in Iraq," and said the military role here will be increasingly important in keeping it in check during and immediately after the March 7 elections.

"Your role here in fostering cooperation here is essential in ensuring a credible election and transfer of power," he told the group.

Gates emphasized the importance of resolving Arab-Kurd tensions throughout his two-day visit here, in meetings yesterday with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani and the Iraqi Presidency Council, and earlier today with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. After his visit to Warrior today, Gates traveled to Irbil to deliver the same message to Iraqi Kurdish Regional Government President Massaoud Barzani.

Despite concerns, Gates told the troops, he's impressed by signs of progress during the past 18 months on both sides of the issue. "I think there is no question that the Kurds see their future as part of a unified Iraq," he said. "What is at issue is the terms on which that goes forward. That is negotiable."

That progress has accelerated in recent weeks, he said, passing much of the credit to Army Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, commander of Multinational Force Iraq, and the U.S. Embassy Baghdad staff, who are promoting dialog between Kurds and central Iraqi government.

Both Barzani and Maliki have asked Odierno for help in brokering a security architecture to resolve the frictions, Army Lt. Gen. Charles H. Jacoby Jr., commander of Multinational Corps Iraq, told reporters traveling with Defense Gates during a media roundtable yesterday. That effort, still in the works, aims to "establish an environment where there is trust and confidence and security, to allow a peaceful election and a secure environment for political dialog to continue," Jacoby said.

"We are working toward that, and we are making progress," he said. "It is not a done deal yet. But I will tell you the act of interest and trust by those two leaders has led to greater cooperation within the disputed internal boundaries amongst all parties. ... Every side is committed to one thing, and that is the security of the Iraqi people."

Homeland Security Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report for 11 December 2009

Top Stories
The Houston Chronicle reports that a large explosion occurred Wednesday at the American Acryl chemical facility in Seabrook, Texas. Area residents were asked to shelter in place after the blast, but that recommendation was lifted by 11 a.m. (See item 6)

According to the Associated Press, hundreds of Chicago firefighters worked to put out a high-rise fire that left one person dead and 12 people injured on Thursday. More than 200 residents ran out of the condo building into the bitter cold. (See item 36)

Read On
http://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/DHS_Daily_Report_2009-12-11.pdf

Troops, Government Team Up to Rebuild Bridge

American Forces Press Service

Dec. 11, 2009 - Task Force Mountain Warrior servicemembers and Afghan contractors are working to replace a bridge across the Saracha River here. After flash flooding destroyed the bridge along Highway 1 Aug. 31, Afghan contractors immediately built dirt bypasses and moved concrete to support the footers and piers of the bridge.

In September, a complete reconstruction of the bridge began to restore the traffic flow through the area.

Servicemembers from the 1613th Engineer Company conducted the necessary demolition of what was left of the bridge and emplaced concrete footers and piers for support. The 502nd Multi-Role Bridge Company placed towers and constructed a Mabey-Johnson Bridge, a temporary military bridge that snaps together, and launched it across the nearly 500-foot gap.

Task Force Mountain Warrior servicemembers synchronized and coordinated all assets and provided around-the-clock security and engineer escorts. Afghan soldiers and police provided traffic control and security.

Rebuilding the Saracha Bridge presented an opportunity for the International Security Assistance Force and local Afghan government agencies to come together and solve a problem, said Army Maj. Gerald S. Law, an engineer for Task Force Mountain Warrior and the 4th Infantry Division's 4th Brigade Combat Team.

"Everyone came through and did a great job," he said. "We expect the bridge to be open in late December. This bridge represents a combined effort and shows what we can accomplish together."

(From a Task Force Mountain Warrior news release.)

Learning From 9/11: Organizational Change in the New York City and Arlington County, Va., Police Departments

When a terrorist attack or other mass casualty incident occurs, the primary responsibility for responding to the attack falls to local law enforcement. Little is available in the way of best practices for responding to large-scale critical incidents. A study of the two law enforcement agencies that dealt most directly with the 9/11 terrorist attacks — the New York City Police Department and the Arlington County, Va., Police Department — looked at what practices the agencies had in place that enabled them to respond to the attacks; what special challenges they faced in responding to the attacks; and what changes in organization, training, and policies and procedures they implemented in the aftermath of the attacks to improve their ability to prevent, anticipate and coordinate their response to terrorist and other critical incidents. This Research for Practice summarizes the study findings and presents the implications of the agencies’ experience for! law enforcement.

DOWNLOAD THE REPORT
http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/227346.pdf

Soldiers Enjoy Camp Bucca Golf Course

By Army Master Sgt. David Bennett
Special to American Forces Press Service

Dec. 10, 2009 - From the air, the basic outline of Camp Bucca appears as most military forward operating bases in Iraq, except for nine fluttering white flags affixed to poles jutting from the ground. The flags aren't tokens of surrender, but they often elicit cries of frustration from soldiers who have thrown their best at this opponent, only to be repelled.

Army Master Sgt. Brian Franzen, a platoon sergeant in "D" Company of the Wisconsin National Guard's 132nd Brigade Support Battalion, said it's just par for the course.

After a few minutes of speaking with him, it's easy to detect Franzen's passion for the Army, his Irish heritage and golf – not necessarily in that order. He said in his youth, he and his brothers created their own courses. Today, he rarely travels without his clubs, including his latest deployment to Iraq.

Franzen, an infantryman with the Wisconsin Army National Guard, can lay claim to designing what may be the only golf course in southern Iraq.

Until recently, Camp Bucca was home to the largest Theater Internment Facility in Iraq. The facility housed thousands of detainees before it closed in September. With guard towers providing a unique backdrop, Franzen recently explained how the golf course concept originated as he prepared for his second golf tournament for military members here – this one commemorating Thanksgiving.

After two representatives from the Professional Golfers Association of America made a morale visit last summer, Franzen suggested they hit a few balls. A brief conversation prompted Franzen to pitch the idea for a driving range to Marine Corps Col. Daniel Lund, Camp Bucca commander. The conversation turned to the feasibility of constructing a nine-hole course.

"It wasn't too hard," Franzen said. "It only took me two hours to lay it out on paper."

If the idea made sense on paper, finding the materials to begin work was another matter. Castaway parts were converted, such as old tent poles for flag sticks and carved-up 55-gallon plastic drums for the cups.

"One night I was digging the holes, and I was at hole No. 3, and a soldier who worked for law and order was walking by and asked me what I was digging for," Franzen said. "I said 'Hey, I'm making a golf course. What are you doing?'"

Tent poles could not substitute for putters, however. Due to a lack of necessary clubs and balls, Franzen contacted an acquaintance at Callaway Golf, who in turn sent out the word to other organizations that there was a fledging golf course in Iraq in need of equipment.

Soon, Franzen, who is from Dane, Wis., near Madison, began receiving donations of balls, drivers and irons from The PGA, Callaway, Nike Golf and even Arnold Palmer. However, when a representative of Legends Reno Tahoe Open Inc. set up a donations drive, sets of used clubs began arriving on pallets.

Carriers, including DHL, offered to ship the gear for free.
"The generosity of people has really blown me away," Franzen said.

For good players, the perpetual presence of hazards keeps it interesting, but it can be difficult any time when the weather turns abruptly, as when a recent wind storm blew in across the sandy soil, Franzen said. Though there are no bunkers or water hazards, the course sports its own challenges.

Twenty yards in front of the third hole is a large mound of dirt lined with a protective barrier. Shooters have no choice but to shoot up and over if they want to reach the pin 224 yards away.

A foursome can navigate the nine-hole course in about two and a half hours – barring any unforeseen obstacles. Actually, many can be heard from a distance, as trucks rumble down gravel roads that traverse part of the course, as well as Black Hawk helicopters that routinely land in the vicinity.

The 2,400-yard course was designed around the base's daily activities, Franzen said, and sometimes golfers have to halt play for assorted vehicles.

Explaining that he needed a par 5 as he walked toward the fifth hole, Franzen devised an approach challenging enough for most. Dubbed the "Bucca Monster," the 570-yard hole is framed by concertina wire on one side and is a straight shot from the tee.

The closing of the detainee complex has shifted work priorities, including the completion of a new water treatment plant capable of producing millions of gallons of drinking water monthly for local residents.
Still, when the time allows, the flags beckon.

"The nice part is that because everyone has different schedules, it affords people to come out here at different times," Franzen said.

Lund said missions still go on daily, and the grind of a year-long deployment, though winding down, goes on.

"It's been such a huge boost to morale," he said.
The commander is one of 52 people who tried their luck in the Nov. 20 tournament. In the inaugural event a month before, 40 people participated. The winning team recorded a final score of 4 under par – a total that, given the characteristics of the course, left Franzen understandably skeptical.

"In real life, if you're not lying, you're not playing really good golf," he said, laughing.

Army Spc. Robert Schmude, a truck driver with "D" Company and a Manawa, Wis., native, said that while the idea of a golf course seemed odd to him at first, he realized the value of the venture.

"It's not a bad idea, and it enables us to relax on our day off," Schmude said.

As a reminder, the unassuming 124-yard ninth hole bears a placard that says "Back to Work."

In two months, Franzen's unit will begin to return home. The golf course will stay, and the equipment will be handed over to another unit. But for now, the infantryman and amateur golf course architect practices whenever he can find a couple of hours.

"When I get home, I'm going to be really good," Franzen said, referring to his sand game.

(Army Master Sgt. David Bennett serves with the 367th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment.)

Time Right to Transfer Security to Iraqis, Odierno Says

By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

Dec. 10, 2009 - It is necessary and right that Iraqi soldiers and police assume security responsibilities for their people, the commander of Multinational Force Iraq said in New York City yesterday. Army Gen. Raymond T. Odierno was in Manhattan to attend the USO's 48th Annual Armed Forces Gala and Gold Medal Dinner, where he was interviewed by "Fox and Friends" co-host Brian Kilmeade.

Kilmeade asked Odierno if it was too soon to transfer security responsibilities to Iraqi soldiers and police, given a recent spate of insurgent violence that has roiled Iraq.

"It's tough always to see these Iraqi civilians being killed," Odierno said. "But I would tell you it is the right time to turn over this [security] responsibility." Multiple terrorist bombings targeting Iraqi government buildings on Dec. 8 killed 127 people and wounded some 500. Those bombings followed similar attacks in October and August.

U.S. combat forces withdrew from Iraqi municipalities and villages on June 30, turning over security duties to Iraqi soldiers and police.

Odierno told Kilmeade it's imperative that the Iraqis become responsible for their own security. U.S. forces are slated to depart Iraq no later than Dec. 31, 2011.

"We have to allow them to build up the capacity and capability to do this once we leave," he said. "And, so we're doing that very carefully. We're doing it deliberately; we're thinning our lines slowly, and they're slowly taking on more and more responsibility."

About 120,000 U.S. troops are in Iraq. It's expected those numbers will be reduced after the Iraqi parliamentary elections, now set for March 7. The Iraqi government decided on Dec. 8 to reset the parliamentary voting day from the original Jan. 16 date.

Odierno led the U.S. troops involved in the successful 2007 surge of forces into Iraq under the leadership of then-Multinational Force Iraq chief Army Gen. David H. Petraeus. Now the top U.S. commander in Iraq, Odierno told Kilmeade that he's buoyed by the support he receives from President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden.

"I've had several conversations with them," he said. "And I feel that they are very supportive in what we're trying to achieve in Iraq. They understand that we have an opportunity."

Obama "is very pleased with how things continue to go in Iraq," Odierno said.

Overall violence in Iraq has reached its lowest point since the war started in 2003. Now, Obama "wants to see Iraq come forward," Odierno said, noting Iraq "can be a long-term strategic partner to the United States and help provide more stability in the Middle East."

The general also praised Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates for his steady hand at the Pentagon's helm. Gates' tenure as defense secretary has spanned two administrations since he replaced former Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld in December 2006.

Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, also has served across two administrations, having been appointed JCS chairman in October 2007. The Pentagon's top civilian and military leaders, Odierno said, provide experience and continuity amid the challenges of wartime.

"Having Secretary Gates stay and Admiral Mullen being in place really has made it a smooth transition for me as one of the wartime commanders," Odierno said.

Drawdown Tracks With Iraqi Progress, General Says

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

Dec. 10, 2009 - Three weeks before Multinational Corps Iraq cases its colors and rolls into the new U.S. Forces Iraq organization, its commander said plenty of operational activity still is under way in partnership with Iraqi security forces and on track with the U.S. drawdown timetable. The mission here continues in support of the strategy of turning the security lead over to increasingly capable Iraqi security forces, Army Lt. Gen. Charles H. Jacoby told reporters traveling with Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates.

U.S. forces in Iraq are "fully engaged," supporting that mission in two primary ways, Jacoby said during a roundtable session today.

In addition to partnering with Iraq security forces in combat operations outside the cities, they're also providing important "enabling functions" for Iraqi soldiers and police within the cities. These range from intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance to communications to explosive ordnance disposal and crime-scene analysis capabilities.

Jacoby called June 30 – when U.S. combat troops had withdrawn from Iraqi cities – "an epiphany" for Iraqi security forces as they took over security responsibility, and for the Iraqi government overall.

"Looking back on it, it ended up being a more important date than 1 January," Jacoby said, citing the date when the U.S.-Iraqi security agreement took effect, marking Iraqi sovreignty. "It was 30 June when they really decided, 'We've got it."

Iraqi security forces have grown to more than 600,000 strong, and continue to increase in capability, Jacoby said. The result is continued security progress, even in light of the recent, high-visibility attacks in Baghdad.

When five U.S. brigade combat teams that had been operating in Baghdad left the city June 30 in compliance with the security agreement, attack trends actually improved, he noted.

Jacoby recognized the key role U.S. forces played in reaching this strategic milestone.

"We worked hard with Iraqi security forces for them to gain capability. We had had a good effect on the enemy," he said. "They were ready, and I am proud to say, our partners in the Iraqi security forces stepped up and took lead responsibility."

The challenge now is to help Iraqi security forces reach a capability to relieve U.S. forces of responsibility throughout the battle space within the next seven months, then dramatically changing the U.S. footprint here.

The United States is on a "pretty deliberate, responsible drawdown timeline," Jacoby said, with plans to reduce the U.S. presence here from the current 119,000 to 50,000 troops by July 2011.

As brigade combat teams and their enablers reduce in force, the headquarters and command-and-control functions are streamlining, too, to better reflect the force on the ground.

When Multinational Corps Iraq cases its colors Jan. 1, Jacoby will become deputy commanding general of U.S. Forces Iraq. After he redeploys in March, his successor will help to lay groundwork for the second phase of the drawdown, ending the U.S. force presence here by December 2011.

"The plan exists to get us to zero, but to still remain interested and supportive and partnered with Iraq," Jacoby said.

"So we have a responsible drawdown plan. We are going to draw down stuff. And we are going to draw down capability," her said. "But we are not going to draw down interest and support and passion for Iraq."

A Case Study in Security Sector Reform: Learning from Security Sector Reform/Building in Afghanistan

A Case Study in Security Sector Reform: Learning from Security Sector Reform/Building in Afghanistan (October 2002-September 2003)

This paper provides a case study to help explain the SSR concepts that were recently formalized in U.S. Army Field Manual 3.07, "Stability Operations Doctrine." It provides insights into how the military interacts with host-nation governments, the United Nations, the State Department, and national embassies to solve today’s complex problems. The author’s experience revealed many pitfalls in security sector building and international team-building that we are trying to avoid today. The author points out the synergy that was lost because of a lack of coordination and understanding between government officials and nongovernmental organizations like aid groups, academia, and think tanks.

Read On
http://www.strategicstudiesinstitute.army.mil/pubs/display.cfm?PubID=949

Iraqis Arrest Suspected Terrorists

American Forces Press Service

Dec. 10, 2009 - Iraqi security forces arrested two terrorism suspects in operations over the last two days, military officials reported. In western Baghdad, Iraqi forces arrested a suspected al-Qaida in Iraq member believed to be a recruiter for foreign fighters and to have ties to high-level members of the terror organization who stage vehicle-bomb attacks across central Iraq.

Intelligence gathered by U.S. and Iraqi sources led ae combined security team to a building where the suspect was believed to be. Iraqi forces questioned several people, and they identified and arrested the suspect without incident.

In Iraq's Salahuddin province yesterday, an Iraqi special weapons and tactics team, observed by U.S. forces, arrested Hussein Salih Sabum, a suspected member of al-Qaida in Iraq.

Hussein is the suspected leader of a cell responsible for planning and facilitating bombing attacks against Iraqi security forces, including a suicide-bomber attack that killed 11 people and injured 15 others in Tikrit.

He also is believed to be responsible for the assassination of Lt. Col. Ahmad Fahal, the Tirkit riot-dispersal unit commander.

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

Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Staff Sgt. Dennis J. Hansen, 31, of Panama City, Fla., died Dec. 7 at the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Landstuhl, Germany, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit Dec. 3 with an improvised explosive device in Logar province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, N.Y.

For more information media may contact the Fort Drum public affairs office at 315-772-7267.

Army, Marine Corps Adjust 'Reset' for Afghan Buildup

By Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden
American Forces Press Service

Dec. 10, 2009 - As the U.S. military answers President Barack Obama's order to reinforce efforts in Afghanistan, the Army and Marine Corps are adjusting their plans to redeploy working and serviceable equipment, top military officers told Congress today. Gen. Peter W. Chiarelli, Army vice chief of staff, and Gen. James F. Amos, assistant commandant of the Marine Corps, testified on their services' "reset" requirements before subcommittees of the House Armed Services Committee.

The proceedings were a continuation of a July hearing that was interrupted because of a prolonged series of House votes. The initial hearing focused on Iraq drawdown plans and attempted to outline the method in which the services determined what equipment would redeploy and what would be left for Iraqi security forces.

However, much has changed in the past five months. On Dec. 1, Obama ordered a surge of 30,000 additional U.S. troops to Afghanistan, , so some of the equipment in Iraq that was scheduled to return to the United States has been re-directed to outfit units headed to Afghanistan.

Roughly 22,000 soldiers are part of the plus-up in Afghanistan, "and quite a bit of the equipment coming out of Iraq [will] be used to support those soldiers," Chiarelli said.

"That will mean as we begin the Iraq drawdown in earnest, that there will be less equipment coming back to the states for reset," the general said.

Amos described the Marine Corps adjustment since July, noting 15,000 Marines were on the ground in Iraq then. Only about one-third of those Marines remain, and about 97 percent of their combat equipment was returned home or is being refurbished in Kuwait, Amos said.

When Marine Corps leaders heard of the possibility of an Afghan buildup, a "big chunk" of their equipment in Kuwait was made ready for Afghanistan, he added.

"When we first heard an inkling of a plus-up in Afghanistan, we took the equipment that we knew was furbishable and in good condition and set it aside in anticipation of the president's directive," Amos explained.

The Marine Corps buildup is roughly 9,000 Marines, and is the service's No. 1 priority, he said. Amos added that those Marines will be equipped either in Kuwait or at their home stations.

"Our greatest focus right now is getting equipment to our forces in Afghanistan," he continued. "We will have 100 percent of every piece of equipment they need, with all the capabilities."

Another change Amos noted since the July hearing was the Marine Corps' reset bill. When he last testified, he estimated that the Marine Corps would need about $20 billion to completely replace war-torn and unusable equipment. The estimate has increased an additional $15 billion to accommodate the Afghanistan mission and lessons learned in the past five months, he said.

Chiarelli didn't have an opportunity to elaborate on the Army's reset costs, but considering the Army is a much larger force, the costs are likely higher. He did note that the Army is set to establish Red River Army Depot in Texas as its maintenance hub for mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicles, better known as MRAPs. The initiative is now a pilot program, but should be fully up and running in fiscal 2011, he said.

The Army has integrated about 37,000 MRAP vehicles into its force, because of the added protection its V-shaped hull provides troops.

"I think we're embracing the MRAP, and doing everything we can to ensure when those vehicles start flowing back out of theater, we're ready to accept them, sustain them and reset them," Chiarelli said.

The Marine Corps also has determined that the MRAP is going to be part of its total ground tactical vehicle strategy after success in Iraq and Afghanistan, Amos said. He anticipates more than 2,300 MRAP vehicles to soon become part of the regular Marine inventory.

In July, both generals expressed concern over the degrading readiness of their forces after nearly eight years of high tempo counterinsurgency operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The generals conceded that the ground forces must maintain capabilities to respond to future contingencies around the world.

Amos said the current security environments in Iraq and Afghanistan justify the readiness tradeoff, but the military must remain balanced and have the support of the American people and Congress to seek modernization.

Afghan Security Leaders Thank Gates for Support

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

Dec. 10, 2009 - Senior Afghan military and national police leaders gathered today at Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates' departure to thank him for his support for President Barack Obama's new strategy for Afghanistan and a strong military team to support it. The leaders, along with Army Lt. Gen. David M. Rodriguez, commander of the new International Security Assistance Force Joint Command, were waiting for the weather to clear so they could fly to Kandahar. There, they planned to discuss details about where the incoming U.S. troops will go and what resources they will need.

Gates' arrival at Kabul International Airport following his visit here offered an unexpected opportunity for him to hear from them, and reiterate U.S. support.

"We have a commitment to you, and we will fulfill it," Gates told the assembly at his sendoff.

The United States will begin transferring security responsibility to the Afghans in July 2011 as planned, Gates said, but will stand by Afghanistan for the long term, with U.S. troops expected to operate there "for some time to come."

"We intend to be your partners for a long time," he said, noting sacrifices both Afghan and U.S. troops have made for Afghanistan's future. "This is a relationship forged in blood," he said. "And we will see it through."

Afghan National Army Chief of Staff Gen. Bismullah Mohammedi thanked Gates and Obama for supporting the recommendations of Army Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, commander of U.S. and international forces in Afghanistan. The concept, particularly the additional troop commitment, represents "a golden chance for Afghanistan," he said.

Mohammedi also thanked Gates for committing a strong, experienced leadership team in Afghanistan, led by McChrystal and Rodriguez.

The Afghan general assured Gates his country will take full advantage of the opportunities they have been provided, working in partnership with the United States and the international community to confront terrorism and other challenges facing Afghanistan.

Acknowledging casualties the United States has taken for Afghanistan's cause, he offered assurance the losses won't be in vain. "We will overcome this challenge, and we will succeed," he said.

McChrystal Concludes Hearings on Afghanistan

By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service

Dec. 10, 2009 - The commander of U.S. and international forces in Afghanistan today wrapped up a round of hearings on Capitol Hill regarding the new U.S. approach to Afghanistan and Pakistan. The themes Army Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal touched on in appearances before members of both chambers of Congress this week were consistent: he embraced the plan that sends 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan and sets a flexible date for beginning a withdrawal, and expressed measured optimism in its potential to reverse insurgents' momentum.

"The president's decision rapidly resources our strategy, recognizing that the next 18 months will likely be decisive and ultimately enable success," he told the House Foreign Affairs Committee today. "I fully support the president's decision."

President Barack Obama last week announced a U.S. strategy for Afghanistan that will bring the number of forces there to roughly 100,000 over the next six months, with the nonbinding goal of beginning to withdraw troops starting July 2011. The Dec. 1 unveiling of the new U.S. approach culminated months of deliberations the president held with senior advisors.

McChyrstal today said he participated fully in the president's assessment and decision-making process, providing his recommendations and best military advice throughout the discussion.

"Combined with insights and policy considerations from across our government, I believe the decisions that came from that process reflect a realistic and effective approach," he said.

This strategy, he added, requires reversing the current momentum of the Taliban while creating "the time and space to develop Afghan security and governance capacity." Among the crucial tasks necessary to achieving success is the training of tens of thousands of Afghan soldiers and police, he added.

The Defense Department this week identified roughly half of the forces to be deployed to Afghanistan, including some 1,500 Marines from Camp Lejeune, N.C., who will deploy later this month, and 6,200 Marines of Regimental Combat Team 2 at Camp Lejeune alerted for deployment early in the spring.

The 1st Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Pendleton, Calif., also will deploy 800 Marines in the spring, along with an influx of 3,400 soldiers from the 1st Brigade Combat Team from the Army's 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, N.Y., department officials said.

Six months into his tenure as the top commander in Afghanistan, McChyrstal said today he expects to return to the war zone with a greater sense of the mission at hand.

"I believe that, with the president's decision and ongoing reforms I outlined in our initial assessment, our efforts are now empowered with a greater sense of clarity, capability, commitment and confidence," he said.

Terror Attacks Dominate Gates' Meetings in Baghdad

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

Dec. 10, 2009 - The recent spate of violence that has rocked the Iraqi capital dominated Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates' talks here today with President Jalal Talabani and Iraq's Presidency Council, all pledging to continue working cooperatively to combat it. The violence also forced Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, who was summoned by the Iraqi Council of Representatives as it addressed the crisis, to postpone his scheduled meeting with Gates, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell told reporters traveling here with Gates.

At issue are a series of high-profile attacks targeting Iraqi state institutions that have left some 400 people dead and inflicted heavy damage on four government ministries. The most recent attack, involving four car bombs, occurred Dec. 8.

Army Lt. Gen. Charles H. Jacoby, commander of Multinational Corps Iraq, said he expects al-Qaida, which has claimed responsibility, to attempt more attacks in the lead-up to Iraq's March 7 national elections.

"I think they will try mightily to have another attack, and we should expect that," Jacoby said. "We should expect that, and the Iraqi security forces should expect that. And I think that as long as there is a terrorist remaining, they will continue to plan and do their best to try to disrupt this."

Gates called the bombings "a tragic reminder that [the fight against terrorists] is not over, and there is still work to be done," during his meeting with the Presidency Council, Morrell told reporters. "This fight has to be carried out on a continuing basis," Morrell said, again quoting the secretary.

The Iraqi leaders noted the need "to continue working together to deal with this residual threat," Morrell said, with Gates offering to assist in any way they request.

"The secretary walked away with the sense that it's obvious the Iraqi political leadership understands the threat posed, and very much wants to work with us to combat it," he said.

U.S. forces are providing technical support as the Iraqis investigate the latest bombings, Jacoby said earlier today during a media roundtable. He confirmed that al-Qaida has claimed responsibility, and that the attacks bear the al-Qaida trademark.

Although details about how the attacks were planned, financed and carried out are still being pieced together, Jacoby said, there's little doubt it's all an effort to undermine the upcoming Iraqi elections.

"This is about the election, about seating the new government," he said. "So we can expect them to try just as hard to conduct another attack as we are trying to prevent it."

Al-Qaida is highly diminished, and has resorted to using limited, albeit high-profile attacks to derail Iraq's political progress, the general said. "The enemies of Iraq ... have everything to lose by a successful election," he added.

"The election is a very, very important historic event coming up for the people of Iraq," Jacoby said. "It is going to be the most meaningful demonstration of the progress of Iraq and an Iraq changing its very nature and becoming democratic. And there is a thirst for that. You can feel it in the people. We saw that in the provincial elections, and I think we are headed that way for this election."

No matter how hard terrorists try to disrupt the elections, they won't succeed, Jacoby insisted. He cited a steam engine of positive and irreversible progress: improving security forces, passage of election laws, formation of political parties and open expression among the Iraqi people.

"So they can't stop it," he said.

Morrell said it was unclear if Gates would be able to meet with Maliki during this visit to Iraq, in light of scheduling conflicts. Gates takes no affront over any rescheduling or cancellation, he said, recognizing Maliki's responsibility to answer to his government's representative body.

Afghan Government Must Be Credible, McChrystal Says

By Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden
American Forces Press Service

Dec. 10, 2009 - Among the many factors White House and Pentagon officials say will drive success in Afghanistan, developing a credible government there may be the most challenging, the commander of U.S. and international forces there said yesterday. For sustained progress in Afghanistan, the country's government must be seen as credible and legitimate among its people, Army Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal said in an interview with National Public Radio.

The general compared the fight in Afghanistan to a political campaign. "All insurgencies and counterinsurgencies struggle for the support of the people," he said. "It's really winning credibility and legitimacy with the people."

Afghanistan's government must prove it can provide the basic, essential needs for the population while discrediting the Taliban, the general said, but he added that neither has a very good history with the people. The Taliban ruled the country from 1996 to 2001 under Sharia law, before NATO forces ousted the Sunni Muslim regime.

"The Taliban's weakness is they have a track record," McChrystal said. "They did govern Afghanistan, and they didn't do it very well."

But Afghanistan's government, led by President Hamid Karzai, has been seen as increasingly corrupt. McChrystal said changing the government's image is the biggest challenge.

"The government of Afghanistan has got to understand, and I think it does, it needs to address the fact it must be credible and legitimate," he said. "To the degree to which it struggles with that, it will remain difficult."

The fight for credibility involves civilian support as well as military might. Afghan army and police are getting better every day, the general said, but the police force lacks sufficiently trained leaders. This, coupled with the increasing stress the Taliban have placed on Afghan police, has been troublesome, he added.

"[The Taliban] have put a severe amount of pressure on the police, particularly where security is immature, so police have borne the brunt of a terrific amount of insurgent pressure, which increases police casualties, which makes it harder for the police to rebound," he said. "[But] what we are doing now is we are partnering coalition forces with police in a much greater number of areas than we have before. Together, it's a symbiotic relationship. Together, we're more effective."

President Barack Obama's initial order for more U.S. troops in March helped greatly in the training mission, McChrystal said. Those 21,000 troops were able to extend the coalition reach to parts of the country that hasn't had much interaction with international forces.

The recently announced surge of 30,000 U.S. troops along with 7,000-plus additional NATO forces will further that effort, he added. The larger U.S. and NATO footprint will help to connect more Afghans with their government and security forces, he said.

However, McChrystal said, he doesn't think the Afghan government needs to control the entire country to be successful. Afghanistan's government needs to reach the point of protecting its sovereignty without being threatened by extremists, he said.

"They don't have to control every square inch," he explained. "What they have to do is control enough of the population, enough of the key production and lines of communication and establish enough credibility and legitimacy so the insurgency can't be a threat."

The general added that over time, the insurgency will become less relevant, and that Afghanistan is now in the best position to move forward.

Gates to Discuss Progress, Drawdown in Baghdad

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

Dec. 10, 2009 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates arrived here today to meet with Iraqi and U.S. military leaders about continuing progress toward building Iraqi security forces and drawing down the U.S. force presence here to 50,000 by late August. The visit, Gates' first since July, comes as the Iraqis have resolved election law issues and set a March 7 date for national elections, and amid a rash of violence that a senior defense official called an act of desperation by the greatly weakened al-Qaida remnants here.

During Gates' sessions with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, President Jalal Talabani and the Presidency Council, he'll join the chorus of U.S. political and military leaders in condemning the violence, and offer whatever assistance is needed to recover and prevent future attacks, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell told reporters.

The most recent attack, just two days ago, involved four car bombings in Baghdad. These, along with other major bomb attacks in recent months, have left an estimated 400 people dead and inflicted heavy damage on four government ministries.

Army Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, commander of Multinational Force Iraq, has stated that he has no reason to believe that the violence will slow down the drawdown schedule, Morrell noted.

A senior defense official traveling with Gates called the "Hail Mary" attacks "a desperate attempt [by a diminished al-Qaida] to stay relevant" and to reignite sectarian violence. "I don't think anyone believes they will be successful," he said.

He cited the Iraqi leadership's commitment to preventing any resurgence of the sectarian violence that gripped Iraq three years ago, and the fact that "the Iraqi people are sick of this."

Maliki called on the Iraqi people yesterday not to allow the attacks to disrupt the political process. "This should be a reason for unity and solidarity, because if we face these challenges divided, that means disunity of the Iraqi people against the terrorists and terrorism," he said in a televised address.

Gates will congratulate the Iraqis during his visit for their passage of the long-awaited election laws. He will recognize that "a lot of hard work and compromise" went into the effort, and express hope that "the same spirit of cooperation will carry on after the Iraqi elections" to reduce destabilizing conditions, Morrell said.

Odierno wants to maintain sufficient forces in Iraq during the critical periods just before, during and after the national elections, but does not believe the slippage of the election day schedule to "put any undue pressure" on his drawdown plan, Morrell said. The steepest drop in troop numbers is expected to begin in May.

Gates will deliver a third message as he continues to press Iraqi Kurds and Arabs to iron out differences that have the potential to escalate. He emphasized during his last visit here that tensions between Iraq's Arab-led central government and the self-ruled Kurdish region in the north threaten Iraq's security.

Gates arrived here after a two-day visit to Afghanistan, where the focus was on the 30,000 additional troops who will begin arriving there next week in support of President Barack Obama's new strategy.

Most Surge Troops Identified, Official Says

By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service

Dec. 10, 2009 - The military component that coordinates the forces that fight America's wars has allocated almost all of the troops that will take part in the Afghanistan surge. U.S. Joint Forces Command, a support beam in the Defense Department's policymaking structure, is formulating plans to carry out the influx of 30,000 U.S. forces that President Barack Obama has ordered into Afghanistan over roughly the next six months.

"We know the magnitude of the efforts," said Air Force Brig. Gen. Robert Yates, director of operations, plans, logistics and engineering at Joint Forces Command, said yesterday. "We are getting final details on some of the requirements; we know most of them."

Obama last week announced a U.S. strategy for Afghanistan that entails bringing the number of forces to about 100,000, with the flexible goal of beginning to withdraw troops in July 2011. Just over half of the surge forces have been identified and informed of their upcoming deployments.

The responsibility for coordinating such rotations falls to Joint Forces Command. Department officials announced this week that some 1,500 Marines from Camp Lejeune, N.C., will deploy later this month, and 6,200 Marines of Regimental Combat Team 2 at Camp Lejeune were alerted for deployment early in the spring.

The 1st Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Pendleton, Calif., also will deploy 800 Marines in the spring, along with an influx of 3,400 soldiers from the 1st Brigade Combat Team from the Army's 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, N.Y., department officials said.

For its part, Joint Forces Command is putting together "courses of action" -- plans that detail a force composition based on troop availability, military specialties and other factors. Command officials will provide those plans to the Joint Staff, Yates told reporters on a conference call.

"The Joint Staff will then decide on [a plan], and those will be the forces that will be flowed into Afghanistan," the general explained.

The unveiling of the new U.S. approach to Afghanistan and Pakistan culminates months of deliberations the president held with senior advisors. While Joint Forces Command officials generally are tight-lipped regarding specific requests it receives from commanders, the command's chief of staff said previously that the command would be included in the decision-making process in relevant ways.

In an interview in Norfolk before the president's announcement, Air Force Maj. Gen. David M. Edgington said Joint Forces Command was prepared to collaborate with each service branch in a process of finding the right units with the right combination of skills, training and availability to deploy.

"We've got to know what their training status is so that we can deploy a combat-capable unit," he said in October. Invoking a mantra of the command's commander, Marine Corps Gen. James N. Mattis, Edgington added, "We will not deploy anybody who is not trained for the mission."

The command's goal is to anticipate such requests and have necessary personnel identified and accounted for 18 months in advance of commanders' needs, but officials often must adapt quickly to changing demands on the ground.

Homeland Security Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report for 9 December 2009

Top Stories
WGN 9 Chicago reports that one person is dead and one is hurt after an explosion Monday at the NDK America plant in Belvidere, Illinois, which manufactures crystals used in liquid-crystal displays. (See item 9)
According to U.S. News and World Report, TSA officials say that a “full review” is underway to determine how a 2008 copy of its standard operating procedures for all airport security checkpoints was released in its entirety on the Internet. The document was “improperly redacted,” TSA officials say. (See item 15)

READ ON
http://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/DHS_Daily_Report_2009-12-09.pdf

Marine Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Cpl. Xhacob Latorre, 21, of Waterbury, Conn., died Dec. 8 of wounds sustained while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

For additional background information on this Marine, please contact the II Marine Expeditionary Force public affairs office at 910-451-7200.

Boston's Big Sniff

Science and Technology (S&T) Snapshots

Since ancient times, airborne chemical and biological weapons have been used to threaten populations. During sieges throughout history, human and animal corpses were used in attempt to spread plague and cholera. In the First World War, chlorine and mustard gas killed hundreds of thousands.

More recently, the chem-bio threat has gone—literally—underground. In 1993, during the World Trade Center truck bombing, a canister of hydrogen cyanide was placed in the truck in the hope that the poison gas would be blasted up the ventilation system. Two years later, Japanese cult members opened canisters of sarin in the Tokyo subway, killing 12 and leaving thousands in need of medical attention.

The Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is charged with leading Federal efforts to prepare for, respond to, and recover from a domestic attack. Secretary Napolitano has emphasized preparedness and shared responsibility when it comes to protecting the nation's critical infrastructure.

One vitally important aspect of preparation is for public safety officials to understand how gases might behave in different scenarios—such as when released in the underground subway system of a large American city. The incapacitation or destruction of a major transportation system could debilitate the overall stability of the United States and threaten national security.

That's why on December 5, the Department's Science & Technology Directorate began releasing plumes of sulfur hexafluoride and perfluorocarbon gas, and sodium fluorescein particles in the tunnels of Boston's Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) subway system.

Yes, you read that right.

But not to worry. "Both gases are innocuous, non-toxic, and inert," says Teresa Lustig, a program manager in S&T's Chemical & Biological Division, who is leading the study. "They've been used since the 1960s in dispersion experiments, and pose no health risk."

Throughout the seven day S&T study, particle and gas concentrations are being sampled in more than 20 stations and in subway cars in the underground portion of the MBTA system. Commuters may notice the presence of equipment and researchers, but the study is designed not to disrupt normal activities or inconvenience the public.

Some of these non-toxic gases have been used in similar studies and others even have common, everyday uses. Sulfur hexafluoride is a harmless, common tracer gas used for indoor and outdoor air testing. Perfluorocarbons are used during eye surgery to temporarily replace the vitreous humor when a retina is being reattached. Sodium fluorescein is an organic dye used in medical imaging applications and in oceanography as a marker in seawater.

A similar subway system airflow study was conducted in 2008 in the Washington, DC area, and serves as an excellent contrast to the Boston study. Whereas the MBTA subway system is very old and poorly ventilated, Washington's is relatively modern and well-ventilated.

Data obtained from these initial groundbreaking studies have been critical to the development of specifications for the next generation of biological agent detectors, and for designing response strategies for both biological and chemical detection systems.

The research team included scientists from Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) of Argonne, Ill.; Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) of Berkeley, Calif.; ICx Technologies of Arlington, Va.; Defense Science and Technology Laboratory of the United Kingdom; and Chemistry Centre of Australia.

Here's how the study worked:
The particle tracers, embedded in an aerosol spray, were released at the same time as the gases so that researchers could compare which form of agent—aerosol or gas—travels further, faster, or more unpredictably. The gaseous and aerosol tracers are complementary—dispersing and sinking at different rates and in different patterns—allowing removal mechanisms such as deposition and filtration to be measured in addition to the transport and dispersion processes. The gaseous tracers, like the chemical agents they simulate, provide baseline data for the transport and dispersion processes because they pass through filters and are transported much further. The two gases weigh about the same as air, which means they remain airborne indefinitely and can be measured in the air for a much longer period of time. The aerosol particles deposit on surfaces and the ground after a short period.

Gates Reviews Support Ops in Afghanistan

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

Dec. 9, 2009 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates spent the day today checking out operations supporting President Barack Obama's new strategy for Afghanistan, including a new joint headquarters overseeing the tactical fight. Gates also got briefings on stepped-up initiatives to train Afghan security forces, and stopped by the U.S. embassy here to thank U.S. and Afghan employees for the nonmilitary missions they are carrying out that are critical to military success.

Poor weather conditions scotched Gates' original plan to visit troops at several camps and forward operating bases outside Kabul and Kandahar. Instead, he kicked off the day touring the new International Security Assistance Force Joint Command that serves as an intermediate headquarters linking ISAF headquarters with the five regional command headquarters.

Army Lt. Gen. David M. Rodriguez, deputy commander of U.S. Forces Afghanistan and Gates' former senior military advisor, stood up the command, which became fully operational Nov. 12.

Gates announced the new three-star command in June, to report directly to Army Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, who commands U.S. and international forces in Afghanistan, and focus on the tactical situation there.

Since then, it came together in record time, with Congress quickly confirming Rodriguez's nomination, and the command headquarters jumping into high gear to kick off operations at the North Kabul International Airport military compound.

"It's pretty amazing how quickly you put this all together," Gates said as he toured the Combined Joint Operations Center – the site of a gymnasium just a month and a half ago and now the heart of the new command.

Gates called the command, staffed by 100 troops from 42 nations, a model of post-World War II cooperation that provides a "better integration of operations" between the United States and ISAF.

The new command is part of the strategy to improve command and control relationships and to yield additional capability and agility, Rodriguez told reporters.

Along with Combined Security Transition Command Afghanistan, which focuses on building the Afghan security forces, it gives McChrystal the tools to "focus on the higher-level national strategy and engagement with other actors, both in Afghanistan and across the region," he said.

"These reorganizations are aimed at improving our effectiveness in the conduct of counterinsurgency operations, and making us better partners with our Afghan friends," Rodriguez said.

The streamlined command and control provided through the ISAF Joint Command "provides a unity of effort" to U.S. and NATO operations in Afghanistan, explained Army Col. Marty Schweitzer, Rodriguez's executive officer. "We synchronize the tactical fight, day in and day out."

Experts in matters ranging from medical to legal to public affairs join traditional operators and intelligence watch personnel at the new headquarters. Afghan National Army and Afghan National Police representatives join them on the watch floor to increase situational awareness.

Gates praised the "extraordinary agility" the new headquarters is helping bring U.S. and ISAF forces that he called critical to carrying out President Barack Obama's new way ahead. "I think we have all the pieces coming together to be successful," he said.

Air Force Master Sgt. Eric Belt, a target intelligence analyst who has worked at the new operations center for the past month, said it brings important new capabilities to support his mission. "This allows us to concentrate on the higher-echelon bad guys, or high-value targets," he said.

Gates' visit, he said, underscored the importance of the new command's mission. "It lets us know he appreciates what we are doing here and values what we are contributing," he said.

Rodriguez updated Gates on another initiative focused on long-term success here: accelerating the growth and capacity of Afghan national security forces. Partnerships being forged by embedding more trainers with Afghan soldiers and police are paying off as they build understanding and trust, he said.

Army Lt. Col. Edward Ledford, chief of the command operational engagement cell, told Gates the partnerships are accelerating the growth and professionalism of the Afghan forces. That's critical, he said, in preparing them to take the lead in security operations.

"There is clearly a sense of urgency among all of us," Ledford said. "We can't do this halfway."

Rodriguez noted attrition challenges for the Afghan forces, particularly in the south and east, where fighting is the heaviest. "Where it's hard, you can't recruit," he said. "Where it's hard, you can't retain." He expressed optimism that recent pay raises for Afghan soldiers, including hazardous-duty pay for those operating in the toughest regions, will pay off.

Army Gen. William B. Caldwell IV, who heads up the NATO training mission and Combined Security Transition Command Afghanistan, cited promising success in recruiting Afghan forces since the new pay initiatives were announced. Recruiting jumped dramatically in early December after the Afghan government announced new pay hikes, he said.

Rodriguez also cited the government's new emphasis on national service.

Later in the day, Gates stopped by the U.S. embassy, where he thanked several hundred employees crammed into the atrium for the contributions they're making in Afghanistan.

"All of our leading generals, from General [David H.] Petraeus to General McChrystal to General Rodriguez, will tell you: if you don't succeed, we can't succeed," Gates said.

"You are enormous force multipliers out there," he told the group, emphasizing the important civilian role in Afghanistan, and in support of broader U.S. national security objectives.

Gates said he will continue pressing for more State Department funding and more flexibility for its operations.

Army Col. Charles Hardy, political-military advisor at the embassy for the past four months, called Gates' comments encouraging in light of the broad expertise the civilian work force is contributing in Afghanistan.

"It's important to me, because there are things we in the military can't do and are not supposed to do," he said.

Army Col. Marty Bischoff, whose work with ISAF's Regional Command East focuses on stability operations, called the so-called "civilian surge" critical to success.

"It's key, because they bring the additional skill sets we need," he said.

Respirator Trusted-Source Information Page

This information may be regarded as a trusted source to verify which respirators are approved by NIOSH, how to get them and how to use them. This web page is currently under development, and therefore not all areas are functional at this time. We hope that you visit us frequently to use the new capabilities as they become available. The web page will include content to address each of 3 sections of information as follows:

Section 1: NIOSH-Approved Respirators: What are they, How can they be identified, Where can I get them?

Section 2: Use of NIOSH Respirators: Information on how to implement the use of respirators in the Workplace and use them appropriately.

Section 3: Ancillary Respirator Information: Commonly asked Questions and Answers (Fact Sheets), Respirator Myths, Science of Respirator Function and Performance, Respiratory Protective Devices Not Approved by NIOSH.

Visit the website
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U.S. Soldiers, Iraqi Sailors Secure Shores

By Army Spc. Samuel Soza
Special to American Forces Press Service

Dec. 9, 2009 - Iraqi security forces are constantly stepping up their role in the protection of Iraq, from the heart of the country out to the borders, where the Iraqi coast border guard can be found at work with U.S. Army border transition teams. "Our primary mission is to coach, teach and mentor Iraqis as we get ready to transition out of Iraq and let them take complete control over their own security," said Army Capt. Matt Hagerman, chief of a border transition team that works with the 17th Fires Brigade.

To meet that goal, the teams share their assets -- physical and intellectual -- to help the Iraqis create a force that can operate long-term.

The coast border guard consists of four "boat groups" and a land-based battalion that patrols the land along the Shat al-Arab – the confluence of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers -- and the costal border with Iran from Faw to Basra.

During a recent trip to the coast border guard headquarters, Hagerman and a team of soldiers brought an assortment of training subjects to Gen. Shehab, a key leader in the Iraqi force. Together, they created a curriculum, meant to be taught in the hours between patrols, that will supplement longer courses taught by the U.S. Navy's Riverine Squadron 3 that focus on water operations.

"The classes that we teach primarily focus on the land battalion, but are also classes that can be water or land, such as basic first aid or detainee operations," said Hagerman, a Williamsville, N.Y. native.

Other classes the border transition teams teach include radio and communication operations, targeting and close-quarters combat. "We're there now to help them improve as an organization, like you would for any friend and any ally," Hagerman said.

One of the greatest challenges has been learning to communicate not just between national cultures, but between naval and Army cultures as well, he said. The two groups have had to learn different vocabulary to understand each other enough to know what sort of information is relevant to the operational goals.

"The language barrier is actually not that difficult for us," Hagerman explained. "The coastal border guard leadership is an extremely well-educated, intelligent, and dedicated group of Iraqis," he said, "many of whom speak English and other languages, such as Chinese and Russian."

With strong leadership and plenty of training, Hagerman said, he finds the greatest satisfaction when he sees the Iraqis in action.

"One of the greatest things is when the coastal border guard does something completely independently," he said. He noted a particular instance when the U.S. border transition team was making a trip to meet with the coastal border guard and stumbled upon a large, coordinated training operation, complete with instructors and graders, involving the troops they had been training.

More independent operations will come as the two forces work together to protect the borders of Iraq, Hagerman said.

"The partnership is absolutely critical," he said. "Not only does it help the long-term security of Iraq, but it also fosters cooperation and understanding between our two countries."

(Army Spc. Samuel Soza serves with the 367th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment.)

Incentives Show Promise for Afghan Forces

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

Dec. 9, 2009 - Better pay for Afghan national security forces and a government-led emphasis on national service appear to be paying off in stronger recruiting, the commander responsible for recruiting and training them told reporters here today. Army Lt. Gen. William B. Caldwell IV, who heads up Combined Security Transition Command Afghanistan, cited signs of promise since the Afghan government announced major changes in its pay system in late November.

In addition to increasing base pay, the new pay structure includes combat pay for troops operating in the most dangerous provinces. In Helmand, Ghazni and Kuduz provinces, for example, new recruits now earn the Afghan equivalent of $240 in U.S. dollars a month – twice what they previously earned, Caldwell noted.

New Afghan soldier recruits in Kabul and Herat provinces will earn the equivalent of $210 per month, and in Parwan, where no combat pay is authorized, $165.

This compares to $120 all new recruits previously received, regardless of where they operated.

Similar pay raises have been instituted to better compensate Afghan soldiers throughout the rank structure, Caldwell said, expressing hope that they'll encourage the retention critical to developing leaders.

Caldwell noted similar pay increases to bring Afghan National Police salaries on par with those of their Afghan army counterparts.

The new pay structure comes as welcome news, he said, as U.S. and NATO trainers work to build professional, capable Afghan national security forces. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates calls this effort key to turning the security lead over to the Afghans – a critical step toward the drawdown of international troops here.

Yet Gates told reporters during the flight here he was surprised to learn during last week's congressional hearings that the Taliban had been paying more than the Afghan National Army, and particularly the Afghan National Police.

According to Caldwell, the Taliban typically pay $250 to $350 a month to their members.

"So raising the pay of police, and putting in place a number of additional incentives and bonuses... for the Army, such as combat pay, ... clearly will help," he said.

Army Lt. Gen. David M. Rodriguez, commander of International Security Assistance Force Joint Command and deputy commander of U.S. Forces Afghanistan, today noted attrition challenges, particularly in the south and east, where fighting is the heaviest. "Where it's hard, you can't recruit," he said. "Where it's hard, you can't retain."

Recruiting trends since the pay-structure changes point to signs of promise.

During the first seven days of December, 2,659 recruits joined the Afghan army – halfway toward the month's 5,253-recruit objective, Caldwell said.

In November, the army fell 21 percent below its recruiting goal, recruiting 4,303 members but falling short of its 5,442-recruit objective. In October, the army fell 14 percent short of its 4,408-recruit objective, signing on 3,811 members. September figures were particularly dismal: 65 percent short of the goal of 2,400 members, with only 831 new soldiers being recruited.

Caldwell said it's too soon to declare a trend since the new pay scale took effect, but conceded he's feeling "very, very positive" about its impact, at least initially, on recruiting. It also appears to be having an impact on retention. Some troops who had gone AWOL, for example, have rejoined their units.

Caldwell and Rodriguez agreed that the vast majority of Afghan soldiers and police aren't drawn simply by dollars. Most want only enough money to care for their families and welcome the opportunity to serve their country, they said.

The Afghan government is capitalizing on this through outreach aimed at promoting national service.

In January, U.S. and ISAF trainers will begin a literacy program for Afghan security forces that Caldwell said he expects to be another incentive to recruiting, as well as retention.

These efforts will be an important step toward the goal of 287,000 Afghan national security forces by July 2011, he said. That's when President Barack Obama expects to begin reducing the U.S. force commitment in Afghanistan, subject to conditions on the ground.

Although Afghan security forces are a lynchpin toward making good on that commitment, Caldwell conceded that success in Afghanistan will require more than just military might.

"Putting more security forces out there, is not, in itself, a sufficient answer," he said. "It is essential; it sets the conditions. But judicial reform has to start taking place. And the people will have to have confidence that this government is going to resolve disputes and they have a place to go and arbitrate things. They have to feel things are fair and equitable out there. There are going to have to be some basic services provided out there that aren't present today.

"So there are other things that are going to have to take hold, and those are going to take time, too," he continued. "So it is a team effort, with all of us – the international community, the ... Department of Defense and all the elements of the U.S. government, working collaboratively together."

Afghanistan Success Attainable, Petraeus Says

By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

Dec. 9, 2009 - Achieving success against extremists in Afghanistan is a challenging, yet attainable mission, the commander of U.S. Central Command said at a Capitol Hill hearing here today. Success in Afghanistan "is of enormous importance, and it is attainable," Army Gen. David H. Petraeus told members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

"But achieving our objectives will not be easy," the four-star general told senators, noting "the challenges are great."

Petraeus said he supports President Barack Obama's revised Afghanistan strategy, part of which involves the deployment of 30,000 extra U.S. troops there over the next several months.

"I do believe that the policy the president announced last week and the additional resources being committed will, over the next 18 months, enable us to make important progress in several critical tasks" in Afghanistan, said Petraeus, the architect of the Iraq surge.

Those tasks, he said, include reversing the Taliban's momentum, increasing the capabilities and numbers of Afghan security forces, helping to improve Afghan governance and setting conditions for the start of the reduction in U.S. combat forces in July 2011 in a way that does not jeopardize the progress that has been achieved.

Though achieving these tasks will be difficult, Petraeus said, Afghanistan presents a no more hopeless situation than that which existed in Iraq prior to the start of the surge of forces there in 2007. Indeed, he noted, the level of violence and numbers of civilian deaths in Iraq during the height of the insurgency there were much higher than what has been experienced in Afghanistan.

"But, achieving progress in Afghanistan will be hard, and the progress there likely will be slower in developing than was the progress achieved in Iraq," Petraeus said.

Achieving success in Afghanistan is vital to U.S. national security, Petraeus said, pointing to the close relationship between the Taliban and al-Qaida terrorists.

"Reversing the Taliban's momentum is essential to the effort to degrade and defeat al-Qaida," Petraeus said. "The Taliban we are fighting in Afghanistan today is the same organization that sheltered and supported Osama bin Laden and al-Qaida as they planned the 9/11 attacks. The relationship between these groups remains strong."

The Afghan Taliban's leadership, he said, is organized, ideologically motivated and serves as an inspiration for other extremists. In recent years, he added, the Taliban have expanded their numbers and influence in Afghanistan, though they have little support among the majority of the Afghan people.

Nonetheless, Petraeus said, U.S. and coalition forces will have to fight their way into enemy strongholds as the surge of forces into Afghanistan continues through spring and into summer. He said he also anticipates possible turmoil in the Afghan government, as news reports cite the identification and replacement of corrupt or disloyal Afghan officials.

"Like Iraq, the situation is likely to get harder before it gets easier," said Petraeus, who predicts an increase in security incidents in Afghanistan this summer. "It will be important, therefore, to withhold judgment on the success or failure of the strategy in Afghanistan until next December, as the president has counseled."

That will be the right time, Petraeus said, "to evaluate progress, consider the way forward, and begin discussing the nature and pace of the transition of security tasks to Afghan forces and initial reductions of U.S. forces in Afghanistan that will begin in July 2011."

Any changes in U.S. troop strength at that time, Petraeus said, would be based upon conditions on the ground.

The United States is at a critical juncture regarding the mission in Afghanistan, said U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Karl W. Eikenberry, who accompanied Petraeus at the hearing.

Eikenberry also declared his support of Obama's revised Afghanistan strategy, which he said "offers the best path to stabilize Afghanistan and to ensure al-Qaida cannot regain a foothold to plan new attacks against us."

The additional U.S. military forces to be deployed to Afghanistan, Eikenberry said, will be employed to break the insurgency's momentum, hasten and improve training of Afghan security forces, and establish security in key parts of the country.

Concurrently, Eikenberry said, a civilian surge of U.S. and international experts in government, agriculture, infrastructure and other areas of expertise will deploy to Afghanistan.

"We aim to increase employment and provide essential services in areas of greatest insecurity, while improving critical ministries and the economy at the national level," Eikenberry said. "These steps taken together, we believe, will help remove the insurgents from the battlefield and build support for the Afghan government."

Program Rewards Afghans in Anti-IED Effort

By Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jennifer Lindsey
Special to American Forces Press Service

Dec. 9, 2009 - A new program backed by Afghan national security forces and Combined Joint Task Force 82 empowers Afghan citizens to take a stand against improvised explosive devices. "Operation Jaeza," or "reward," protects Afghans from enemy actions targeting innocent people, said Maj. Gen. Abdul Khaliq, commander of the Afghan National Army's 203rd Corps said during a Dec. 7 news conference at Forward Operating Base Thunder here.

The program was implemented four weeks ago, and produced $48,000 in rewards in just the past week. People in Afghanistan's Paktika, Paktia, Khost and Ghazni provinces produced leads on the location of the IEDs themselves, their makers or distributors of IED-making materials.

Khaliq said it is an honor to have the Afghan people work side by side with their country's security forces to help in the ways they can to end enemy threats.

The U.S. Defense Department's rewards program has offered monetary incentives generally ranging from $50 to $10,000 for information that leads to the disruption or defeat of enemy activities and weapons caches. Regional government officials and other public representatives spoke out to Afghanistan's local and national news agencies at the news conference about the importance of citizens taking action against the use of IEDs.

"This is a good program that we fully support," said Zarguna Hammeed, representative of the Women of Paktia. "People who discover information about IEDs should stop and report it. The money offered helps families as they help to protect others by reporting IEDs."

"I think the enemy is targeting people on purpose," said Army Brig. Gen. Kurt Fuller, deputy commander of the 203rd Corps and Combined Joint Task Force 82. "These are the same organizations who send suicide bombers into mosques to blow up themselves."

The department's rewards program and Operation Jaeza employ special precautions to protect people who report in to the tip-line and assure their anonymity. "We don't want people to put themselves in harm's way," Fuller said.

Because of the proactive steps taken by ordinary citizens to dismantle the manufacturing and distribution cycles for roadside bombs, leaders are confident the program will continue.

"People must organize their actions against enemy activities. ... To defeat this common enemy requires a partnership between the [Afghan national security forces] and the citizens," said Col. Waqaf Shah, 203rd Corps religious and cultural office chief. "We must pave the way for a safer future for our children, and protect innocent lives from these threats."

In the past year, reports show more than 850 civilians were killed as a result of 3,170 IED detonations. Civilians comprise 36 percent of all IED casualties.

(Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jennifer Lindsey serves with Combined Joint Task Force 82.)

Secretary Napolitano Unveils “Virtual USA” Information-Sharing Initiative

December 9, 2009: Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano today officially launched Virtual USA, an innovative information-sharing initiative—developed in collaboration with the emergency response community and state and local governments across the nation—that helps federal, state, local and tribal first responders communicate during emergencies.

“Our first responders need interoperable tools to make accurate and timely decisions during emergencies,” said Secretary Napolitano. “Virtual USA makes it possible for new and existing technologies to work together seamlessly during disaster response and recovery and gives the public an opportunity to contribute information in real-time to support the efforts of police officers, firefighters and other emergency management officials.”

The announcement came as part of the White House Open Government Initiative and reflects President Obama and Secretary Napolitano’s shared commitment to making government more efficient and fostering a culture of transparency, participation and collaboration.

Virtual USA links disparate tools and technologies in order to share the location and status of critical assets and information—such as power and water lines, flood detectors, helicopter-capable landing sites, emergency vehicle and ambulance locations, weather and traffic conditions, evacuation routes, and school and government building floor plans—across federal, state, local and tribal governments.

Virtual USA:
• Integrates Existing Frameworks and Investments: Virtual USA utilizes current information-sharing platforms to permit new and existing technologies to seamlessly exchange information with one another.
• Draws on Local Input: Virtual USA is based on the needs of local and state first responders to manage data access within their own jurisdictions and to share information with relevant jurisdictions across the nation.
• Employs a Comprehensive Approach: Virtual USA is not limited to information exchanges between two agencies; instead, the initiative fosters dynamic information sharing among all federal, state, local and tribal practitioners.
• Provides a Flexible, Accessible Platform: Because Virtual USA uses open data standards and open source software, more states and localities can join this information exchange project.
• Involves Everyone: Virtual USA allows Americans in their own communities to contribute information—in real-time—to support the efforts of police, fire and emergency management officials during disasters and recovery efforts.

Developed by the DHS Science and Technology Directorate (S&T), Virtual USA currently operates as a pilot in eight states—Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, Virginia and Tennessee—with plans to incorporate additional states underway. In Virginia alone, Virtual USA has reduced response times to incidents involving hazardous materials by 70 percent.

For more information, visit www.dhs.gov.

Reminder: Web-based Input To The National Disaster Recovery Framework Will Soon Come To A Close

This is a reminder that web-based input to the National Disaster Recovery Framework will soon come to a close on December 15, 2009. Be part of this major national initiative. Please submit your comments and share this information with others.

Long Term Disaster Recovery Working Group

On September 29, 2009, the President asked HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan and DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano to co-chair the newly-formed Long Term Disaster Recovery Working Group. Composed of the Secretaries and Administrators of some 20 departments and agencies, the Working Group will provide the President with recommendations on how to improve long-term disaster recovery in partnership with stakeholders at all levels.

This high level, strategic initiative, will include a large outreach effort to obtain recommendations to support the work of the Long Term Disaster Recovery Working Group. Specifically, the input informs (1) the development of a Report to the President, which will include recommendations for improving long-term disaster recovery and (2) the development of a National Disaster Recovery Framework, which will provide detailed operational guidance to recovery organizations under existing authorities.

To provide input and receive regular updates on the work of the Long Term Disaster Recovery Working Group, please visit www.disasterrecoveryworkinggroup.gov.

Community Preparedness Webinar Series: Resolve to Be Ready

Date and Time: Monday, December 14th @ 2-3pm EST
Presenter: Rebecca (Becky) Marquis

The New Year is fast approaching and for the sixth year the Ready Campaign is encouraging Americans to Resolve to be Ready by making a New Year's resolution to get prepared for emergencies. While nearly 50 percent of Americans make New Year's Eve resolutions, very few manage to keep them. We would like to make an emergency preparedness resolution easy to keep by providing the tools and resources needed to take the three important steps: get a kit, make a plan and be informed about the different types of emergencies that can happen in your area and their appropriate responses. We hope you will join us in this effort. To help assist you in your outreach, we have created a webinar and toolkit with helpful resources to promote Resolve to be Ready 2010 to your stakeholders.

About the Presenter: Rebecca (Becky) Marquis is the Acting Director of the Ready Campaign, the FEMA's national public service advertising campaign designed to educate and empower Americans to prepare for and respond to emergencies including natural disasters and potential terrorist attacks. In this position, Ms. Marquis leads the operations and outreach strategy of the campaign which includes Ready America, Ready Business, Ready Kids, Listo, the Spanish version of the campaign and the National Preparedness Month initiative. In addition, she serves as the Ready campaign spokesperson. Ms. Marquis joined DHS in January of 2008. During her tenure she has helped to raise awareness of Ready and its messages through the Campaign’s Website, partnership development, speaking engagements, media interviews and National Preparedness Month (NPM). Prior to joining DHS, Ms. Marquis worked for several public relations firms. She has worked on a variety of non-profit and government campaigns educating the public about issues ranging from Medicare to mental health to homelessness to family farming. Ms. Marquis earned her Bachelor’s degree in journalism from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

Additional Details on this Webinar
A webinar is a web-based informational or training seminar (a presentation, lecture, workshop or seminar) that is transmitted over the internet. This webinar will last approximately one hour. After the presentation is complete, you will have an opportunity to ask questions via the chat feature in the webinar system. This webinar is free to the public and will accommodate the first 500 visitors that enter the site. In addition to airing live, the webinar will be recorded and viewable at your convenience after it completes.

More Information
http://www.citizencorps.gov/news/webcasts/resolvetobeready.shtm

Iraqis Arrest 8, Including Terrorist Leader

American Forces Press Service

Dec. 9, 2009 - A senior leader of the Promised Day Brigade terrorist group was among eight people Iraqi security forces arrested in three operations today, military officials reported. Iraqi forces and U.S. advisors searched homes in northern Baghdad for the senior leader, a suspect in weapons distribution and funding to Promised Day Brigade groups for attacks on civilians and security forces throughout the Iraqi capital. The man is believed to have ties to Promised Day Brigade leaders operating from safe havens in Iran.

Following preliminary questioning and investigating evidence at the scene, Iraqi forces identified and arrested the senior leader without incident.

In another operation today, Iraqi forces and U.S. advisors searched two homes in a rural area southwest of Baghdad for an alleged al-Qaida in Iraq member believed to be assisting senior leaders of the terrorist network in staging vehicle-borne bomb attacks in the region.

Evidence collected at the scene led to the arrest of five suspected criminal associates of the wanted terrorist.

During a separate security operation in Abu Ghraib, west of Baghdad, Iraqi forces and U.S. advisors searched a building for a suspected al-Qaida in Iraq leader. They arrested a suspected terrorist without incident after discovering incriminating evidence on the premises.

(Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq news releases.)

Petraeus Praises Pakistan's Anti-insurgent Efforts

By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

Dec. 9, 2009 - Pakistan's months-long military offensive against internal insurgent threats is assisting the campaign in Afghanistan, the commander of U.S. Central Command said at a Capitol Hill hearing here today. "One of the most important developments over the past year has been the impressive determination of Pakistan's efforts against extremists that threaten the stability of the Pakistani state," Army Gen. David H. Petraeus told members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Petraeus praised the determination of Pakistan's civilian and military leaders "to fight elements of the extremist nexus."

Pakistani operations conducted in Bajaur, Mohmand, Khyber, Swat, Buner, Lower Dir and South Waziristan over the past 10 months "have significantly degraded Pakistani Taliban groups," the general said.

Petraeus cited the Pakistani military campaign as "the largest and most successful operations Pakistan has conducted against internal extremists."

That success has come with a cost, he said, noting many Pakistani military, Frontier Corps and police have died or been injured during the course of operations.

Pakistan's anti-insurgent campaign against Pakistan Taliban operatives "is an important step forward and does facilitate our efforts to degrade the extremist groups in the border region and to defeat al-Qaida," Petraeus said.

Pakistan experienced a number of deadly terrorist attacks this year, many of which have been attributed to the Pakistani Taliban. The violence has made Pakistan's leaders and populace sit up and take notice.

"The leadership, all the political leaders, the civilian populace, the clerics and the military have all united ... in recognizing that the internal extremists represent the most pressing existential threat to their country," Petraeus said.

The Pakistani military "did quite good work" against extremists lodged in the country's northwestern region, he said.

"They did not just clear and leave; they have cleared" the area of insurgents, he said. "They have held on to it. They are working the rebuilding piece."

Meanwhile, Petraeus said, the United States and Pakistan are building a relationship based on trust through which they can work as partners to confront threats of mutual concern.

Regarding the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, the general acknowledged a risk that U.S.-coalition operations in Afghanistan could prompt insurgents to seek sanctuary in Pakistan, particularly their leaders who have the resources to relocate.

"And that is why we're working very hard to coordinate our operations more effectively with our Pakistani partners," he said, "so that they know what our operational campaign plan is and can anticipate and be there with a catcher's mitt ... to 'greet' these individuals."

Logisticians Ready for Afghan Transportation Task

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

Dec. 9, 2009 - U.S. military logisticians are up to the challenge of getting 30,000 more American troops into Afghanistan and moving troops and equipment from Iraq, the commander of U.S. Transportation Command said today. Air Force Gen. Duncan J. McNabb told the Defense Writers Group that the command is well able to handle the demands being placed on it.

Transcom has worked for years to develop supply lines into Afghanistan – one of the most remote and difficult countries in the world. The nation is landlocked and has some of the highest mountains in the world. Only five passes are available to get supplies into Afghanistan by land, and U.S. officials are studying them all.

"We need to look at all options," McNabb said. "You need other options in case the main supply route goes down."

McNabb said he isn't too concerned about moving 30,000 servicemembers and their equipment into Afghanistan, because the command already has done it. Earlier this year, President Barack Obama ordered 21,000 combat forces into the country. "With support troops, that was about 30,000," he said.

Most of the combat troops – especially the Stryker brigade combat team – had to arrive in time for the Afghan elections in August. "We're talking roughly the same numbers – maybe some NATO allies that we will transport – and equipment over roughly the same time," McNabb said. "On the positive side, we've just done that. On the more difficult side, we're talking about doing it in December."

Winter makes the effort a bit harder, the general explained. Still, over the past 18 months in anticipation of increasing forces in Afghanistan, the command made sure the airfields in the region could handle the traffic. Officials also worked to maximize cargo and personnel throughput, and ensured the cargo handling and air traffic control teams were in place.

McNabb said he told Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, the U.S. Central Command commander, and Army Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, the commander of U.S. and international forces in Afghanistan, "that our job is to make sure we give you lots of options, and that we're going to get the stuff through."

If the command has to get everything into Afghanistan by air, McNabb said, Transcom has the assets needed to make it happen. "If I have to bring this stuff all in by air, it will be a lot more expensive," he said. "But if we need to do that, we can, and that's our ace in the hole."

More than likely, the command will use all transportation modes to get personnel, cargo and supplies in. The main supply line is through Pakistan from the port of Karachi. About 50 percent of cargo and supplies use this route. Another 30 percent of cargo uses the Northern Distribution Route, a series of railroad routes, with some running from northern Europe and others coming via the Black Sea, then over land. The final 20 percent is delivered by air. "We take everything lethal and sensitive in by air," the general said.

With these various supply lines, enough capacity exists to sustain the effort, McNabb said. "I basically would like to have double the capacity that we need, just to be sure, and we're very close to that now," he added.

Moving an Army brigade combat team requires airlifting 1,200 short tons, requiring 50 to 60 C-17 Globemaster III transport jet missions. Each brigade requires roughly 200,000 square feet of cargo space, which comes out to between one and two ships. The brigades have about 3,500 soldiers who board C-17s or C-130 Hercules transports in Manas, Kyrgyzstan, for the trip into Afghanistan.

Transcom is involved not only in getting personnel and cargo to the country, but also in distributing it upon arrival. "Once you get stuff in, how do you distribute it throughout the country? You have three choices: secure the area to get convoys through, run convoys with armed protection or you can get stuff in vertically," McNabb said.

"Vertically" means bringing goods in via helicopters or by airdrop from fixed-wing aircraft. Use of airdrop has increased dramatically, the general said. "We did 2 million pounds of airdrop in all of 2005," he said. "In September 2009, we did 4 million pounds. We're going to be up around 19 million to 20 million for this year."

Transcom officials are working with U.S. Central Command and with U.S. Joint Forces Command to work out the scheduling of the move, McNabb said.

"Right now, the transportation and movement is not the long pole in the tent; getting those bases built and ready to receive the forces is," he said.

Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Sgt. Elijah J. Rao, 26, of Lake Oswego, Ore., died Dec. 5 in Nuristan, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 77th Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.

For more information media may contact the Fort Carson public affairs office at 719-526-7525 or 719-526-5500.

Homeland Security Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report for 9 December 2009

Top Stories
WGN 9 Chicago reports that one person is dead and one is hurt after an explosion Monday at the NDK America plant in Belvidere, Illinois, which manufactures crystals used in liquid-crystal displays. (See item 9)

According to U.S. News and World Report, TSA officials say that a “full review” is underway to determine how a 2008 copy of its standard operating procedures for all airport security checkpoints was released in its entirety on the Internet. The document was “improperly redacted,” TSA officials say. (See item 15)

MORE INFORMATION
http://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/DHS_Daily_Report_2009-12-09.pdf

A Thank You to Vietnam Vets from a Marine in Iraq

A guy gets time to think over here and I was thinking about all the support we get from home. Sometimes it's overwhelming. We get care packages at times faster than we can use them. There are boxes and boxes of toiletries and snacks lining the center of every tent; the generosity has been amazing. So, I was pondering the question: "Why do we have so much support?"

In my opinion, it came down to one thing: Vietnam. I think we learned a lesson, as a nation, that no matter what, you have to support the troops who are on the line, who are risking everything. We treated them so poorly back then. When they returned was even worse. The stories are nightmarish of what our returning warriors were subjected to. It is a national scar, a blemish on our country, an embarrassment to all of us

After Vietnam, it had time to sink in. The guilt in our collective consciousness grew. It shamed us. However, we learned from our mistake.

Somewhere during the late 1970's and into the 80's, we realized that we can’t treat our warriors that way. So, starting during the Gulf War, when the first real opportunity arose to stand up and support the troops, we did. We did it to support our friends and family going off to war. But we also did it to right the wrongs from the Vietnam era. We treated our troops like the heroes they were, acknowledged and celebrated their sacrifice, and rejoiced at their homecoming instead of spitting on them.

And that support continues today for those of us in Iraq. Our country knows that it must support us and it does. The lesson was learned in Vietnam and we are better because of it.

Everyone who has gone before is a hero. They are celebrated in my heart. I think admirably of all those who have gone before me. From those who fought to establish this country in the late 1770's to those I serve with here in Iraq. They have all sacrificed to ensure our freedom.

But when I get back, I'm going to make it a personal mission to specifically thank every Vietnam Vet I encounter for their sacrifice. Because if nothing else good came from that terrible war, one thing did. It was the lesson learned on how we treat our warriors. We as a country learned from our mistake and now treat our warriors as heroes, as we should.

I am the beneficiary of their sacrifice. Not only for the freedom they, like veterans from other wars, ensured, but for how well our country now treats my fellow Marines and I. We are the beneficiaries of their sacrifice.

Semper Fidelis,

Major Brian P. Bresnahan
United States Marine Corps

Guard can expect Afghan role, continued Iraq missions, general says

By Army Staff Sgt. Jim Greenhill
National Guard Bureau

(12/8/09) - The National Guard is poised to make unique contributions in Afghanistan and continue operations in Iraq, the National Guard deputy commander of U.S. Army Forces Command said here Dec. 7. “The Army will include the National Guard and the Reserve in future mobilization requirements,” Army Maj. Gen. Ron Chastain said during a working visit to the Army National Guard Readiness Center. “We will not go back to the strategic reserve that we had before 9/11.”

While Chastain could not discuss specifics, he said some National Guard units are likely to be re-tasked or change missions following the president’s announcement last week about an Afghan troop surge.

“If we have a unit that just got to Iraq and they’re no longer needed, it’s not right to those Soldiers to just send them home and de-mob them,” he said. “If there’s a need at that time for them to go to Afghanistan, [then] that is one of the options.”

The National Guard offers some unique capabilities that make it likely to be included in the surge. Examples include the Agribusiness Development Teams and the use, in particular, of National Guard military police in Embedded Training Teams, because in both cases Soldiers bring civilian-acquired skills unique to the Guard.

“The Army National Guard is ideally suited to move in to an area that has been cleared and start the process after it’s cleared before the civilian agencies come in,” he said. “The civilian skills that our Guardsmen have are well-suited to dealing with Afghan civilians.”

Chastain also predicted a continued role for the National Guard in Iraq. “The nation-building will continue in Iraq far beyond the combat operations,” he said. “Nation-building is not a military task. The National Guard is well-suited for that transition from combat operations to nation-building.”

Chastain, who deployed as a unit commander for Desert Storm and then again for Operation Iraqi Freedom, said he has experienced the “extremes of mobilization.”

His 80-person rear area operations center for Desert Storm spent a whopping five days at the mobilization station for personnel processing, repainting vehicles to a desert hue and loading them on a train, and training that focused on weapons familiarization and qualification and nuclear, biological and chemical weapons tasks.

The 39th Brigade Combat Team from the Arkansas National Guard, which he led in 2003, spent three months mobilizing at Fort Hood, Texas, before going to the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk, La., for a mobilization exercise.

Frustrations included the length of time it took to accomplish weapons qualification and Soldiers having to repeat training events because mobilization station documentation was improper, he said.

“I’m real thankful that the mobilization process has improved a lot since that,” Chastain said. “I’m very pleased with most all the things that go on at the mobilization stations right now.”

Keys to successful mobilization include early notification of units and early alert, he said.

Chastain, who is a former adjutant general of the Arkansas National Guard, said the relationship between the National Guard, Reserve and active components is at a high point.

“It’s the best right now that I’ve seen throughout my career,” he said. “We’ve had brigade combat teams doing full-spectrum operations right alongside their active counterparts. We’ve got people in the upper echelon of our Army now that have witnessed that firsthand, and they have spread the word.”

Alaska Guard transports bicycles to Afghanistan

By Senior Airman Alicia Goldberger
Alaska National Guard

(12/7/09) -- More than 20 disadvantaged children in Afghanistan will get new bikes this month thanks to a group of Anchorage volunteers and an assist from the Alaska Air National Guard. The bicycles, together with parts and tools, were donated by the Anchorage Community YMCA, The Bicycle Shop, Paramount Cycles, Chain Reactions and REI, Inc. They were then refurbished by Off the Chain, a non-profit, all-volunteer bicycle collective in Anchorage.

A group of Off the Chain volunteers came up with the idea of giving bicycles to underprivileged Afghan children. The big obstacle was getting them there.

So, organizers approached Lt. Col. David Glick, a pilot with the Alaska Air National Guard's 144th Airlift Squadron. The squadron routinely flies personnel, equipment and supplies into the remote, war-torn country.

Chris Himes, a long-term Off the Chain volunteer, said "I can't imagine any other way it could have happened. It's a perfect confluence of interests and abilities ... the Air Guard being on the way anyway and being able to distribute the bikes, which we would never be able to do."

On Dec. 5, a group of Air Guard members arrived at Off the Chain with a flatbed truck to pick up the bikes. On Dec. 8, Guard members at Kulis Air National Guard Base, deploying to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, will load them onto a C-130 tactical airlift plane for the three-day flight. Once there, they will be handed over to a local U.S. military unit at Bagram Airfield for distribution to Afghan children.

"With our Guardsmen rotating in and out of Afghanistan throughout the holiday season, it was the perfect opportunity to support a worthy cause and provide a little cheer for Afghan youth," said Brig. Gen. Thomas H. Katkus, the adjutant general of the Alaska National Guard.

Wisconsin Army Guard unit flying solo at Camp Bucca

December 8, 2009:

After several months of collaboration, the Wisconsin Army National Guard's 2nd Battalion, 127th Infantry said farewell to the 887th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron of the Air Force's 586th Air Expeditionary Group. "It's been a great experience having 887th as part of the team," said Lt. Col. Bradley Anderson, 2nd Battalion, 127th Infantry commander. "One might expect that different services might experience a certain amount of friction when tasked and organized together, but this experience has disproven that theory. In fact the integration of our units was so seamless the Air Force should issue you all crossed rifles and change your name to expeditionary infantry squadron." The 127th Infantry has been at Camp Bucca since March.

The 887th ESFS was activated in May 2007. During that time, the squadron endured 40 improvised explosive device detonations, cleared another 16 IEDs, and withstood multiple small arms attacks.

As a result of their accomplishments, they've been awarded more than 1,000 medals, including the Bronze Star Medal with Valor, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal and Air Force Combat Action Medal. They have also received five Purple Heart Medals for combat injuries.

"This is a unit with a myriad of accomplishments and successes," said Col. John Williams, 586th Air Expeditionary Group commander. "Some of those successes and accomplishments were a first for an Air force unit. Although these accomplishments belong to 887th, they wouldn't have been possible without the full support and backing of our sister services."

The Airmen of the 887th ESFS were able to bridge the gap between services. Those cooperative efforts earned them distinction as they were awarded the shoulder sleeve insignia from the 16th Military Police Brigade and the 45th, 50th and 32nd Infantry Brigade Combat Teams.

Al-Qaida Remains Dangerous, Mullen Says

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

Dec. 8, 2009 - Al-Qaida remains a danger, and the area along the border of Afghanistan and Pakistan is the epicenter of global Islamic extremism, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said at the Foreign Press Center here today. Mullen reiterated to foreign journalists that he fully concurs with President Barack Obama's decision to send another 30,000 U.S. troops to Afghanistan.

"It is my belief, and that of the commanders, that this surge gives General McChrystal all the forces he needs in 2010 to reverse the momentum of what I have described as a growing and increasingly lethal insurgency," Navy Adm. Mike Mullen said. Army Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal commands U.S. and international forces in Afghanistan.

The border area was where al-Qaida planned the 9/11 attacks, Mullen noted. "Should we be hit again, I'm convinced the planning, training, financing and leadership will emanate from there," he said. "That is why we are so focused on it. That's why we believe this mission is in our national security interests and those of our allies and friends."

Mullen returned yesterday from visiting soldiers and Marines at Fort Campbell, Ky., and Camp Lejeune, N.C., who soon will deploy to Afghanistan.

"I thanked them for their service, and I told them that their mission to disrupt, dismantle and defeat al-Qaida and to degrade the Taliban's influence and to prevent Afghanistan or Pakistan from becoming safe havens is not merely about killing or capturing the enemy," he said. "It is also about protecting the Afghan people."

The troops must earn the Afghan people's trust and learn their culture. The mission is all about providing breathing space to build the Afghan security forces so they can protect their own people and stabilize their own country, the chairman said.

"The president has made it very clear, while our commitment to the people of Afghanistan is enduring, our troop presence will not be," Mullen said.

American forces must work to train Afghan forces so they can provide their own security while creating breathing space so good governance can take root, Mullen said.

"In July 2011, we will begin the process of transition – of transferring more responsibility to Afghan national security forces and thinning our own lines," the chairman said. "At that time, the Marines we sent last summer in Helmand province will have been at the job for two years. We will know by then if we have been successful."

Winning in Afghanistan is not solely the responsibility of the military – it is not that kind of war, Mullen said. "Success will only come by and through a concerted effort by other agencies and other partners," he said. "Ultimate success will be the cumulative effect of sustained pressure across multiple lines of operations."

The chairman said the effort needs more civilian experts and help from international partners, and he expressed delight that NATO nations have pledged another 7,000 troops to the alliance's effort in Afghanistan. He also said Afghan President Hamid Karzai's government must do its part.

"We need to see efforts on the part of the Karzai government to make good on promised reforms, and to extend the delivery of goods and services all the way down to the district and sub-district levels," the admiral said.

All involved need to realize that the problems are not limited to Afghanistan, and that a regional strategy is needed, America's top military officer said.

"A key part of the president's strategy is to strengthen cooperation with Pakistan and to improve the level of coordination across and within those border regions," Mullen said. "I believe that to the degree we can do this we can certainly help the Pakistanis themselves get at those safe havens."

The chairman praised the Pakistani military for recent operations in South Waziristan. He said that Pakistani Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ashfaq Kiyani has been true to his word, "and I very much appreciate his leadership.”

McChrystal Calls Afghan Training Crucial to Mission Success

By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

Dec. 8, 2009 - The training of tens of thousands of additional, capable Afghan soldiers and police is among the crucial tasks necessary to achieving success in Afghanistan, the commander of U.S. and international forces in Afghanistan told Capitol Hill legislators here today. "To pursue our core goal of defeating al-Qaida and preventing their return to Afghanistan, we must disrupt and degrade the Taliban's capacity, deny their access to the Afghan population and strengthen the Afghan security forces," Army Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal told members of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

This strategy, he said, requires reversing the current momentum of the Taliban, while creating "the time and space to develop Afghan security and governance capacity."

Many of the 30,000 U.S. forces deployed to Afghanistan in coming months will be employed to combat the Taliban, McChrystal said, while others will assist NATO troops in training up new Afghan soldiers and police.

"We need to significantly increase the Afghan national security forces," he said.

The surge of U.S. forces to Afghanistan will result in a total of about 100,000 troops in country by the end of summer. About 68,000 U.S. troops are now in Afghanistan.

President Barack Obama's revised Afghanistan strategy calls for July 2011 as the start date of a thinning out of U.S. forces in Afghanistan.

That date, McChrystal said, serves as "a positive forcing function on our Afghan partners, in reminding them that although we have a long-term commitment, we also have shared responsibility" for maintaining security.

There are now between 180,000 to 190,000 Afghan security forces, McChrystal said, divided between military forces and the police. More Afghan security forces are needed, he noted.

Afghan army trainers are working hard to close the gap. Sixteen new Afghan National Army companies, McChrystal said, are slated to deploy to Helmand province in early winter. More Afghan troops are slated to follow in the spring.

"We are flowing, everything we can build in the Afghan army, into that area," he said.

By the fall of 2010, McChrystal said, there should be about 134,000 Afghan soldiers and just over 100,000 Afghan police.

And, by July 2011, he said, there should be about 300,000 Afghan security forces divided between soldiers and police.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai recognizes the importance of bolstering his country's security forces as well as refining his country's strategic partnership with the United States, said U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Karl W. Eikenberry, who accompanied McChrystal at the Senate hearing.

A strategic partnership with Afghanistan, Eikenberry explained, would, among other things, be reflective and cognizant of Afghanistan's long-term security needs.

Forces Kill Militants, Detain Suspects

American Forces Press Service

Dec. 8, 2009 - Combined Afghan and international forces killed seven militants and detained several suspected insurgents in operations today in Afghanistan. A combined force killed seven militants and detained four others in Laghman province while pursuing a Taliban bomb maker responsible for several suicide attacks in the region.

"We are aware of civilian casualty allegations, however there are no operational reports to substantiate those claims of harming civilians, including women and children, during this operation," said Navy Capt. Jane Campbell, International Security Assistance Force Joint Command spokeswoman.

The force targeted a compound near Armul village in the Mehtar Lam district after intelligence sources reported militant activity. During the operation, the joint force received hostile fire from multiple positions and returned fire. The force searched the compound without further incident and recovered multiple assault rifles.

In another operation today, an Afghan and international security force detained several suspected militants in Kandahar province while pursuing a Taliban commander responsible for several small-arms and homemade-bomb attacks in the area.

The suspects were detained without incident when the force searched compounds near Senjaray in Arghandab district where intelligence sources reported militant activity.

In other operations, international forces provided medical treatment to several civilians who were injured during two insurgent attacks against Afghan and international forces in Paktia province Dec. 5.

Insurgents aimed a mortar at an international-force installation that hit a bazaar in Chamkani, wounding many civilians. Among the wounded was the son of a local religious leader who was shopping for fruits and vegetables with his father when the mortar exploded near them.

The wounded man was taken to a military medical facility for treatment, where he died of his injuries.

Arrangements were made for the family to return to Chamkani. A hotline and reward have been set up for information leading to the militants responsible for the attack.

(From an International Security Assistance Force Joint Command news release.)

Afghan Commander Says Pieces in Place for Success

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

Dec. 8, 2009 - The core goal of American forces in Afghanistan is to defeat al-Qaida and disrupt and degrade the Taliban, the commander of U.S. and international forces in Afghanistan told Congress today. Testifying before the House Armed Services Committee, Army Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal said he is fully behind President Barack Obama's decision to send 30,000 more American troops to Afghanistan to reverse the Taliban's momentum and create time and space to develop Afghan security and governance capacity.

McChrystal, who has been in command in Kabul for six months, participated fully in Obama's strategy review. "Combined with insights and policy considerations from across our government, I believe the decisions that came from that process reflect a realistic and effective approach," he said.

The general reminded the representatives that Afghanistan is a complex environment. "I first deployed to Afghanistan in 2002, and have commanded forces there every year since," he said. "Despite that experience, there is much in Afghanistan that I have yet to fully understand."

Afghanistan is a challenge that is best approached with a balance of determination and humility, he said. "While U.S. forces have been at war in Afghanistan for eight years, the Afghans have been at it for more than 30," he said. "They are frustrated with international efforts that fail to meet their expectations, confronting us with a crisis of confidence among Afghans, who view the international effort as insufficient and their government as corrupt or, at the very least, inconsequential."

The insurgency is complex and resilient, too, he said. The Afghan Taliban are the prominent threat to the government of Afghanistan, aspiring to govern the country again. The Haqqani network and the Hizb-i-Islami Gulbuddin are extremist insurgency groups with more limited geographical reach and objectives, "but they are no less lethal," McChrystal said.

All three groups have ties and receive support from elements in Iran and Pakistan. They have ties with al-Qaida and coexist with criminal networks, both fueling and feeding off instability and insecurity in the region. "The mission in Afghanistan is undeniably difficult, and success will require steadfast commitment and incur significant costs," he said.

Obama's decision, announced Dec. 1 in a speech at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., recognizes that the next 18 months will "likely be decisive and ultimately enable success," the general said.

"The president also reiterated how this decision supports our national interests," he added. "Rolling back the Taliban is a prerequisite to the ultimate defeat of al-Qaida. The mission is not only important; it is also achievable. We can and will accomplish this mission."

McChrystal said that while conditions in Afghanistan have deteriorated, it is still possible to win against al-Qaida and the Taliban. The Afghans themselves are resolved to end the conflict, he said, and the Taliban are not popular with the people. "The Taliban have no widespread constituency, have a history of failure in power and lack an appealing vision," the general said.

Also where the counterinsurgency strategy has been applied, real gains in security and more credible governance have followed, he noted. "Finally, Afghans do not regard us as occupiers," the general said. "They do not wish for us to remain forever, yet they see our support as a necessary bridge to future security and stability."

McChrystal said the strategy review has imbued the effort in Afghanistan with "a greater sense of clarity, capability, commitment and confidence."

The strategy review questioned all assumptions about the fight in Afghanistan and produced greater clarity on the way forward. Additional forces already are beginning to flow into Afghanistan, with a reinforced Marine battalion deploying now.

"By this time next year, new security gains will be illuminated by specific indicators and will be clear to us that the insurgency has lost the momentum," McChrystal said. "And by the summer of 2011, it will be clear to the Afghan people that the insurgency will not win, giving them the chance to side with their government."

From July 2011, American and NATO forces will play a supporting role as Afghan security forces consolidate and solidify their gains. "Results may come more quickly, and we may demonstrate progress towards measurable objectives, but the sober fact is that there are no silver bullets," McChrystal said. "Ultimate success will be the cumulative effect of sustained pressure across multiple lines of operation."

The 30,000-troop commitment will increase capability in Afghanistan, but more is already being done by a change in approach. "For the past six months, we have been implementing organizational and operational changes that are already reflecting improvements in our effectiveness," he said.

The increased forces will allow faster training of Afghan security forces. The 1st Brigade Combat Team of the 10th Mountain Division – whose deployment was announced yesterday – has a training mission. Other U.S. forces will partner with Afghan army and police and expand security zones in key areas to reverse insurgent momentum and deny the Taliban the access to the population they require to survive, the general said.

"The additional capability we are building translates into credibility in the minds of Afghans, who demand proof not only that we want to protect them, but that we can," McChrystal said. "In a war of perceptions where the battlefield is the mind of an Afghan elder, the hope of an Afghan mother, the aspirations of an Afghan child, this can be decisive."

U.S. commitment is watched intently and constantly by allies and enemies. The United States walked away from Afghanistan after the Soviets left in 1989. "The commitment of 30,000 additional U.S. forces, along with additional coalition forces and growing Afghan national security force numbers, will be a significant step toward expanding security in critical areas and in demonstrating resolve," McChrystal said.

There are other challenges including corruption in the Afghan national government. McChrystal called this the "Afghan government's credibility deficit." He said this must be recognized by Afghan officials as a critical area of focus and change.

"Equally important is our ability to accelerate development of the Afghan security forces," he added. "Measures such as increased pay and initiatives, literacy training, leader development and expanded partnering are necessary to position the Afghan national security force to assume responsibility for long-term security."

Because extremists operate on both sides of the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, enhanced coordination and cooperation with the Pakistani government and military are essential the general told the panel.

McChrystal said he is confident that the right strategy and resources are in place.

"Every trip around Afghanistan reinforces my confidence in the coalition and Afghan forces we stand alongside in this effort," he said. "But I also find confidence in those we are trying to help. That confidence is found where an Afghan farmer chooses to harvest wheat rather than poppy, or where a young adult casts his or her vote or joins the police, or where a group of villagers resolves to reject the local insurgency.

"We face many challenges in Afghanistan," he continued, "but our efforts sustain by one unassailable reality: neither the Afghan people nor the international community want Afghanistan to remain a sanctuary for terror and violence."

U.S., Iraqi Forces Capture 5 After Balad Attack

American Forces Press Service

Dec. 8, 2009 - U.S. forces today assisted Iraqi security forces in arresting five people after an indirect-fire attack on Joint Base Balad, Iraq. Pilots of AH-64 Apache helicopters responding to the mid-morning attack saw five people burying an improvised launch-rail system at the attack site. U.S. forces on the ground questioned and held them until local police arrived and arrested them on charges of suspected terrorism.

"What we've seen recently is irreconcilable criminals using these rail systems to launch rockets at the base," said Army Lt. Col. Patrick Cooley, Task Force Marne operations chief. "The rockets are wildly inaccurate, so it's a matter of safety for the people who live near the base. It's good to see the [Iraqi police] stopping these guys."

Another aspect to recovering this rail system is the effect it will have on future attacks.

"By taking this rail out of the enemy's hands, it will degrade his ability to launch future attacks, and it lets them know we are aggressively pursuing them with all available means," said Army Col. Jeff Finley, Task Force Marne effects coordinator.

There were no casualties or damage to equipment from the attack. Iraqi security forces are leading the investigation.

In other news from Iraq, U.S. forces advised the Baqubah Regional Commando Battalion in carrying out warrants for the arrest of five suspected terrorists in Diyala province Dec. 5.

The men are suspected of kidnapping, smuggling lethal weapons, conducting bomb attacks and extorting local people.

They are linked to Harith Sadun Dawud al-Rubayi, who was arrested in November for suspicion of murder, kidnapping and bombing attacks against civilians and Iraqi forces. The regional commando battalion arrested the men in their homes and collected evidence, including weapons and sensitive materials.

(Compiled from Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)

Odierno Cites Iraq's 'Deliberate, Steady Progress'

By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

Dec. 8, 2009 - On the eve of holding parliamentary elections early next year, Iraq continues to make steady progress as a sovereign country that is a valued U.S. ally in the Middle East, the commander of Multinational Force Iraq said in Killeen, Texas, yesterday. "Today, Iraq is a nascent democracy that is rebuilding its strategic depth as a regional power in the Middle East," Army Gen. Raymond T. Odierno said at an Association of the United States Army-sponsored event held in the city that hosts the Fort Hood Army base.

Iraq also remains of vital interest to the United States, Odierno said, noting its strategic location makes it "a crucial link" between America's allies along the Arabian Gulf and the Mediterranean Sea.

"Over the past several years, we have continued to make deliberate and steady progress in Iraq," Odierno said. Current levels of violence in Iraq, he said, are at the lowest point since 2003.

2009 "has been another transformative year for the Iraqi people," Odierno said, as Iraqis prepare to hold parliamentary elections in January.

"As I travel around Iraq, I can sense a feeling of great anticipation for these elections and the hope for continued progress," Odierno said. "We are witnessing the principles of democracy take hold in Iraq as Iraqis establish the foundations of their own representative government in accordance with their own constitution."

Iraqis, like Americans, desire a better future for their families -- especially for their children, Odierno said.

Iraq's citizens, the general added, also recognize that "the ability to vote in credible and legitimate elections is a significant step in choosing leaders who will make the right choices which will allow Iraq to move forward."

Meanwhile, Iraq slowly is re-establishing diplomatic, economic and security relationships with its Middle East neighbors, Odierno said, and has formalized its partnership with the United States through agreements that were signed about a year ago.

The strategic framework agreement established principles of U.S.-Iraqi cooperation in the realms of politics, defense, diplomacy, security, culture, economics, energy, health and environment, law enforcement and judiciary functions and information technology and communications.

The 30-article status-of-forces agreement acknowledges that the U.S. troop presence in Iraq is temporary and at the request of the sovereign Iraqi government. Article 24 requires U.S. forces to withdraw from all Iraqi territory no later than Dec. 31, 2011.

Under the terms of the agreement, U.S. combat forces withdrew from Iraqi municipalities and villages on June 30.

"The security agreement fundamentally altered how we conduct operations in Iraq, clearly putting Iraqi forces in the lead," Odierno said. "All military operations were conducted by, with and through the Iraqi security forces, according to their rule of law -- their rule of law established by their constitution."

These agreements, he said, established the foundation for a comprehensive strategic partnership between Iraq and the United States. The pact, he added, recognizes Iraqi sovereignty and demonstrates "America's continued commitment to Iraq, its people and overall stability of the region."

The security agreement recognized the progress that had been made in Iraq, Odierno said, including the increased capability of Iraqi security forces. As Iraqi security forces took the lead, he said, U.S. and coalition forces were able to maintain operational momentum against violent extremist networks bent on halting progress in Iraq.

Today, the Iraqis are well on their way toward assuming full responsibility for their security, Odierno said.

"The Iraqis wanted the responsibility, and they have demonstrated that they are capable," he said. Overall security incidents in Iraq have decreased by 83 percent over the past two years, he said, while U.S. military deaths have decreased by more than 90 percent.

Improvised-explosive-device attacks in Iraq have decreased nearly 80 percent during the same time, Odierno said, noting car bombings and suicide-vest attacks decreased by 92 percent.

This November featured the lowest monthly number of incidents and civilian deaths in Iraq on record since the war began in 2003, Odierno said.

Meanwhile, the still-dangerous al-Qaida in Iraq terrorist network has been degraded, Odierno said, noting its foreign component has dwindled to a few individuals and its funding has been reduced by 50 percent.

Al-Qaida in Iraq now is forced to protect its leaders, Odierno said, while husbanding its reduced resources to focus on making periodic spectacular attacks.

And though al-Qaida cannot terrorize Iraqi citizens on a consistent basis, Odierno said, the group still can mount high-profile bombings, such as today's multiple attacks near Iraqi government sites in Baghdad. Today's bombings followed similar terror attacks that occurred in October and August.

The recent Iraq terror bombings represent "an attempt to undermine public faith and confidence in the new government," Odierno said. These attacks fail, he said, because they only serve to harden Iraqi resolve against al-Qaida in Iraq and terrorism.

"The Iraqis know that holding credible and legitimate national elections, followed by a peaceful transition of power, are the strongest possible responses to any terrorist or insurgent network that wishes to use violence" as a means of sabotaging Iraq's progress, Odierno said.

Gates Meets With Karzai, Other Afghan Leaders

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

Dec. 8, 2009 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates arrived here today, the first senior U.S. official to visit with Afghan President Hamid Karzai since President Barack Obama's announcement last week of his new strategy for Afghanistan. Gates was slated to kick off his visit with a one-on-one session with Karzai to discuss Obama's decision and how the United States and its allies plan to implement it as they partner with Afghan national security forces, he told reporters during the flight here.

The discussion will be Gates' first with Karzai since the president's announcement, he said. He talked briefly with Afghan Defense Minister Gen. Abdul Rahim Wardak the night before Obama's address.

Another major message will be the importance of a long-term relationship among the U.S. military, the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force and the Afghan national security forces, he said.

The United States will work to reduce its forces, over time, as the security situation improves, Gates said. At that point, its relationship with Afghanistan will focus more heavily on civilian developmental and economic areas, more reflective of its relationships with other countries around the world, he added.

"But we intend to be their partner for a long time to come," he said, vowing not to abandon Afghanistan. "We are not going to repeat the experience of 1989," he said, referring to the United States walking away from involvement with Afghanistan when the Soviet Union ended its occupation.

Gates said he'll emphasize during his talks here the importance of "capable, honest ministers" in Afghanistan, particularly within the Defense and Interior ministries, which have a direct link to the success of U.S. and partner-nation operations here.

Expressing confidence in Wardak and in Interior Minister Mohammad Hanif Akmar, Gates shared Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton's view that the Afghan government is getting an unfairly critical assessment from some corners.

"There is a tendency to paint this government with too broad a brush," he said. "The fact is, there are competent, capable, honest ministers and there are capable, competent and honest governors. And we just need to encourage that."

During his visit here, Gates said he'll ask the Afghan leaders about prospects for increasing the retention and recruitment of Afghan national security forces, and stepping up the U.S. and partner countries' training partnerships with them.

He called it an "eye opener" to learn during last week's congressional hearings that the Taliban pay more than the Afghan National Army and the Afghan National Police.

"So raising the pay of police, and putting in place a number of additional incentives and bonuses ... for the Army, such as combat pay ... clearly will help," he said.

Gates cited the need to increase the size of the Afghan National Army to give relief to overtaxed soldiers. Attrition in the Afghan army is highest in the west and north where the combat is heaviest, he noted.

"The reason is, there aren't enough of them, and they basically fight until they die, or they go AWOL, because there is nobody to rotate in behind them so they can get a break," he said. "So [increasing] the numbers, and getting to be in a position where you can rotate some of these Afghan soldiers, I think, will be an important part of the retention piece as well," he said.

Gates: NATO Steps Up, Pakistan Makes Strides

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

Dec. 8, 2009 - NATO's commitment of 7,000 additional troops for the International Security Assistance Force it leads in Afghanistan comes as a pleasant surprise to Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, who calls it a sign of the alliance's renewed commitment there. "Frankly, my hope was that we could get 5,000, so a commitment for [7,000] was better than I expected," Gates told reporters traveling with him on the way here today. "And from what I am hearing coming out of the NATO meeting is that the commitments may go higher than that." NATO foreign ministers met in Brussels, Belgium, last week, and a force-generation conference at the alliance's military headquarters ended yesterday.

More countries are expected to come forward with more troops, Gates said, but need to wait until elections take place in their countries, or until after the January NATO conference being set up in London to discuss the matter.

Gates cited a big change in NATO's attitude, but said he can't pinpoint whether it's linked to the new U.S. administration, his own personal approach or another factor.

"Since spring, I have been surprised by the change of tone on the part of our allies," he said. He noted that Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has seen a similar shift as more military leaders express a willingness to send additional forces to support NATO's effort in Afghanistan.

"There has been a ... realization of the importance of being successful in Afghanistan, of the consequences to the alliance of not being successful, and just a greater sense of commitment to this thing," Gates said.

Gates had pressed his NATO counterparts during an October conference in Bratislava, Slovakia, to provide more troops for the mission. Since then, he said, he's had many telephone conversations with them about the matter, and hosted several defense ministers at the Pentagon in the lead-up to President Barack Obama's decision to deploy an additional 30,000 U.S. troops.

The result, he said, appears to have paid off.

Meanwhile, Gates reaffirmed continued U.S. support to Pakistan as it fights terrorism on its side of the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

"The key thing to remember about the relationship with Pakistan is, it's Pakistan's foot on the accelerator," he said. "And we are prepared to move ahead with that relationship and cooperation just as fast as they are prepared to accept it."

Gates said he's impressed by the progress Pakistani troops are making.

"The Pakistanis have done so much more than any of us would have expected or believed a year or a year and a half ago," he said. "They are taking some serious casualties. They are in a serious fight. And they have all the support from us we can give."

FEMA HIGHLIGHTS HOLIDAY GIFTS THAT INCREASE PREPAREDNESS

This year Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has assembled a list of gift ideas for the holidays to help keep your family and friends prepared. Emergencies can happen at any moment; these gifts can serve as a great starting point to ensure that your friends and family have an emergency communications plan, a disaster supply kit, and stay informed about emergencies in their area.

“Disasters can happen anytime, anywhere and the holiday season provides a great opportunity to ensure that you and your loved ones are taking simple steps to be prepared,” said FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate. “As families gather this holiday season, I encourage everyone to take a few minutes and discuss what you would do in case of an emergency or disaster. The public is the most important member of our nation’s emergency response team and the more the public does to be prepared, the more successful this team will be.”

The most important thing any individual can do is take a few minutes to discuss with their family, friends and loved ones what they will do in the case of an emergency or disaster. This includes developing a simple family communications plan and identifying how you would get in touch with loved ones and where you might meet if you are separated when an emergency or disaster takes place.

Additionally, there are simple supplies that can go a long way in the case of an emergency or disaster that would make great gifts this holiday season.

A list of possible gifts that may assist in disasters includes:

· Disaster kits for homes, offices and autos (first aid kits; food, water and prescription medications for 72 hours; i.e., extra clothing, blankets, and flashlights).

· NOAA weather radios with extra batteries.

· Enrollment in a CPR or first-aid class.

· Smoke detectors.

· Fire extinguishers (for kitchen, garage, car, etc.)

· Foldable ladders for second-story escape in a fire.

· Car kits (emergency flares, shovels, ice scrapers, flashlights and fluorescent distress flags).

· Pet Disaster kits (food, water, leashes, dishes and carrying case or crate).

· Battery powered lamps

This year, consider at least one of these ideas. You just may save the life of a friend or family member. For more information and preparedness tips, please visit www.ready.gov and www.fema.gov.

Secretary Napolitano Announces Grant Guidance for More Than $2.7 Billion in Fiscal Year 2010 Grant Programs

December 8, 2009: Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano today announced the release of fiscal year 2010 grant application guidance kits for 13 DHS grant programs totaling more than $2.7 billion—funds for state, local, tribal and territorial governments and private sector entities to strengthen our nation’s ability to prevent, protect, respond to and recover from terrorist attacks, major disasters and other emergencies.

“These grants play a major role in our efforts to work with our state, local, tribal and territorial and private sector partners to build a national culture of readiness and resilience,” said Secretary Napolitano. “This year’s guidance focuses on maximizing efficiency and value while prioritizing risk in awarding grants to strengthen our nation’s security.”

The grant program guidance kits announced today also incorporate the input of DHS’ state, local, tribal and territorial and private sector partners and include specific steps undertaken by DHS to improve the ability of state and local partners to apply for and utilize grant funding.

The guidance announced by Secretary Napolitano today has increased tribal funding, reduced administrative paperwork for state and local government and enabled local jurisdictions to use preparedness funding for ongoing maintenance contracts, warranties, repair or replacement costs, upgrades and user fees for equipment purchased with previous DHS grants.

These 13 preparedness grant programs may fund a variety of activities including planning, organization, equipment purchases, training and exercises:

Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP)—$1.78 billion targeted for states or urban areas to build capabilities critical to security. HSGP consists of five programs:
State Homeland Security Program (SHSP)—$842 million to build capabilities at the state and local levels to implement the state homeland security goals and objectives identified in the State Preparedness Report. The 9/11 Act requires states to dedicate 25 percent of SHSP funds to law enforcement terrorism prevention-oriented planning, organization, training, exercise and equipment activities.
Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI)—$832.5 million to enhance regional preparedness by strengthening capabilities in 64 high-threat, high-density urban areas across the country. The 9/11 Act requires states to dedicate 25 percent of UASI funds to law enforcement terrorism prevention-oriented activities.
Operation Stonegarden (OPSG)—$60 million to enhance law enforcement and border security operations in states that border Canada (including Alaska) or Mexico and states and territories with international water borders.
Metropolitan Medical Response System Program (MMRS)—$39.3 million to enhance and sustain comprehensive regional mass casualty incident response and preparedness capabilities, divided evenly among 124 MMRS jurisdictions.
Citizen Corps Program (CCP)—$12.4 million to engage citizens in community preparedness, planning, mitigation, response and recovery activities.
Tribal Homeland Security Grant Program (THSGP)—Up to $10 million available to eligible tribal applicants to help strengthen the United States against risks associated with potential terrorist attacks.
UASI Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP)—$19 million to support target-hardening activities at nonprofit organizations at high risk of a terrorist attack.
Emergency Management Performance Grants (EMPG) Program—$329 million to assist state and local governments in enhancing and sustaining all-hazards emergency management capabilities.
Interoperable Emergency Communications Grant Program (IECGP)—$48 million to assist governments in carrying out initiatives identified in Statewide Communication Interoperability Plans and improve interoperable emergency communications used to respond to natural disasters and acts of terrorism.
Regional Catastrophic Preparedness Grant Program (RCPGP)—$ 33.6 million to enhance catastrophic incident preparedness in high-risk, high-consequence urban areas and their surrounding regions and support coordination of regional all-hazard planning for catastrophic events, including the development of integrated planning communities, plans, protocols and procedures to manage a catastrophic event.
Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Grant Program—$57.6 million to support the construction or renovation of Emergency Operations Centers to improve state, local or tribal emergency management and preparedness capabilities to ensure continuity of operations during disasters.
Buffer Zone Protection Program (BZPP)—$48 million to increase preparedness capabilities for safeguarding critical infrastructure sites and key resource assets, such as chemical facilities and nuclear power plants, through planning and equipment acquisition.
Driver’s License Security Grant Program (DLSGP)—$48 million to help states and territories improve security of state-issued driver’s licenses and identification cards in order to prevent terrorism, reduce fraud and enhance the reliability and accuracy of personal identification documents.
Port Security Grant Program (PSGP)—$288 million to help protect critical port infrastructure from terrorism, enhance maritime domain awareness and strengthen risk management capabilities in order to protect against improvised explosive devices and other non-conventional weapons; conduct training and exercises; and implement the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC).
Intercity Bus Security Grant Program (IBSGP)—$11.5 million to support security measures including plans, facility security upgrades and vehicle and driver protection for fixed-route intercity and charter bus services.
Freight Rail Security Grant Program (FRSGP)—$15 million to protect critical freight rail systems infrastructure from acts of terrorism and major disasters, as well as other emergencies resulting from railroad cars transporting toxic inhalation hazardous materials.
Intercity Passenger Rail (Amtrak)—$20 million to protect critical surface transportation infrastructure and the traveling public from terrorism, major disasters and other emergencies within the Amtrak rail system.
EMPG Program applications are due no later than January 22, 2010. IECGP, FRSGP, PSGP, IPR (Amtrak), IBSGP, EOC, BZPP, and DLSGP applications are due no later than February 12, 2010. Applications for HSGP, THSGP, NSGP, and RCPGP are due no later than April 19, 2010.

The FY 2010 application guidance packages reflect DHS’ strategic priorities, as well as the National Preparedness Guidelines and the National Response Framework.

DHS oversees more than 50 grant and financial assistance programs representing approximately $4 billion in non-disaster grant funding annually to help state, local, tribal and private sector entities strengthen the nation’s ability to prevent, protect, respond to and recover from terrorist attacks, major disasters and other emergencies.

Further information on preparedness grant programs is available at www.dhs.gov and www.fema.gov/grants.

Gates to Check Readiness for Incoming Forces

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

Dec. 8, 2009 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates arrived here today to ensure troops in Afghanistan have what they need to accommodate the incoming 30,000 soldiers and Marines, and to tell them, "We are in this thing to win." Gates told reporters during the overnight flight here he wants to hear first-hand what troops think of President Barack Obama's decisions regarding Afghanistan, and what impact the additional forces will have on them – logistically as well as operationally. He also wants to get troops' input about how the beefed-up U.S. and NATO force can accelerate Afghan national security force training, he said.

The secretary signed deployment orders Dec. 4 for about 16,000 servicemembers who will be the initial elements of the new troop commitment. "The first units are coming in pretty quick," Gates said, noting that the first Marines will begin arriving in Afghanistan next week, and continue flowing "at a fairly steady pace" through the early winter.

Gates said he would not have agreed to a shorter-than-expected timeline for deploying the additional forces if the logisticians and commanders on the ground had not assured him it will be possible. But he said he intends to check in on the ground to ensure the logistics train is ready to accept the incoming troops and their equipment.

"It is going to be a heavy lift, there is no question about it," he said. "It is going to require a lot of effort on a lot of different people's part. ... But our folks are confident they can get it done."

In assessing equipment needs in Afghanistan, Gates said, transferring equipment from Iraq isn't necessarily the best answer in every case. The Army leadership is evaluating the best way to deal with 3 billion pieces of equipment in Iraq. New congressional authorization allows the U.S. military to give more of it to the Iraqi army, and in some cases, Gates said, that's the best option.

"Frankly, we just have to figure out, in terms of cost and in terms of logistics, what makes sense in terms of moving it from Iraq to Afghanistan," he said. "In some cases, it is just easier and cheaper to buy it new than to take used equipment, pack it up and ship it from Iraq to Afghanistan."

"The Army has been working on this in great detail for months now, and I think they have a pretty good plan," Gates said.

Meanwhile, Gates said, he wants to make sure deployed forces have the equipment and support they need, and to reassure them that if they're lacking something, he'll do everything he can to get it to them.

Gates said he'll try to get initial reactions from the troops to the new all-terrain mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicles that have begun flowing into Afghanistan to protect troops from improvised explosive devices. He'll also get their assessment of the increased intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets to support their operations.

"And I will be asking about equipment in general," he said. "I will be asking the soldiers what kind of equipment issues they have that we can do something about back in Washington." For example, Gates said, a Congress member passed along to him during last week's hearings on Afghanistan a complaint about the straps to military backpacks. The straps are too thin, Gates was told, putting too much pressure on the shoulders, and in some cases, making the hands go numb.

As he takes stock of any deficiencies, Gates said, he'll also tell the troops directly about the new task force he stood up last month to better address the threat from improvised explosive devices.

He said he'll reemphasize his commitment to providing medical evacuation and on-the-ground medical capabilities to provide battle-wounded forces advanced-level medical care within 60 minutes – the so-called "golden hour." The secretary said he's generally satisfied that additional medical assets he ordered to Afghanistan now provide the same level of response available for troops deployed to Iraq.

"The overwhelming percentage of those who are wounded [in Afghanistan] ... get to a regular medical facility in less than an hour," he said. "There clearly are always going to be exceptions," he conceded, such as a long firefight that prevents a medevac helicopter from landing to extract a wounded servicemember.

"But from what I have been told, the preponderance of those who are wounded can expect to be medevaced out in less than an hour," he said. "I feel pretty strongly about that."

Gates said he'll thank the troops serving in Afghanistan, recognizing the sacrifices they're making and will continue to make as the additional forces arrive.

He said he's been assured by both Army Chief of Staff Gen. George W. Casey Jr., and Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James T. Conway that the troop increase won't create any major disruptions in their efforts to increase time at home between deployments.

The Marines currently spend about a year and a half of "dwell time" at their home stations between one-year deployments, Gates said, and Conway told him the Marine Corps remains on track toward the goal of increasing dwell time to two years.

The Army faces more of a challenge, with its current 1-to-1 ratio. "I think General Casey's hope had been to get to 1-to-2 by sometime in 2011," Gates said. "It might take a little longer now. ... It will be a harder push for the Army, but they will still head in the right direction."

The one exception, he said, are the so-called "enablers." These specialists, including helicopter crews, intelligence specialists, IED route-clearance engineers and other specialties, have been tapped for repeated deployments and "pushed pretty hard," Gates conceded.

It's "the one area we worry about," he said.

Gates said he plans during his visit here to acknowledge their sacrifices and the heavy losses that some units, particularly the Army's Stryker brigades, have taken during their deployments here.

"I want to thank them for their service and their sacrifice – and tell them we are in this thing to win," he said.

Surge Shows Enduring Commitment, Gates Says

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

Dec. 8, 2009 - The deployment of 30,000 additional U.S. troops to Afghanistan underscores the enduring U.S. commitment to Afghanistan and its people, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here today. Speaking during a joint news conference with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, Gates said the United States and the international community share Karzai's vision of a peaceful Afghanistan that's able to defend itself.

Gates, the first senior U.S. official to visit Afghanistan since President Barack Obama announced his new way ahead and troop commitments for Afghanistan on Dec. 1, said the first of the additional U.S. forces will begin arriving here next week. They, along with 7,000 more troops promised by NATO, will form a 150,000-member coalition representing 43 nations dedicated to building Afghanistan's security forces and reducing the Taliban's ability to terrorize Afghan citizens, Gates said.

But Gates called these forces only a means to an end, as Afghanistan's own forces grow in strength and capability.

"We know you prefer to have Afghans protecting Afghans," he said, emphasizing that the United States shares that same goal. Toward that end, he added, the United States will provide "whatever it takes" in training, funding support and partnering opportunities to help the Afghan national security forces become self-sustaining.

Gates promised to build on the "significant partnering relationship" between U.S. and Afghan forces, with an emphasis on joint operations that ultimately put the Afghans in the lead.

"We would rather have Afghan forces out in front," he said. "The sooner this happens, the better -- for all of us," he said.

As the United States transitions security control to the Afghans, Gates reiterated that it will begin drawing down its own forces in July 2011, based on conditions on the ground. President Barack Obama has made clear that the U.S. force commitment in Afghanistan "is not open-ended," he said.

Gates expressed hope that, over time, the U.S.-Afghan relationship will "see a change in balance" that goes beyond security to focus on economic and developmental areas.

"Together we will succeed, and our partnership will flourish for decades to come," he said.

But the secretary also acknowledged "a realism on our part that it will be some time before Afghanistan can sustain its security entirely on its own."

Karzai said he expects it to take five years before the Afghan security forces are self-sufficient and able to assume security responsibility for the entire country. In addition, Afghanistan could require longer-term support from the international community, particularly financially, for another 15 to 20 years until the country's economy matures, he said.

Karzai called on all Afghan people to help in identifying and eliminating corruption that delays this progress, calling it a "malaise" that cheats Afghanistan of desperately needed revenues. "Afghanistan is committed to doing all it can" to weed out corruption, he said, "and we will, by all means."

Although he was widely expected to announce his Cabinet choices today or tomorrow, Karzai said he expects to send his nominations to the Afghan parliament by the middle of next week.

Soccer Builds Camaraderie at Camp Savage

By Army Pfc. J.P. Lawrence
Special to American Forces Press Service

Dec. 8, 2009 - Every night except Sunday, soldiers from America, international guardsmen from East Africa and translators from outside the gates play soccer on Camp Savage, Iraq. They speak in a menagerie of tongues -- English, Ugandan, Swahili, Arabic. But this game -- soccer, football, koura el-khadim -- connects them. Camaraderie rings out in the multilingual sounds of the matches. Wild slides and jukes send gravel skittering across the field and throw dust into the air. Stuttering feet in desperate chase drum syncopated rhythms. The net rustles as the ball courses through its contours before nestling at the bottom near the defeated goalie's feet.

And then there is the jubilant cry of "GO-O-O-O-AL!"

Games always have had the power to bring people together, and it's no different for the soldiers, international guardsmen and Iraqis. Their field is the base parking lot; their boundaries are the bunker walls, the trailer and the Humvee. Their common language is soccer.

George Easirija, an international guardsman, dribbles left, but someone's there. He dribbles right, but no! He stops. He pops the ball into the air and then lofts it through a thicket of limbs to his teammate up ahead, who advances it forward. Goal!

Semuyala Livingstone, another international guardsman, is covered. He spins and passes to a man in front of the goal. He shoots, and the ball ricochets to Frank Tumusiime, who has an open shot. With a long step and swing, Tumusiime boots the ball past the goalie and past the goal and over the barbed-wire fence that separates the base from the dangers outside.

The game is halted until the gate guards retrieve the ball.
Army Spc. Andrew Hoffman, a Tacoma, Wash., native and air-conditioning mechanic with the 308th Brigade Support Battalion, darts around the field, kicking and yelling.
There is quite a bit of shouting, but all involved insist it's good-natured.

"It's all fun and games," said Army Staff Sgt. Christopher Mason, a Rochester, N.Y., native and a mechanic with the 308th BSB. "After the game, we shake hands, just like in the beginning, we all pray before the game."

No one takes themselves too seriously. "At times we play rough, but we don't mean it," Easirija said. "We just play."

In the middle of everything is an Iraqi translator with the nickname "Duck." He said the games have brought him closer to his co-workers.

"When I started playing the first days, I was not a good player. But then there was a great shift for me," Duck said. "They made me feel an important player. That's why they come to my room, they knock on my door, they ask me to play and they insist I play with them."

Some soldiers spend their free time on deployment watching TV or playing video games, but there are worse ways to spend time than connecting with co-workers playing soccer, the global game.

"We get to meet new friends," Mason said.

"New people, new cultures," Hoffman added. "And it's something to do."

(Army Pfc. J.P. Lawrence serves with the Minnesota National Guard's 34th Infantry Division public affairs office.)