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Friday, November 30, 2007
Coalition Forces Treat 450 Afghans During Medic...
(11.30.2007) The towns of Eskandareh and Pacha Khak hide deep within the mountains of Kohe Safi District, Parwan province.
Story by Senior Airman James Bolinger
4 images
Inspirational Speaker Gives Humor, Hope to Troo...
(11.30.2007) Inspirational Speaker Dave Roever stopped here on a circuit around Iraq to impart his humor-injected message of hope to troops Nov. 24.
Story by Sgt. 1st Class Gary Qualls Jr.
Flag-raising Marks Culmination of Airman’s Dream
(11.30.2007) When Chief Master Sgt. Stanley Burrows looks up at the U.S. and Afghan flags flying side-by-side in Camp Cunningham, he feels a special sense of satisfaction.
Story by Capt. Michael Meridith
5 images
Coalition Forces Treat 450 Afghans During Medic...
(11.30.2007) The towns of Eskandareh and Pacha Khak hide deep within the mountains of the Kohe Safid district in Afghanitan's Parwan province.
4 images
Mosul Passenger Terminal Ready for Flights to M...
(11.30.2007) A long-awaited passenger terminal project that had lagged behind schedule now is complete. Less than three months after Mustafa Yoldah left his company's office in Turkey and came to Mosul with a new foreman and ...
1 images
Rainbow Soldiers Volunteer to Share Holiday Che...
(11.30.2007) Volunteers from the New York Army National Guard’s 42nd Infantry (Rainbow) Division helped spread holiday cheer this season by helping to load donated Christmas trees bound for overseas troops and home station fa...
Story by Lt. Col. Richard Goldenberg
2 images
Soldiers, Civilians Are Battlefield Partners
(11.30.2007) Since May security in Hawr Rajab and Arab Jabour has improved to the point where Coalition Force missions are no longer solely “kill or capture” missions. Now, many missions focus on developing the infrastructure...
3 images
America Supports You: Online Treasure Hunt Does...
(11.30.2007) A nonprofit group is using a treasure hunt to get people interested in helping military families.
Story by Samantha Quigley
Pentagon's Homeland Defense Office Matures, Grows
(11.30.2007) The fundamental lesson of the past five years is the recognition that the Defense Department has a central role to play in achieving security for the U.S. homeland and in providing assistance to civilian agencies...
Story by Jim Garamone
Soldiers Shop, Experience Iraqi Culture at Kalsu
(11.30.2007) Amid the distinct words of Arabic and English filling the air, the language of commerce seems to be universally understood by all.
Story by Sgt. Kevin Stabinsky
Black Knights, Midshipmen Drum Up Support Befor...
(11.30.2007) Army and Navy drummers, buglers and cheerleaders stormed the halls of the Pentagon over the past two days, rallying or roiling soldiers and sailors in their wake before tomorrow's Army-Navy football game.
Story by John Kruzel
Bangladeshis Thank U.S. Sailors, Marines for Cy...
(11.30.2007) U.S. sailors and Marines on a humanitarian mission to Bangladesh are being met with extreme gratitude as they work to prevent and treat waterborne illnesses and meet basic needs in the aftermath of a Nov. 15 cycl...
(11.30.2007) The towns of Eskandareh and Pacha Khak hide deep within the mountains of Kohe Safi District, Parwan province.
Story by Senior Airman James Bolinger
4 images
Inspirational Speaker Gives Humor, Hope to Troo...
(11.30.2007) Inspirational Speaker Dave Roever stopped here on a circuit around Iraq to impart his humor-injected message of hope to troops Nov. 24.
Story by Sgt. 1st Class Gary Qualls Jr.
Flag-raising Marks Culmination of Airman’s Dream
(11.30.2007) When Chief Master Sgt. Stanley Burrows looks up at the U.S. and Afghan flags flying side-by-side in Camp Cunningham, he feels a special sense of satisfaction.
Story by Capt. Michael Meridith
5 images
Coalition Forces Treat 450 Afghans During Medic...
(11.30.2007) The towns of Eskandareh and Pacha Khak hide deep within the mountains of the Kohe Safid district in Afghanitan's Parwan province.
4 images
Mosul Passenger Terminal Ready for Flights to M...
(11.30.2007) A long-awaited passenger terminal project that had lagged behind schedule now is complete. Less than three months after Mustafa Yoldah left his company's office in Turkey and came to Mosul with a new foreman and ...
1 images
Rainbow Soldiers Volunteer to Share Holiday Che...
(11.30.2007) Volunteers from the New York Army National Guard’s 42nd Infantry (Rainbow) Division helped spread holiday cheer this season by helping to load donated Christmas trees bound for overseas troops and home station fa...
Story by Lt. Col. Richard Goldenberg
2 images
Soldiers, Civilians Are Battlefield Partners
(11.30.2007) Since May security in Hawr Rajab and Arab Jabour has improved to the point where Coalition Force missions are no longer solely “kill or capture” missions. Now, many missions focus on developing the infrastructure...
3 images
America Supports You: Online Treasure Hunt Does...
(11.30.2007) A nonprofit group is using a treasure hunt to get people interested in helping military families.
Story by Samantha Quigley
Pentagon's Homeland Defense Office Matures, Grows
(11.30.2007) The fundamental lesson of the past five years is the recognition that the Defense Department has a central role to play in achieving security for the U.S. homeland and in providing assistance to civilian agencies...
Story by Jim Garamone
Soldiers Shop, Experience Iraqi Culture at Kalsu
(11.30.2007) Amid the distinct words of Arabic and English filling the air, the language of commerce seems to be universally understood by all.
Story by Sgt. Kevin Stabinsky
Black Knights, Midshipmen Drum Up Support Befor...
(11.30.2007) Army and Navy drummers, buglers and cheerleaders stormed the halls of the Pentagon over the past two days, rallying or roiling soldiers and sailors in their wake before tomorrow's Army-Navy football game.
Story by John Kruzel
Bangladeshis Thank U.S. Sailors, Marines for Cy...
(11.30.2007) U.S. sailors and Marines on a humanitarian mission to Bangladesh are being met with extreme gratitude as they work to prevent and treat waterborne illnesses and meet basic needs in the aftermath of a Nov. 15 cycl...
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Community Celebrates the Dedication of a Primar...
(11.29.2007) Local community leaders joined U.S. agency and military officials in celebrating the Navy Mobile Construction Battalion 40’s completion of renovations and construction at the Abijot Emerja Primary School during a...
Story by Sgt. Charles Siler
Reconstruction Team Works to Improve Agricultur...
(11.29.2007) The Baghdad 5 Embedded Provincial Reconstruction Team, attached to the 1st “Ironhorse” Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, is closely coordinating with the Inma (growth in Arabic) Agribusiness Program, to ...
Story by Spc. Shejal Pulivarti
2 images
A CO, 626 BSB Delivers for All Rakkasans
(11.29.2007) CAMP STRIKER, Iraq – “Nothing happens until something moves,” is the Albert Einstein quote adopted by the Transportation Corps.
Story by Sgt. 1st Class Kerensa Hardy
Police Mentors Join Afghans in the Fight
(11.29.2007) The road maps in Faryab province mark roads as “Drivable”, “Possibly Drivable” and “Maybe Drivable,” but a police mentoring team there often drives where there are no roads at all. These mentors from Task Force P...
Story by Petty Officer 1st Class Dave Votroubek
10 images
Three Insurgents Killed After Attacking Convoy
(11.29.2007) Apache helicopters killed three insurgents southeast of Baghdad after an attack on a coalition forces convoy, Nov. 27.
Profile in Heroism; Medal of Honor Recipient, S...
(11.29.2007) Combat - the ultimate proving ground where service members put to test their years of training. Fear - the natural reaction to unnatural situations where the mind tells the body to go into survival mode and flee....
Story by Sgt. Benjamin Cossel
2 images
Army Reservists Support Conference, Gain Experi...
(11.29.2007) As the Humvee tumbled side over side, the soldiers inside shouted: "Rollover!"
2 images
U.S. Mentorship Key to Success for Afghan Maint...
(11.29.2007) For the fledgling Afghan national army’s 205th Maintenance Corps, proper training is the first step to keeping its fleet of more than 1,300 vehicles operational.
Story by Staff Sgt. Mike Andriacco
Afghan Soldiers Developing Customs, Courtesies
(11.29.2007) American military services take pride in traditions, customs and courtesies embedded training team mentors at the Afghan national army training grounds at Camp Clark are learning that the ANA does as well.
Story by Staff Sgt. Luis P Valdespino Jr.
4 images
Reconstruction Team Works to Improve Agricultur...
(11.29.2007) The Baghdad 5 embedded Provincial Reconstruction Team, attached to the 1st "Ironhorse" Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, is closely coordinating with the Inma Agribusiness Program to work with Iraqi farm...
2 images
CMC Visits Kabul, Has Lunch With ‘family’
(11.29.2007) The commandant and sergeant major of the Marine Corps visited Kabul, Nov. 25, just days after visiting with Marines in Iraq.
Story by Staff Sgt. Luis P Valdespino Jr.
5 images
America Supports You: Group Helps Disabled Vets...
(11.29.2007) Disabled veterans looking for employment opportunities have one more resource working for them. Hire Heroes USA, a program of the Georgia-based Health Careers Foundation, is working to link disabled veterans to e...
Story by Samantha Quigley
PMT, 82nd Combine Efforts to Mentor ANP
(11.29.2007) Afghan national police mentors and 82nd Airborne Division soldiers are making their presence felt by combining efforts to train the ANP in western Khowst province.
Story by Staff Sgt. Luis P Valdespino Jr.
7 images
Iraqi Security Forces Take Huge Steps Forward
(11.29.2007) Iraqi security forces have taken "huge steps forward" in growing and moving toward independent operations, a senior commander in Iraq said today.
Story by Fred Baker
Defense Department, VA Test New Disability Eval...
(11.29.2007) The departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs have teamed to test a pilot disability evaluation program that officials hope will streamline the confusing and often frustrating process for service members and th...
Story by Fred Baker
(11.29.2007) Local community leaders joined U.S. agency and military officials in celebrating the Navy Mobile Construction Battalion 40’s completion of renovations and construction at the Abijot Emerja Primary School during a...
Story by Sgt. Charles Siler
Reconstruction Team Works to Improve Agricultur...
(11.29.2007) The Baghdad 5 Embedded Provincial Reconstruction Team, attached to the 1st “Ironhorse” Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, is closely coordinating with the Inma (growth in Arabic) Agribusiness Program, to ...
Story by Spc. Shejal Pulivarti
2 images
A CO, 626 BSB Delivers for All Rakkasans
(11.29.2007) CAMP STRIKER, Iraq – “Nothing happens until something moves,” is the Albert Einstein quote adopted by the Transportation Corps.
Story by Sgt. 1st Class Kerensa Hardy
Police Mentors Join Afghans in the Fight
(11.29.2007) The road maps in Faryab province mark roads as “Drivable”, “Possibly Drivable” and “Maybe Drivable,” but a police mentoring team there often drives where there are no roads at all. These mentors from Task Force P...
Story by Petty Officer 1st Class Dave Votroubek
10 images
Three Insurgents Killed After Attacking Convoy
(11.29.2007) Apache helicopters killed three insurgents southeast of Baghdad after an attack on a coalition forces convoy, Nov. 27.
Profile in Heroism; Medal of Honor Recipient, S...
(11.29.2007) Combat - the ultimate proving ground where service members put to test their years of training. Fear - the natural reaction to unnatural situations where the mind tells the body to go into survival mode and flee....
Story by Sgt. Benjamin Cossel
2 images
Army Reservists Support Conference, Gain Experi...
(11.29.2007) As the Humvee tumbled side over side, the soldiers inside shouted: "Rollover!"
2 images
U.S. Mentorship Key to Success for Afghan Maint...
(11.29.2007) For the fledgling Afghan national army’s 205th Maintenance Corps, proper training is the first step to keeping its fleet of more than 1,300 vehicles operational.
Story by Staff Sgt. Mike Andriacco
Afghan Soldiers Developing Customs, Courtesies
(11.29.2007) American military services take pride in traditions, customs and courtesies embedded training team mentors at the Afghan national army training grounds at Camp Clark are learning that the ANA does as well.
Story by Staff Sgt. Luis P Valdespino Jr.
4 images
Reconstruction Team Works to Improve Agricultur...
(11.29.2007) The Baghdad 5 embedded Provincial Reconstruction Team, attached to the 1st "Ironhorse" Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, is closely coordinating with the Inma Agribusiness Program to work with Iraqi farm...
2 images
CMC Visits Kabul, Has Lunch With ‘family’
(11.29.2007) The commandant and sergeant major of the Marine Corps visited Kabul, Nov. 25, just days after visiting with Marines in Iraq.
Story by Staff Sgt. Luis P Valdespino Jr.
5 images
America Supports You: Group Helps Disabled Vets...
(11.29.2007) Disabled veterans looking for employment opportunities have one more resource working for them. Hire Heroes USA, a program of the Georgia-based Health Careers Foundation, is working to link disabled veterans to e...
Story by Samantha Quigley
PMT, 82nd Combine Efforts to Mentor ANP
(11.29.2007) Afghan national police mentors and 82nd Airborne Division soldiers are making their presence felt by combining efforts to train the ANP in western Khowst province.
Story by Staff Sgt. Luis P Valdespino Jr.
7 images
Iraqi Security Forces Take Huge Steps Forward
(11.29.2007) Iraqi security forces have taken "huge steps forward" in growing and moving toward independent operations, a senior commander in Iraq said today.
Story by Fred Baker
Defense Department, VA Test New Disability Eval...
(11.29.2007) The departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs have teamed to test a pilot disability evaluation program that officials hope will streamline the confusing and often frustrating process for service members and th...
Story by Fred Baker
THE NIGHT ONE SOLDIER CRIED - A Poem
THE NIGHT ONE SOLDIER CRIED
from Renee Marie
One snowy late night Christmas Eve,
a soldier, weary, found reprieve.
He looked into the starry skies,
blurry from his tear-filled eyes.
His boots crunched in the icy snow.
His steamy breath rose from below.
He limped into a silent house,
as stealthy as a frightened mouse.
The Christmas tree sparkling bright,
a beacon in this darkened night,
reminded him of rocket glare,
when bullet blasts had split the air.
The fireplace burning soft and warm
brought memories of those firestorms.
The rescue copter filled his mind
with memories he'd tried to leave behind.
He tiptoed down the darkened hall
and steadied himself against the wall.
Their bedroom door was open wide,
as if they didn't need to hide.
In a crib beside the mother's bed
just inches from her sleeping head,
now lay a tiny newborn boy,
his father's new found pride and joy.
He watched with love his infant son
and blessed the freedom he had won.
For this gift he'd risked his life,
endured those months of pain and strife.
His wife awoke and jumped up fast.
"Thank God!" she said. "You're home at last!"
She reached for him and lost her fears."
And here's your son," she said in tears.
He laughed aloud and held his son
and smiled for the victory he had won.
This baby strong and freedom born
received his father on Christmas morn.
He looked into his baby's eyes
and cried away his cool disguise.
That soldier, weary, found reprieve,
one snowy late night Christmas Eve.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I received from Steve Tyson, Chairman of the MOPH - Wounded Warrior Christmas Leave Fund Group.
~g
from Renee Marie
One snowy late night Christmas Eve,
a soldier, weary, found reprieve.
He looked into the starry skies,
blurry from his tear-filled eyes.
His boots crunched in the icy snow.
His steamy breath rose from below.
He limped into a silent house,
as stealthy as a frightened mouse.
The Christmas tree sparkling bright,
a beacon in this darkened night,
reminded him of rocket glare,
when bullet blasts had split the air.
The fireplace burning soft and warm
brought memories of those firestorms.
The rescue copter filled his mind
with memories he'd tried to leave behind.
He tiptoed down the darkened hall
and steadied himself against the wall.
Their bedroom door was open wide,
as if they didn't need to hide.
In a crib beside the mother's bed
just inches from her sleeping head,
now lay a tiny newborn boy,
his father's new found pride and joy.
He watched with love his infant son
and blessed the freedom he had won.
For this gift he'd risked his life,
endured those months of pain and strife.
His wife awoke and jumped up fast.
"Thank God!" she said. "You're home at last!"
She reached for him and lost her fears."
And here's your son," she said in tears.
He laughed aloud and held his son
and smiled for the victory he had won.
This baby strong and freedom born
received his father on Christmas morn.
He looked into his baby's eyes
and cried away his cool disguise.
That soldier, weary, found reprieve,
one snowy late night Christmas Eve.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I received from Steve Tyson, Chairman of the MOPH - Wounded Warrior Christmas Leave Fund Group.
~g
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
School in Session: Troops Visit Two Southern Ba...
(11.28.2007) Despite being on the ground a month, the 4-64th Combined Arms Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, currently operating in the southern region of the Iraqi capital attached to the 4th Infantr...
Story by Spc. Ben Washburn
4 images
Bagram PRT, Civic Leaders Open Girls School, He...
(11.28.2007) Hundreds of community members and several civic leaders attended two ribbon-cutting ceremonies Nov. 27 in Kohistan II, recognizing the completion of months of work and cooperation between the Bagram Provincial Re...
4 images
Military “elves” Delivers Trooper’s Packages
(11.28.2007) With the holiday season approaching, Soldiers deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom VIII look forward to the arrival of boxes filled with comfort items and sweets from their loved ones.
Story by Spc. Aubree Rundle
4 images
‘Black Jack Runway’ Models Show Off the Latest ...
(11.28.2007) After months of preparation and waiting for Internet-ordered outfits and accessories to be delivered, the Black Jack runway cast and crew finally put on their highly anticipated performance on in front of a stand...
Story by Sgt. 1st Class Kap Kim
6 images
Dave Roever Says Thank You to Troops
(11.28.2007) Dave Roever, a Vietnam veteran, served in the Navy as a river boat gunner in the Brown Water Black Beret. Eight months into his tour of duty, Roever was unrecognizably burned when a phosphorous grenade he was pre...
Story by Pfc. Monica Smith
NAVCENT Hosts Coalition Boarding Conference
(11.28.2007) Naval representatives from 11 coalition countries attended a Combined Maritime Forces boarding conference at U.S. Naval Forces Central Command headquarters, Nov. 27 and 28.
Story by Petty Officer 2nd Class Seth Clarke
3 images
Sailors and Marines Prepare 10,000 Holiday Gift...
(11.28.2007) Dozens of Sailors, Marines and Department of Defense civilians showed their support for forward-deployed service members this holiday season by volunteering to help fill gift boxes at Naval Support Activity Bahra...
1 images
Taking Care of Business Iraqis Work to Secure T...
(11.28.2007) TIKRIT, Iraq – Iraqi army soldiers led a raid into an area of Ad Dawr with Iraqi police and a small contingent of U.S. Soldiers, Nov. 21, to put a stop to insurgent activities there.
Story by Spc. Eric Rutherford
7 images
Officials Open School, Health Clinic in Afghani...
(11.28.2007) Months of work and cooperation between the Bagram Provincial Reconstruction Team and the Afghan government culminated in two ribbon-cutting ceremonies, Nov. 26, as hundreds of community members and several civic ...
Story by Capt. Erick Saks
4 images
Face of Defense: Twice-Wounded Soldier Returns ...
(11.28.2007) A soldier serving her third combat deployment returned to Afghanistan, on Nov. 12, after receiving medical treatment in Germany for injuries suffered in her second improvised-explosive-device detonation.
Bush to Visit Pentagon to Discuss Long-Range Pl...
(11.28.2007) President Bush is slated to visit the Pentagon tomorrow afternoon to talk with senior leaders about long-term strategic plans for the military, the Pentagon press secretary told reporters today.
Story by Donna Miles
Iraqi Government Wants Continued U.S. Troop Pre...
(11.28.2007) The government of Iraq appreciates the efforts and sacrifices of U.S. service members engaged in the country's fight against insurgents, and it desires a continued American troop presence as Iraqi security forces...
Story by Gerry Gilmore
(11.28.2007) Despite being on the ground a month, the 4-64th Combined Arms Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, currently operating in the southern region of the Iraqi capital attached to the 4th Infantr...
Story by Spc. Ben Washburn
4 images
Bagram PRT, Civic Leaders Open Girls School, He...
(11.28.2007) Hundreds of community members and several civic leaders attended two ribbon-cutting ceremonies Nov. 27 in Kohistan II, recognizing the completion of months of work and cooperation between the Bagram Provincial Re...
4 images
Military “elves” Delivers Trooper’s Packages
(11.28.2007) With the holiday season approaching, Soldiers deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom VIII look forward to the arrival of boxes filled with comfort items and sweets from their loved ones.
Story by Spc. Aubree Rundle
4 images
‘Black Jack Runway’ Models Show Off the Latest ...
(11.28.2007) After months of preparation and waiting for Internet-ordered outfits and accessories to be delivered, the Black Jack runway cast and crew finally put on their highly anticipated performance on in front of a stand...
Story by Sgt. 1st Class Kap Kim
6 images
Dave Roever Says Thank You to Troops
(11.28.2007) Dave Roever, a Vietnam veteran, served in the Navy as a river boat gunner in the Brown Water Black Beret. Eight months into his tour of duty, Roever was unrecognizably burned when a phosphorous grenade he was pre...
Story by Pfc. Monica Smith
NAVCENT Hosts Coalition Boarding Conference
(11.28.2007) Naval representatives from 11 coalition countries attended a Combined Maritime Forces boarding conference at U.S. Naval Forces Central Command headquarters, Nov. 27 and 28.
Story by Petty Officer 2nd Class Seth Clarke
3 images
Sailors and Marines Prepare 10,000 Holiday Gift...
(11.28.2007) Dozens of Sailors, Marines and Department of Defense civilians showed their support for forward-deployed service members this holiday season by volunteering to help fill gift boxes at Naval Support Activity Bahra...
1 images
Taking Care of Business Iraqis Work to Secure T...
(11.28.2007) TIKRIT, Iraq – Iraqi army soldiers led a raid into an area of Ad Dawr with Iraqi police and a small contingent of U.S. Soldiers, Nov. 21, to put a stop to insurgent activities there.
Story by Spc. Eric Rutherford
7 images
Officials Open School, Health Clinic in Afghani...
(11.28.2007) Months of work and cooperation between the Bagram Provincial Reconstruction Team and the Afghan government culminated in two ribbon-cutting ceremonies, Nov. 26, as hundreds of community members and several civic ...
Story by Capt. Erick Saks
4 images
Face of Defense: Twice-Wounded Soldier Returns ...
(11.28.2007) A soldier serving her third combat deployment returned to Afghanistan, on Nov. 12, after receiving medical treatment in Germany for injuries suffered in her second improvised-explosive-device detonation.
Bush to Visit Pentagon to Discuss Long-Range Pl...
(11.28.2007) President Bush is slated to visit the Pentagon tomorrow afternoon to talk with senior leaders about long-term strategic plans for the military, the Pentagon press secretary told reporters today.
Story by Donna Miles
Iraqi Government Wants Continued U.S. Troop Pre...
(11.28.2007) The government of Iraq appreciates the efforts and sacrifices of U.S. service members engaged in the country's fight against insurgents, and it desires a continued American troop presence as Iraqi security forces...
Story by Gerry Gilmore
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Firefighting Training Provides Troops the Abili...
(11.27.2007) When Company B "Mad Bulls," 526th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) arrived in theater, the recovery section and gun truck platoon gained a new piece of equ...
2 images
Infantrymen Meet & Greet Residents, Looking for...
(11.27.2007) In many western Baghdad markets, Iraqi homes sit behind the shops, with the shop in a garage-like setting. The markets are very open visually, with Iraqi citizens spilling onto the streets at all hours of the nig...
Story by Sgt. James Hunter
6 images
Vice Chairman of Joint Chiefs Spends Thanksgivi...
(11.27.2007) The vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and a traveling United Service Organizations show visited four different locations in Iraq to see troops during Thanksgiving.
Story by Tech Sgt. Adam Stump
1 images
Infantrymen Meet & Greet Residents, Looking for...
(11.27.2007) In many western Baghdad markets, Iraqi homes sit behind the shops, with the shop in a garage-like setting. The markets are very open visually, with Iraqi citizens spilling onto the streets at all hours of the nig...
Story by Sgt. James Hunter
4 images
Iraqis Line Up to Join Auxiliary
(11.27.2007) It has been a long, hard deployment for the Soldiers serving in Iraq. Threats of improvised explosive devices, snipers and chaos seemed to hide around every corner.
Story by Sgt. 1st Class Robert Timmons
5 images
With Faith & Hope: Christmas Traditions Survive...
(11.27.2007) According to Christian belief, in the first century the Saint Thomas evangelized the region we today call Iraq. An estimated 600,000 Christians live in this country of 22 million people.
Story by Spc. Jeff Ledesma
2 images
Air Force Neurosurgeon Saves Afghan Child's Life
(11.27.2007) An Air Force neurosurgeon assigned to Craig Joint Theater Hospital here saved the life of an 8-month-old Afghan girl earlier this month.
1 images
Nigerian Native Is Patriotic American
(11.27.2007) To call Staff Sgt. Obinna Awusah a good Soldier would be an understatement according to members of his company. His peers call him a good Soldier who goes the extra mile to accomplish a mission and always places ...
Story by Sgt. Jason Stadel
1 images
Alaska Guard Conducts Operation Santa Claus
(11.27.2007) The Alaska National Guard is bringing Christmas a month early to children in remote Alaskan villages, some whom might otherwise not get to see a Santa Claus or receive a holiday gift.
Story by Donna Miles
3 images
Iraqi School Children Receive 1,422 Backpacks
(11.27.2007) Soldiers from Battery A, 1st Battalion, 10th Field Artillery helped the Concerned Local Citizens of Sabbah Nissan deliver backpacks to school children, Nov. 26.
Story by Spc. Ben Hutto
5 images
ANSF Seize Ammunition Cache in Nangahar
(11.27.2007) Afghan National Security Forces confiscated an ammunition cache in Khana Village, Sherzad District, Nangahar Province, Nov. 26.
3rd BCT Soldiers Communicate With Their Kids
(11.27.2007) With their deployment reaching its ninth month, Soldiers of the 3rd Brigade Combat Team have been away from their children for some of the most cherished times. However, with the help of a video camera and the U....
Story by Sgt. Natalie Rostek
1 images
Marine Unit Provides Cyclone Relief in Bangladesh
(11.27.2007) In response to a request for help from the government of Bangladesh, elements of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit embarked aboard USS Kearsarge traveled about 3,500 miles from the Sea of Bengal and are providin...
1 images
Civil Military Operations Platoon Helps Neighbo...
(11.27.2007) Iraqi children at the Daklea Market in Baghdad come up to American soldiers with broad smiles on their faces. Some ask for soccer balls like thousands of other kids across the country, but some just wanted to tal...
Story by Robert Timmons
3 images
Bagram Airmen Launch ‘care Strikes’ to Spread C...
(11.27.2007) For the last two months, a group of Airmen have been conducting what some are calling "care strikes," to enhance morale among service members.
Story by Capt. Michael Meridith
2 images
(11.27.2007) When Company B "Mad Bulls," 526th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) arrived in theater, the recovery section and gun truck platoon gained a new piece of equ...
2 images
Infantrymen Meet & Greet Residents, Looking for...
(11.27.2007) In many western Baghdad markets, Iraqi homes sit behind the shops, with the shop in a garage-like setting. The markets are very open visually, with Iraqi citizens spilling onto the streets at all hours of the nig...
Story by Sgt. James Hunter
6 images
Vice Chairman of Joint Chiefs Spends Thanksgivi...
(11.27.2007) The vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and a traveling United Service Organizations show visited four different locations in Iraq to see troops during Thanksgiving.
Story by Tech Sgt. Adam Stump
1 images
Infantrymen Meet & Greet Residents, Looking for...
(11.27.2007) In many western Baghdad markets, Iraqi homes sit behind the shops, with the shop in a garage-like setting. The markets are very open visually, with Iraqi citizens spilling onto the streets at all hours of the nig...
Story by Sgt. James Hunter
4 images
Iraqis Line Up to Join Auxiliary
(11.27.2007) It has been a long, hard deployment for the Soldiers serving in Iraq. Threats of improvised explosive devices, snipers and chaos seemed to hide around every corner.
Story by Sgt. 1st Class Robert Timmons
5 images
With Faith & Hope: Christmas Traditions Survive...
(11.27.2007) According to Christian belief, in the first century the Saint Thomas evangelized the region we today call Iraq. An estimated 600,000 Christians live in this country of 22 million people.
Story by Spc. Jeff Ledesma
2 images
Air Force Neurosurgeon Saves Afghan Child's Life
(11.27.2007) An Air Force neurosurgeon assigned to Craig Joint Theater Hospital here saved the life of an 8-month-old Afghan girl earlier this month.
1 images
Nigerian Native Is Patriotic American
(11.27.2007) To call Staff Sgt. Obinna Awusah a good Soldier would be an understatement according to members of his company. His peers call him a good Soldier who goes the extra mile to accomplish a mission and always places ...
Story by Sgt. Jason Stadel
1 images
Alaska Guard Conducts Operation Santa Claus
(11.27.2007) The Alaska National Guard is bringing Christmas a month early to children in remote Alaskan villages, some whom might otherwise not get to see a Santa Claus or receive a holiday gift.
Story by Donna Miles
3 images
Iraqi School Children Receive 1,422 Backpacks
(11.27.2007) Soldiers from Battery A, 1st Battalion, 10th Field Artillery helped the Concerned Local Citizens of Sabbah Nissan deliver backpacks to school children, Nov. 26.
Story by Spc. Ben Hutto
5 images
ANSF Seize Ammunition Cache in Nangahar
(11.27.2007) Afghan National Security Forces confiscated an ammunition cache in Khana Village, Sherzad District, Nangahar Province, Nov. 26.
3rd BCT Soldiers Communicate With Their Kids
(11.27.2007) With their deployment reaching its ninth month, Soldiers of the 3rd Brigade Combat Team have been away from their children for some of the most cherished times. However, with the help of a video camera and the U....
Story by Sgt. Natalie Rostek
1 images
Marine Unit Provides Cyclone Relief in Bangladesh
(11.27.2007) In response to a request for help from the government of Bangladesh, elements of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit embarked aboard USS Kearsarge traveled about 3,500 miles from the Sea of Bengal and are providin...
1 images
Civil Military Operations Platoon Helps Neighbo...
(11.27.2007) Iraqi children at the Daklea Market in Baghdad come up to American soldiers with broad smiles on their faces. Some ask for soccer balls like thousands of other kids across the country, but some just wanted to tal...
Story by Robert Timmons
3 images
Bagram Airmen Launch ‘care Strikes’ to Spread C...
(11.27.2007) For the last two months, a group of Airmen have been conducting what some are calling "care strikes," to enhance morale among service members.
Story by Capt. Michael Meridith
2 images
Monday, November 26, 2007
Talking Turkey: Preparing for Thanksgiving Dinn...
(11.26.2007) LOGISTICS SUPPORT AREA ANACONDA, Iraq- What does it take to feed 20,000 Soldiers, Airman, Marines, Sailors, Coast Guardsmen, and contractors a Thanksgiving meal? More than you might think.
Story by Capt. Kevin McNamara
2 images
Iraqi Crime Court Opens to Hear Terrorist Cases
(11.26.2007) Baqubah, the capital of Diyala province, has gone through many changes during the past months. The streets have seen more citizens walking around, the markets have gained more stores and the local crime court ope...
Story by Pfc. Kirby Rider
NATO Secretary General Visits Afghanistan
(11.26.2007) The North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s top official traveled to Forward Operating Base Lagman to meet with Afghan representatives and coalition military members on Thanksgiving Day.
Story by Capt. Bob Everdeen
2 images
President Wishes Happy Thanksgiving to Bagram A...
(11.26.2007) It’s not every day that an Airman can pick up the phone and talk to his commander in chief, but for one Bagram Airman that day was yesterday.
Story by Capt. Michael Meridith
1 images
Father and Son Reunite at FOB Hammer
(11.26.2007) Months of planning and long conversations with his chain of command came to fruition for 1st Lt. Marcus Brown, from Lawrenceville, Ga., 5th Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st C...
Story by Spc. Ben Hutto
2 images
Fallen Soldier Honored During Dedication Ceremony
(11.26.2007) Soldiers from the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, gathered in what was known as the “Grey Wolf” Square at Forward Operating Base Warhorse, outside of Baqubah, Iraq, for a dedication ceremony and re...
Story by Spc. Ryan Stroud
2 images
Hard at Work, Airmen Celebrate Thanksgiving Wit...
(11.26.2007) While millions of Americans celebrated Thanksgiving Day away from work and in the company of their families, Airmen remained on the job, providing non-stop airpower and combat support for coalition forces through...
Story by Capt. Michael Meridith
3 images
America Supports You: Realtors Bring Christmas ...
(11.26.2007) As the national Christmas tree, cut from Vermont's Green Mountain National Forest, makes its way to Washington, it's going to spread some holiday spirit at veterans facilities along the way, thanks to the Nationa...
Story by Samantha Quigley
Marines Deliver Water to Cyclone-Stricken Bangl...
(11.26.2007) A pair of Marine helicopters lifted from the USS Kearsarge flight deck today with loads of bottled water, marking the first delivery of U.S. military aid to the storm-battered nation of Bangladesh.
1 images
3RD BCT Prepares for Thanksgiving Day
(11.26.2007) More than 6,100 miles away from friends and families, Soldiers of the 3rd Brigade Combat Team are preparing to bring a taste of home to Iraq and celebrate Thanksgiving with their military family.
Story by Sgt. Natalie Rostek
1 images
Bush Asks Americans to Remember Troops During T...
(11.26.2007) President Bush spoke of the history of Thanksgiving during his weekly radio address yesterday, and called for Americans to remember – and be thankful for – thousands of American service members literally on the f...
Story by Jim Garamone
One ISAF Soldier Killed, Three Wounded, Along W...
(11.26.2007) One International Security Assistance Force soldier was killed and three others were wounded during a suicide attack in the Paghman District of Kabul this morning.
ISAF Strongly Condemns Suicide Attack in Kabul
(11.26.2007) The below statement is by Maj. Gen. Garry Robison, acting commander of International Security Assistance Force – Afghanistan, regarding the suicide attack in the Paghman District of Kabul this morning.
Feeding the Forces—food Inspectors and Their Co...
(11.26.2007) The forks on the forklift drop, and a pallet full of boxes hits the ground with a loud thump! The pallet is pushed into a side room, and the doors leading from the 18, 000 square feet warehouse closed, and Soldie...
4 images
Headline: Munitions Section Spearheading Servic...
(11.26.2007) Soldiers fighting on the battlefield require the logistics support of various individual organizations in order to succeed. They need adequate supplies of food, water, clothing and hygiene items, but most importa...
1 images
(11.26.2007) LOGISTICS SUPPORT AREA ANACONDA, Iraq- What does it take to feed 20,000 Soldiers, Airman, Marines, Sailors, Coast Guardsmen, and contractors a Thanksgiving meal? More than you might think.
Story by Capt. Kevin McNamara
2 images
Iraqi Crime Court Opens to Hear Terrorist Cases
(11.26.2007) Baqubah, the capital of Diyala province, has gone through many changes during the past months. The streets have seen more citizens walking around, the markets have gained more stores and the local crime court ope...
Story by Pfc. Kirby Rider
NATO Secretary General Visits Afghanistan
(11.26.2007) The North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s top official traveled to Forward Operating Base Lagman to meet with Afghan representatives and coalition military members on Thanksgiving Day.
Story by Capt. Bob Everdeen
2 images
President Wishes Happy Thanksgiving to Bagram A...
(11.26.2007) It’s not every day that an Airman can pick up the phone and talk to his commander in chief, but for one Bagram Airman that day was yesterday.
Story by Capt. Michael Meridith
1 images
Father and Son Reunite at FOB Hammer
(11.26.2007) Months of planning and long conversations with his chain of command came to fruition for 1st Lt. Marcus Brown, from Lawrenceville, Ga., 5th Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st C...
Story by Spc. Ben Hutto
2 images
Fallen Soldier Honored During Dedication Ceremony
(11.26.2007) Soldiers from the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, gathered in what was known as the “Grey Wolf” Square at Forward Operating Base Warhorse, outside of Baqubah, Iraq, for a dedication ceremony and re...
Story by Spc. Ryan Stroud
2 images
Hard at Work, Airmen Celebrate Thanksgiving Wit...
(11.26.2007) While millions of Americans celebrated Thanksgiving Day away from work and in the company of their families, Airmen remained on the job, providing non-stop airpower and combat support for coalition forces through...
Story by Capt. Michael Meridith
3 images
America Supports You: Realtors Bring Christmas ...
(11.26.2007) As the national Christmas tree, cut from Vermont's Green Mountain National Forest, makes its way to Washington, it's going to spread some holiday spirit at veterans facilities along the way, thanks to the Nationa...
Story by Samantha Quigley
Marines Deliver Water to Cyclone-Stricken Bangl...
(11.26.2007) A pair of Marine helicopters lifted from the USS Kearsarge flight deck today with loads of bottled water, marking the first delivery of U.S. military aid to the storm-battered nation of Bangladesh.
1 images
3RD BCT Prepares for Thanksgiving Day
(11.26.2007) More than 6,100 miles away from friends and families, Soldiers of the 3rd Brigade Combat Team are preparing to bring a taste of home to Iraq and celebrate Thanksgiving with their military family.
Story by Sgt. Natalie Rostek
1 images
Bush Asks Americans to Remember Troops During T...
(11.26.2007) President Bush spoke of the history of Thanksgiving during his weekly radio address yesterday, and called for Americans to remember – and be thankful for – thousands of American service members literally on the f...
Story by Jim Garamone
One ISAF Soldier Killed, Three Wounded, Along W...
(11.26.2007) One International Security Assistance Force soldier was killed and three others were wounded during a suicide attack in the Paghman District of Kabul this morning.
ISAF Strongly Condemns Suicide Attack in Kabul
(11.26.2007) The below statement is by Maj. Gen. Garry Robison, acting commander of International Security Assistance Force – Afghanistan, regarding the suicide attack in the Paghman District of Kabul this morning.
Feeding the Forces—food Inspectors and Their Co...
(11.26.2007) The forks on the forklift drop, and a pallet full of boxes hits the ground with a loud thump! The pallet is pushed into a side room, and the doors leading from the 18, 000 square feet warehouse closed, and Soldie...
4 images
Headline: Munitions Section Spearheading Servic...
(11.26.2007) Soldiers fighting on the battlefield require the logistics support of various individual organizations in order to succeed. They need adequate supplies of food, water, clothing and hygiene items, but most importa...
1 images
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Is Iraq getting better?
By Jim Muir
BBC News, Baghdad
Is Iraq getting better? The statistics say so, across the board.
Over the past three months, there has been a sharp and sustained drop in all forms of violence. The figures for dead and wounded, military and civilian, have also greatly improved.
All across Baghdad, which has seen the worst of the violence, streets are springing back to life. Shops and restaurants which closed down are back in business.
People walk in crowded streets in the evening, when just a few months ago they would have been huddled behind locked doors in their homes.
Everybody agrees that things are much better.
But is the improvement only skin deep? And will it last once the American troops, whose "surge" has clearly made a difference, begin to scale down?
In the past few days, two events have underlined big changes that have happened in recent months on both the Sunni and Shia sides of the Iraqi equation.
Reign of terror
On Thursday, in a crowded public hall in the mainly Shia city of Karbala, south of Baghdad, the local police chief, Brig-Gen Ra'id Shaker Jawdat, bitterly denounced the Mehdi Army militia, accusing it of presiding over a four-year reign of terror there.
It was an extraordinary occasion. One by one, men and women stood up and screamed abuse at the militia, blaming it for killing and torturing their loved ones.
It could not have happened a few months ago, when the Mehdi Army - the military wing of the movement headed by the militant young Shia cleric, Moqtada Sadr - was the real power in the streets of Karbala.
A few days later, Moqtada Sadr ordered his followers to halt all forms of military action nationwide, even in self-defence.
That was a turning-point in Baghdad too. The number of bodies being found daily, dumped randomly in the city after being abducted, tortured and killed in sectarian reprisals, dropped from dozens a day to less than a handful.
Scenes of rejoicing
On Friday, near Samarra to the north of Baghdad, fighters from a Sunni faction called the Islamic Army in Iraq (IAI) launched a surprise attack on positions held by al-Qaeda in the area.
Police said the IAI killed 18 al-Qaeda militants and captured 16 others.
Shortly afterwards, another Sunni group known as the 1920 Revolution Brigades launched a similar operation against al-Qaeda at al-Buhriz in Diyala province, also north of Baghdad.
They captured 60 al-Qaeda suspects and handed them over to the Iraqi army, amidst scenes of rejoicing in the town's streets.
These also were events that simply could not have happened until recently.
Both the IAI and the 1920 Revolution Brigades used to be insurgent groups themselves, fighting alongside al-Qaeda against the multinational forces and Iraqi government troops.
Blow to militants
Now, starting with the western al-Anbar province and spreading east to Baghdad and mainly Sunni areas to the north, there has been a gathering trend whereby Sunni tribes and nationalist groups have turned against al-Qaeda as their primary enemy.
The Americans have seized on the tactic, encouraging tribal and other Sunnis to form regional associations, such as al-Sahwa (The Awakening), as a vehicle for getting government and coalition support.
In the provinces, tribesmen joining up are paid $600 a month to protect their own areas against al-Qaeda.
The trend has spread deep into mainly Sunni districts of Baghdad, where al-Sahwa has filled the gap left by al-Qaeda.
American forces have recruited thousands of young men, who are given uniforms and $300 a month to act as neighbourhood guards (known in US military jargon as Concerned Local Citizens, or CLCs).
They apply in droves, as there are no other jobs in town.
US forces have moved into virtually every area and set up fixed positions. They have local mobile phone numbers emblazoned on their vehicles for the CLCs to call if they run into trouble.
This, combined with the way in which the US troop surge has proactively tackled any al-Qaeda presence it can detect, has dealt a massive blow to the Sunni militants.
"Islamic State elements have disappeared - shops have reopened - my daughter can walk to school without wearing a headscarf "- Baghdad resident
The Iraqi Prime Minister, Nouri Maliki, is now openly claiming victory against al-Qaeda and its affiliates.
US military leaders are more cautious.
"There is no part of Baghdad in which al-Qaeda has a stronghold any more," said Brig-Gen Joseph Fil, commander of the Multinational Forces in Baghdad.
"But Baghdad is a dangerous place. Al-Qaeda, although on the ropes, is not finished by any means. They could come back swinging if they're allowed to, in fact, we've seen it," he added.
Bomb attacks rarer
But there is no doubt that it has lost out massively in Baghdad.
One resident of the mainly-Sunni area of Dora, in the south of the capital, summed it up. "The Islamic State in Iraq (the umbrella name adopted by al-Qaeda groups) used to control most of the area like a phantom presence. I know Shia shopkeepers who were shot dead in their shops."
"They put up notices warning people to wear strict Islamic dress. Everybody was frightened. When we called the police to report bodies on the street, they said it was a no-go area and they couldn't come."
"Now, the Islamic State elements have disappeared. Shops have reopened. My daughter can walk to school without wearing a headscarf. Some Shias who fled have come back. And most important of all, we haven't heard of anybody being killed since July."
The setback dealt to al-Qaeda and affiliates has had a knock-on effect in the Shia communities too.
The often massive, indiscriminate bomb attacks for which they were blamed, and which used to hit Shia areas on a daily basis, have now become a rarity.
The huge drop in bomb attacks has removed one of the main raisons d'etre for the Mehdi Army, the most active Shia militia in Baghdad.
Since neither the state nor the coalition forces had been able to stop the bomb attacks before, the Mehdi Army could pose as the only saviour of the Shias from slaughter at the hands of fanatical Sunni extremists.
Militia power
"They were on the streets every day, with guns, controlling and checking people," said a Shia resident.
"When there were attacks on Shia shrines, such as Samarra last year, they killed many Sunnis in the area in revenge."
"Now, they are much weaker. Many of the leaders have been arrested or killed by the Americans. Others have fled. Some are still around, but they are keeping a low profile."
The US military admit that around 13% of Baghdad - mainly parts of the huge eastern Shia suburbs, Sadr City, where the Mehdi Army used to hold undisputed sway - remain to be brought fully under control.
But the decision by Moqtada Sadr to order a freeze on militia action has removed political cover from Shia militants who resist, and who are now regarded as "rogue elements".
"When we go to the [Shia-dominated] Iraqi government with lists of militia leaders we want to get, they're very supportive," said Baghdad coalition forces commander Gen Fil.
"This whole thing is so US-dependent - it's temporary security - the Mehdi Army are just biding their time" - Baghdad Sunni resident
One problem is that the Americans and the Iraqi government cannot use the al-Sahwa ploy of recruiting local youths in Shia areas to mount guard against the Mehdi Army. It simply would not work.
Unlike al-Qaeda's situation in the Sunni areas, Shia leaders such as Moqtada al-Sadr enjoy considerable popular support among the Shia, even if elements of the militia have got well out of hand.
Some residents of Shia neighbourhoods are optimistic that another six months of sustained effort might see the militias off for good. Others are not so sure.
Massive challenges
The huge problem in both Sunni and Shia areas is that continued success is desperately dependent on a continuing American presence, while the US is planning to start drawing down its forces next year.
"In my Sunni area, people are happy to see their sons defending the neighbourhood in an official way, because it's under an American umbrella," said one Sunni.
"That means they're not afraid that the Mehdi Army or another Shia militia will come through the lines and kill us."
The Iraqi Army and police have frequently been accused of either colluding with or turning a blind eye to the Shia militias, some of which have operated openly under the guise of official security formations.
"We need federalism, but we also need a dictator, a strong powerful government - if we don't get the militia out, there will be no solution" - Baghdad Shia resident
Especially among the Sunnis, there is little popular confidence in the Iraqi army, and much less, if any at all, in the police.
"Forget about the Iraqi police, they're either Mehdi Army in uniform or professional thieves, or both," said a Sunni living in a largely-Shia area.
"It bothers me that this whole thing is so US-dependent. It's temporary security. The Mehdi Army are just biding their time, and waiting to come back out and get back to business, extorting money from people, forcing them out of their homes and then renting them out. It's big business."
"I'm not optimistic about the surge, because of the sympathies of the Iraqi police and army towards the Mehdi Army," said a Shia from south-east Baghdad.
"It's an ironic situation, where we need federalism, but we also need a dictator, a strong powerful government. If we don't get the militia out, there will be no solution."
Purging the security forces of militia influence and sympathies is a huge task that needs a strong, neutral political will and a sustained effort.
There are many other massive challenges that will affect the outcome of the current struggle.
Need for reconstruction
Everybody agrees that military and security measures on their own can only go so far if not buttressed by economic, social and political progress.
The Americans and Iraqi government are well aware of the need to follow up with services - electricity and water supplies are still sporadic - and job-creation schemes if they are to hold the ground they are clearing.
Prime Minister Nouri Maliki has said that next year will be the year of services and reconstruction. At this stage, Iraqis are looking for performance and delivery, not promises and fine words.
One of the main stated objectives of the US troop surge was to clear a space for the Iraqi politicians to enact nation-building legislation and pursue national reconciliation as the cornerstone of the New Iraq.
But virtually none of the key pieces of required legislation has yet been passed by a fractious Iraqi parliament which has been wracked by factional disputes.
There is still no shared and agreed vision of Iraq's future. Kurds and some Shias want a loose, federal arrangement, while Sunnis and some others want a stronger, more centralised state.
It matters. To which Iraq are people signing up with the security forces swearing allegiance?
In the absence of progress at the top, the Americans are counting on developments and reconciliations at grass-roots levels, a "bottom-to-top" approach. How far that process can go at that level alone is an unanswered question.
Despite the progress in the security arena, the story is far from over. The casualty figures are down, but people are still being killed every day.
While things have improved greatly in Baghdad, inter-Shia power struggles in the south of the country remain intense, and insurgent activity continues strong around Mosul and Kirkuk in the north.
Nobody can underestimate the magnitude of the task ahead. And with the clock for US troop withdrawals ticking ever more loudly in Washington, it is a race against time.
But there can be no denying that many Iraqis, especially in Baghdad, are more optimistic now than they would have dared believe possible a year ago.
Story from BBC NEWS:http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/middle_east/7089168.stm
Published: 2007/11/11 00:35:37 GMT
© BBC MMVII
BBC News, Baghdad
Is Iraq getting better? The statistics say so, across the board.
Over the past three months, there has been a sharp and sustained drop in all forms of violence. The figures for dead and wounded, military and civilian, have also greatly improved.
All across Baghdad, which has seen the worst of the violence, streets are springing back to life. Shops and restaurants which closed down are back in business.
People walk in crowded streets in the evening, when just a few months ago they would have been huddled behind locked doors in their homes.
Everybody agrees that things are much better.
But is the improvement only skin deep? And will it last once the American troops, whose "surge" has clearly made a difference, begin to scale down?
In the past few days, two events have underlined big changes that have happened in recent months on both the Sunni and Shia sides of the Iraqi equation.
Reign of terror
On Thursday, in a crowded public hall in the mainly Shia city of Karbala, south of Baghdad, the local police chief, Brig-Gen Ra'id Shaker Jawdat, bitterly denounced the Mehdi Army militia, accusing it of presiding over a four-year reign of terror there.
It was an extraordinary occasion. One by one, men and women stood up and screamed abuse at the militia, blaming it for killing and torturing their loved ones.
It could not have happened a few months ago, when the Mehdi Army - the military wing of the movement headed by the militant young Shia cleric, Moqtada Sadr - was the real power in the streets of Karbala.
A few days later, Moqtada Sadr ordered his followers to halt all forms of military action nationwide, even in self-defence.
That was a turning-point in Baghdad too. The number of bodies being found daily, dumped randomly in the city after being abducted, tortured and killed in sectarian reprisals, dropped from dozens a day to less than a handful.
Scenes of rejoicing
On Friday, near Samarra to the north of Baghdad, fighters from a Sunni faction called the Islamic Army in Iraq (IAI) launched a surprise attack on positions held by al-Qaeda in the area.
Police said the IAI killed 18 al-Qaeda militants and captured 16 others.
Shortly afterwards, another Sunni group known as the 1920 Revolution Brigades launched a similar operation against al-Qaeda at al-Buhriz in Diyala province, also north of Baghdad.
They captured 60 al-Qaeda suspects and handed them over to the Iraqi army, amidst scenes of rejoicing in the town's streets.
These also were events that simply could not have happened until recently.
Both the IAI and the 1920 Revolution Brigades used to be insurgent groups themselves, fighting alongside al-Qaeda against the multinational forces and Iraqi government troops.
Blow to militants
Now, starting with the western al-Anbar province and spreading east to Baghdad and mainly Sunni areas to the north, there has been a gathering trend whereby Sunni tribes and nationalist groups have turned against al-Qaeda as their primary enemy.
The Americans have seized on the tactic, encouraging tribal and other Sunnis to form regional associations, such as al-Sahwa (The Awakening), as a vehicle for getting government and coalition support.
In the provinces, tribesmen joining up are paid $600 a month to protect their own areas against al-Qaeda.
The trend has spread deep into mainly Sunni districts of Baghdad, where al-Sahwa has filled the gap left by al-Qaeda.
American forces have recruited thousands of young men, who are given uniforms and $300 a month to act as neighbourhood guards (known in US military jargon as Concerned Local Citizens, or CLCs).
They apply in droves, as there are no other jobs in town.
US forces have moved into virtually every area and set up fixed positions. They have local mobile phone numbers emblazoned on their vehicles for the CLCs to call if they run into trouble.
This, combined with the way in which the US troop surge has proactively tackled any al-Qaeda presence it can detect, has dealt a massive blow to the Sunni militants.
"Islamic State elements have disappeared - shops have reopened - my daughter can walk to school without wearing a headscarf "- Baghdad resident
The Iraqi Prime Minister, Nouri Maliki, is now openly claiming victory against al-Qaeda and its affiliates.
US military leaders are more cautious.
"There is no part of Baghdad in which al-Qaeda has a stronghold any more," said Brig-Gen Joseph Fil, commander of the Multinational Forces in Baghdad.
"But Baghdad is a dangerous place. Al-Qaeda, although on the ropes, is not finished by any means. They could come back swinging if they're allowed to, in fact, we've seen it," he added.
Bomb attacks rarer
But there is no doubt that it has lost out massively in Baghdad.
One resident of the mainly-Sunni area of Dora, in the south of the capital, summed it up. "The Islamic State in Iraq (the umbrella name adopted by al-Qaeda groups) used to control most of the area like a phantom presence. I know Shia shopkeepers who were shot dead in their shops."
"They put up notices warning people to wear strict Islamic dress. Everybody was frightened. When we called the police to report bodies on the street, they said it was a no-go area and they couldn't come."
"Now, the Islamic State elements have disappeared. Shops have reopened. My daughter can walk to school without wearing a headscarf. Some Shias who fled have come back. And most important of all, we haven't heard of anybody being killed since July."
The setback dealt to al-Qaeda and affiliates has had a knock-on effect in the Shia communities too.
The often massive, indiscriminate bomb attacks for which they were blamed, and which used to hit Shia areas on a daily basis, have now become a rarity.
The huge drop in bomb attacks has removed one of the main raisons d'etre for the Mehdi Army, the most active Shia militia in Baghdad.
Since neither the state nor the coalition forces had been able to stop the bomb attacks before, the Mehdi Army could pose as the only saviour of the Shias from slaughter at the hands of fanatical Sunni extremists.
Militia power
"They were on the streets every day, with guns, controlling and checking people," said a Shia resident.
"When there were attacks on Shia shrines, such as Samarra last year, they killed many Sunnis in the area in revenge."
"Now, they are much weaker. Many of the leaders have been arrested or killed by the Americans. Others have fled. Some are still around, but they are keeping a low profile."
The US military admit that around 13% of Baghdad - mainly parts of the huge eastern Shia suburbs, Sadr City, where the Mehdi Army used to hold undisputed sway - remain to be brought fully under control.
But the decision by Moqtada Sadr to order a freeze on militia action has removed political cover from Shia militants who resist, and who are now regarded as "rogue elements".
"When we go to the [Shia-dominated] Iraqi government with lists of militia leaders we want to get, they're very supportive," said Baghdad coalition forces commander Gen Fil.
"This whole thing is so US-dependent - it's temporary security - the Mehdi Army are just biding their time" - Baghdad Sunni resident
One problem is that the Americans and the Iraqi government cannot use the al-Sahwa ploy of recruiting local youths in Shia areas to mount guard against the Mehdi Army. It simply would not work.
Unlike al-Qaeda's situation in the Sunni areas, Shia leaders such as Moqtada al-Sadr enjoy considerable popular support among the Shia, even if elements of the militia have got well out of hand.
Some residents of Shia neighbourhoods are optimistic that another six months of sustained effort might see the militias off for good. Others are not so sure.
Massive challenges
The huge problem in both Sunni and Shia areas is that continued success is desperately dependent on a continuing American presence, while the US is planning to start drawing down its forces next year.
"In my Sunni area, people are happy to see their sons defending the neighbourhood in an official way, because it's under an American umbrella," said one Sunni.
"That means they're not afraid that the Mehdi Army or another Shia militia will come through the lines and kill us."
The Iraqi Army and police have frequently been accused of either colluding with or turning a blind eye to the Shia militias, some of which have operated openly under the guise of official security formations.
"We need federalism, but we also need a dictator, a strong powerful government - if we don't get the militia out, there will be no solution" - Baghdad Shia resident
Especially among the Sunnis, there is little popular confidence in the Iraqi army, and much less, if any at all, in the police.
"Forget about the Iraqi police, they're either Mehdi Army in uniform or professional thieves, or both," said a Sunni living in a largely-Shia area.
"It bothers me that this whole thing is so US-dependent. It's temporary security. The Mehdi Army are just biding their time, and waiting to come back out and get back to business, extorting money from people, forcing them out of their homes and then renting them out. It's big business."
"I'm not optimistic about the surge, because of the sympathies of the Iraqi police and army towards the Mehdi Army," said a Shia from south-east Baghdad.
"It's an ironic situation, where we need federalism, but we also need a dictator, a strong powerful government. If we don't get the militia out, there will be no solution."
Purging the security forces of militia influence and sympathies is a huge task that needs a strong, neutral political will and a sustained effort.
There are many other massive challenges that will affect the outcome of the current struggle.
Need for reconstruction
Everybody agrees that military and security measures on their own can only go so far if not buttressed by economic, social and political progress.
The Americans and Iraqi government are well aware of the need to follow up with services - electricity and water supplies are still sporadic - and job-creation schemes if they are to hold the ground they are clearing.
Prime Minister Nouri Maliki has said that next year will be the year of services and reconstruction. At this stage, Iraqis are looking for performance and delivery, not promises and fine words.
One of the main stated objectives of the US troop surge was to clear a space for the Iraqi politicians to enact nation-building legislation and pursue national reconciliation as the cornerstone of the New Iraq.
But virtually none of the key pieces of required legislation has yet been passed by a fractious Iraqi parliament which has been wracked by factional disputes.
There is still no shared and agreed vision of Iraq's future. Kurds and some Shias want a loose, federal arrangement, while Sunnis and some others want a stronger, more centralised state.
It matters. To which Iraq are people signing up with the security forces swearing allegiance?
In the absence of progress at the top, the Americans are counting on developments and reconciliations at grass-roots levels, a "bottom-to-top" approach. How far that process can go at that level alone is an unanswered question.
Despite the progress in the security arena, the story is far from over. The casualty figures are down, but people are still being killed every day.
While things have improved greatly in Baghdad, inter-Shia power struggles in the south of the country remain intense, and insurgent activity continues strong around Mosul and Kirkuk in the north.
Nobody can underestimate the magnitude of the task ahead. And with the clock for US troop withdrawals ticking ever more loudly in Washington, it is a race against time.
But there can be no denying that many Iraqis, especially in Baghdad, are more optimistic now than they would have dared believe possible a year ago.
Story from BBC NEWS:http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/middle_east/7089168.stm
Published: 2007/11/11 00:35:37 GMT
© BBC MMVII
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Aviator Soars in Memories, Awarded Second Highe...
(11.21.2007) Veteran’s Day is a time to remember and also recognize those who have served their country.
Story by Spc. Nathan Hoskins
3 images
'Awakening' in Iraq Signals Citizens' Rise Agai...
(11.21.2007) Determined to rise up against al-Qaida terrorists, concerned local citizens, working together with coalition forces, have started neighborhood watch programs in this area of northern Iraq.
Mullen Discusses Regional Issues With Foreign P...
(11.21.2007) The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff gave reporters a whirlwind tour of the world during a news conference at the Foreign Press Center today.
Story by Jim Garamone
1 images
Advisors Working to Build Afghan Forces Sustain...
(11.21.2007) The biggest challenges Afghanistan's security forces face are not recruiting, training or fighting, but have more to do with building the systems that will sustain the country's forces, a senior advisor in the re...
Story by Fred Baker
Gates Revisits Past at Missouri Base
(11.21.2007) In a homecoming of sorts, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates visited today to meet with local community leaders and members of Team Whiteman.
4-2 Stryker Brigade Expands Into All of Diyala ...
(11.20.2007) The 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division from Fort Lewis, Wash., is in the process of expanding its area of responsibility to include all of Diyala province, Iraq.
Story by Staff Sgt. Russell Bassett
Soldiers Help Further Iraqi Education
(11.20.2007) A Soldier’s primary mission in Iraq is to combat the terrorist threat, but there is a second mission that often goes untold.
Story by Pfc. Gaelen Lowers
3 images
FRV Means Service Members Get More $$$ for Dama...
(11.20.2007) Effective in fall 2007, service members and Department of Defense civilians will be eligible for Full Replacement Value protection on most DoD funded personal property shipments.
Story by Spc. Giancarlo Casem
Colin Powell Visits Service Members in Kuwait
(11.20.2007) Retired Gen. Colin L. Powell, the 65th United States Secretary of State, made a surprise visit to service members stationed in Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, Sunday.
Airpower Summary for November 19
(11.20.2007) Coalition airpower integrated with Coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan in the following operations, Nov. 19, according to Combined Air and Space Operati...
Frontier of Freedom
(11.20.2007) The scenery seems plucked from a Western movie. Dust swirls in the air and cattle are herded on the edge of the one road through town. The landscape is mostly barren and the law, like traces of modern civilizatio...
Story by Sgt. Kevin Stabinsky
1 images
Air Guard Breaks Ground for Expanded Readiness ...
(11.20.2007) Officials broke ground, Nov. 19, on a $52 million Air National Guard Readiness Center expansion.
Story by Tech Sgt. Mike Smith
1 images
America Supports You: Group Builds Custom Home ...
(11.20.2007) A former Army sergeant and his family this month are settling into a brand new house in New Burn, N.C., custom-built to insure his war injuries will not keep him from independent living.
Story by Toni Maltagliati
Courthouse Opens in Salman Pak
(11.20.2007) In an important step forward, the people of Salman Pak opened a court house in their community, Nov. 17.
Story by Spc. Ben Hutto
4 images
Face of Defense: Iraq Deployment Is All in the ...
(11.20.2007) Nearly every time Army Chief Warrant Officer Michael Pruitt flies his Apache in Iraq, his brother, Army Capt. Joseph Pruitt, knows exactly what's happening to him, good or bad.
1 images
(11.21.2007) Veteran’s Day is a time to remember and also recognize those who have served their country.
Story by Spc. Nathan Hoskins
3 images
'Awakening' in Iraq Signals Citizens' Rise Agai...
(11.21.2007) Determined to rise up against al-Qaida terrorists, concerned local citizens, working together with coalition forces, have started neighborhood watch programs in this area of northern Iraq.
Mullen Discusses Regional Issues With Foreign P...
(11.21.2007) The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff gave reporters a whirlwind tour of the world during a news conference at the Foreign Press Center today.
Story by Jim Garamone
1 images
Advisors Working to Build Afghan Forces Sustain...
(11.21.2007) The biggest challenges Afghanistan's security forces face are not recruiting, training or fighting, but have more to do with building the systems that will sustain the country's forces, a senior advisor in the re...
Story by Fred Baker
Gates Revisits Past at Missouri Base
(11.21.2007) In a homecoming of sorts, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates visited today to meet with local community leaders and members of Team Whiteman.
4-2 Stryker Brigade Expands Into All of Diyala ...
(11.20.2007) The 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division from Fort Lewis, Wash., is in the process of expanding its area of responsibility to include all of Diyala province, Iraq.
Story by Staff Sgt. Russell Bassett
Soldiers Help Further Iraqi Education
(11.20.2007) A Soldier’s primary mission in Iraq is to combat the terrorist threat, but there is a second mission that often goes untold.
Story by Pfc. Gaelen Lowers
3 images
FRV Means Service Members Get More $$$ for Dama...
(11.20.2007) Effective in fall 2007, service members and Department of Defense civilians will be eligible for Full Replacement Value protection on most DoD funded personal property shipments.
Story by Spc. Giancarlo Casem
Colin Powell Visits Service Members in Kuwait
(11.20.2007) Retired Gen. Colin L. Powell, the 65th United States Secretary of State, made a surprise visit to service members stationed in Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, Sunday.
Airpower Summary for November 19
(11.20.2007) Coalition airpower integrated with Coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan in the following operations, Nov. 19, according to Combined Air and Space Operati...
Frontier of Freedom
(11.20.2007) The scenery seems plucked from a Western movie. Dust swirls in the air and cattle are herded on the edge of the one road through town. The landscape is mostly barren and the law, like traces of modern civilizatio...
Story by Sgt. Kevin Stabinsky
1 images
Air Guard Breaks Ground for Expanded Readiness ...
(11.20.2007) Officials broke ground, Nov. 19, on a $52 million Air National Guard Readiness Center expansion.
Story by Tech Sgt. Mike Smith
1 images
America Supports You: Group Builds Custom Home ...
(11.20.2007) A former Army sergeant and his family this month are settling into a brand new house in New Burn, N.C., custom-built to insure his war injuries will not keep him from independent living.
Story by Toni Maltagliati
Courthouse Opens in Salman Pak
(11.20.2007) In an important step forward, the people of Salman Pak opened a court house in their community, Nov. 17.
Story by Spc. Ben Hutto
4 images
Face of Defense: Iraq Deployment Is All in the ...
(11.20.2007) Nearly every time Army Chief Warrant Officer Michael Pruitt flies his Apache in Iraq, his brother, Army Capt. Joseph Pruitt, knows exactly what's happening to him, good or bad.
1 images
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
4-2 Stryker Brigade Expands Into All of Diyala ...
(11.20.2007) The 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division from Fort Lewis, Wash., is in the process of expanding its area of responsibility to include all of Diyala province, Iraq.
Story by Staff Sgt. Russell Bassett
Soldiers Help Further Iraqi Education
(11.20.2007) A Soldier’s primary mission in Iraq is to combat the terrorist threat, but there is a second mission that often goes untold.
Story by Pfc. Gaelen Lowers
3 images
FRV Means Service Members Get More $$$ for Dama...
(11.20.2007) Effective in fall 2007, service members and Department of Defense civilians will be eligible for Full Replacement Value protection on most DoD funded personal property shipments.
Story by Spc. Giancarlo Casem
Colin Powell Visits Service Members in Kuwait
(11.20.2007) Retired Gen. Colin L. Powell, the 65th United States Secretary of State, made a surprise visit to service members stationed in Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, Sunday.
Airpower Summary for November 19
(11.20.2007) Coalition airpower integrated with Coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan in the following operations, Nov. 19, according to Combined Air and Space Operati...
Frontier of Freedom
(11.20.2007) The scenery seems plucked from a Western movie. Dust swirls in the air and cattle are herded on the edge of the one road through town. The landscape is mostly barren and the law, like traces of modern civilizatio...
Story by Sgt. Kevin Stabinsky
1 images
Air Guard Breaks Ground for Expanded Readiness ...
(11.20.2007) Officials broke ground, Nov. 19, on a $52 million Air National Guard Readiness Center expansion.
Story by Tech Sgt. Mike Smith
1 images
America Supports You: Group Builds Custom Home ...
(11.20.2007) A former Army sergeant and his family this month are settling into a brand new house in New Burn, N.C., custom-built to insure his war injuries will not keep him from independent living.
Story by Toni Maltagliati
Courthouse Opens in Salman Pak
(11.20.2007) In an important step forward, the people of Salman Pak opened a court house in their community, Nov. 17.
Story by Spc. Ben Hutto
4 images
Face of Defense: Iraq Deployment Is All in the ...
(11.20.2007) Nearly every time Army Chief Warrant Officer Michael Pruitt flies his Apache in Iraq, his brother, Army Capt. Joseph Pruitt, knows exactly what's happening to him, good or bad.
1 images
419 Afghan National Army Soldiers Complete Thei...
(11.20.2007) Duty, honor, and service are principles familiar to military personnel across the world as demonstrated, Nov. 10, by more than 400 Afghan national army basic training graduates who are ready to put training into ...
Story by Capt. Vanessa Bowman
Corps of Engineers Continues Road Projects in I...
(11.20.2007) The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is overseeing a number of road improvement projects in Iraq, including a one-mile stretch on Victory Base Complex. And while that particular project may be "inside the wire," it i...
Courtesy Story
1 images
1-15 Inf. Regt. Soldier Re-enlists After Stop-loss
(11.20.2007) A 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Soldier re-enlisted Nov. 15 at Combat Outpost Cleary, after being deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom V on stop-loss status.
Story by Sgt. Natalie Rostek
2 images
U.S. Must Look Beyond Current Conflicts, Chairm...
(11.20.2007) The United States military must look beyond the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan and press forward with a view of shaping the strategic environment, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said at the ...
Story by Jim Garamone
(11.20.2007) The 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division from Fort Lewis, Wash., is in the process of expanding its area of responsibility to include all of Diyala province, Iraq.
Story by Staff Sgt. Russell Bassett
Soldiers Help Further Iraqi Education
(11.20.2007) A Soldier’s primary mission in Iraq is to combat the terrorist threat, but there is a second mission that often goes untold.
Story by Pfc. Gaelen Lowers
3 images
FRV Means Service Members Get More $$$ for Dama...
(11.20.2007) Effective in fall 2007, service members and Department of Defense civilians will be eligible for Full Replacement Value protection on most DoD funded personal property shipments.
Story by Spc. Giancarlo Casem
Colin Powell Visits Service Members in Kuwait
(11.20.2007) Retired Gen. Colin L. Powell, the 65th United States Secretary of State, made a surprise visit to service members stationed in Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, Sunday.
Airpower Summary for November 19
(11.20.2007) Coalition airpower integrated with Coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan in the following operations, Nov. 19, according to Combined Air and Space Operati...
Frontier of Freedom
(11.20.2007) The scenery seems plucked from a Western movie. Dust swirls in the air and cattle are herded on the edge of the one road through town. The landscape is mostly barren and the law, like traces of modern civilizatio...
Story by Sgt. Kevin Stabinsky
1 images
Air Guard Breaks Ground for Expanded Readiness ...
(11.20.2007) Officials broke ground, Nov. 19, on a $52 million Air National Guard Readiness Center expansion.
Story by Tech Sgt. Mike Smith
1 images
America Supports You: Group Builds Custom Home ...
(11.20.2007) A former Army sergeant and his family this month are settling into a brand new house in New Burn, N.C., custom-built to insure his war injuries will not keep him from independent living.
Story by Toni Maltagliati
Courthouse Opens in Salman Pak
(11.20.2007) In an important step forward, the people of Salman Pak opened a court house in their community, Nov. 17.
Story by Spc. Ben Hutto
4 images
Face of Defense: Iraq Deployment Is All in the ...
(11.20.2007) Nearly every time Army Chief Warrant Officer Michael Pruitt flies his Apache in Iraq, his brother, Army Capt. Joseph Pruitt, knows exactly what's happening to him, good or bad.
1 images
419 Afghan National Army Soldiers Complete Thei...
(11.20.2007) Duty, honor, and service are principles familiar to military personnel across the world as demonstrated, Nov. 10, by more than 400 Afghan national army basic training graduates who are ready to put training into ...
Story by Capt. Vanessa Bowman
Corps of Engineers Continues Road Projects in I...
(11.20.2007) The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is overseeing a number of road improvement projects in Iraq, including a one-mile stretch on Victory Base Complex. And while that particular project may be "inside the wire," it i...
Courtesy Story
1 images
1-15 Inf. Regt. Soldier Re-enlists After Stop-loss
(11.20.2007) A 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Soldier re-enlisted Nov. 15 at Combat Outpost Cleary, after being deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom V on stop-loss status.
Story by Sgt. Natalie Rostek
2 images
U.S. Must Look Beyond Current Conflicts, Chairm...
(11.20.2007) The United States military must look beyond the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan and press forward with a view of shaping the strategic environment, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said at the ...
Story by Jim Garamone
Monday, November 19, 2007
Two Caches Found, Destroyed
(11.19.2007) Two weapons caches were found in Arab Jabour, Nov. 18, one by Concerned Local Citizens.
Story by Sgt. Kevin Stabinsky
Reconstruction Team Assesses Salang Situation
(11.19.2007) Members of the Bagram Provincial Reconstruction Team visited Salang District, Nov. 12, to assess construction of the area's latest district center.
Story by Senior Airman Dilia DeGrego
3 images
Soldier Gains Life Experience Through Army
(11.19.2007) A Soldier from the 615th Aviation Support “Cold Steel” Battalion had a ton of love for the Soldiers of the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade.
Story by Sgt. 1st Class Rick Emert
Styker Brigade Shows Appreciation for Dragon Fires
(11.19.2007) As people in the U.S. prepare to give thanks during Thanksgiving Day celebrations later this month, senior leaders from the 4th Stryker “Raider” Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, showed their appreciati...
Story by Staff Sgt. Jon Cupp
3 images
Re-establishing Normalcy: Furniture Factory Fil...
(11.19.2007) The State Company for Furniture Industry-Baghdad, located near Taji, Iraq, filled its first furniture order in almost two years.
Story by Spc. Shejal Pulivarti
2 images
101st Airborne’s Strike Brigade Sends Dagger Br...
(11.19.2007) The 2nd “Dagger” Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, out of Schweinfurt, Germany, handed over responsibility of northwest Baghdad to the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), fro...
Story by Sgt. James Hunter
4 images
Why I Serve: Supply Soldier Molded by Three Ira...
(11.19.2007) It would be easy for one 1st Air Cavalry Brigade Soldier to forget what it is like to live in the states.
Story by Sgt. 1st Class Rick Emert
1 images
Iraqi Judges Receive Laptops, Training
(11.19.2007) Thirty-six judges received laptops equipped with an Iraqi law database and a training program containing Iraqi police procedural information, Nov. 14-15, at Forward Operating Base Delta.
2 images
Iraqi Forces, Local Citizens Help to Reduce Vio...
(11.19.2007) A robust partnership between coalition troops and Iraqi security forces and support from the Iraqi people is showing success in bringing down violence in Iraq's Multi-National Division-North sector, the troop com...
Story by Donna Miles
IED Networks Adapt to Target Foot Patrols; Half...
(11.19.2007) U.S. troops uncovered and destroyed a cache of seven pressure plates, Nov. 16 and Nov. 17, in the area of Mahdiryia. The plates are used to detonate a form of improvised explosive device that is specifically targ...
Story by Sgt. Jason Stadel
3 images
Forces Detain 27 Suspects While Targeting Al-Qa...
(11.19.2007) Coalition forces detained 27 suspects yesterday during operations targeting al-Qaida networks in central and northern Iraq.
Air Force Special Agents Partner With Afghan Na...
(11.19.2007) Special agents assigned to the Air Force Office of Special Investigations Expeditionary Detachment 2405 regularly work together with Afghan national police on a broad range of missions related to humanitarian ass...
Story by Staff Sgt. Mike Andriacco
1 images
Hope Award Recognizes Selfless Service to Servi...
(11.19.2007) The Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard each honored one of their own at a Pentagon ceremony today with an award named for actor-comedian Bob Hope.
Story by Jim Garamone
Coalition, Iraqi Troops Have 'Momentum,' Offici...
(11.19.2007) Terrorist-committed violence in Iraq has plummeted since the start of the surge of forces, a senior U.S. officer reported yesterday from Baghdad.
Story by Gerry Gilmore
Bush Counts Troops Among America's Blessings Th...
(11.19.2007) President Bush issued his Thanksgiving greeting today, counting members of the U.S. military among the many blessings Americans have to be thankful for.
Story by Donna Miles
(11.19.2007) Two weapons caches were found in Arab Jabour, Nov. 18, one by Concerned Local Citizens.
Story by Sgt. Kevin Stabinsky
Reconstruction Team Assesses Salang Situation
(11.19.2007) Members of the Bagram Provincial Reconstruction Team visited Salang District, Nov. 12, to assess construction of the area's latest district center.
Story by Senior Airman Dilia DeGrego
3 images
Soldier Gains Life Experience Through Army
(11.19.2007) A Soldier from the 615th Aviation Support “Cold Steel” Battalion had a ton of love for the Soldiers of the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade.
Story by Sgt. 1st Class Rick Emert
Styker Brigade Shows Appreciation for Dragon Fires
(11.19.2007) As people in the U.S. prepare to give thanks during Thanksgiving Day celebrations later this month, senior leaders from the 4th Stryker “Raider” Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, showed their appreciati...
Story by Staff Sgt. Jon Cupp
3 images
Re-establishing Normalcy: Furniture Factory Fil...
(11.19.2007) The State Company for Furniture Industry-Baghdad, located near Taji, Iraq, filled its first furniture order in almost two years.
Story by Spc. Shejal Pulivarti
2 images
101st Airborne’s Strike Brigade Sends Dagger Br...
(11.19.2007) The 2nd “Dagger” Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, out of Schweinfurt, Germany, handed over responsibility of northwest Baghdad to the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), fro...
Story by Sgt. James Hunter
4 images
Why I Serve: Supply Soldier Molded by Three Ira...
(11.19.2007) It would be easy for one 1st Air Cavalry Brigade Soldier to forget what it is like to live in the states.
Story by Sgt. 1st Class Rick Emert
1 images
Iraqi Judges Receive Laptops, Training
(11.19.2007) Thirty-six judges received laptops equipped with an Iraqi law database and a training program containing Iraqi police procedural information, Nov. 14-15, at Forward Operating Base Delta.
2 images
Iraqi Forces, Local Citizens Help to Reduce Vio...
(11.19.2007) A robust partnership between coalition troops and Iraqi security forces and support from the Iraqi people is showing success in bringing down violence in Iraq's Multi-National Division-North sector, the troop com...
Story by Donna Miles
IED Networks Adapt to Target Foot Patrols; Half...
(11.19.2007) U.S. troops uncovered and destroyed a cache of seven pressure plates, Nov. 16 and Nov. 17, in the area of Mahdiryia. The plates are used to detonate a form of improvised explosive device that is specifically targ...
Story by Sgt. Jason Stadel
3 images
Forces Detain 27 Suspects While Targeting Al-Qa...
(11.19.2007) Coalition forces detained 27 suspects yesterday during operations targeting al-Qaida networks in central and northern Iraq.
Air Force Special Agents Partner With Afghan Na...
(11.19.2007) Special agents assigned to the Air Force Office of Special Investigations Expeditionary Detachment 2405 regularly work together with Afghan national police on a broad range of missions related to humanitarian ass...
Story by Staff Sgt. Mike Andriacco
1 images
Hope Award Recognizes Selfless Service to Servi...
(11.19.2007) The Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard each honored one of their own at a Pentagon ceremony today with an award named for actor-comedian Bob Hope.
Story by Jim Garamone
Coalition, Iraqi Troops Have 'Momentum,' Offici...
(11.19.2007) Terrorist-committed violence in Iraq has plummeted since the start of the surge of forces, a senior U.S. officer reported yesterday from Baghdad.
Story by Gerry Gilmore
Bush Counts Troops Among America's Blessings Th...
(11.19.2007) President Bush issued his Thanksgiving greeting today, counting members of the U.S. military among the many blessings Americans have to be thankful for.
Story by Donna Miles