Balad F-16s destroy terrorist training camp

Cross-posted @ Rosemary's Thoughts.

27 July 07
by Maj. Robert Couse-Baker
332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs.

BALAD AIR BASE, Iraq (AFPN) -- F-16 Fighting Falcons from the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing here destroyed an al-Qaida training camp southwest of Baghdad July 21.

In a coordinated attack, joint air terminal controllers on the ground cleared seven F-16s to drop 500-pound and 1,000-pound guided bombs on the terror complex near Karbala.

The precision-guided weapons destroyed the target, degrading al-Qaida's ability to mount attacks on the Iraqi government, coalition forces and innocent civilians.

The destruction of the terrorist facility is part of aggressive and comprehensive operations to hunt down, capture or kill terrorists trying to prevent a peaceful and stable Iraq, said Col. Charles Moore, the 332nd Expeditionary Operations Group commander. "Our Airmen and other coalition forces are helping Iraq achieve a stable government and ultimately, helping the United States and our allies to defeat terrorism," he said.

A large part of the 332nd AEW's combat effectiveness stems from the Air Force's culture of excellence. "We train day-to-day to make sure when we are called upon to deliver, we do it with precision and professionalism," said Capt. Kevin Hicok, a pilot with the 13th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, deployed here from Misawa Air Base, Japan. "Deliberate coordination and careful planning goes into every weapons drop," Captain Hicok said, "to ensure that we have a positive ID on the target and that everyone is on the same page."

The recent increase in air operations is part of the coalition's increasing pressure on violent extremists, primarily in Baghdad and nearby areas. In a separate air strike north of Baghdad July 22, another F-16 from Balad AB dropped a precision-guided weapon on a terrorist weapons cache in a rural area, destroying it and detonating the explosives stored inside.

"I could not be prouder of the way our Airmen performed on Saturday," Colonel Moore said. "The events of this past weekend once again demonstrate the Air Force's ability to deliver decisive combat airpower any place and at any time."

Photo - An F-16 Fighting Falcon takes off for a combat mission in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom July 22 at Balad Air Base, Iraq. The two F-16s are deployed from the Oklahoma Air National Guard's 138th Fighter Wing at the Tulsa International Airport. F-16s from the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing destroyed an al-Qaida training camp southwest of Baghdad July 21. Photo Senior Airman Olufemi A. Owolabi.

Iraq's Prime Minister Visits Diyala for First Time

Cross-posted at Rosemary's Thoughts.

27 July 07
By Multi-National Division-North Public Affairs Office.

BAQUBAH, Iraq - Iraq’s prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, met with the governor of Diyala, provincial leadership, key tribal leaders, Diyala’s Iraqi security force leadership and senior coalition officers during a meeting at the Baqubah Government Center, July 26.

“The prime minister’s visit is vital, not only for the government and security officials, but for the people of Diyala to see that their effort in achieving peace and fighting against terrorist groups does not go unnoticed,” said Col. David W. Sutherland, commander of coalition forces in Diyala province.

The visit, which focused on current operations in the province as well as provincial-level government issues, was Maliki’s first trip to Diyala province since taking office.

“This is a great day for Diyala province because the prime minister is among us,” said Ra’ad Hameed Al-Mula Jowad Al-Tamimi, governor of Diyala.

“We are here to thank all the excellent efforts by you (the government and security officials), and we also came to thank the people of Diyala,” Maliki said in his opening remarks. “We can say that the suffering of Diyala people is ending, and we in the central government appreciate all your efforts.”

During the meeting, Maliki addressed the peoples’ ability to rise above terrorism, assuring those present that the central government will continue to work closely with the provincial government and is committed to the people of Diyala.

“This province suffered a lot from the outlaws,” Maliki said. “They wanted it to be a huge graveyard, but we wanted something else for Diyala – and we succeeded when the Iraqi army, Iraqi police, tribes and all other people found out what the terrorists are really made of. “We are fighting against the terrorists and we will prevail,” Maliki added, before discussing the importance of tribal reconciliation.

“Iraq is not only for some people, it’s for everyone,” Maliki said. “We cannot ignore our nation and we have to be united in our efforts to build Iraq.”

“The tribes have to support the government in its war against the terrorists – they play a big role,” the governor added.

“Iraq, with all its (rich resources) and people, can eliminate all kind of threats,” Maliki continued. “We will all work together for the prosperity of this country and we will not let anyone interfere with our affairs or with the political process.”

“The ultimate success of Diyala lies in the hands of the people,” Sutherland said. “Today’s meeting continued to prove that the governments, both central and provincial, care greatly for the peoples’ safety, security and well-being. “The will of the government drives the hope of the people,” Sutherland continued, “and I hope today’s visit, along with recent operations throughout Diyala, continue to restore that hope – a hope that the terrorists tried to destroy, but couldn’t.”

Photo - Iraq's prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, left, walks with Staff Maj. Gen. Abdul Kareem, commander of Iraqi security forces in Diyala province, after arriving at the Baqubah Government Center for his first visit to the province since taking office, July 26, 2007. Photo by Sgt. Serena Hayden.

President Bush Discusses War on Terror in South Carolina

Cross-posted at Rosemary's Thoughts. This is a reprint from the White House.

Charleston Air Force Base
Charleston, South Carolina

• Fact Sheet: Al Qaeda in Iraq.
• In Focus: National Security.
• Video (Windows).
• Audio.
• Photos.

11:50 A.M. EDT.

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all. Please be seated. Thank you, Colonel. Thanks for the hospitality and kind introduction. I'm proud to be with the men and women of the Air Force, the Navy, the Marines, the Army and the Coast Guard. Thanks for serving. Thanks for wearing the uniform of the United States of America.

I'm proud to be back here in the great state of South Carolina. I'm proud to be with some of the Palmetto State's finest citizens. I'm glad to be eating lunch with you. The food is pretty good, Colonel. (Laughter.) I always like a good barbecue.

I also am proud to be with the military families. You know, our troops are obviously engaged in a tough struggle, tough fight, a fight that I think is noble and necessary for our peace. And so are our families. Our military families endure the separations. They worry about their loved ones. They pray for safe return. By carrying out these burdens, our military families are serving the United States of America, and this country is grateful to America's military families. (Applause.)

I appreciate Colonel Millander leading the 437th Airlift Wing here at the Charleston Airbase. Thank you for the tour. Nice big airplanes carrying a lot of cargo. And it's good to see the amazing operations that take place here to keep our troops supplied.

I'm honored here to be with Deb, as well. That's Red's wife. I call him Red; you call him Colonel. He did a smart thing; he married a woman from Texas. (Applause.) So did I. (Laughter.) And Laura sends her very best to you all.

I'm proud to be here with Mark Bauknight -- Colonel Bauknight -- Acting Commander of they're 315th Airlift Wing, and his wife Leslie.

I am traveling today with one of the true stalwarts of freedom, a man who understands the stakes of the war we're in, and a man who strongly supports the military in accomplishing the mission that we've sent you to do, and that's Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina. (Applause.)

This base is represented by Congressman Henry Brown, of South Carolina. (Applause.) He understands what I understand; when we have somebody in harm's way, that person deserves the full support of the Congress and the President. And you'll have the full support of the President of the United States during this war against these radicals and extremists.

I appreciate the Lieutenant Governor of this state, Andre Bauer. Thanks for coming, Governor. I'm proud to be here with the Speaker of the House of Representatives for South Carolina, State Representative Bobby Harrell. Mr. Speaker, thanks for coming.

We've got some mayors with us, and I appreciate the mayors being here today: Mayor Riley, Mayor Hallman, Mayor Summey. I'm honored that you all would take time out of your busy schedule to come by and pay tribute to these men and women who serve our nation so ably.

I'm proud to be with Chairman Tim Scott of the Charleston County Council. I'm proud to be with other state and local officials. And I'm really glad to be with you all. Thank you for your courage.

Since the attacks of September the 11th, 2001, the Airmen of Team Charleston have deployed across the globe in support in the war on terror. During the liberation of Afghanistan, air crews from Team Charleston flew hundreds of sorties to transport troops and deliver supplies, and help the liberation of 25 million people.

Team Charleston is playing a crucial role in Iraq. Every day C-17s lift off from Charleston carrying tons of vital supplies for our troops on the front lines. Your efforts are saving lives and you're bringing security to this country. Every member of Team Charleston can take pride in a great record of accomplishment. And America is grateful for your courage in the cause of freedom. And your courage is needed.

Nearly six years after the 9/11 attacks, America remains a nation at war. The terrorist network that attacked us that day is determined to strike our country again, and we must do everything in our power to stop them. A key lesson of September the 11th is that the best way to protect America is to go on the offense, to fight the terrorists overseas so we don't have to face them here at home. And that is exactly what our men and women in uniform are doing across the world.

The key theater in this global war is Iraq. Our troops are serving bravely in that country. They're opposing ruthless enemies, and no enemy is more ruthless in Iraq than al Qaeda. They send suicide bombers into crowded markets; they behead innocent captives and they murder American troops. They want to bring down Iraq's democracy so they can use that nation as a terrorist safe haven for attacks against our country. So our troops are standing strong with nearly 12 million Iraqis who voted for a future of peace, and they so for the security of Iraq and the safety of American citizens.

There's a debate in Washington about Iraq, and nothing wrong with a healthy debate. There's also a debate about al Qaeda's role in Iraq. Some say that Iraq is not part of the broader war on terror. They complain when I say that the al Qaeda terrorists we face in Iraq are part of the same enemy that attacked us on September the 11th, 2001. They claim that the organization called al Qaeda in Iraq is an Iraqi phenomenon, that it's independent of Osama bin Laden and that it's not interested in attacking America.

That would be news to Osama bin Laden. He's proclaimed that the "third world war is raging in Iraq." Osama bin Laden says, "The war is for you or for us to win. If we win it, it means your defeat and disgrace forever." I say that there will be a big defeat in Iraq and it will be the defeat of al Qaeda. (Applause.)

Today I will consider the arguments of those who say that al Qaeda and al Qaeda in Iraq are separate entities. I will explain why they are both part of the same terrorist network -- and why they are dangerous to our country.

A good place to start is with some basic facts: Al Qaeda in Iraq was founded by a Jordanian terrorist, not an Iraqi. His name was Abu Musab al Zarqawi. Before 9/11, he ran a terrorist camp in Afghanistan. He was not yet a member of al Qaida, but our intelligence community reports that he had longstanding relations with senior al Qaida leaders, that he had met with Osama bin Laden and his chief deputy, Zawahiri.

In 2001, coalition forces destroyed Zarqawi's Afghan training camp, and he fled the country and he went to Iraq, where he set up operations with terrorist associates long before the arrival of coalition forces. In the violence and instability following Saddam's fall, Zarqawi was able to expand dramatically the size, scope, and lethality of his operation. In 2004, Zarqawi and his terrorist group formally joined al Qaida, pledged allegiance to Osama bin Laden, and he promised to "follow his orders in jihad."

Soon after, bin Laden publicly declared that Zarqawi was the "Prince of Al Qaida in Iraq" -- and instructed terrorists in Iraq to "listen to him and obey him." It's hard to argue that al Qaida in Iraq is separate from bin Laden's al Qaida, when the leader of al Qaida in Iraq took an oath of allegiance to Osama bin Laden.

According to our intelligence community, the Zarqawi-bin Laden merger gave al Qaida in Iraq -- quote -- "prestige among potential recruits and financiers." The merger also gave al Qaida's senior leadership -- quote -- "a foothold in Iraq to extend its geographic presence ... to plot external operations ... and to tout the centrality of the jihad in Iraq to solicit direct monetary support elsewhere." The merger between al Qaida and its Iraqi affiliate is an alliance of killers -- and that is why the finest military in the world is on their trail.

Zarqawi was killed by U.S. forces in June 2006. He was replaced by another foreigner -- an Egyptian named Abu Ayyub al-Masri. His ties to the al Qaida senior leadership are deep and longstanding. He has collaborated with Zawahiri for more than two decades. And before 9/11, he spent time with al Qaida in Afghanistan where he taught classes indoctrinating others in al Qaida's radical ideology.

After Abu Ayyub took over al Qaida's Iraqi operations last year, Osama bin Laden sent a terrorist leader named Abd al-Hadi al Iraqi to help him. According to our intelligence community, this man was a senior advisor to bin Laden, who served as his top commander in Afghanistan. Abd al-Hadi never made it to Iraq. He was captured, and was recently transferred to the U.S. Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay. The fact that bin Laden risked sending one of his most valued commanders to Iraq shows the importance he places on success of al Qaida's Iraqi operations.

According to our intelligence community, many of al Qaida in Iraq's other senior leaders are also foreign terrorists. They include a Syrian who is al Qaida in Iraq's emir in Baghdad, a Saudi who is al Qaida in Iraq's top spiritual and legal advisor, an Egyptian who fought in Afghanistan in the 1990s and who has met with Osama bin Laden, a Tunisian who we believe plays a key role in managing foreign fighters. Last month in Iraq, we killed a senior al Qaida facilitator named Mehmet Yilmaz, a Turkish national who fought with al Qaida in Afghanistan, and met with September the 11th mastermind Khalid Shaikh Muhammad, and other senior al Qaida leaders.

A few weeks ago, we captured a senior al Qaida in Iraq leader named Mashadani. Now, this terrorist is an Iraqi. In fact, he was the highest ranking Iraqi in the organization. Here's what he said, here's what he told us: The foreign leaders of Al Qaida in Iraq went to extraordinary lengths to promote the fiction that al Qaida in Iraq is an Iraqi-led operation. He says al Qaida even created a figurehead whom they named Omar al-Baghdadi. The purpose was to make Iraqi fighters believe they were following the orders of an Iraqi instead of a foreigner. Yet once in custody, Mashadani revealed that al-Baghdadi is only an actor. He confirmed our intelligence that foreigners are at the top echelons of al Qaida in Iraq -- they are the leaders -- and that foreign leaders make most of the operational decisions, not Iraqis.

Foreign terrorists also account for most of the suicide bombings in Iraq. Our military estimates that between 80 and 90 percent of suicide attacks in Iraq are carried out by foreign-born al Qaida terrorists. It's true that today most of al Qaida in Iraq's rank and file fighters and some of its leadership are Iraqi. But to focus exclusively on this single fact is to ignore the larger truth: Al Qaida in Iraq is a group founded by foreign terrorists, led largely by foreign terrorists, and loyal to a foreign terrorist leader -- Osama bin Laden. They know they're al Qaida. The Iraqi people know they are al Qaida. People across the Muslim world know they are al Qaida. And there's a good reason they are called al Qaida in Iraq: They are al Qaida ... in ... Iraq.

Some also assert that al Qaida in Iraq is a separate organization because al Qaida's central command lacks full operational control over it. This argument reveals a lack of understanding. Here is how al Qaida's global terrorist network actually operates. Al Qaida and its affiliate organizations are a loose network of terrorist groups that are united by a common ideology and shared objectives, and have differing levels of collaboration with the al Qaida senior leadership. In some cases, these groups have formally merged into al Qaida and take what is called a "bayaat" -- a pledge of loyalty to Osama bin Laden. In other cases, organizations are not formally merged with al Qaida, but collaborate closely with al Qaida leaders to plot attacks and advance their shared ideology. In still other cases, there are small cells of terrorists that are not part of al Qaida or any other broader terrorist group, but maintain contact with al Qaida leaders and are inspired by its ideology to conduct attacks.

Our intelligence community assesses that al Qaida in Iraq falls into the first of these categories. They are a full member of the al Qaida terrorist network. The al Qaida leadership provides strategic guidance to their Iraqi operatives. Even so, there have been disagreements -- important disagreements -- between the leaders, Osama bin Laden and their Iraqi counterparts, including Zawahiri's criticism of Zarqawi's relentless attacks on the Shia. But our intelligence community reports that al Qaida's senior leaders generally defer to their Iraqi-based commanders when it comes to internal operations, because distance and security concerns preclude day-to-day command authority.

Our intelligence community concludes that -- quote -- "Al Qaida and its regional node in Iraq are united in their overarching strategy." And they say that al Qaida senior leaders and their operatives in Iraq -- quote -- "see al Qaida in Iraq as part of al Qaida's decentralized chain of command, not as a separate group."

Here's the bottom line: Al Qaida in Iraq is run by foreign leaders loyal to Osama bin Laden. Like bin Laden, they are cold-blooded killers who murder the innocent to achieve al Qaida's political objectives. Yet despite all the evidence, some will tell you that al Qaida in Iraq is not really al Qaida -- and not really a threat to America. Well, that's like watching a man walk into a bank with a mask and a gun, and saying he's probably just there to cash a check.

You might wonder why some in Washington insist on making this distinction about the enemy in Iraq. It's because they know that if they can convince America we're not fighting bin Laden's al Qaida there, they can paint the battle in Iraq as a distraction from the real war on terror. If we're not fighting bin Laden's al Qaida, they can argue that our nation can pull out of Iraq and not undermine our efforts in the war on terror. The problem they have is with the facts. We are fighting bin Laden's al Qaida in Iraq; Iraq is central to the war on terror; and against this enemy, America can accept nothing less than complete victory. (Applause.)

There are others who accept that al Qaida is operating in Iraq, but say its role is overstated. Al Qaida is one of the several Sunni jihadist groups in Iraq. But our intelligence community believes that al Qaida is the most dangerous of these Sunni jihadist groups for several reasons: First, more than any other group, al Qaida is behind most of the spectacular, high-casualty attacks that you see on your TV screens.

Second, these al Qaida attacks are designed to accelerate sectarian violence, by attacking Shia in hopes of sparking reprisal attacks that inspire Sunnis to join al Qaida's cause.

Third, al Qaida is the only jihadist group in Iraq with stated ambitions to make the country a base for attacks outside Iraq. For example, al Qaida in Iraq dispatched terrorists who bombed a wedding reception in Jordan. In another case, they sent operatives to Jordan where they attempted to launch a rocket attack on U.S. Navy ships in the Red Sea.

And most important for the people who wonder if the fight in Iraq is worth it, al Qaida in Iraq shares Osama bin Laden's goal of making Iraq a base for its radical Islamic empire, and using it as a safe haven for attacks on America. That is why our intelligence community reports -- and I quote -- "compared with [other leading Sunni jihadist groups], al Qaida in Iraq stands out for its extremism, unmatched operational strength, foreign leadership, and determination to take the jihad beyond Iraq's borders."

Our top commander in Iraq, General David Petraeus, has said that al Qaida is "public enemy number one" in Iraq. Fellow citizens, these people have sworn allegiance to the man who ordered the death of nearly 3,000 people on our soil. Al Qaida is public enemy number one for the Iraqi people; al Qaida is public enemy number one for the American people. And that is why, for the security of our country, we will stay on the hunt, we'll deny them safe haven, and we will defeat them where they have made their stand. (Applause.)

Some note that al Qaida in Iraq did not exist until the U.S. invasion -- and argue that it is a problem of our own making. The argument follows the flawed logic that terrorism is caused by American actions. Iraq is not the reason that the terrorists are at war with us. We were not in Iraq when the terrorists bombed the World Trade Center in 1993. We were not in Iraq when they attacked our embassies in Kenya and Tanzania. We were not in Iraq when they attacked the USS Cole in 2000. And we were not in Iraq on September the 11th, 2001.

Our action to remove Saddam Hussein did not start the terrorist violence -- and America withdrawal from Iraq would not end it. The al Qaida terrorists now blowing themselves up in Iraq are dedicated extremists who have made killing the innocent the calling of their lives. They are part of a network that has murdered men, women, and children in London and Madrid; slaughtered fellow Muslims in Istanbul and Casablanca, Riyadh, Jakarta, and elsewhere around the world. If we were not fighting these al Qaida extremists and terrorists in Iraq, they would not be leading productive lives of service and charity. Most would be trying to kill Americans and other civilians elsewhere -- in Afghanistan, or other foreign capitals, or on the streets of our own cities.

Al Qaida is in Iraq -- and they're there for a reason. And surrendering the future of Iraq to al Qaida would be a disaster for our country. We know their intentions. Hear the words of al Qaida's top commander in Iraq when he issued an audio statement in which he said he will not rest until he has attacked our nation's capital. If we were to cede Iraq to men like this, we would leave them free to operate from a safe haven which they could use to launch new attacks on our country. And al Qaida would gain prestige amongst the extremists across the Muslim world as the terrorist network that faced down America and forced us into retreat.

If we were to allow this to happen, sectarian violence in Iraq could increase dramatically, raising the prospect of mass casualties. Fighting could engulf the entire region in chaos, and we would soon face a Middle East dominated by Islamic extremists who would pursue nuclear weapons, and use their control of oil for economic blackmail or to fund new attacks on our nation.

We've already seen how al Qaida used a failed state thousands of miles from our shores to bring death and destruction to the streets of our cities -- and we must not allow them to do so again. So, however difficult the fight is in Iraq, we must win it. And we can win it.

Less than a year ago, Anbar Province was al Qaida's base in Iraq and was written off by many as lost. Since then, U.S. and Iraqi forces have teamed with Sunni sheiks who have turned against al Qaida. Hundreds have been killed or captured. Terrorists have been driven from most of the population centers. Our troops are now working to replicate the success in Anbar in other parts of the country. Our brave men and women are taking risks, and they're showing courage, and we're making progress.

For the security of our citizens, and the peace of the world, we must give General Petraeus and his troops the time and resources they need, so they can defeat al Qaida in Iraq. (Applause.)

Thanks for letting me come by today. I've explained the connection between al Qaida and its Iraqi affiliate. I presented intelligence that clearly establishes this connection. The facts are that al Qaida terrorists killed Americans on 9/11, they're fighting us in Iraq and across the world, and they are plotting to kill Americans here at home again. Those who justify withdrawing our troops from Iraq by denying the threat of al Qaida in Iraq and its ties to Osama bin Laden ignore the clear consequences of such a retreat. If we were to follow their advice, it would be dangerous for the world -- and disastrous for America. We will defeat al Qaida in Iraq.

In this effort, we're counting on the brave men and women represented in this room. Every man and woman who serves at this base and around the world is playing a vital role in this war on terror. With your selfless spirit and devotion to duty, we will confront this mortal threat to our country -- and we're going to prevail.

I have confidence in our country, and I have faith in our cause, because I know the character of the men and women gathered before me. I thank you for your patriotism; I thank you for your courage. You're living up to your motto: "one family, one mission, one fight." Thank you for all you do. God bless your families. God bless America. (Applause.)

There are 5 Americans being held hostage in Iran

Cross-posted at Rosemary's Thoughts.

Here we go again. Let's see what this cowboy is going to do. Will he turn out to be another Jimmy Carter to our shame, or will he do the responsible thing and get our citizens back? Only time will tell. It has already been since May.

I do not want to hear anything more about talking to these maniacs. I am ready to go in for our own. Call me whatever you like, I have been holding back from war for a very long time. If we do nothing but talk now, in the eyes of the Middle East, we have lost all credibility. Would you please remind the Left that this is not good for what they call, "Relationships" in the world!

Frankly, I don't give a hoot what the rest of the world thinks except in one sense: Fear us. As long as they fear us, they will not attack us. These are just the simple facts of war. Do you want to stop wars? Make your enemy afraid. It is just that simple.

The three people who the IRG have captured and thrown into jail are Dr. Haleh Esfandiari, director of the Middle East Program at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Kian Tajbakhsh who is a respected Urban Planner and sociologist working for the Open Society Institute, Ali Shakeri, a peace activist, Parnaz Azima, a correspondent working for Radio Farda, the joint Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty–Voice of America Persian-language radio broadcast to Iran, and Robert Levinson who disappeared in early March during a visit to Iran's Kish Island and is believed to be held by the Iranian authorities. Levinson, a retired FBI agent, reportedly had traveled to Iran to investigate a matter on behalf of a private client.

The charges are as follows:

While on the way to airport after a visit with her 93 year old mother, some thugs (IRG probably) stole her passport. This 67 year old grandmother has been charged with being involved with a propaganda campaign to foment a "soft revolution" against the brutal clerical regime.

Kian Tajbakhsh has been charged with "seeking the overthrow of the Iranian government. He and Esfandiari are being held in Tehran's notorious Evin Prison, which contains many other Iranian political prisoners and dissidents."

Ali Shakeri and Parnaz Azima may be joining them soon due to trumpt-up charges. Panaz has been charged (because she works for RFE) of "an institution that spreads propaganda against the Islamic Republic." (And the Europeans still want to have more talks?)

At least Radio Free Europe did not sit on their hands. They used some very strong 'words' toward the Iranian regime. How about you, Mr. President?

The Iranians are hoping to use this former FBI Agent as a pawn to gain leverage in the release of the bastards we caught.

While some may think this is related to Bush in some way, let me make this clear. These arrests started in December of last year, and they got worse when the Iranian regime started cracking down on any dissent. Not every damn thing is George Bush' fault.

Remember. All of these people had passports which were confiscated, and most of them have dual-citizenship.

Sources: The Jawa Report, Iran's Growing List of Hostages and The Invisible Crisis: What if Iran took hostages and no one noticed? (I highly recommend all of these, especially the last two. I found them through google, but you have to add the year 2007, or you will get Jimmy Carter stuff.)

Trackback. (@ DoD Daily News-2.)

Americans, Wake Up!

Cross-posted at Rosemary's Thoughts.

It would appear that even after September 11, 2001, some people still do not understand that this is an ideologic war most of all. After all, who is doing most of the bombing of innocents and most of the blaming? I AM TALKING ABOUT THIS CENTURY. Good God.

Maybe I should let someone else speak for a moment.

How many more terror plots will we unravel before one slips through the net and is carried out again domestically? N.Y. City Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said after the announcement of the arrests on Face the Nation, “Al Qaida is a philosophy now..it’s a movement.” Well, that is a good first step away from denial. It has only taken six years to get that baby step. But it is not Al Qaeda only. I pray it will not take another 6 years for Americans to comprehend that the philosophical problem is political Islam. The President’s lack of clarity and leadership in naming the ideology of our enemy, the inconsistency of Islamism with American pluralism, and the primary responsibility of Muslims not only to counter terror but to defeat political Islam will continue to give American Islamists the cover they need to grow under his watch with the stamp of approval of the Bush administration. Until we are willing to unravel the ideology which facilitates and apologizes for terror, we are ‘stuck in the mud.’

On June 2, 2007, right after the announcement of the JFK Plot arrests, U.S. Attorney, Roslynn Mauskopf read a statement stating,

“the defendants are charged with conspiring to bomb one of the busiest airports in the United States, located in the one of the most densely populated areas in the northeast…had the plot been carried out, it could have resulted in unfathomable damage, deaths, and destruction.”

This last time the Islamists were driven by a hate for the Kennedy name, but it derives from the same hate for America which is a common manifestation of global Islamism. In the daily practice of medicine, it would be malpractice to have a disease smolder with such a predictable recurrence of acutely possibly fatal exacerbations over a prolonged period of time while a physician only treated the symptoms and ignored the primary cause—political Islam. That is, except in the case of the terminal hospice patient. An unending series of plots across the globe against liberal democracies is our long war against an ideology. That ideology is not terror. It is political Islam.

Would you believe him if he were a Christian? A Jew? How about a Hindu?

Mr. President, as a devout Muslim, I can tell you that the only way the United States can make progress in this war is to have your administration give anti-Islamist Muslims acknowledgement for the centrality of their ideas in this war of ideologies. We can defeat political Islam only if we engage it and marginalize Islamists while positively engaging spiritual Islam. It is time for the administration to set the parameters defining the ideology we are fighting and be critical of organizations which facilitate it. The words of encouragement and admonition to Muslim organizations to lead the charge against radicalism are too vague. The reality is that the priorities, ideologies, and minority politics of the current agenda of the Islamic organizations the administration has courted and which attended last Wednesday’s press conference are far from being on the right page in this conflict.

Yes, he is a Muslim who has been speaking out against these Islamists for years, but who has heard him? Who will give him the time of day? The press?

The informants and so many others have stepped up in connection with other foiled plots despite the pressures against them from Islamists and the MSM. MSM often feed into conspiracy theories about informants, by legitimizing the victimization of Muslims for being “coerced” as informants. The Denver Post made just such a claim as recently as May 18, 2007. Their report claimed that, “Arab-Americans and Muslims are concerned about FBI efforts to recruit them as informants and other tactics designed to prevent terrorism.” This story was, to no one’s surprise, picked up and widely distributed by the Islamist organizations, e.g. CAIR.

And you wonder why CAIR is prevelant with only 1700 members? America had better wake up to real and true threat that we are all facing. If you would like to read his entire article, you will find it here. You may also reach him at his site: American Islamic Forum for Democracy. If you keep up with his writings and read his site often, you may learn a lot more than what the establiment is telling you.

Before I end this post, I just want England and Scotland to know that I have not forgotten them, and they are in my prayers. I am gathering 'news' to try to determine what is really happening over there. I thank God, my Lord in Christ, that everyone is okay...this time. America, WAKE UP!

Hat tip: Thank you, Mr. Jasser.

'A Chance' says PM Olmert

Cross-posted at Rosemary's Thoughts.

I just got through with a conference with Miri Eisin, Foreign Press Spokeswoman for Israeli PM Ehud Olmert' office, and I have more question than answers, I'm sorry to say. I could not hear the questions being asked of her after her initial press conference, so it may just be a misunderstanding.

There was a meeting yesterday with President Mubarak, PM Abbas, King (or President) Abdullah from Jordan and PM Olmert in the efforts of taking an opportunity out of this madness (the civil war in the Gaza Strip) and turning it into a chance to move forward with the 2 state solution. She kept repeating that PM Olmert, she and the others were not going to allow the terrorists to define them, but that the moderates were going to take control and define themselves and their destiny.

They were going to move forward-cautiously of course-with diplomacy. It is going to be a process with a vision of peace at the end of the rainbow. What happened in Gaza was horrific, but this opens the door to opportunity and they are going to walk through it.

There are three main articles that came up. They are:

1. Abbas fired Hamas' elected officials from the government, and now Abbas is working with an emergency government.

2. There will be 250 Arab prisoners, some will be Fatah, released from Israels prisons. The criteria for their release will be that they must not have blood on their hands and they must admit that Israel is NOT the cause of the suffering for the Arabs in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. They had brought it on by themselves by their own actions, their own choices, their own doing (or lack thereof).

3. Abbas has said to the Arabic world, in Arabic (very important because they sometimes say one thing in English and another in Arabic) that he renounced the violence of Hamas, he believed in a 2 state solution living side by side with Israel in peace, and he recognizes Israel. (I'm not sure of the last one. I can hardly read my notes!)

She also talked about the atmosphere produced so the talks could move forward. She stated that it would be a good idea to widen the scope of the dialogue. They are going to meet again next month, since the new emergency government is only around 10 days old.

Then the questions started. I could not hear the questions, but I could hear the answers. Maybe that is where the confusion comes. The first answer was indeed unique. For the first time, there were no, "Yes, BUT's" in their conversation.

Then she said they would give access to the West Bank! This way they could have freedom of movement. (Do you know who else could have freedom of movement, dear?) They also recognize the emergency government as the ruling government. (How long have we been called occupiers, although the government is in Iraq is elected?) However, access and free movement are very important to human beings. (I just pray it is not a mistake.)

There shall never be a compromise with terrorists such as Hamas and others. As to the money that has been held back due to the Hamas government, that shall be released just as soon as they can both agree on a way that is best for the people's humanitarian needs. There are dozens of truckloads per day being delivered everyday, but the Left press will not write about this. (It bothers me that facts are not disclosed, no matter what the situation.) Also, they both want to make sure the money goes to the moderates and not to the terrorists.

Later in the questioning period, they declared there would not be any benchmarks, ultimatums, or the such. This is what people looking in from the outside do not understand. You cannot do such a thing, especially with a government that is only 10 days old!

At the meeting yesterday, Mubarrak said that what Hamas did was create 'a coup'. Abbas agreed, basically, because he said the same thing at a later date. Abbas also declared it was totally unacceptable. However, it is too soon to expect any elections in the West Bank.

There were questions about trust (many questions). The answer was rather usual. Trust must be built, even if it is with your enemies of old. What alternative is there? (Fight back?)

Iran was mentioned, Syria was mentioned, Russia was mentioned, and I have no answers for you. My fault. I was writing as fast as I could! I did happen to catch one comment. Israel has an economy that surpasses that of the EU! I wish I knew those numbers. Now that's something new I could really sink my teeth into.

Let us pray for Israel and her neighbors countrymen and women. (Notice I did not say governments?) Pray for peace, understanding, forgiveness and readiness.Let us also pray that Israel realizes that the more the give, the more the Arabs will consider this weakness. I know most of the Israelis have hearts of peace, and they want the war to stop. Sometimes you have to have take other paths, sometimes you don't. Let us pray this is one of those times you don't, but if it is? Let us pray they have the chutzpah! (Yes, I am an Israel supporter. You can't even sue me! Hahaha.)

H/t: Israel Project.

Iraqi, Coalition forces move forward despite attacks

21 Jun 07
by Spc. Carl N. Hudson
Combined Press Information Center.

BAGHDAD – The Fardh Al-Qanoon spokesman and a Multi-National Force-Iraq spokesman held a press conference at the Combined Press Information Center Wednesday.

Iraqi Army Brig. Gen. Qassim Atta Al-Moussawi, Fardh Al-Qanoon spokesman, and U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Mark Fox, a Multi-National Force-Iraq spokesman, discussed the progress of Fardh Al-Qanoon.

“Our military operations are still ongoing in many places in Baghdad to pursue the terrorists,” said Al-Moussawi. “Terrorist attacks will not make us stop our operations in Baghdad, and we’ll move forward with steady steps.”

Al-Moussawi addressed the progress made by the Iraqi Army in the past week.

“We’ve killed 32 terrorists, detained 170 others, freed five kidnapped (victims), defused eight improvised explosive devices and 17 car bombs, found 2,000 different kinds of weapons and seized eight tons of TNT,” said Al-Moussawi.

With the Iraqi Army in the lead, Iraqi locals continue to provide information in response to attacks made by terrorists.

Fox also explained the ongoing security efforts.

“All of the additional requested forces for the ‘surge’ are now in place and are simultaneously conducting coordinated core-level offensive operations throughout Iraq,” said Fox. “Coalition forces are strong and focused and are concentrating our effort and might against the extremists, taking the fight to where they are, going after the terrorists to deny them sanctuary and taking back neighborhoods in order to build a secure future for the Iraqi people.”

“Iraqi and Coalition forces are conducting carefully planned and executed operations, demonstrating their resolve to deny terrorists safe havens,” he said. “We’ll continue to pursue these terrorists wherever they go by attacking their networks and damaging their ability to wage horrific and calculated violence against the citizens of Iraq.”

Al-Moussawi and Fox also expressed their sympathies to the killed and injured from the al-Khalani mosque bombing in Rusafa, Iraq.

“We share the outrage of the Iraqi people against this despicable attack,” said Fox.

“We face a summer of hard fighting,” he said. “I’m confident there’s good prospects for continued progress in the months ahead and that can be matched by progress in the political and economic areas here in Iraq giving us hope for the way ahead.”

Photo - Iraqi Army Brig. Gen. Qassim Atta Al-Moussawi (right), Fardh Al-Qanoon spokesman and U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Mark Fox, a Multi National Force-Iraq spokesman, discuss the progress of Fardh Al-Qanoon at athe Combined Press Information Center in Baghdad. Photo by Spc. Emily Greene.

Artillery battalion trades steel rain for hearts and minds

20 June 2007
Story and photo by Cpl. Rick Nelson
2nd Marine Division.

HADITHAH — The counter-insurgency coalition forces are conducting in Iraq calls for numerous military units to give up their traditional roles and pick up a different weapon. This is nothing new for artillery units, who, since the Battle of Fallujah in November of 2004, have often been called upon to put away their howitzers for rifles, police batons, and claims cards. All around Iraq, artillery batteries and battalions are serving as provisional rifle, military police, and civil military units. In Hadithah, it’s no different.

At the Hadithah Civil Military Operation Center, Marines assigned to 5th Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment, an artillery battalion based out of Camp Lejeune, N.C. assist the local populace with their civil matters.

“This was a big change from our usual duties as a field artillery battalion,” said Cpl. Russell Mullis, Civil Affairs Group, Team 1, Detachment 1, 5/10. “Steel rain and hearts and minds are two entirely different missions, but we’re adapting very well.”

Until this year, CAG detachments were primarily staffed by reservists. This is the first year an artillery unit has civil affairs as their primary mission.

“We serve as a liaison between the local populace, and the coalition forces,” said Mullis. “We handle any claims and concerns from the populace, and process projects to rebuild the area.”

Civil Affairs Group, Team 1, Detachment 1, 5/10 is a part of Task Force 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment who fall under Regimental Combat Team 2. These Marines operate the CMOC, and patrol in Hadithah to conduct assessments and coordinate with local contractors.

“The Marines run two different missions, CMOC and civil affairs,” said Warrant Officer Harold Kiser, Officer-In-Charge, CAG, Team 1, Detachment 1, 5/10. “Our areas of concern and focus form the acronym SWEATS – schools, water, electricity, agriculture, transportation and sewage.”

The center conducts many daily tasks for the local nationals, a lot of which includes vehicle registration and badge distribution. CAG also compensates the locals for any damages inadvertently caused by military personnel during counter-insurgency operations.

“The sheer number of people who come through everyday is our biggest challenge,” added Mullis, a Winston-Salem, N.C.

On average, the CMOC will assist approximately 150 people a day. The largest number of local nationals serviced in one day was 220. CAG compensates for this number by issuing the local national a specific number after he or she has been searched at the entrance. This number puts them in a line to air their grievances and receive help. The Civil Affairs Team uses interpreters to overcome the language barrier.

“Our main problem here is a shortage of interpreters, but the ones we do have do a great job,” Mullis added.

Once a number is selected, an interpreter will speak with that person and determine how they can be helped. After speaking with the interpreter, the Marines will cater to the local national’s problem based on the situation.

Mullis recalled one such incident that occurred at the CMOC.

“A local national was driving his dump truck through a [traffic control point] in Haqlaniyah and misunderstood the Marines working there, and he went the wrong way,” said Mullis. “The way he went had road spikes, and he ended up destroying two of his tires.”

The driver was issued a claims card. When he arrived at the CMOC, he was given 381,500 dinar ($299.92 in American money).

“We searched through vendors to see what an average price was on the tires, which is how we came up with the amount,” he added. “That’s the usual way we complete our claims, and it seems to be working.”

This CMOC is another facet to this complex environment, and it’s something the CAG Marines know is vital to mission success.

“The CMOC provides a place for local nationals to interact with coalition forces, and without it, I think there would be a lot more friction with the people,” said Mullis.

Marines assigned to the CAG detachment continue to help the locals here and support the Lava Dogs of 1/3 in order to aid their counter-insurgency campaign.

Photo - Cpl. Russel Mullis, a Marine with the CAG detachment assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines, hands out paperwork to the local nationals at the Civil Military Operations Center in Hadithah.

Mukki places blame on USA for Golden Mosque and Turkish incursion

Shi’ite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr issued a statement to a website of which he is affiliated, commenting on the bombing today, Wednesday, June 13, 2007, of the Al-Askariya Shrine, or Golden Mosque, a revered Shi’ite shrine in Samarra, Iraq, which destroyed two of its minarets. The site was also bombed in February 2006. Sadr declares that no Muslim, Shi’ite or Sunni could possible commit such an act, and aims his anger towards the “occupier”, claiming they continually metaphorically ignite fires within the Iraqi Muslim population, and places blame for the attack on the “hidden hand of the occupation which aims to harm us”. To the Iraqi people, Sadr calls for an observance of three days of mourning and demand that the enemy withdraw from Iraq; a demand which if not supported by the Iraqi government, renders the institution illegitimate.

Also, in another statement issued by Sadr three days prior, the Shi’ite cleric chastises Turkey for its shelling in northern Iraq, in the region referred to as Kurdistan. Sadr, at first, compliments Turkey as a “friendly neighbor” vis-à-vis its position against the United States in Iraq, then switches to disappointment with the country for the actions taken in Iraq. Citing the sovereignty of Iraq over that region and Turkey’s fault in attacking it, Sadr urges Turks to support Iraqis in denouncing the acts, and states: “The Kurdish people are a part that cannot be divided from Iraq, and our duty is to defend it and also the Turkish people are our friends. We respect its sovereignty in its land and to protect its security is also our duty and we are ready to solve the matter peacefully between all sides and that is for the benefit of not only the two people of the nations, but the entire region.”

New UK commander tells Iraqis 'We will stand by you’

10-Jun-07.

BASRAH — The new UK Brigade Commander in southern Iraq, Brigadier James Bashall, delivered a powerful message to the Iraqi people June 5 aimed at reassuring them that he has their best interests at heart.

Brigadier Bashall, of Tidworth-based 1 Mechanised Brigade, joined forces with Brigadier Akeel of the Iraqi Army 10th Division at a joint press conference, the first since his recent arrival in Basrah when he took over from Brigadier Tim Evans, Commander 19 Light Brigade.

1 Mechanised Brigade officially took control of the Brigade Headquarters on June 1. With the exception of a few units, the Brigade is now fully operational in southern Iraq and an important component of Multinational Division South East (MND(SE)).

Brigadier Bashall was keen to reassure the local people that he intends to build on the excellent work achieved by his predecessors in 19 Light Brigade during the last six months.

And his message was simple: that he and the rest of the UK personnel in southern Iraq had the best interests of the Iraqi people at heart. He said that there would be no let up in operations against the terrorists and criminals who continue to pose a threat to the people of Basra and the surrounding area.

"This is my third tour of duty here and I would hope that I have learned many valuable lessons that will assist me during this tenure," he explained. "I intend to put my previous experience to good use."

The Brigadier went on to confirm 2007 as the year of transition and that Iraqi Security Forces were making significant movements in order to ensure the transition to Provincial Iraqi Control. He also said that the training and support of the Iraqi Security Forces is his top priority and that he will do everything he can in order to assist them.

"You will have heard many times that 2007 is the year of transition and there has been much talk of British troops withdrawing,” he said. “This is simply not the case. The Prime Minister did announce a reduction in our force levels in Iraq but this is because the Iraqi Security Forces are growing both in confidence and capability.

"As the Iraqi Security Forces increasingly take the lead for security, the Multi National Force will adjust its force posture so that we can help with the crucial task of building Iraqi capacity while retaining the ability to intervene in support of the Iraqi forces should the situation demand it,” Brigadier Bashall said.

"Your security is of great importance. The training of your Security Forces is my top priority and I have soldiers dedicated to this task. Your military, the Police Service and the Department of Border Enforcement have achieved a great deal in the past year,” he continued. “We must build on this and continue to enhance your security. Improvements to the security situation will encourage investment in Al Basrah and your economy to grow as a result."

Brigadier Bashall added that attacks against multi-national forces are an attack against the ordinary citizens of Iraq.

"Criminals and terrorists hamper our efforts to assist you as well as causing injuries and damage. Whilst my priority is to train and mentor your security forces, I will continue to defend my forces against militia attacks and target those who are responsible,” he said. "I would be grateful if you could take away the message that my Brigade is here to offer you support and we will stand by you. There are many challenges ahead, but it is in all our interests that we succeed. Only you, the Iraqi people will provide the lasting solution."

Photo - Commander 1 Mechanized Brigade, Brigadier James Bashall (right), holds his first press conference with Brigadier Akeel, Commander 1 Brigade, 10 Division, Iraqi Army at Basrah International Airport. Photo by Cpl. Dan Harmer.

Exposing the enemy (terrorists): 11 June 07

Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb Provides Eighteen Reports of Bombing and Assassination Operations its Mujahideen Executed in Algeria.

Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb issued to jihadist forums today, Wednesday, June 6, 2007, a communiqué listing eighteen reports of bombing and assassinations operations executed in the Boumerdas and Tizi Ouzou areas in Algeria between Monday, June 4, and Wednesday, April 25, 2007. This issuance of this information, the group states, is to counter the “pile of lies” disseminated by the enemy’s media in a campaign to influence Algerian public opinion against the Mujahideen. Algerian security forces, or “Harki”, meaning those Algerians who support a foreign presence in the country, police, and gas pipelines, were struck in the attacks. For particular operations targeting Algerian police, the group alerts that some of the officers dressed in civilian clothing, a fact they believe was deliberately absent from media reporting of the attacks, in which the Mujahideen were accused of targeting civilians. Also, in a battle on May 10 between the Mujahideen and Algerian military forces, the group claims that two of their own were killed, rather than the number exceeding ten as claimed by the enemy.

The group adds in the regard of the propaganda war, that the enemy “amplifies the damages to the Mujahideen and categorizes every dead as if he was a well-known commander and keeps silent about the enemy losses and its consecutive defeats, and it spreads the suspicions and defames the righteous children of the Ummah [Nation].”

Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb is the former Salafist Group for Call and Combat (GSPC), a terrorist organization based in Algeria. Maghreb, geopolitically, is Northwest Africa, including Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Tunisia, and Western Sahara.

Another jihadist plot foiled

I have news from Counter Terrorism Blog, Atlas Shrugs, The Drudge Report here and here, and AllahPundit at Hot Air. Everyone is all over this, but...but...but I thought we did not have have any terrorists here? I'm so confused! It must be because I'm a conservative. Yes, that must be it.

If I get blown up, it will only be my imagination. After all, how could I know anything? That is why I give you the links to the people are so much brighter than me. Please read them. They are too scary for me. After all, I'm just a girl.

Psssst: That there is what we here call, "Sarcasm" for those of you do not get it.

Update: Michelle Malkin has written a rather impressive article, as usual, about the capture of three of the four jihadis (or terrorists, whichever you prefer). The entire criminal complaint ("Courtesy of Robert Nardoza at the United States Attorney's Office in the Eastern District of New York) is posted over at Hot Air (same link as above. Just scroll down for the PDF link.) Criminal complaint? What in the world do you have to do be called a terrorist and go straight to Gitmo?

Here is the DOJ's press report (PDF). Ah, now let us see just how long it will take for the dinosaur media and the politicians to blame this Bush...and the timing. And on and on we go.

Will anyone ever realize we are at war not by choice but because they are trying to kill us?

Hajj Hameed, AQ-I's Chief Justice of Shari'ah, DEAD

There has been heavy clashes between AQ-I (al Qaida in Iraq) and the Old Guard (Baathists and nationalists) for the past two day in the Amiriya district of Iraq. We have heard that there were some clashes by the AP, but we were told that the Iraqi people rose up against the terrorists. Unfortunately, this does not appear to be true.

Omar, from Iraq the Model, has the real news about what is happening in his country. I chose to grab a hold of this little (big) tidbit:

One correction to the AP story, Hajj Hameed was the chief of the Sharia courts of al-Qaeda in Amiriyah, not the leader of the network. Only god knows how many innocent people were executed by orders from this terrorist. Whether killed by Baathists, fellow terrorists, good Iraqis or American troops….Good riddance! [Continue reading.]

I could not agree more. Squirm in hell, you bastard.

Exposing the Enemy: 1 June 2007

Muhammad Khalil al-Hakaymah Urges Muslims to Support Fatah al-Islam.

Muhammad Khalil al-Hakaymah AKA Abu Jihad al-Masri, a prominent member of a faction of al-Gama’a al-Islamiyya in Egypt which aligned with al-Qaeda, issued a statement through al-Fajr Information Center and dated Sunday, May 27, 2007, urging Muslims to support the Fatah al-Islam Movement in northern Lebanon. Fatah al-Islam, a jihadist group based in the Nahr al-Bared Palestinian refugee camp in this area has been under attack for the past week by the Lebanese army. Hakaymah argues from the perspective of Salafist-jihadist doctrine that it is imperative for Muslims to support Fatah al-Islam, and portrays the siege on the camp to bear similarities to coalition military incursions in al-Fallujah in Iraq, striking civilians and Mujahideen. He also states that the “Crusaders” are supporting the Lebanese army with “17 fighter planes and weapons which were estimated at about $300 million.”

Further, Hakaymah assures that the group seeks only the benefit of Muslims and “liberating” Palestine, and reports and rumors in the media that state otherwise are mere lies intended to deter Muslims from supporting Fatah al-Islam.

Army's Newest Modular Combat Team Makes Mark in Iraq

May 31, 2007
BY Fred. W Baker III
Armed Forces Press Service.

WASHINGTON - In its first deployment to Iraq, one of the Army's newest modular light infantry brigade combat teams is making its mark under the president's troop plus-up plan, the brigade's top officer said in a May 25 briefing to Pentagon reporters.

The 1st Infantry Division's 4th Brigade Combat Team from Fort Riley, Kan., is deployed as part of the troop plus-up to the east and west Rashid security districts in the Multinational Division Baghdad area. It is partnered with the 2nd Infantry Division's 3rd Stryker Brigade from Fort Lewis, Wash., and three Iraqi security force brigades. Together, the troops are clearing an area about 58 square miles, roughly the size of San Francisco, home to about 700,000 Iraqis.

In the past three weeks, under Operation Dragon Fire, the troops have cleared 45 neighborhoods, detained 94 terrorist suspects, freed two kidnapped citizens and captured 397 explosive munitions, 245 weapons systems, 150 IEDs and enough components to make 3,000 more IEDs, said Col. Ricky Gibbs, commander of the BCT and Task Force Dragon.

They've also destroyed two torture houses and a terrorist safe haven, Col. Gibbs said. It has not come without loss to the units, though. Seven U.S. Soldiers have been killed in the plus-up to clear the area. Initially, attacks were high against the troops as they moved in and secured the area. Now, direct attacks are down, but the use of IEDs against the troops has increased, Col. Gibbs said.

The troops man five joint security stations and 20 coalition outposts in the area. They live at the outposts until rotating back to the forward operating base. Col. Gibbs said living in the communities allows the troops to gain the trust of the Iraqi people. This reaps big dividends in the fight, he said. "The tips that are coming in from the people are astronomical, and that's allowing us to find these terrorists, or the Takfir, as the locals call them, and take them off the street," Col. Gibbs said.

The joint security stations are similar to local police stations and are located in the neighborhoods. There has been a decrease in violence, he said, primarily because of the nearly doubled troop presence. Col. Gibbs said his troops are working side by side with an Iraqi army brigade and two police brigades. He said they co-plan, rehearse and share intelligence, and in some cases the Iraqi forces lead the operations.

Even so, Col. Gibbs said, the Iraqi police forces have yet to earn the full confidence of the people there to the level that the Iraqi army has. Col. Gibbs said one of his biggest concerns was the ability of the Iraqi police force to hire enough to fill its ranks. The task force also is working to restore essential services in the area. Priorities have been to restore sanitation services and electrical power, with 127 active projects throughout the districts and another 62 projects planned.

Photo - Spc. A.J. Jackson looks for snipers during a cordon and search in Baghdad on May 16. Spc. Jackson is assigned to Company A, 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division. Photo by Sgt. Tierney P. Nowland.

Evidence Links ‘High-Value’ Detainee to Al Qaeda

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service.

WASHINGTON, May 15, 2007 – A detainee at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, who previously lived in the United States, denied he had any involvement with an al Qaeda group or had planned to reenter the country to commit a terrorist act.

Majid Khan, a native of Pakistan whose family lives in Baltimore, Md., insisted during his Feb. 8 combatant status review tribunal hearing that he is not an enemy combatant. Pentagon officials today released a transcript of the hearing held at the Guantanamo facility.

The tribunal was an administrative hearing to determine only if Khan meets the criteria to be designated an enemy combatant.

Facts presented during the hearing linked Khan to al Qaeda and noted that he planned to use falsified travel documents to return to the United States.

Evidence presented during the tribunal revealed that in early 2003, Khan tapped Uzair Paracha, a U.S. permanent resident alien he met in Pakistan, to impersonate him in the United States. Khan wanted to make it appear that he had never left the United States and planned to use Paracha to obtain immigration documents that would enable him to reenter illegally. Paracha recently was found guilty of material support to terrorism and sentenced to 30 years in prison.

Other evidence linked Khan to Lyman Faris, also imprisoned for providing material support and resources to al Qaeda, as well as conspiracy for providing al Qaeda information about possible U.S. targets. Faris was convicted in May 2003 and sentenced to 20 years in prison.

The evidence also revealed Khan was involved in transporting people across the Afghanistan-Pakistan border and had expressed a desire to assassinate Pakistan President Pervez Musharaff by detonating a suicide vest.

Presented with evidence that a previously convicted terrorist had a debit card and five other identification cards in Khan’s name, Khan said he had no intention of using them himself.

Rather, he said, these documents were to be used by “desperate” people in Pakistan to travel to the United States so they could apply for asylum or refugee status.

Khan submitted a “statement of torture” at the tribunal, claiming he was mentally tortured during his detainment. Among his complaints were that he and other detainees were given low-quality soap and other toiletries, noisy fans and deflated balls for recreation that hardly bounced.

He said he protested by refusing to eat or drink, and complained that his captors responded by force-feeding intravenously. Khan said he also protested by chewing through one of his own arteries.

Khan was the 13th “high-value” detainee at Guantanamo Bay to receive a combatant status review tribunal hearing at the facility.

Six Arrested for Plotting to Kill Soldiers at Fort Dix, N.J.

By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service
09 May 2007 06:46 AM

WASHINGTON, May 8, 2007 – FBI agents arrested five radical Islamists for allegedly plotting to “kill as many U.S. soldiers as they could” at the Army’s Fort Dix, N.J., and a sixth defendant is charged with aiding and abetting members of the domestic terror group, authorities announced today.

The arrests occurred last night in Cherry Hill, N.J., as suspects tried to buy three AK47 assault rifles and four semi-automatic M-16s from a confidential government witness. These apprehensions culminate a 16-month FBI investigation into the groups’ alleged plot to kill soldiers with assault rifles and rocket propelled grenades, according to a complaint filed in the Camden, N.J. Federal court.

“The philosophy that supports and encourages jihad around the world against Americans came to live here in New Jersey and threatened the lives of our citizens through these defendants. Fortunately, law enforcement in New Jersey was here to stop them,” Christopher Christie, U.S. Attorney for the district of New Jersey, told reporters outside the courthouse.

“We were able to do what American law enforcement is supposed to do in the post 9/11 era, and that is to be one step ahead of those who are attempting to do harm to American citizens,” he said.

The special agent in charge of the FBI in Philadelphia, Jody Weis, described the “homegrown” group as new brand of terrorism that’s inspired by al Qaeda, but not necessarily affiliated with the international organization.

Weiss called the suspects a platoon that sought to take on an Army.

“They identified their target, they did their reconnaissance, they had maps, and they were in the process of buying weapons,” he said. “Today we dodged a bullet. In fact, when you look at the type of weapons this group was trying to purchase, we may have dodged a lot of bullets.”

The FBI’s investigation began January 2006 when a video store representative tipped off officials after a man brought a “disturbing” video to be converted to DVD format. Weiss thanked the unnamed clerk for displaying vigilance, calling the worker an “unsung hero.”

According to the court complaint, the video “depicted 10 young men who appeared to be in their early twenties shooting assault weapons at a firing range in a militia-like style while calling for jihad and shouting in Arabic ‘Allahu Akbar,’” or God is Great.

Three of these men were suspects Dritan, Eljvir and Shain Duka, brothers born in former Yugoslavia who have been living in the U.S. illegally and operating a roofing company. Other suspects include legal U.S. residents Serdar Tatar, a convenience store clerk born in Turkey, and Mohamad Irahim Shnewar, a Jordanian-born taxi driver.

Agron Abdullahu, a shop clerk born in former Yugoslavia, is charged only with aiding and abetting the Duka brothers’ illegal possession of weapons, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison, Justice Department officials said.

Transcripts of the recorded conversations between two witnesses and suspects appear in the court complaint. During one conversation, Shnewer stated that he and the first witness, called CW-1, should view a video stored on the suspect’s computer, but that they had to do so in private because “it’s about something that can lead to prison.”

“The DVD contains video footage of various jihadist images while a narrator recruits the observer to the jihadist movement,” the court complaint states. The court document describes another video that contained what appears to be the last will and testament of at least two of the highjackers involved in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

After undergoing weapons training in Gouldsboro, Pa., in January 2006, Shnewer and the witness conducted surveillance on several military bases, including Fort Dix; Fort Monmouth, N.J.; Dover Air Force Base, Del.; and the U.S. Coast Guard Building in Philadelphia.

Shnewer explained to the witness in August 2006 that he and the other suspects had saved up money to purchase weapons and were “not afraid to die.” The document describes Shnewer lamenting the missed opportunity to attack U.S. military personnel during the Army-Navy football game that had been recently played in Philadelphia.

He recommended to CW-1 they use six or seven jihadists to attack and kill at least 100 soldiers with rocket-propelled grenades or other weapons, the court document states.

“If you want to do anything here, there is Fort Dix, and I don’t want to exaggerate, and I assure you that you can hit an American base very easily,” Shnewer is quoted as saying in the court complaint. “You take a map and draw it, and then you calculate that there are areas where there are 100-200 individuals and you should allocate six to seven persons for this alone.”

When asked how he would obtain a map of the base, Shnewer told the witness that the suspect Serdar used to deliver pizzas nearby. “I know that Serdar knows it like the palm of his hand,” Shnewer allegedly said.

In a conversation recorded March 2007 between the second informant, CW-2, and two of the Duka brothers, Shain Duka “explained that (the suspect) Tatar wanted to join the U.S. Army so that he could kill U.S. soldiers from the ‘inside,’” the court document states. The complaint includes no evidence suggesting Tatar tried to enlist in U.S. Armed Forces, however.

In January 2007, three of the suspects obtained handguns, shotguns and semi-automatic assault weapons to be used for further training, according to the court complaint.

One terrorist killed, 19 suspects captured, bomb-making cache found

Sunday, 22 April 2007

BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition Forces killed one terrorist, detained 19 suspected terrorists and found caches of weapons and chemicals used to make improvised explosive devices during operations Sunday.

An armed terrorist was killed and 19 suspected terrorists were detained when Coalition Forces raided several buildings southeast of Fallujah.

During that raid, Coalition Forces found large amounts of chemicals used to make IEDs, several weapons and bomb-making accessories, including more than 50 pressure plates and a suicide vest. A controlled detonation destroyed the materials on site.

A vehicle found on the scene loaded with explosives was destroyed by an air strike.

“Coalition forces continue to remove dangerous stores of weapons and explosives from the hands of terrorists and the enemies of the people of Iraq," said Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, MNF-I spokesperson. "This represents one more small victory in the war against those that would deny safety and security to the Iraqi people.”

Suicide Bomb Attacks Present Top Challenge in Iraq, Fallon Says

By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, April 18, 2007 – Suicide-bomb attacks on coalition and Iraqi troops and civilians, orchestrated by Al Qaeda and Sunni extremists, present the top challenge in establishing security and stability in Iraq, the commander of U.S. Central Command testified at a Congressional hearing on Capitol Hill today.

“Of all the things that we have on the plate in Iraq, the one that I think is first and foremost as a target for us to try to get a grip on and to neutralize is the group that is very clearly al Qaeda-motivated that is linked to Sunni extremists in this country that are perpetrating these big suicide bombings,” Navy Adm. William J. Fallon told House Armed Services Committee members.

Al Qaeda in Iraq and affiliated Sunni extremists want to kill and maim U.S. troops in Iraq in order to sap the coalition’s will, Fallon said. The extremists also want to kill and injure as many civilians as possible to foment sectarian strife and destabilize the new Iraqi government.

“In Iraq, we need an essential degree of security and stability so that the fledgling institutions in this country can actually be able to benefit the citizens,” Fallon said, adding he’d like to see “a substantially reduced level of bloodshed and violence.”

Fallon took over as CENTCOM’s chief March 16. Since then, he told the committee, he’s traveled to Iraq, Afghanistan and other Middle Eastern couintries that come under his command’s purview.

After discussions with key U.S. and Iraqi military and civilian leaders and sifting through reams of data, Fallon said, he found significant signs of a reduction in the number of murders and other kinds of sectarian violence in Iraq.

“However, I will tell you quite honestly that it bothers me and I hold my breath regularly in anticipation, regrettably, of the suicide bombers,” Fallon said. “These people that are just seemingly, totally bent on creating as much chaos and bloodshed as possible, particularly against the civilian communities. I think we are challenged to work against this problem.”

The best way to circumvent al Qaeda’s strategy in Iraq is to convince the country’s Sunni population that it has a viable stake in the new Iraq’s future, Fallon said.

The al Qaeda-Sunni extremist nexus “is the most destabilizing” element in Iraq today, he reiterated.

A key to establishing stability across Iraq is to convince its people there’s a better life for them down the road, the admiral said.

“I’d like to see a place in which people have confidence that their future is going to be better than what they’d seen in the past and what they have today,” Fallon said. “And how we’re going to measure that (Iraqi confidence) is one of the key things that I’m working on right now.”

Fallon: Radical Islamic Leader’s Aims Remain a Puzzle

By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, April 18, 2007 – The intentions of radical Islamic cleric Muqtada al-Sadr largely remain cloudy amid the shifting sands of power politics in the new Iraq, the commander of U.S. Central Command testified at a Congressional hearing today.

“This is a guy that’s pretty difficult to understand for us,” Navy Adm. William J. Fallon told House Armed Services Committee members. “He holds, clearly, a large amount of influence within segments of the Iraqi population, but of late he has been absent.”

Sadr is a Baghdad-based Shiite religious leader who commands the Mahdi Army militia, which has fought U.S. and Iraqi troops on many occasions.

The fiery cleric advocates an immediate withdrawal of U.S. military forces from Iraq. But, he has mostly disappeared from public view since the mid-February start of the surge of U.S. and Iraqi forces into Baghdad and parts of western Iraq, Fallon noted.

“By all accounts he appears to be in Iran,” Fallon commented on reports of Sadr’s whereabouts. Yet, the cleric’s “particularly nasty” militia members, he said, remain a nuisance to U.S. and coalition troops in the Baghdad area.

News reports attribute the recent resignation of six Sadr loyalists in the Iraqi Cabinet as a stunt arranged by the cleric to protest the lack of a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq.

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said yesterday during a visit to Amman, Jordan, that the cabinet resignations may prove to be advantageous to the Iraqi government. The secretary acknowledged that Sadr’s motives are unclear at this point and remain, for now, “a mystery.”

Fallon said not one of Sadr’s many public proclamations issued since the fall of Saddam Hussein’s regime have been helpful to the coalition or the new Iraqi government.

Yet, Sadr’s militia hasn’t tried to stop the movement of U.S. and Iraqi security forces into Baghdad as the surge continues, the admiral noted.

However, the cleric’s followers “are attacking our forces sporadically,” Fallon said. There is currently no indication of a Mahdi Army-staged mass uprising against U.S. troops, he added.

Fallon told the House committee that most Iraqi citizens are weary of sectarian strife and bloodshed and are likely not interested in Sadr’s overtures for continued violence. It’s therefore important, he said, that Iraqi leaders publicly denounce the extremists at every opportunity.

The admiral took over as CENTCOM’s commander March 16. Since then, he told the committee, he’s traveled to Iraq, Afghanistan and other Middle Eastern countries that come under his command’s purview.

After discussions with key U.S. and Iraqi military and civilian leaders and sifting through reams of data, Fallon said he sees significant signs of a reduction in the number of murders and other kinds of sectarian violence in Iraq.