War On Terror News

War in Afghanistan News - 17 Nov 2012

BAGRAM, Afghanistan (Nov. 17, 2012) - Afghan and coalition forces killed seven insurgents, detained 10 and cleared five improvised explosive devices during operations in eastern Afghanistan throughout the past 24 hours, Nov. 16.

Ghazni Province
Afghan National Army soldiers and coalition forces detained an insurgent during an engagement in Qarah Bagh District. The detained suspect was transferred to a base for questioning.

Khowst Province
Afghan Uniformed Police and coalition forces detained two insurgents during an engagement in Khowst District. The detained suspects were transferred to a base for questioning.

Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely cleared four IEDs, three in Khowst District and one in Sabari District.

Laghman Province
Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces killed four insurgents, wounded two and detained two during an engagement in Mehtar Lam District. The wounded received medical care and were transferred, along with the detained, to a base for questioning.

Logar Province
Afghan National Police and coalition forces detained an insurgent during an engagement in Muhammad Aghah District. The detained suspect was transferred to a base for questioning.

Paktika Province
Afghan National Army soldiers detained two insurgents during an engagement in Sharan District. The detained suspects were transferred to a base for questioning.

Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces killed three insurgents during an engagement in Zerok District.

Paktiya Province
Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely cleared an IED in Dzadran District.

Operations in RC-East are still ongoing.
 

RIP SSG Rayvon Battle Jr.

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

            Staff Sgt. Rayvon Battle Jr., 25, of Rocky Mount, N.C., died Nov. 13, in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan.  He was assigned to the 38th Engineer Company, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.

"He which hath no stomach to this fight let him depart. But we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers!! For he today, that sheds his blood with me, shall always be my brother.” (W.Shakespeare) Rest in peace my Brothers, you have not been forgotten.

ADM McRaven: No evidence Pakistan knew OBL was there

WASHINGTON, Nov. 15, 2012 - The commander of U.S. Special Operations Command said yesterday that a post-raid assessment concluded there is no evidence that the Pakistani government knew the whereabouts of Osama bin Laden.

Navy Adm. William H. McRaven, right, commander of U.S. Special Operations Command, talks with PBS' Charlie Rose about the raid that led to the death of Osama bin Laden. Rose interviewed McRaven during the Hero Summit in Washington, D.C., Nov. 14, 2012. DOD photo by Claudette Roulo

Navy Adm. William H. McRaven told attendees at the "Hero Summit" that Pakistan wasn't informed of the raid that led to the death of bin Laden because the initial assumption was "How could they not know he was there?"

Senior leaders, he said, believed informing Pakistan about the raid in advance would have put the mission at risk. McRaven said he doesn't believe the Pakistani government knew bin Laden's whereabouts. "We have no intelligence that indicates the Pakistanis knew he was there," he added.

McRaven, interviewed on stage by PBS' Charlie Rose, said there was never a moment he doubted the raid would succeed. "We hand-picked the guys," he said. "They were the best of the best, all across the board. They had extensive combat experience, and consequently ... I was very confident."

Though bin Laden is dead, nonstate actors still present a threat, the admiral said.

"We've done a terrific job of taking care of the core of al- Qaida," McRaven said. But, he added, "there's no such thing as a local problem anymore. ... Everything in the world is connected." This interconnectedness means the future of special operations lies in partnerships with other nations, he added.

"We understand ... to minimize the rise of violent extremism, you have to create the conditions on the ground where people have good jobs, where there is the rule of law, where there is stability [and] where there is good governance," he said. "We think, from a military standpoint, we can certainly help with the security that will be required to help begin to build some of that stability.

"The raids get all the media attention," he continued, "but the reality of the matter is the bulk of what we do is building partner capacity and working with host nations. I think that's the future of special operations."

The admiral said he recently returned from Afghanistan, where partnership building is ongoing, and he feels the relationship is the best he's ever seen it. The relationship between Afghans and their local, regional and national governments is taking serious root, he said.

Afghanistan will be a better version of itself in 2014, McRaven said, noting that the Afghan army is one of the most respected institutions in the country.

"It's an entirely different paradigm for the people of Afghanistan, but I'm convinced we're on the right path," he said.

War in Afghanistan News - 16 Nov 2012

BAGRAM, Afghanistan (Nov. 16, 2012) - Afghan and coalition forces killed two insurgents, detained two and cleared two improvised explosive devices during operations in eastern Afghanistan throughout the past 24 hours, Nov. 15.

Ghazni Province
Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces detained two insurgents during an engagement in Andar District. The detained suspects were transferred to a base for questioning.

Logar Province
Afghan National Army soldiers and coalition forces killed an insurgent during an engagement in Kharwar District.

Nangarhar Province
Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces killed an insurgent during an engagement in Bati Kot District.

Paktika Province
Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely cleared two IEDs in Zarghun Shahr District.

Operations in RC-East are still ongoing.

War in Afghanistan News - 15 Nov 2012

BAGRAM, Afghanistan (Nov. 15, 2012) - Afghan and coalition forces killed an insurgent, detained one and cleared two improvised explosive devices during operations in eastern Afghanistan throughout the past 24 hours, Nov. 14.

Ghazni Province
Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces killed an insurgent and wounded one during an engagement in Gelan District. The wounded received medical care and was transferred to a base for questioning.

Paktika Province
Afghan Uniformed Police and coalition forces found and safely cleared an IED in Zerok District.

Wardak Province
Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely cleared an IED in Sayyidabad District.

Operations in RC-East are still ongoing. 

General Ward demoted; to repay $82k

A four-star general who once led the U.S. military's Africa Command has been demoted for misusing taxpayer money.

U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said this week General William “Kip” Ward, former head of AFRICOM, will lose one of his four stars and will be forced to repay $82,000 to the military.

Investigators have concluded Ward misused funds, military aircraft and staff, bringing his wife along on trips and spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on travel and accommodations.

He was also found to have accepted favors from a Defense Department contractor.

Ward denies the accusations.  Since serving as head of Africa Command from 2007 to 2011, he has worked as special assistant to the Army vice chief of staff.

The demotion to three-star general means that Ward will retire at a lower pay grade.  VoA.

Pakistan to release Taliban prisoners

Pakistan has agreed to release some Afghan Taliban prisoners, amid talks with members of Afghanistan's High Peace Council about the country's reconciliation efforts.

Afghanistan has long sought access to the prisoners to aid the stalled peace process.

It was not clear how many or which prisoners would be involved in the release.

The head of the peace council, Salahuddin Rabbani, is in Pakistan for talks with top officials, including President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf and army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani.

Mr. Ashraf told the Afghan delegation there is consensus that both countries should work together for peace in the region.

President Zardari pledged to support Afghanistan's peace efforts, and said having a peaceful, stable Afghanistan is important for Pakistan's own stability and prosperity. VoA.

Car bombs kill 14 Iraqis

A series of bombings across Iraq has killed at least 14 people.

Security and hospital sources say the deadliest attacks were in the northern province of Kirkuk, where four bombs killed at least nine people and wounded dozens more.

A car bomb blast in the southern city of Hilla killed four people, while another car bomb in the capital, Baghdad, killed one person and wounded several others.

September was Iraq's deadliest month in two years, with 365 people killed in unrest. VoA.

Islamists kill 19 Afghans in two weeks

BAGRAM, Afghanistan (Nov. 13, 2012) - Insurgents killed 19 civilians, including three children, and wounded 10 others in eastern Afghanistan from Oct. 31 to Nov. 12.

Of the 10 insurgent attacks that caused death or injury during this time period, the deadliest incident occurred Sunday in Sabari district, Khost province, when an insurgent-placed IED killed six members of a family, including their newborn child.

Khost Provincial Governor Abdul Jabbar Naimi strongly condemned the attacks, which he said will not sway the people of Afghanistan from their government and the hope for peace.  "The insurgents - the enemies of Islam, people, peace and stability - with their horrific and cowardly actions and satanic techniques, continuously attack and kill and injure innocent civilians," said Naimi. "They think with their inhuman and unjustified acts they can deter Afghan people's determination and separate them from their Islamic Government. They are wrong." "The noble Muslim people of Afghanistan know that cooperating with their Islamic Government is the only way to stop and foil the insurgents," he
said.

Naimi asked all Khost residents to cooperate with their local Afghan security personnel to stop the insurgents from causing more pain and suffering in their communities.  Despite the efforts of the enemies of the Government of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, ISAF forces in eastern Afghanistan remain committed to partnering with their Afghan National Security Forces counterparts to secure a stable and prosperous future for the Afghan people.

Hillary promises Syrian resistance $30 Million more

The Obama Administration says it is providing $30 million in extra humanitarian aid for those affected by the Syrian conflict.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced the move in Australia Wednesday while visiting for annual security talks with the American ally. She said the aid would help provide food to hungry people inside Syria along with Syrian refugees in Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq.

She also urged the Syrian opposition to support the commitments it made recently in Doha and start influencing events on the ground.

“So, good beginning, highly welcomed by us and others, and we want to see the steps taken that have been promised. And we stand ready to assist this new opposition in standing itself up and representing the Syrian people to the regime and the international community.”

Clinton's announcement comes as Japan's Ministry for Foreign Affairs said the fifth meeting of the Friends of the Syria will be held on November 30th in Tokyo. Japan will chair the meeting.

On Tuesday, French President Francois Hollande said France officially has recognized the newly formed Syrian opposition coalition and could consider arming the rebels. It is the first European country to do so. The six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council recognized the rebel group Monday.

In Washington, State Department spokesman Mark Toner called the coalition a legitimate representative of the Syrian people. But he said the United States wants to see how it organizes itself and whether it proves to also be an effective representative.

Other European nations and the Arab League have also said they support the new coalition, but are not ready to give full recognition.

The United States and Europe have been reluctant to arm Syrian rebels, saying the rebels have been too disorganized. They also fear that weapons could fall into the hands of Islamic terrorists. VoA.

The Petreaus connection & personal email security

While it is disappointing that the most respected man in Washington has admitted to marital infidelity, that isn't a crime, at least not given that it occurred after he retired before the affair.  Nor is it really difficult to understand it occurring.  A younger, not unattractive woman was hanging on his every word, and literally writing a book about his life, and "genius."  Every one of those medals, that reach the epaulette of his uniform, he wore in the military are just as earned today, as they were a year ago.  He still turned the Iraq War around, and accepted a demotion to run the War in Afghanistan, for a President that had disrespected him.  He is still an honorable man, even if he fell to human temptation.

But as the MSM and FBI continue into the mudpit of the affair, some common threads are becoming apparent.  And those common threads are perhaps bigger than the original story, which took an honorable man out of the leadership of Our Nation's government.  The common links are a Tampa socialite, Jill (Khawam-خاعم) Kelley, the FBI, and private emails.

"As they looked further, the FBI agents came across a private Gmail account that used an alias name. On further investigation, the account turned out to be Petraeus's." RICHARD LARDNER, AP

In the latest developments, the FBI conducted a middle of the night search of Paula Broadwell's house, General Allen is now being investigated, and the FBI agent that started the investigation on Jill Kelley's behalf has also been implicated.  At the center of the web, remains Jill Kelley.

Mrs. Kelley appears to have great influence and access.  She has enough influence to get the FBI to investigate what seems to have been anonymous emails from someone that simply knew too much about her private life.  She's a civilian that has access to the top brass at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, those at Central Command that runs Military Operations in the Middle East, and to FBI agents.  She is of Lebanese descent.

In contrast to initial reports, the email account used by Ms. Broadwell wasn't the General's/CIA Director's official account.  It was instead a private email account, and anonymous, which means that the FBI conducted an in-depth search into private email, and IP addresses, and the personal computers attached to them, on behalf of a Tampa socialite.  And they didn't just look at emails that were sent privately, but also the draft email folder, of emails that were never sent.

Apparently, the FBI struggled to find a justification for the investigation into an anonymous email account that sent unsavory emails to Mrs. Kelley, and the stricken FBI agent fired off letters to a Congressman to get the fire lit again.  According to current reports, Mrs. Kelley did not know who Ms. Broadwell was.

So far, in all of this, no actual crimes or security threats have been confirmed.  Marital infidelity is an issue of morality, and an issue for the parties involved: General and Mrs. Petraeus, and his biographer, Paula Broadwell.  Sending email, or even using a draft folder in an anonymous, private email account to cover immoral, but not illegal activity is not a crime.  Sending unsavory email is not a crime.  Even the FBI agent's sending of an email with a topless picture of himself is not a crime, even though it was to a married woman.

The more troublesome details of the investigation are that so many FBI resources were diverted from investigating child-pornography (Cybercrimes Unit of FBI), and hunting terrorists, to satisfy the displeasure of a Tampa socialite and an FBI agent enamored with her, the amount of influence she appears to have attained, and perhaps more than anything the degree to which the FBI is willing to invade private communications in such a case.

"With subpoenas and warrants, the FBI and other investigating agencies routinely gain access to electronic inboxes and information about email accounts offered by Google, Yahoo and other Internet providers." RICHARD LARDNER, AP

And if the government is willing to go to such depths for a civilian socialite who was unhappy with the emails she received, what would they do for their political bosses?  And evidently, if you want the FBI to have to get a warrant to look at your email, you need to delete the stuff that is 6 months old, though there is nothing in cyberspace that is truly deleted.

At present, at least two leaders troublesome to the Administration have gotten caught up in this: General Allen and General Petraeus.

War in Afghanistan News - 14 Nov 2012

BAGRAM, Afghanistan (Nov. 14, 2012) - Afghan and coalition forces killed six insurgents, detained two, located two weapons caches and cleared three improvised explosive devices during operations in eastern Afghanistan throughout the past 24 hours, Nov. 13.

Ghazni Province
Afghan National Army soldiers and coalition forces discovered a weapons cache in Ab Band District. The cache contained 10 60-pound jugs of homemade explosives, 10 mines and four homemade blasting caps.

Kunar Province
A coalition airstrike killed six insurgents in Ghaziabad District in response to Afghan National Army soldiers receiving small arms fire.

Laghman Province
Afghan National Army soldiers detained two insurgents while investigating an IED in Alisheng District. The IED was safely cleared and the detained suspects were transferred to a base for questioning.

Ghazni Province
Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces discovered a weapons cache in Baraki Barak District. The cache contained 60 pounds of homemade explosives, two pressure cookers, several balls of wire, a battery pack, a rocket and six feet of detonation cord.

Nangarhar Province
Afghan Uniformed Police and coalition forces found and safely cleared an IED in Behsud District.

Wardak Province
Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely cleared an IED in Sayyidabad District.

Operations in RC-East are still ongoing. 

Jordanian terrorist released in Britain

British authorities have released radical Muslim cleric Abu Qatada from prison on bail, a day after he won his appeal against deportation to Jordan to face terrorism charges.

Qatada was transported Tuesday from a high-security prison in central Britain to his family home in London. A few protesters had gathered near his home, calling for continued efforts to deport him. Qatada, described by British officials as the top European deputy to former al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, has been detained in Britain for most of the past decade under Britain's anti-terrorism laws.

Qatada will be allowed to live at home, but he will be under curfew 16 hours a day. He will be allowed to leave his home only between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Britain's Home Office says it strongly disagrees with Monday's ruling and will appeal.

Home Secretary Theresa May had ordered his extradition after being given assurances by Jordan that no information obtained through torture would be used against him.

The Special Immigration Appeals Commission on Monday blocked Qatada's extradition order, saying it could not be guaranteed that he would get a fair trial in Jordan.

Jordan convicted Qatada of terrorism charges related to two bomb plots in 1998. He was tried in absentia.

Britain has been trying to deport Qatada since 2001, but its efforts have repeatedly been blocked by the courts. In January, the European Court of Human Rights ruled against the deportation because evidence used against him in Jordan may have been obtained using torture. VoA.

Bicycle bomb kills 2 Pakis

Pakistani police say two people were killed and 10 wounded when a bomb planted on a bicycle exploded in southwestern Pakistan.

The device exploded on a road near Quetta, the capital of restive Baluchistan province, as a military convoy passed by.  Some of the people injured were paramilitary soldiers.  Vehicles were also damaged in the blast.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility.

Baluchistan has been the scene of Islamist violence, terrorist attacks and unrest linked to a low-level insurgency.  Baluch rebels have been fighting for political autonomy and a greater share of the province's natural resources. VoA.

France recognizes Mullah led rebels as Syrian govt

France has become the first European country to recognize the newly formed Syrian opposition coalition and says it could consider arming the rebels.

French President Francois Hollande said Tuesday that the newly united rebel coalition is the sole legitimate representative of the Syrian people and a future government of a democratic Syria.

Mr. Hollande said France will look at the question of selling weapons to the rebels as soon as the coalition forms a transitional government.

The six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council recognized the rebel group Monday.

In Washington, State Department spokesman Mark Toner called the coalition a legitimate representative of the Syrian people. But he said the United States wants to see how it organizes itself and whether it proves to also be an effective representative.

Other European nations and the Arab League have also said they support the new coalition, but are not ready to give full recognition.

The United States and Europe have been reluctant to arm Syrian rebels, saying the rebels have been too disorganized. They also fear that weapons could fall into the hands of Islamist terrorists.  The Obama Administration has instead armed the Syrian Islamists through Saudi Arabian middlemen.

Syrian opposition members agreed at a meeting Sunday in Doha to form the new coalition to unite the various opposition groups fighting to topple President Bashar al-Assad.

Human Rights Watch is calling on the new coalition to send a clear message to the rebels that they must follow human rights law. It also urges those sending money or weapons to the rebels express the same expectations.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said fighting and shelling in and around Damascus killed at least 41 people Tuesday, mostly civilians. VoA.

France supports but doesn't recognize Syrian rebel government

French officials have expressed their support for the new, united, mullah led, Syrian opposition, but say it is too early to formally recognize the group.

French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said Tuesday the group's formation is a “significant” step, but that the coalition does not yet constitute a provisional government the international community can recognize.

The Arab League gave similar support Monday, stopping short of giving the opposition group full recognition as the representative of the Syrian people.

Opposition members agreed at a meeting Sunday in Doha to create the umbrella group, which brings together the various opposition factions inside Syria and abroad seeking to oust President Bashar al-Assad.

Human Rights Watch issued a statement Tuesday calling on the new coalition to send a “clear message” to opposition fighters that they must adhere to human rights law.  The rights group also urged those financing the opposition or providing weapons to express the same expectations.

Meanwhile, a Syrian warplane bombed a rebel-held town along the border with Turkey which was struck for a second day Tuesday.  The jet struck Ras al-Ain, where activists say at least 12 people were killed in Monday's attack.

Turkey has seen a surge in Syrian refugees, including 11,000 who crossed the border late last week to escape the fighting. VoA.

DoD investigates GEN Allen in Petraeus affair

By Cheryl Pellerin, AFPS, ABOARD A MILITARY AIRCRAFT, Nov. 13, 2012 - The Defense Department inspector general has opened an investigation of Marine Corps Gen. John R. Allen, commander of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said today in a statement.

The statement said the FBI referred a matter involving Allen to the Defense Department on Nov. 11.

Today, Panetta directed that the matter be referred to the DOD IG for investigation and informed the chairman and ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. The House Armed Services Committee also has been notified, he said.

"While the matter is under investigation and before the facts are determined, General Allen will remain ISAF commander," the secretary said.

"His leadership has been instrumental in achieving the' significant progress' that ISAF, working alongside our Afghan partners, has made in bringing greater security to the Afghan people," Panetta added, "and in ensuring that Afghanistan never again becomes a safe haven for terrorists. He is entitled to due process in this matter."

Allen took over as ISAF commander and commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan in July 2011. President Barack Obama recently nominated him to succeed Navy Adm. James G. Stavridis as commander of U.S. European Command and as NATO's supreme allied commander for Europe.

Obama also nominated Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., now assistant commandant of the Marine Corps, to succeed Allen in Afghanistan. Panetta said he has asked the president, who has agreed, to put Allen's nomination on hold until the relevant facts are determined.

The secretary also said he has asked the ranking members of the Senate Armed Services Committee – Sen. Carl Levin, a Democrat from Michigan, and Sen. John McCain, a Republican from Arizona -- that they delay tomorrow's scheduled confirmation hearing on Allen's pending nomination.

"I respectfully requested that the Senate act promptly on [Dunford's] nomination," Panetta added.

War in Afghanistan News - 13 Nov 2012

BAGRAM, Afghanistan (Nov. 13, 2012) - Afghan and coalition forces killed an insurgent, detained one and cleared six improvised explosive devices during operations in eastern Afghanistan throughout the past 24 hours, Nov. 12.

Ghazni Province
Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely cleared an IED in Gelan District.

Afghan National Police wounded an insurgent during an engagement in Ghazni District. The wounded received medical care and was then transferred to a base for questioning.

Khowst Province
Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely cleared an IED in Sabari District.

Kunar Province
Afghan National Security Forces killed an insurgent during an engagement in Asadabad District.

Logar Province
Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely cleared an IED in Muhammad Aghah District.

Nangarhar Province
Afghan National Security Forces found and safely cleared an IED in Bati Kot District.

Paktika Province
Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely cleared two IEDs, one in Zarghun Shar District and one in Sar Rowzah District.

Operations in RC-East are still ongoing. 

Palestinian terrorists want truce after firing 110 rockets

Palestinian terrorist groups say they are willing to declare a cease-fire if Israel is willing to do the same.

Leaders of Hamas, the Islamist faction that controls Gaza, met with Islamic Jihad and other groups and said they would respond according to the way Israel acted.

The offer came as Israeli officials are weighing a stronger response to four days of rocket strikes.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told told foreign ambassadors that Israel would defend itself.  He spoke during a visit to Ashkelon, a southern city that has been battered by Gaza rockets.

Palestinian officials said six Palestinians have been killed and dozens injured in Israeli strikes since the latest fighting began during the weekend.  More than 110 rockets have hit Israeli towns in the latest round, the military said. VoA.

Russia captures 66 Islamists in recent weeks

Russian police have arrested six members of a banned Islamist group on suspicion of distributing extremist literature and recruiting followers.

Police said Monday the six were members of Hizb ut-Tahrir, an organization designated as an international terrorist group by Russia's Supreme Court.

Officials say the group, which aims to establish an Islamist state, was conducting active recruitment work at mosques in the Russian capital, Moscow.

During a search of the suspects' home, police say they found nine grenades, other weapons, ammunition and extremist literature.

Reports say up to 60 members of the banned group were detained in Moscow in recent weeks. VoA.

RIP CPT James D Nehl

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

                Capt. James D. Nehl, 37, of Gardiner, Ore., died Nov. 9, in Ghazni Province, Afghanistan, from small arms fire while on patrol during combat operations.  He was assigned to 2^nd Battalion, 16^th Infantry Regiment, 4^th Brigade Combat Team, 1^st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.

"He which hath no stomach to this fight let him depart. But we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers!! For he today, that sheds his blood with me, shall always be my brother.” (W.Shakespeare) Rest in peace my Brothers, you have not been forgotten.

British Court blocks extradition of Jordanian Islamist terrorist

Islamist cleric Abu Qatada has won his appeal against deportation from Britain to Jordan to face terror charges.

The Special Immigration Appeals Commission on Monday blocked the extradition order, saying it could not be guaranteed that Qatada would get a fair trial. He is expected to be released from prison on bail on Tuesday but under tight restrictions.

In a statement, Britain's Home Office says it strongly disagrees with the ruling and is planning to appeal.

Qatada was convicted in Jordan in 1998 in absentia of terrorism charges related to two bomb plots.

Home Secretary Theresa May had ordered his extradition after being given assurances by Jordan that no information obtained through torture would be used against him.

British officials have described Qatada, who arrived in Britain in the 1990s, as Osama bin Laden's top European deputy for al-Qaeda terrorism. He has been detained in Britain for most of the past decade under the country's anti-terrorism laws.

Britain has been trying to deport Qatada since 2001, but its efforts have repeatedly been blocked by the courts. In January, the European Court of Human Rights ruled against the deportation because evidence used against him in Jordan may have been obtained using torture.

30 Police killed in Kenya

Gunmen in northern Kenya have killed at least 30 police officers who were hunting for cattle rustlers.

Kenyan police say the officers were ambushed Saturday as their truck drove through the remote northern Baragoi district.

Search and rescue teams found 11 bodies on Saturday and another 19 the next day.  Nine survivors of the attack have been hospitalized.

There has been no claim of responsibility for the attack.  Police suspect rustlers were behind another attack in Baragoi last month that killed 13 people.

Cattle theft and related violence are fairly common in arid northern Kenya, but direct attacks on police are rare.

Government officials said they are shocked by the killings, and expressed concern about the preparedness and capacity of security forces. VoA.

Kenya has been battling al-Qaeda affiliated al-Shabab terrorists in Kenya and Somalia for more than a year.  The offensive in Somalia has pushed the terrorists out of key pirate safe havens while the terrorist organization has attacked refugees, tourists, and churches inside Kenya.

Syrian rebels choose Mullah as Leader of coalition

Syrian opposition groups have elected a cleric, Maath al-Khatib, as the first leader of a new coalition that unites the disparate factions fighting to end the rule of President Bashar al-Assad.

Businessman Riad Seif, who proposed the U.S.-backed initiative to establish an umbrella organization of Syrian- and external-based opposition, was elected vice president on Sunday.  Suhair al-Atassi, a well-known female activist, also was elected vice president.

Khatib, a former imam at the Umayyad mosque in Damascus, was imprisoned several times for criticizing Mr. Assad's rule before he left Syria this year.

Seif had drawn up the U.S.-backed reform proposals on which Sunday's agreement, reach in Doha, was based.  Opposition figures had struggled to achieve unity, under pressure from U.S. diplomats and officials from Qatar, which have supported Syrian opposition activity since an uprising began last year.

The deal came after the Syrian National Council, which had formerly been seen as the main representative of the opposition, heeded Arab and Western pressure to agree to a new structure embracing groups that had been unwilling to join its ranks.

Meanwhile, Israeli troops fired warning shots into Syria after stray munitions from fighting between Syrian troops and rebels landed in Israel's Golan Heights area.

The military said in a statement Sunday that a mortar shell landed near an Israeli army post in the Golan Heights.  It says that Israeli soldiers fired warning shots in response. 

The statement adds that the army filed a complaint through the local United Nations forces warning that “fire emanating from Syria into Israel will not be tolerated and shall be responded to with severity”.

Israel public radio said the incident was the first direct engagement between Israel and Syria since the countries' 1973 war. VoA.

War in Afghanistan News - 12 Nov 2012

BAGRAM, Afghanistan (Nov. 12, 2012) - Afghan and coalition forces killed four insurgents, detained five and cleared seven improvised explosive devices during operations in eastern Afghanistan throughout the past 24 hours, Nov. 11.

Ghazni Province
Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely cleared three IEDs, two in Muqer District and one in Qarah Bagh District.

Khowst Province
Afghan National Army soldiers found and safely cleared an IED in Tanai District.

Kunar Province
Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces detained five insurgents during an engagement in Asadabad District. The detained suspects were transferred to a base for questioning.

Laghman Province
Afghan National Security Forces found and safely cleared three IEDs in Mehtar Lam District.

Paktika Province
A coalition airstrike killed four insurgents who were emplacing an IED in Giyan District.

Operations in RC-East are still ongoing. 

RIP Kenneth W Bennett

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

            Kenneth W. Bennett, 26, of Glendora, Calif., died Nov. 10, in Sperwan Gar, Afghanistan, from injuries sustained when he encountered an improvised explosive device during combat operations.

            He was assigned to the 53^rd Ordnance Company (EOD), 3^rd Ordnance Battalion (EOD), Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.

"He which hath no stomach to this fight let him depart. But we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers!! For he today, that sheds his blood with me, shall always be my brother.” (W.Shakespeare) Rest in peace my Brothers, you have not been forgotten.

Another Taliban infiltrator attacks ISAF

A gunman wearing an Afghan army uniform has attacked U.S.-led coalition forces fighting in Afghanistan, the latest in a spate of insider attacks that are fracturing the trust between NATO and Afghan forces.

Separately, Afghan officials said 11 civilians were killed by explosions in the east and south. A roadside bomb blast killed six members of a family, including a mother and her hours-old baby.

Police say the family was heading home from the hospital where the mother had given birth when their truck hit the bomb Sunday in eastern Khost province.

Also Sunday, three people were killed in southern Helmand province when their vehicle detonated a land mine.

There has been no immediate claim of responsibility for the blasts. However, roadside bombs are the weapons of choice for Taliban insurgents fighting to bring down the Western-backed government in Kabul. The bombs often miss their military targets and hit civilians who use the same roads. VoA.

ECOWAS agrees to counter-terrorist plan in Mali

West African leaders have approved a military strategy to help Mali retake control of the north of the country from Islamist rebels.

Leaders from the 15-nation Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) agreed on an African force made up of some 3,000 troops with a one-year mandate.

The majority of the troops would come from ECOWAS nations, with several countries already committing support.

Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan said the intervention force was needed to prevent “costly consequences” not just in Mali but the whole of Africa.

”One of the lessons, years of conflict management in our region has taught us, is to treat conflict in one country as a regional challenge requiring a common regional response. This approach makes sense because the crises we have witnessed across West Africa in the past two decades have often generated consequences that have extended beyond these sources and countries of origin.''

The plan also calls for negotiations, but warns that rebel groups have to be committed to Mali as one nation under a secular, central government.

The proposal will be submitted to the United Nations Security Council for review.

Mali has been in chaos since a March 22 military coup toppled the elected government and paved the way for armed groups to seize the north.

More than 300,000 people have fled northern Mali this year, many of them into neighboring countries. Rights groups say those who remained are being subjected to serious human rights violations as Islamist terrorists impose a harsh Sharia law. VoA.

RIP SPC Daniel L Carlson

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

            Spc. Daniel L. Carlson, 21, of Running Springs, Calif., died Nov. 9, in Kandahar province, Afghanistan. 

            Carlson was assigned to 3^rd Battalion, 25^th Aviation Regiment, 25^th Combat Aviation Brigade, 25^th Infantry Division, Wheeler Army Airfield, Hawaii.

"He which hath no stomach to this fight let him depart. But we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers!! For he today, that sheds his blood with me, shall always be my brother.” (W.Shakespeare) Rest in peace my Brothers, you have not been forgotten.

Islamist explosions kill 9 Afghans

Afghan officials say a roadside bomb blast has killed six members of a family, including a mother and her hours-old baby.

Police say the family was heading home from the hospital where the mother had given birth when their truck hit the bomb Sunday in eastern Khost province.

Meanwhile, three people were killed in southern Helmand province when their vehicle detonated a bomb. 

Roadside bombs are the weapons of choice for Taliban insurgents fighting to bring down the Western-backed government in Kabul.  The bombs often miss their military targets and hit civilians who use the same roads. VoA.

DoD release of Benghazi timeline

WASHINGTON, Nov. 10, 2012 - The Defense Department released a timeline yesterday of the Pentagon's response to the September attack in Benghazi, Libya, that left four Americans dead, including U.S. Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens.

A senior defense official, speaking on background with Pentagon reporters, emphasized:

"With naval, Marine, special operations and air forces either employed or en route to Libya during the attacks, we responded," the official said. "We mourn the loss of four American heroes in Benghazi."

The attack on the U.S. consulate began at 3:42 p.m. EDT [9:42 p.m. Benghazi time].
By 5:10 EDT an unarmed surveillance aircraft was on station over the Benghazi compound.
By 5:30 p.m., all surviving Americans had left the consulate, the official noted, adding that defense officials didn't have that information until later. 
At 6:30 p.m. EDT, according to the timeline, a six-person security team, including two DOD members, left the U.S. Embassy in Tripoli for Benghazi. 
By 8:39 p.m., the official said, the command center had started issuing written orders for the forces the secretary had alerted. [Four hours after the attack started.]
At 11 p.m. EDT, the official said, a second unmanned, unarmed surveillance aircraft relieved the first,
and at 11:15 p.m. -- around 5 a.m. Sept. 12 in Benghazi -- the second U.S. facility there, an annex near the consulate, came under mortar and rocket-propelled grenade fire.
By 1:40 a.m. EDT Sept. 12, the first wave of Americans left Benghazi for Tripoli by airplane, with the second wave, including the bodies of the fallen,
following at 4 a.m. A C-17 aircraft, under Africom direction, flew the evacuees from Tripoli to Germany later that day, the official said.

In the Middle East and North Africa on Sept. 11, the official added, U.S. facilities in more than 16 countries were operating on a heightened force-protection level, based on specific threats.  [Which would warrant at least 2-4 FAST and/or Special Operations teams being on standby, ready to fly.]

"I would note ... that there was no specific or credible threat that we knew of on the day that the attacks ... occurred in Benghazi," the official said.  "Unfortunately, no alternative or additional aircraft options were available within ... [enough time] to be effective," the official said.  [If a slow moving drone could get on target within 2 hours and be replaced 6 hrs later, a fast moving fighter, which also should have been on standby, considering the wideranging threats, could have made it there in less time.  Defenders, on the ground, were painting the attacking mortars for strikes.]

The DOD timeline records that in the first hours following the initial attack, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, conferred first with the president, and shortly after with senior officials including Army Gen. Carter F. Ham, who leads U.S. Africa Command.  [Within hours!?!?!]

During those meetings, the official said, Panetta verbally ordered two fleet antiterrorism security team, or FAST, platoons to prepare to deploy from their base in Rota, Spain. The secretary also issued verbal prepare-to-deploy orders for a U.S. European Command special operations force then training in Central Europe and a second special operations force based in the United States. 

[But dithering by Obama and Panetta resulted in no re-inforcements arriving to assist in the defense of Our Diplomats.]

The official noted the Pentagon's National Military Command Center staff, within hours of the attack, began planning support and contingency operations with transportation and special operations experts, as well as with representatives from the four services and Africa, Europe and Central commands.  [When bullets are flying, the time for "planning" is over.  It's time to act, not analyze, not plan, not talk.  It is time to decide and act.]

 

War in Afghanistan News - 11 Nov 2012

BAGRAM, Afghanistan (Nov. 11, 2012) - Afghan and coalition forces killed three insurgents, detained three, located a weapons cache and cleared seven improvised explosive devices during operations in eastern Afghanistan throughout the past 24 hours, Nov. 10.

Ghazni Province
Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely cleared two IEDs in Muqer District.

Khowst Province
Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely cleared three IEDs, two in Khowst District and one in Sabari District.

Afghan Uniformed Police and coalition forces discovered a weapons cache in Terezayi District. The cache contained wire, a jug for producing homemade explosives and a push-button initiator.

Nangarhar Province
Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely cleared an IED in Bati Kot District.

Nuristan Province
Afghan Uniformed Police wounded an insurgent during an engagement in Nurgaram District. The wounded insurgent received medical care and was transferred to a base for questioning.

Paktika Province
Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces killed an insurgent during an engagement in Bermal District.

Wardak Province
Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely cleared an IED in Sayyidabad District.

Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces killed two insurgents, wounded one and detained one during an engagement in Sayyidabad District. The wounded insurgent received medical care and
was, along with the detained, transferred to a base for questioning.

Operations in RC-East are still ongoing. 

Israel counter attack kills 4 in Gaza

Palestinian terrorists fired a missile at an Israeli military jeep on Saturday and Israel responded with shelling into the Gaza Strip that killed four Palestinians.

Officials and witnesses say 25 people were wounded in the flare-up, which was one of several in the border region in recent months.

The armed wing of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine claimed responsibility for firing the anti-tank missile into southern Israel.  Four Israeli solders were wounded in the attack.

Sporadic clashes have occurred between Israel and terrorists in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip. VoA.