The Groundtruth from a combat veteran, backed up by independent research and historical study. Information beneficial to the Troops. And a touch of objective politics, as it relates to the subjects at hand.
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Children's Books
Ages 7 and up
Marjorie Haun relates the stories of Vietnamese children, and their escape from the invading Communist forces of the North, including the heroism of Fathers and Troops.
These books can be read to children by parents, teachers, or other role models and there are more to come in the series.
Beanies For Baghdad Putting Smiles on Faces of Soldiers by putting smiles on the faces of Iraqi & Afghani children and hence the faces of their parents.
Inside Gitmo: The True Story Behind the Myths of G
Guantanamo Bay - Montgomery Granger
Review by Ms Marti: http://waronterrornews.typepad.com/home/2010/11/saving-grace-at-guantanamo-bay-by-montgomery-j-granger.html
The Facts about what has happened at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and who is detained there. More here: http://waronterrornews.typepad.com/home/2009/02/the-unvarnished-truth-about-gitmo-long-overdue.html
Hitler's Panzers
WWII scholar, Professor of History, Colorado College, uses Soldier interviews, archives & other information to demonstrate effectiveness of Armored Warfare as developed by Nazi Germany and pertinent to future warfare.
BAGRAM, Afghanistan - Afghan and coalition forces detained two insurgents and cleared five improvised explosive devices during operations in eastern Afghanistan throughout the past 24 hours, Jan. 4.
Ghazni Province Afghan National Security Forces found and safely cleared one IED in Dehyak District.
Khowst Province Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces detained two insurgents while investigating an IED in Bak District. The IED was safely cleared and the detained suspects were transferred to a base for questioning.
Afghan Border Police and coalition forces found and safely cleared one IED in Gurbuz District.
Afghan Uniformed Police and coalition forces found and safely cleared one IED in Sabari District.
Nangarhar Province Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely cleared one IED in Mohmand Darah District.
By Amaani Lyle, American Forces Press Service, WASHINGTON, Jan. 4, 2013 - The Defense Department sponsors Duke University researchers to conduct projects in mathematics, engineering and biology that advance military capabilities and strengthen national security, a university official said in a recent phone interview.
Duke University researchers actively participate in DOD programs and awards, and projects are designed to help the warfighter enhance intelligence gathering, avoid battlefield hazards and maintain medical readiness, said Dr. Jim Siedow, the university's vice provost for research.
"There's always been an interest in Duke scientists for projects that might be defense related," Siedow said. "It's an important element of research for us, given that a lot of what the military does today involves gathering intelligence -- so the better you're able to do that, the safer the world is likely to be."
Although the research projects typically do not bear fruit for decades, Siedow described relatively short-term success stories from past and current projects.
"[An electrical engineer professor] developed algorithms applied to the function of cochlear implants that allow people to hear, so there's a computer technology associated with [it]," he said.
The U.S. Army, Siedow said, now uses the same algorithms, or step-by-step calculations, transforming them into handheld and ground standoff mine detection systems able to detect explosive objects.
"That came out of military-funded work on cochlear implants, which then evolved into helping to detect explosives and landmines in Afghanistan," he explained.
Another project, pre-symptomatic detection and diagnostics, improves the detection of illnesses caused by pathogens before they become severe, Siedow said.
"In the military, you've got a lot of people, often crammed into close quarters, who may be headed out to battle," Siedow said. "If one of them is coming down with something contagious, whether naturally or from enemy actions, you want to know that before you send 99 [troops] and one infected person into the field. This could ultimately lead to more than 50 of them becoming infected."
Siedow said the challenge is to detect when someone has been exposed to or is carrying a disease.
"You can understand the importance of that, but you can also understand the complexity of that," Siedow said of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency-funded venture.
Perhaps one of the more futuristic and science fiction-inspired projects is research in an engineering area known as metamaterials, dubbed the "invisibility cloak," Siedow said.
And Duke University is one of the world's leaders in metamaterials research, he said.
Siedow explained that researchers can modify an object's electromagnetic properties to actually change the nature of the material and its capability of being perceived.
"Think about the old television series 'Star Trek,'" he said. "The Klingons could 'cloak' their spacecraft so they couldn't be seen ... and with metamaterials we can do the same thing."
Siedow knows of a variety of military uses for such technology.
"It's one thing to have a stealth fighter that's hard to see," he said. "It's another thing to have an aircraft that literally can't be seen -- by radar or the naked eye, depending on how you align it -- even though it's there."
The magic behind the science is simple in theory.
"You and I envision something not because we see it, but because light gets refracted off of it," he said. "You can set up these mechanisms where nothing gets reflected so there isn't any way of seeing it."
Siedow believes the metamaterials project is on the verge of bringing about widespread change in how the military operates.
"Within the decade, metamaterials will become an inherent part of our standard military operations," he said. "We're very well positioned to take advantage of that and we'll continue to see DOD funding any number of things."
The university gets research funding from a variety of DOD agencies, and many projects have heavily integrated the National Institute of Health and the National Science Foundation.
But as funding for NIH and NSF has stabilized or at times even declined, researchers and engineers have also been able to rely on DOD, where science, health and technology projects abound, Siedow said.
DOD partnerships with Duke University as well as the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University have, in many instances, led to grants and contracts from the Army Research Office, Siedow said.
DOD-sponsored research expenditures at Duke University increased from $17.7 million in fiscal year 2008 to more than $30 million by 2011, according to the university's financial reports.
"Many of these projects funded by DOD are interdisciplinary, so they're being done not only in conjunction with Duke scientists but scientists elsewhere," Siedow said.
He said even basic research makes the funding and partnerships worthy ventures.
"In the early stages, you've got a lot of primary physics and engineering principles that need to be well understood to turn that into a working product," Siedow said. "Universities have historically been positioned at the early, not latter, stages of that research continuum."
With hundreds of collaborative research projects in the works over the last several decades, Siedow asserts that scholarly and military research endeavors can coexist and complement each other.
"Most nuclear engineers in this country who work in nuclear power plants got their start on a submarine -- that's the big training ground," Siedow said. "Service to your country and practicing as a scientist are not incompatible."
Opposition activists say Syrian warplanes bombed targets near Damascus on Friday, a day after an explosion in the capital left at least nine people dead.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says government shelling is underway in areas including Douma, a rebel stronghold.
The state-run SANA news news agency says “terrorists” detonated explosives at a gas station in a Damascus neighborhood, on Thursday.
Civil war between rebels and the Assad government has gripped Syria since evolving from peaceful anti-government protests in March 2011.
The United Nations estimates 60,000 people have died in Syrian fighting, a figure that surpasses opposition estimates by about one-third. VoA.
BAGRAM, Afghanistan (Jan. 4, 2013) - Afghan and coalition forces detained four insurgents, located one weapons caches and cleared two improvised explosive devices during operations in eastern Afghanistan throughout the past 24 hours, Jan. 3.
Khowst Province Afghan Uniformed Police and coalition forces detained two insurgents at their home after observing them emplacing an IED in Khowst District. The AUP discovered a weapons cache in the insurgent's home that contained small arms, ammunition, and IED making materials. The detained suspects were transferred to a base for questioning, and the IED was safely cleared.
Khowst Province Afghan Uniformed Police and coalition forces found and safely cleared one IED in Terezayi District.
Khowst Province Afghan Uniformed Police and coalition forces detained one insurgent during an engagement in Tani District. The detained suspect was transferred to a base for questioning.
Parwan Province Afghan Border Police and coalition forces detained one insurgent during an engagement in Bagram District. The detained suspect was transferred to a base for questioning.
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill., Jan. 3, 2013 - With a simple idea and their fallen Marine son's Servicemembers Group Life Insurance check, a retired soldier and his wife are honoring his memory through a program that's bringing new hope and self-confidence to wounded warriors.
Pictured: William "Mike" White, founder of Camp Hope for wounded warriors, left, chats with Army Capt. Joe Bogart, a wounded warrior who said the camp restored his sense of independence. U.S. Army photo by Michael William Petersen
William "Mike" White, an equipment operator at the Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command here, remembers as if it were yesterday the dreaded knock on the door as he and his wife, Galia, learned that their son, Marine Pfc. Christopher Neal White, had been killed. The young White, an avid outdoorsman who grew up in rural Kentucky, died in Iraq's Anbar province two days after Father's Day, 2006.
Heartbroken and guilt-ridden that he had convinced his wife to allow their son to join the military, White struggled to find meaning in their personal tragedy. "I had to take a negative and make it a positive. It had to be done," he said.
Alone on a hunting trip -- an endeavor he and his son had often shared -- White came up with the inspiration for Camp Hope.
"I wanted to start a place for our wounded guys, to teach them that even if they have one arm or one leg or no arms or no legs or they're blind, that they could still get out and enjoy the outdoors," he said. "Little did I know it was going to lead to where we are today."
The Whites used Christopher's SGLI payment to buy Chris Neal Farm, a 170-acre retreat in southeast Missouri, and home of Camp Hope.
Five years later, Camp Hope is exceeding everything the senior White could have imagined. Hundreds of combat-wounded warriors from across the United States have flocked there to participate in everything Christopher White loved: skeet shooting, hunting, fishing, hiking, exploring the great outdoors and relaxing around an ever-burning fire pit.
The idea, White explained, is to allow wounded warriors to experience the healing powers of nature as they focus on what they can do, instead of what they cannot.
Operated through private and corporate donations and a legion of volunteers, Camp Hope provides a supportive, loving environment and a renewed sense of community to wounded warriors, White explained.
"We are really not doing anything special other than offering them a place and an opportunity to be able to get back and talk with other folks whose boots have been in the same dirt," he said.
White is the first to admit that he had no grand plan when he and his wife founded Camp Hope. "Everything that has happened has pretty much been an accident," he said. "You can't plan some of the things that have happened. There is no way. It just happens."
But the healing effect, he said, is undeniable.
"There is a magic thing about Camp Hope. I can't explain it. I really can't," White said. "All I know is that it does things for the good for people. It gives a lot of hope to a lot of people. It changes their attitude when they are there."
Army Sgt. Bobby Lee Lisek, a severely wounded warrior who attended the very first gathering at Camp Hope, said he was amazed at the transformation within himself.
"Camp Hope is the greatest place ever. They don't hold you or hold you back. They don't say, 'No you can't.' There is no limit to what you can do here," he said.
Admitting to White that he'd been struggling with suicidal thoughts before arriving at Camp Hope, Lisek said, "I don't know where I'd be today if I didn't have somewhere to go like Camp hope. I'm just at peace here."
So much at peace, in fact, that Lisek volunteers his time regularly as a hunting guide, helping other visitors to Camp Hope experience the same kind of transformation he did.
Army Capt. Joe Bogart, another Camp Hope veteran, said the experience gave him a renewed sense of independence. "I got part of my old self back," he said. "I healed in ways I didn't know I needed to."
For Army Spc. Adam Berkemeier, the healing came through taking on new challenges. "They push me to do more because they know I am capable of more," he said.
For Army Staff Sgt. Jonathan Kinnamore, who called his visit to Camp Hope "one of the best experiences I've had in years," healing came through camaraderie with fellow wounded warriors.
"I had forgotten how to socialize," he said. "It was good to be able to sit around the fire pit and talk with people who had been in the same place I had been in and who knew what was going on, what I'm going through. It helped me relax for the first time in a long time."
The Whites' work at Camp Hope has received national recognition. In 2010, the Army honored White with its prestigious Spirit of Hope Award, and the National AMVETS Ladies' Auxiliary presented him its Humanitarian of the Year award.
Veterans groups and individual and corporate sponsors have stepped up their support as volunteers or donors, covering all costs for veterans to participate and even sponsoring special trips to Alaska and other destinations.
The camp has become such a success that White hopes to open a second Camp Hope, near Pennsylvania's Allegheny National Forest to reach more wounded warriors. Once it's operational, White said he plans to rely on wounded warriors who have attended the camp themselves to run its day-to-day operations.
He even envisioned it creating a ripple effect, with Camp Hopes scattered around the country to help wounded warriors heal.
White said the calls he regularly receives from parents and spouses, thanking him for the difference Camp Hope has made in their loved ones' lives, is the driving force that keeps him motivated to drive on.
"That's our payday," he said. "That's what makes us continue to do what we do."
Six years after his son's death, White still gets choked up when he talks about the enthusiastic young boy who loved the outdoors and dreamed of becoming a Marine. Making things right after losing him would be impossible, he admitted.
"But now that we know we've been able to help some of these young folks coming back, even saving some of them from committing suicide or hurting themselves, it makes it a little bit easier to accept," he said. "Camp Hope is all about Helping Other People Excel. And as it honors Christopher's memory, that's exactly what it does for these wounded warriors."
By Ignacio Rubalcava, U.S. Army Garrison Baumholder
BAUMHOLDER, Germany, Jan. 3, 2013 - An early morning drive here turned into a nightmare for Heather Majorwitz and her two children, Kaitie and Bret.
They were on their way to school recently when their car hit a patch of ice and started to skid across the road toward an oncoming bus. Majorwitz, a librarian at a local elementary school, swerved to avoid the bus and slid off the road, rolling her car.
"One minute we were on the road and the next we were hanging from our seatbelts," Majorwitz recalled during a recent recognition ceremony held at U.S. Army Garrison Baumholder here.
Pictured: Heather Majorwitz thanks the Soldiers who rescued her and her children from an automobile accident at U.S. Army Garrison Baumholder, Germany. Courtesy photo
The car's wheels were still turning when a group of soldiers from the 421st Multifunctional Medical Battalion came upon the scene. Without hesitation, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Vladimir Sequera and three other Soldiers stopped their Humvee and dashed out to help. The children were already making their way out of the car's shattered back window when the Soldiers approached.
Sequera and the other Soldiers, Sgt. 1st Class Winston Smith, Sgt. 1st Class Nathan Lehman and Sgt. Cheryl Henneberry quickly brought the children to safety and wrapped them with their jackets to stay warm. By then, Majorwitz was trying to get out of the car and Sequera and the other Soldiers turned their attention to helping her.
"When we saw the vehicle we immediately pulled to the side. We all had the same thought. There's somebody in the vehicle," Sequera said. "We didn't know if they were American or German. We just wanted to help."
"I just remember the car rolling and lots of glass. I felt blessed to walk away from the wreck but I also felt really blessed that we had soldiers there that would go above and beyond and help us. You guys are my heroes," Majorwitz said.
"I'm glad that we were there to help out. I don't think it's a hero thing. I think it's a human behavior that we help each other out. It is part of what we do in the military," Sequera said.
Madeleine Dwoiakowski, public affairs officer for the Baumholder garrison, drives the same route on her way to work.
"I saw soldiers and hoped that none of our guys were injured, not knowing that the soldiers were actually assisting on the scene," Dwoiakowski said. "I then saw the car and it looked like it had gone through a press. They were extremely fortunate to walk away with no injuries and they were also equally fortunate that the Soldiers were there almost immediately to help."
For Majorwitz, it was the scariest moment she's experienced as a mother.
"I wasn't sure if the children were OK. Everybody said they were OK but even at the hospital I wasn't sure," she said. "My little boy gets anxious about things and I was worried that he'd have this anxiety and wouldn't want to ride in a car again." Majorwitz explained that they had a flat tire once and for the next year her son checked the tires before getting in the car.
But her son "was fine, he was a trooper," Majorwitz said. Turning to Sequera, she added, "I think he was fine because you guys were there immediately. There wasn't that second to even worry about it because we were taken care of right away."
Later, Majorwitz, called her 15-year-old daughter in the states and told her why she enjoys working with Soldiers and their families.
"This is why I do what I do to serve these guys, because they're there and they step in -- no matter what," Majorwitz said. "It's automatic, because that's who they are. This makes me even more proud to be able to teach the kids of our Soldiers because I know that they're out there taking care of everybody else."
Majorwitz expressed her gratitude to the Soldiers who rescued her and her children.
"I think that's why you are Soldiers," Majorwitz said, as she fought back tears. "We could have died but we didn't. We were very fortunate all around so I just want to thank you."
Majorwitz then embraced Sequera and repeated her appreciation for their help.
Iraqi authorities say a car bomb has killed at least 20 Shi'ite Muslim pilgrims on their way home from a religious procession in the country's south.
Police said Thursday's attack at a busy bus station in the town of Musayyib hit the pilgrims as they were returning from Iraq's shrine city of Karbala, where they performed mourning rituals for a revered figure in Shi'ite Islam. Dozens were wounded in the bombing.
The attack has renewed fears of an increase in sectarian violence that could further destabilize the country.
The blast comes just days after a wave of bombings across the country killed 23 people. Insurgents blew up several houses in Musayyib on Monday, killing seven people. Bombings also killed people in Baghdad, Hillah and Kirkuk.
Islamist Sunni terrorists have targeted Shi'ite pilgrims frequently. Those terrorists also appear to be exploiting sectarian tensions in the ruling coalition of Shi'ite Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, who is under political fire.
Sunni protesters have held more than a week of anti-government protests in the western province of Anbar, demanding an end to Mr. Maliki's marginalization of their community and its representatives in his Shi'ite-led coalition.
The United Nations says new and exhaustive analysis shows that more than 60,000 people have died in Syria's civil war, a figure that surpasses Syrian opposition estimates by about one-third.
U.N. Human Rights Commissioner Navi Pillay, in a study released Wednesday in Geneva, said death reports from seven separate sources were cross-referenced by experts to arrive at the new toll. She said the number of casualties is much higher than expected, and is truly shocking.
Estimates from the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights had placed the death toll in the nearly two-year conflict at about 45,000.
The U.N. report said researchers who studied data for months could not distinguish between civilian and combat deaths. But Pillay said she fears thousands more will die or “suffer terrible injuries” unless there is a quick resolution to the conflict.
Near Damascus, opposition activists said Wednesday that government warplanes bombed a gasoline station, killing dozens of people as they waited for fuel.
Activists say the strike occurred in the eastern suburb of Mleiha — an area partly under rebel control. The blast ignited a huge fire that sent black smoke billowing into the air. Amateur video posted online showed dismembered bodies at the scene.
Separately, the French news agency reported that armed men in northern Syria kidnapped one of its freelance contributors six weeks ago.
The family of U.S. journalist James Foley — who previously had asked media groups not to report the abduction — asked Wednesday for his release.
AFP says Foley last supplied the agency with video material on November 21, the day before he disappeared in the town of Taftanaz. No one has claimed responsibility.
A brutal civil war between rebel groups and the Assad government has shaken Syria since evolving from peaceful anti-government protests in March 2011. VoA.
Pakistani security officials say U.S. drone strikes in tribal regions bordering Afghanistan have killed at least eight people, including Maulvi Nazir, a top Taliban commander in South Warziristan.
Officials said Thursday that Nazir, who was also known as Mullah Nazir, was one of several suspected terrorists killed during a strike in the village of Angoor Adda, late Wednesday.
They say at least one one drone attack occurred in North Waziristan. Dawn News says three people were killed.
Nazir was the primary Taliban commander in South Waziristan. His terrorists reportedly have been more interested in attacking U.S.-led troops in Afghanistan than Pakistan's security forces. His faction is allied with other al-Qaida-linked terrorist groups.
Nazir had signed a peace accord with the Pakistani government in 2007. He was reported to have had a contentious relationship with the Pakistani Taliban, which has carried out attacks on Pakistani forces.
In November, Nazir was wounded in a suicide bombing that killed at least six people.
In November 2011, suspected U.S. drone strikes killed Nazir's deputy leader, Khan Mohammed, as well as a younger brother.
The U.S. drone strikes are unpopular in Pakistan.
Last year, President Barack Obama publicly acknowledged for the first time that the U.S. has conducted the strikes against terrorists in the country.
Mr. Obama defended the operations, saying they are used for “very precise, precision strikes” against al-Qaida but detractors note that they lack on the ground confirmation of the targets, and often strike homes where the terrorists wives and children reside. VoA.
KABUL, Afghanistan (Jan. 03, 2013) – During a security operation, Mubariz Jaan, a Taliban leader, was killed by an Afghan and coalition security force in Andar district, Ghazni province, Wednesday.
Mubariz Jaan was responsible for gathering intelligence and directing attacks against local Afghan civilians and government officials. Prior to his death, Mubariz Jaan was coordinating attacks against Afghan Local Police in the province.
In other International Security Assistance Force news throughout Afghanistan:
North
An Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Taliban leader during a security operation in Pul-e Khumri district, Baghlan province, Wednesday. The leader was responsible for financing improvised explosive devices, weapons and ammunition for insurgent attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. Prior to his detention, he was facilitating the movement of IEDs and suicide bombers for attacks in the province. During the operation, the security force also positively identified an individual engaged in threatening activity and killed him.
South
A Taliban leader in Shah Wali Kot district, Kandahar province was arrested by an Afghan and coalition security force today. The leader was responsible for the planning and execution of vehicle-borne IED and in-ground IED attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. He oversaw the transfer and delivery of IEDs to insurgents operating throughout the district.
EAST: BAGRAM, Afghanistan (Jan. 3, 2013) - Afghan and coalition forces detained 10 insurgents and located one weapons cache during operations in eastern Afghanistan throughout the past 24 hours, Jan. 2.
Ghazni Province Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces detained 10 insurgents while investigating a weapons cache in Qarah Bagh District. The cache contained small arms and ammunition and grenades. The detained suspects were transferred to a base for questioning.
Opposition activists say Syrian government forces and rebels are waging a fierce battle near an airport in the northern Idlib province, on Wednesday, a day after similar clashes prompted officials to close the airport in Aleppo.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says rebels have launched an attack on a military airport near Taftanaz. The group says Islamist terrorist groups are involved in the fighting.
There was no immediate confirmation from the government, which has been battling opposition activists for almost two years.
On Tuesday, government aircraft pounded rebel-held areas of Aleppo, the country's commercial hub.
Authorities announced the closure of the city's airport because of rebel attacks.
Anti-government activists also reported heavy fighting in the Damascus suburb of Daraya, with bombings by Syrian warplanes.
Opposition groups say at least 75 people were killed in unrest across Syria on Tuesday.
Syrian rebels are trying to oust President Bashar al-Assad. Activists say 45,000 people have been killed in the conflict that began with peaceful anti-government protests in March 2011. VoA.
KABUL, Afghanistan (Jan. 2, 2013) – An Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Taliban leader in Shah Wali Kot district, Kandahar province, Wednesday.
The leader provided weapons and ammunition to insurgent fighters in central Arghandab and southwest Shah Wali Kot districts, and planned and coordinated improvised explosive device attacks targeting Afghan and coalition forces.
During the operation, the security force also seized IED-making materials.
In other International Security Assistance Force news throughout Afghanistan:
South
An Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Taliban leader in Panjwa’i district, Kandahar province, Tuesday. The leader directed improvised explosive device operations in Zharay and Panjwa’i districts. He also provided supplies, weapons and ammunition to insurgents for use in attacks against Afghan and coalition forces throughout Kandahar province.
In Arghandab district, Kandahar province, Monday, an Afghan and coalition security force arrested a local Taliban leader who coordinated improvised explosive device attacks and distributed IEDs and IED components to insurgents in the district. During the operation, the security force also detained three suspected insurgents.
East
In Pul-e ‘Alam district, Logar province, today, an Afghan and coalition security force arrested a member of the Haqqani network who planned and executed attacks against Afghan government officials as well as Afghan and coalition forces. He was also responsible for the movement of weapons and provided funds to Haqqani fighters operating in Pul-e ‘Alam district.
North – During a security operation in Imam Sahib district, Kunduz province, Monday, an Afghan and coalition force killed the Taliban leader, Nurullah Khan, and one other insurgent.
Nurullah Khan, also known as Shaker, transported and distributed weapons for insurgents in Kunduz province. At the time of his death, Nurullah Khan was coordinating the movement of explosives for use in a future improvised explosive device attack.
An Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Taliban leader in Khanabad district, Kunduz province, today. The leader organized insurgent fighters and procured improvised explosive devices for attacks against Afghan and coalition forces in the district. He also provided IEDs and other weapons for insurgents in other areas of the province.
East: BAGRAM, Afghanistan (Jan. 02, 2013) - Afghan and coalition forces located one weapons cache during operations in eastern Afghanistan throughout the past 24 hours, Jan. 1.
Parwan Province Afghan National Army soldiers and coalition forces discovered a weapons cache in Bagram District. The cache contained multiple mortars and mines.
BAGRAM, Afghanistan (Jan. 1, 2013) - Insurgents killed 19 civilians and wounded 37 others in eastern Afghanistan during the month of December.
Of the 22 insurgent attacks that caused death or injury during this time period, the deadliest incident occurred when a bomb placed at the main bazaar in Bak district of Khost province exploded, killing three innocent civilians and severely injuring four others.
Khost Provincial Governor Abdul Jabbar Naimi condemned the act of the enemies of Islam and the people of Afghanistan with the strongest terms.
"Today, once again, the insurgents - the enemies of Islam and humanity - with their satanic, terroristic and cowardly act killed and wounded innocent civilians, including women and children and put more ordinary families of Afghanistan in mourning," said Naimi.
"[They] want to disturb public civil order and create fear and violence among people, and with that they want to serve their inauspicious purposes," added Naimi.
Despite the efforts of the enemies of the Government 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.
"The noble citizens of Khost and Afghan security forces will work together and will not allow anyone to distort the security or disturb the public civil order in Khost," said Naimi.
BAGRAM, Afghanistan (Jan. 01, 2013) - Afghan and coalition forces detained 13 insurgents, located one weapons cache and cleared three improvised explosive devices during operations in eastern Afghanistan throughout the past 24 hours, Dec. 31.
Khowst Province Afghan Border Police and coalition forces detained 12 insurgents during an engagement in Khowst District. The detained suspects were transferred to a base for questioning.
Afghan Uniformed Police and coalition forces detained one insurgent during an engagement in Khowst District. The detained suspect was transferred to a base for questioning.
Laghman Province Afghan National Security found and safely cleared two IEDs in Alishing District.
Nangarhar Province Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely cleared one IED in Shinwar District.
Paktiya Province Afghan National Army soldiers and coalition forces discovered a weapons cache in Dzadran District. The cache contained multiple rockets.
Iraqi authorities say a wave of bombings across the country has killed at least 23 people in the latest effort by terrorists to undermine confidence in the security forces.
In Monday's deadliest attack, Islamists blew up several houses in the town of Musayyib, south of Baghdad, killing seven people.
In Baghdad's Karrada district, a car bomb exploded near a group of Shi'ite pilgrims en route to the southern city of Karbala for a Shi'ite religious observance. Fiver were killed in the explosion.
Bombs also killed four policemen in the northern city of Kirkuk, one officer in the neighboring town of Tuz Khormato, and two people in the central town of Hillah.
A mortar attack south of Baghdad killed one Shi'ite pilgrim, while at least three other people were killed elsewhere in attacks.
But minority Sunni terrorists have targeted majority Shi'ite pilgrims frequently. Those terrorists also appear to be exploiting sectarian tensions in the ruling coalition of Shi'ite Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, who is under political fire.
Sunni protesters have held more than a week of anti-government protests in the western province of Anbar, demanding an end to Mr. Maliki's marginalization of their community and its representatives in his Shi'ite-led coalition. VoA
Police in New York City have arrested a couple after finding a substance used to make explosives as well as bomb-making manuals in their apartment.
U.S. authorities say the 31-year-old man, Aaron Greene, and his 27-year-old girlfriend, Morgan Gliedman, are being charged with possessing weapons.
They say detectives discovered seven grams of HMTD, an explosive commonly used in homemade bombs. Police also found numerous written items containing instructions on manufacturing explosives, including a cover page entitled The Terrorist Encyclopedia.
Greene appeared in court Sunday and is being held without bail, while Gliedman is still awaiting an initial court appearance. She is the daughter of a prominent Manhattan doctor. VoA.
Pakistan has released eight Afghan Taliban prisoners, including the "minister of justice" during the Taliban's rule of Afghanistan in the late 1990s.
The Foreign Ministry said in a statement Monday the prisoners were released “in order to further facilitate the Afghan reconciliation process.”
Pakistan said that among those released were former Taliban Justice Minister Mullah Nooruddin Turabi and former Helmand province Governor Abdul Bari, as well as two other former Taliban governors and another former Taliban government minister.
Turabi is said to be in poor health. The United Nations says he was appointed as a Taliban military commander in Afghanistan in mid-2009 and was a deputy to Taliban supreme leader Mullah Omar.
The spokesman for the Afghan Taliban also confirmed Turabi's release.
Meanwhile, a top Afghan peace negotiator says the government hopes to transform the Afghan Taliban into a political movement, and that all sides "realize a military solution to the conflict is not possible." Mohammad Masoom Stanekzai told Reuters he is cautiously optimistic about a possible reconciliation with the Taliban.
Last month, Pakistan released nine Afghan Taliban prisoners, but not the insurgent group's former deputy leader, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar. He was captured in Pakistan in 2010.
Support from Pakistan, which backed the Taliban regime is seen as crucial to Afghan reconciliation efforts as international forces complete their withdrawal from the war-torn country by the end of 2014.
Separately, Pakistani security officials say the bodies of nine terrorists were found dumped in Pakistan's northwestern tribal region Monday.
The bodies were found off a road in the Pir Kili village of North Waziristan tribal agency. Officials said the terrorists were members of the Pakistani Taliban.
The discovery comes a day after 21 kidnapped tribal police officers were found dead. The police personnel were taken hostage by Islamists during attacks on checkpoints near the city of Peshawar last week. VoA.
FARAH CITY, Afghanistan (Dec. 22, 2012) – Farah provincial Director of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (DAIL), Abdul Manan Matin, is driving an initiative to build a demonstration greenhouse at his office compound in Farah City, in an effort to connect Farahi farmers with new and innovative techniques to improve crop yields and profit margins. The demonstration greenhouse will help to drive agriculture and agribusiness development within Farah, by introducing new methods of farming and irrigation to Farahi farmers. The greenhouse project is a joint venture between Manan and Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) Farah, and USDA field program officer Chris Koym, who spearheaded the coalition’s effort to start the project. The first greenhouse in Farah City is scheduled to open in early 2013.
Pictured: Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) Farah members and a representative from USDA meet with Afghan farmers at a greenhouse in Farah City to discuss the farmer's success in growing cucumbers, Nov. 3. PRT Farah's mission is to train, advise, and assist Afghan government leaders at the municipal, district, and provincial levels in Farah province, Afghanistan. Their civil military team is comprised of members of the U.S. Navy, U.S. Army, the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). (Photo by U.S. Navy Lt. j.g. Matthew Stroup/released)
Manan, who has a bachelor’s degree in Agriculture from Herat University, is working to make a difference in the way that Farah does agriculture, in large part due to his education, work experience with NGO’s and capacity building initiatives. He has worked in development with USAID for the past few years, and was most recently the local director of the RAMP UP program in Farah. In his new role as the DAIL, Manan values the opportunity to improve the lives of the people of Farah, not only through working with coalition partners, but also through working closely with the Farah Farmer’s Cooperative Union and other NGO’s to pool and direct resources where they are needed.
“Farah is blessed with fertile land, a long growing season and the best crops in the region,” said Manan. “Some of our best crops are watermelon, pomegranates, jujubes, cucumbers and onions. The biggest challenge for me is connecting my office and extension agents to the farmers of Farah, and also developing business opportunities for them both in and out of Farah. ”
Despite having such fertile land, much of the challenges that are found in Farah’s agribusiness sector center on the cost of electricity, the hardiness of the fruits and vegetables during travel and the overhead cost and security associated with transit. Currently, the cost of electricity in Farah is currently twenty times higher than that of Herat, a challenge that forces many business owners to take their business northward. Additionally, crops like watermelon and onions don’t travel nearly as well as a hardy fruit like jujubes, which travel quite well, which limits local farmer’s options when choosing what to grow. Farmer’s are also forced to choose whether or not to grow poppy, which offers a much greater profit margin than other crops like wheat.
“The most significant challenge to business development in Farah right now,” says Ray Sudweeks, lead Dept. of State representative in Farah who works with the PRT, “is the lack of inexpensive electricity for the people of Farah. Profit margins vanish rapidly and business owners apply their energies elsewhere when profits can’t be realized.”
One of the best ways that Farah is attempting to combat these challenges is the development of greenhouses and research plots that will lead to Farahi farmers yielding higher crop ratios per dollar spent and larger profit margins. Additionally, the demonstration greenhouses will exhibit techniques to farmers that use significantly less water and electricity to grow crops, mitigating cost restraints for farmers. Another new technology, solar-powered water pumps, may be exhibited at the greenhouses in the future. Equally important as technology and innovative techniques is the leadership of provincial line directors, like Manan, who work with leaders and business owners from other provinces who can facilitate the export of Farahi crops to other provinces in Farah and outside of Afghanistan.
“These greenhouses are a simple and relatively easy program to implement,” said U.S. Army Capt. Garrett McAdams, a civil affairs officer with the PRT who is assisting in implementing the project. “Once we finish the first greenhouse, Manan and his team will be able to show local farmers new techniques and share tangible results with them, which really is the key. If the DAIL can show results, the farmers in Farah will likely adopt new, more productive techniques in their day-to-day farming practices.”
The idea for the demonstration greenhouse came from a local Farahi farmer who uses greenhouses to develop his business. The farmer, who asked that his name not be used for this story, currently operates over 30 greenhouses that are approximately 8.5 feet by 40 feet. He uses 85 percent of his current capacity to grow cucumbers, which he exports to Herat and Kandahar, and yields him nearly as much profit as poppy would. The other 15 percent of his capacity is used for cultivating tomatoes, which are primarily for personal use, though some are sold in local markets. He also has approximately 30 more greenhouses that he could use for growing crops, though he doesn’t have the land to support the effort.
The farmer honed his skills and developed a simple drip irrigation technique that he learned over the course of 15-20 years, and before deciding to bring his experience and skills back to Farah. The biggest advantage he gains from the greenhouses is a jump on production and an extension of an already long growing season in Farah, directly increasing his ability to make a good profit on his crops.
The hope for the future is that the demonstration greenhouse in Farah will be an example for the DAIL extension agents in Farah’s 10 other districts to use as a way to share knowledge and experience with local farmers - knowledge that farmers can use to build their own greenhouses and implement the skills and techniques learned at the district centers and DAIL’s office to support their businesses and families.
While challenges still exist for the people and farmers of Farah, it is clear that line directors like Manan are doing everything in their power to work for the people. Only time will tell if the greenhouses take off and business owners are able to implement the practices into their daily use, but it is another example of a smart, ambitious leader in Farah, willing to make the effort to help the people he serves.
PRT Farah’s mission is to train, advise, and assist Afghan government leaders at the municipal, district, and provincial levels in Farah province, Afghanistan. Their civil-military team is comprised of members of the U.S. Navy, U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). For more information about the PRT follow their DVIDS page at www.dvidshub.net/unit/PRTF or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PRTFRH.
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Pfc. Markie T. Sims, 20, of Citra, Fla., died Dec. 29 in Panjwal, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 38th Engineer Company, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, under control of the 7th 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.
KABUL, Afghanistan (Dec. 31, 2012) – Afghan and coalition security forces confirmed today the arrest of a top Taliban leader in Andar district during a security operation in Andar district, Ghazni province, Tuesday.
As one of the most senior Taliban leaders in the district, the insurgent executed tactical planning, kidnapping operations, detainee operations and strategic planning to support the Taliban insurgency. He was directly involved in attacks against Afghan and coalition forces and in contact with local Taliban leadership.
During the operation, the security force also detained two suspected insurgents.
In other International Security Assistance Force news throughout Afghanistan:
South
An Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Taliban leader and detained one suspected insurgent in Nad ‘Ali district, Helmand province, Monday. The leader commanded a direct action cell operating in the district. He also planned and coordinated multiple improvised explosive device and ambush attacks against Afghan and coalition forces.
EAST: Afghan and coalition forces detained five insurgents, located one weapons cache and cleared one improvised explosive device during operations in eastern Afghanistan throughout the past 24 hours, Dec. 30.
Logar Province Afghan National found and safely cleared one IED in Pul-E-Alam District.
Afghan National Army soldiers discovered a weapons cache in Kherwar District. The cache contained small arms ammunition and grenades.
Afghan National Security Forces detained two insurgents during an engagement in Muhammad Aghah District. The detained suspects were transferred to a base for questioning.
Nangarhar Province Afghan Uniformed detained three insurgents during an engagement in Khugyani District. The detained suspects were transferred to a base for questioning.
KABUL, Afghanistan (Dec. 30, 2012) – An Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Haqqani facilitator and detained one suspected insurgent, during an operation in Pul-e ‘Alam district, Logar province, Sunday.
The facilitator supplied weapons and improvised explosive device materials to insurgents operating in Pul-e ‘Alam district. He was involved in numerous rocket, IED and direct fire attacks against Afghan and coalition forces.
During the operation, the combined force also seized a number of Afghan National Army uniforms.
In other International Security Assistance Force news throughout Afghanistan:
South
An Afghan and coalition security force arrested two local Taliban leaders and detained one suspected insurgent during an operation in Spin Boldak district, Kandahar province, Saturday. The leaders provided improvised explosive device material to insurgents and conducted attacks in the district.
A Taliban leader in Now Zad district, Helmand province, was arrested Wednesday by an Afghan and coalition security force. The leader coordinated and conducted multiple direct fire and improvised explosive device attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. He also was involved in the kidnapping and execution of Afghan National Army soldiers. During the operation, the security force detained one suspected insurgent.
During an operation on Thursday, in Panjwa’i district, Kandahar province, an Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Taliban leader who coordinated attacks against Afghan and coalition forces and provided weapons and ammunition to insurgents. At the time of his arrest, he was planning an improvised explosive device attack. The security force also detained one suspected insurgent as a result of the operation.
East: BAGRAM, Afghanistan (Dec. 30, 2012) - Afghan and coalition forces killed one insurgent, detained one, located one weapons caches and cleared two improvised explosive devices during operations in eastern Afghanistan throughout the past 24 hours, Dec. 29.
Khowst Province Afghan National Army soldiers and coalition forces found and safely cleared one IED in Nadir Shah Kot District.
Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces detained one insurgent during an engagement in Nadir Shah Kot District. The detained suspect was transferred to a base for questioning.
Laghman Province Afghan National Security Forces found and safely cleared one IED in Mehtar Lam District.
Logar Province Afghan National Army soldiers killed one insurgent during an engagement in Kharwar District.
Parwan Province Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces discovered a weapons cache in Bagram District. The cache contained multiple rockets and grenades.
TARIN KOT, Afghanistan (Dec. 27, 2012) - Over 2,500 international security force members from Australia, Singapore, Slovakia and America united under Combined Team Uruzgan to celebrate Christmas at Multi National Base Tarin Kot, Afghanistan, Dec. 24-26, 2012.
The three days; Christmas Eve, Christmas day, and Australian Boxing Day combined traditions from around the world to give everyone a little taste of home this holiday season.
At Multi National Base Tarin Kot, Afghanistan, Dec. 25, 2012. (U.S. Army Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Theresa Gualdarama)
On Christmas Eve, competitors raised over $2000 for the Smith Family Charity during the Candy Cane five kilometer Fun Run.
Over 100 soldiers and civilians dressed in physical fitness uniforms and holiday costumes participated in the race.
“It was good to get the exercise and finish the race, I just wish I hadn’t been beaten by a snowman,” said Capt. Bromolyn Thomas, Logistics Officer of 7th Battalion Royal Austrian Regiment Task Group.
Shortly after the fun run Christmas hymns could be heard from the MNBTK chapel.
“I miss going to church with my wife kids, but I’ve also learned to cherish my family here,” said Capt. Matthew Weathers, Chaplain, CTU, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division.
On Christmas Day, while hundreds of care packages and secret Santa gifts were opened across MNBTK; Australian Col. Simon Stuart, Commander of CTU visited Forward Operating Bases Hadrian and Mirwais handed out gifts and wished soldiers Merry Christmas.
“It gave me an opportunity to tell the soldiers out here that while they aren’t celebrating the holidays with their families, they are with their military family today,” Stuart said.
Australian Lt. Col. Malcolm Wells, Commanding Officer of the 7th Battalion, the Royal Australian Regiment Task Group said Christmas in Uruzgan was a very special day.
“It was a chance for all of us to reflect on the significant service that we are undertaking here away from our family, friends and loved ones,” Wells said.
The officers, warrant officers and senior non commissioned officers observed the Christmas military tradition by serving food to the soldiers in the dining hall. The buffet included 28 Australian, European, and American delicacies including turkey, pork, prawn, lobster, salmon and mince pies.
“The mince pie is what really made me feel like I was at home for Christmas,” said 1st Lt. Patrick Gurski, Security Forces Advisory Team, Texas Army National Guard, 56th Infantry Brigade Combat Team.
The three days of festivities ended with an Australian tradition of watching and playing cricket on “Boxing Day.”
"I had been watching cricket since I arrived. But today is the first time I have ever played the game and I had a lot of fun," said Maj. Billy Meredith, CTU Operations Officer, 2nd ABCT, 3rd ID.
During the 3-days of festivities, everyone was thankful for the small reminders of home while remaining focused on the mission.
“We’ve all been overwhelmed by the support, thoughts and well-wishes from family and friends back home,” Stuart said.
Pakistan authorities say 21 tribal paramilitaries kidnapped by militants Thursday near the city of Peshawar have been found shot dead.
Regional government spokesman Naveed Akbar Khan said officials found the bodies early Sunday in the Jabai area of of the Frontier Region near Peshawar.
They were among 23 paramilitaries who went missing early Thursday when heavily armed militants attacked two checkpoints in Khyber Paktunkhwa province.
The province borders Pakistan's tribal agencies, a known hub for Taliban and al-Qaida-linked militants. VoA.
For a few bucks more you can get a signed copy from the author himself! http://www.deltabravosierra.us/2011/02/10/a-word-about-the-new-book/comment-page-1/#comment-3383
Get your copy of this legendary cartoon now (or wait a few days for the signed copy!)
The Man Who Declared War on America
A Comprehensive Work of OBL, his ties to Iran, Sudan, and the wide Islamist Terrorism networks, regardless of name.
SSgt Workman is featured in the Hall of Heroes and a book review on this from Marine Till Death that read it as it was written: http://waronterrornews.typepad.com/home/2008/12/shadow-of-the-sword-by-jeremiah-workman-w-john-bruning.html
http://waronterrornews.typepad.com/home/2008/12/ssgt-jeremiah-workman-navy-cross-usmc-iraq-marion-oh.html and links to prior articles.
Go to War against the Nazis with SSG Smith of the 94th Infantry Division. Review: http://waronterrornews.typepad.com/home/2010/04/everymans-war-vet.html.html
Ace Of Spades: Why Language Matters In this article, Ace of Spades demonstrates how the writing style of "journalists" and other writers is purposely used to influence the electorate. He explains this far better than I have been able to do, but this is the foundation of why I could no longer be silent.
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