War On Terror News

War In Afghanistan News 28 March 2012

War in Afghanistan News reports provided by ISAF Joint Command.

In Maidan Shar district, Wardak province, a combined Afghan and coalition security force captured a Taliban leader during an operation, Tuesday.

The leader organized attacks against Afghan and coalition security forces in the district. The security force also seized a shotgun during the operation.
 

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In other ISAF news throughout Afghanistan:

 

A combined Afghan and coalition security force conducted an operation to capture a Taliban facilitator in Zharay district, Kandahar province, Tuesday. The facilitator provides weapons and roadside bombs to insurgents for attacks against Afghan and coalition security forces in the district. The security force detained two suspected insurgents as a result of this operation.

East  

A combined Afghan and coalition security force conducted an operation to capture a Haqqani leader in Sabari district, Khost province, Tuesday. The leader distributes roadside bombs to insurgents and coordinates attacks against Afghan and coalition security forces throughout the district.

The security force detained two suspected insurgents as a result of this operation. In Baraki Barak district, Logar province, a combined Afghan and coalition security force captured a Taliban leader during an operation Tuesday. The leader directed roadside bombings and other attacks against Afghan and coalition security forces throughout Logar province.

A combined Afghan and coalition security force conducted an operation to capture a Haqqani facilitator in Sharana district, Paktika province, Tuesday. The facilitator provides weapons for insurgent attacks against Afghan and coalition security forces throughout the district. The security force detained two suspected insurgents as a result of this operation. 

Finally, a Provincial Response Company advised by coalition forces conducted an operation in Achin district, Nangarhar province to recover a weapons and unexploded ordinance cache, Monday. The search by the PRC recovered numerous RPG rounds and multiple recoilless rifle rounds. The materials were safely destroyed on site.

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While bringing you the latest news on the War On Terror we are supporting a Marine in his quest to help his brothers in arms. Read how and Where it all began: A Senior Marine NCO that Refused Orders War On Terror News is supporting MGySgt White and his fundraising efforts for the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund.

 

Senior Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan leader killed during operation

KABUL, Afghanistan (Mar. 27) — An Afghan Special Unit and coalition troops conducted an operation in Shirin Tagab district, Faryab province, yesterday to detain Makhdum Nusrat, the senior Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan leader in Afghanistan.

During the operation, insurgents fired on the combined security force. The force returned fire, killing Makhdum and several additional IMU insurgents. Two other insurgents were detained along with a rocket-propelled grenade launcher, multiple rockets, several AK-47s and grenades.Makhdum was the highest-ranking IMU insurgent operating in the country. He led attacks against Afghan and coalition troops throughout the northern provinces for the last eight months and was plotting the assassination of an Afghan Parliament member in Kabul. 

The IMU is a terrorist organization closely linked to Al-Qaeda and the Taliban. It conducts insurgent attacks in the northern region of Afghanistan among other countries in Central Asia. 

 

ISAF

Middle East News, 27 March, 2012

The opposition Free Syrian Army is sustaining heavy casualties in its fight with Syrian government forces. The injured said they cannot get treatment in Syria because they would be arrested. 

With deep wounds to his head and arms, a fighter with the Free Syrian Army lies partially-paralyzed on a hospital bed in the Turkish city of Antakya.

Still by his side is his comrade in arms - who said he carried his friend from the battlefield in Syria on a seven-hour journey over the border. Both men asked to hide their identities.

“We were frightened that we would be discovered,” said the wounded man’s friend. “So we camouflaged ourselves with tree branches and managed to get across.”

The young men said they are lucky not to have been captured.

“There are so many soldiers along the border,” added the FSA fighter, “and the government forces are looking for anyone trying to escape to Turkey.”

The Syrian army has reinforced its positions along the border. When VOA visited the town of Guvecci overlooking Syria in December, there were no Syrian soldiers.

Now a zoom lens captures troop positions in watchtowers; locals point to artillery positions hidden in the hills.  Activists say the troops open fire on anyone trying to cross; and claim the olive groves have been mined.

Videos posted online are impossible to verify.  But they match accounts from FSA fighters who said Assad’s forces are using heavy artillery, including helicopter gunships, against towns and villages just over the border.

VOA met another FSA fighter outside a private hospital in Antakya. He said he was lucky to survive deep shrapnel wounds he sustained when government forces attacked his home town of Al Janoudia.

“The Assad forces weren’t targeting anything in particular.” He said. “They were firing anywhere, it lasted from 6am to 11am. They completely destroyed two buildings… there were women, children and old people inside. They all died. Then soldiers came into the village.”

He said the soldiers stole the villagers’ food, burned their houses, and raped many of the women.

In a basement safehouse in Antakya, Syrian activists greet each other like old friends. They meet every night to plot the next mission to smuggle vital supplies into Syria.

Such missions like this are a vital lifeline for the opposition. But as government forces strengthen their positions along the border, they are becoming more dangerous by the week.

VOA News

Afghan Security Forces Improving Quickly, Allen Says

Afghan Security Forces Improving Quickly, Allen Says By Karen Parrish American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON, March 26, 2012 – Afghan forces are improving faster than coalition leaders or they themselves anticipated, the commander of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force said here today. U.S. Marine Corps Gen. John R. Allen, commander of International Security Assistance Force and U.S. Forces Afghanistan, briefs reporters at the Pentagon, March 26, 2012. DOD photo by Erin Kirk-Cuomo   (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. “They really are better than we thought that they would be at this point; more critically, they are better than they thought that they would be at this point,” Marine Corps Gen. John R. Allen told reporters during a Pentagon news conference. The transition to Afghan security responsibility -- now in the second of a planned five phases -- is the linchpin to mission success in Afghanistan, Allen said. Though his top priority on taking command in July was to keep pressure on the enemy, he added, the push to develop Afghan army and police capabilities was a “very close second.” The general, who testified last week before the House and Senate armed services committees, noted Afghan troops’ abilities will form part of the equation he uses to recommend future U.S. troop levels after the remaining 23,000 American “surge” forces leave Afghanistan by the end of September. Allen said he won’t know what level of combat power is still required until the end of this year’s spring and summer fighting season. Key indicators then, he explained, will be the state of the insurgency, the operational environment commanders anticipate in 2013, and the capabilities of the Afghan national security forces. “It is not just a matter of what to do with the remaining 68,000 U.S. troops,” the general noted. “I must also carefully consider the combination of forces in-theater. There will still be some 40,000 ISAF forces in the field, and increasingly capable and increasingly numerous Afghan security forces.” His recommendation will reflect a composite number of U.S., international and indigenous forces, not an American force as “a separate and distinct entity,” he added. Two Afghan security force members died and more than 60 were wounded while combating violent protests that occurred after last month’s Quran burnings, he said. “I could just as easily point to the literally thousands of operations, some large, some small, that they conduct alongside ISAF troops, and often in the lead, every month as we go forward,” the general told reporters. During the last two weeks, Afghan security forces arrested more than 50 insurgents and killed around six, including several who were planning to assassinate the governor of Balkh province, Allen said. They also captured several caches of explosives, weapons and bomb-making materials, he noted, while Afghan police members are contributing to security in cities and towns, most recently during the Nowruz new year celebrations. “I know people will look at these and other examples and say they're anecdotal, that we still face real challenges in attrition and ethnic composition, even corruption in some of the ranks,” Allen acknowledged. “I'm not saying things are perfect, and much work remains to be done.” The general said for every bribe accepted by an Afghan troop and for every instance of so-called “green on blue” attacks pitting an Afghan in uniform against a coalition member, “I can cite hundreds of other examples where they do perform their duties, where the partnership is strong, the confidence of the Afghan forces is building, and where the trust and confidence we have in them and that they have in themselves grows steadily.” Allen said critics never will convince him that Afghan soldiers and police don't have the will to fight for their government, for their country and for their fellow citizens. “That willingness, I believe, is the thing most hopeful about the entire effort of transition,” he said. “They want this responsibility, they want to lead, and we're going to help them to do that.”   Official DOD News

Gunfighters aid 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance insertion

3/23/2012  By Cpl. Isaac Lamberth  , 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (FWD)  CAMP BASTION, Afghanistan  — An hour before the break of dawn, offices on the flight line of Camp Bastion, Afghanistan, were abuzz with the day’s upcoming operations; one of which included providing close-air-support for Marines on the ground. Prior to heading into a hostile area, two helicopters, a UH-1Y Huey and an AH-1W Cobra, from Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 369, also known as the “Gunfighters,” fired their door mounted machine guns. The final function check of their weapons reassured the crew they would be ready to engage enemy forces if necessary. After finishing their final tests, the duo flew south and circled over a location suspected of containing IED-making materials as they waited for ground units to arrive and search the area. As the sun’s rays began to touch the desert of southern Helmand province, a platoon of Marines from 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion arrived in MV-22B Ospreys, from Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 365, to check the suspected location as the Gunfighters provided overwatch. Arriving from the north, the Ospreys landed in a cloud of dust.  Within seconds of touching down, the Marines of 1st LAR poured out of them. As quickly as the helicopters landed, they left, leaving the Marines on the ground to begin their search under the watchful eyes of the Gunfighters. Capt. Josh McClellan, a pilot with HMLA-369 who participated in the day’s events, said the mission was to support ground troops and stop the manufacturing of IEDs. While the Marines of 1st LAR were on the ground, the two helicopters from HMLA-369 circled overhead, carefully scanning for any suspicious activity and ready to repulse any insurgent attack. McClellan, of Mt. Juliet, Tenn., said providing air support is crucial to Marines in the event they are attacked. “We are here to deter anybody from attacking the guys on the ground,” he said. “If they do, we can nullify the threat.” Lance Cpl. Devin Yang, a scout with 2nd Platoon, Charlie Company, 1st LAR said having 3D MAW (FWD) helicopters nearby was a comforting sight. “Seeing the Cobras [and Huey] made us all feel safer,” said Yang of Tomah, Wis. “Since we are so far from friendly forces, the Cobra [and Huey] were a welcome support.” Sgt. David Garcia, a crew chief for HMLA-369, said the helicopters have large-caliber machine guns, rockets and missile systems which can greatly assist ground troops and save lives. Garcia, of Glendale, Ariz., said the helicopters can deal serious firepower if needed. “If they [Marines] engage insurgents, we are here to help them out,” he added. McClellan said fortunately the mission did not require the Gunfighters to engage but if they are needed to in the future, they will be ready to assist ground troops in a moment’s notice.

 

Official US Marine Corps News

Nebraska Reserve Marine keeps Afghans safe

3/23/2012  By Sgt. John Jackson  , 1st Marine Logistics Group (FWD)  HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan  — For the past six months, Sgt. Matthew Branch has been responsible for providing security for Afghan truck drivers while they deliver fuel to forward operating bases in northern Helmand province, Afghanistan.   While he and his Marines have successfully accomplished this mission, the job is a change of pace for the Kearney, Neb., native. Branch is the assistant security team leader for 2nd Platoon, General Support Motor Transport Company, Marine Air-Ground Task Force Support Battalion 11.2, 1st Marine Logistics Group (Forward); however, while not forward deployed, he is a Marine Corps reservist attached to 4th Engineer Maintenance Company in Omaha, Neb. When in Nebraska, Branch is accustomed to arriving at work at 6 a.m. and leaving around 3 p.m. Additionally, ensuring the enemy does not affect his mission or harm Afghan drivers is not in his everyday job description. Branch is a maintenance technician at a clothing distribution center in Nebraska. Fixing broken down equipment is his specialty, but deploying in support of Marine Corps operations is something Branch has become proficient at as well. “This is my third deployment,” said Branch, 29. “I love to deploy. I like to be engaged with what the Marine Corps is doing." During his current deployment, Branch has been responsible for getting fuel and other supplies to Marines stationed throughout Helmand province. “Our mission is to safely and expediently transport combat essential gear and fuel to the Marines and service members throughout the [area of operations],” Branch said. “Our platoon has completed more than a dozen missions, and we have been very successful at getting our job accomplished.” In addition to making sure fuel and equipment is delivered safely, Branch and his Marines also interact and work with local civilians. “There is a language barrier, but it was definitely a unique experience,” said Branch. “It gave us all a great insight and a great way to experience the locals’ culture.” GSMT Co. is wrapping up their seven-month deployment, and the Marines will soon be headed back to the U.S. Branch is looking forward to getting back to Nebraska to be with his family but believes his time in Afghanistan was a worthy accomplishment. “I am ready to get in some good quality time with my wife and daughter,” said Branch. “My wife is a very proud Marine Corps wife, and she is very supportive. “This deployment has been a success. Any mission that was asked of the Marines, they got done and excelled at. We kept our convoys safe, the local nationals safe and got our missions completed.”

 

 

 

Official US Marine Corps News

Vetting Process Now Implemented on Afghan Security Forces

By Karen Parrish, AFPS

WASHINGTON, March 26, 2012 - Afghan and coalition leaders are working to limit "insider threat" killings in Afghanistan, the commander of U.S. and NATO forces there told reporters here today.

Marine Corps Gen. John R. Allen said at a Pentagon news conference that Afghan and coalition forces have changed their operations to address the killing of coalition members by Afghan soldiers or police forces, also known as "green-on-blue" events.

Fifteen coalition members have been killed in such events this year. "I think you're aware that tragically we had one overnight, as two young British soldiers were killed in Helmand province," Allen said.  [Note: there have been 43 recent incidents of Afghan Security Forces attacking Coalition Troops.]

War In Afghanistan News - 27 March 2012

An Afghan-coalition security force detained two insurgents during an operation to capture an Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan leader in the Shirin Tagab district of Afghanistan's Faryab province today, military officials reported.

The sought-after insurgent leader plans and conducts attacks against coalition troops throughout northern Afghanistan, officials said. He also is linked to an attack plot against a senior Afghan official.

Insurgents engaged the security force with small-arms fire. The force returned fire, killing the insurgents. The force destroyed a rocket-propelled grenade launcher with several rockets, several assault rifles and some grenades.

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In other Afghanistan operations today:

General Dempsey to Put Military Focus on Organized Crime

By Jim Garamone, AFPS

MIAMI, March 26, 2012 - Transnational organized crime is not specifically mentioned in the new defense strategy, but leaders understand the threat, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said at U.S. Southern Command today.

One of the main missions of the command is to deal with the threat posed by drug cartels, human traffickers and gunrunners -- what the command calls transnational organized crime. The command works with regional allies and with U.S. interagency partners to combat this transnational threat.

Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey spoke during a Southcom town hall meeting before leaving for a visit to regional allies. Before the town hall, he met with Air Force Gen. Douglas Fraser, Southcom's commander, and received briefings on the range and breadth of threats and opportunities in the region.

"I want to assure you that we recognize the threat that transnational organized crime presents, not just because of what they transport to our shores, but what they could also transport -- terrorists and weapons and weapons of mass destruction," the general said.

These crime organizations present many of the same problems that other threats in the world pose the United States. "They are networked, they are decentralized and they are syndicated," he said.

US Aid to Mali Suspended Following Coup d'Etat

The United States says it is suspending aid to Mali's government following last week's military coup there.

State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland Monday said $60 million to $70 million in aid may be affected by the decision. However, she said the United States will continue to give food and humanitarian assistance.

She said U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spoke Monday to Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara and noted that the United States supports the efforts of the West African regional bloc ECOWAS to help resolve the situation.

The U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary for African Affairs, William Fitzgerald, told VOA that the situation in Mali is very serious.

RIP SGT Daniel J. Brown

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

            Sgt. Daniel J. Brown, 27, of Jerome, Idaho, died March 24 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device.  He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.

 

"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.

RIP CPT Aaron D. Istre

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

            Capt. Aaron D. Istre, 37, of Vinton, La., died March 24 in Kabul, Afghanistan.  He was assigned to the HHC, 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), Fort Hood, Texas.

 

 "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.

 

Video: Taliban Threaten Kidnapping Kids as a Policy

In explaining why they kidnapped kids, the Taliban say they will keep doing so, until their demands are met:

MEMRI TV

Video: Swiss Hostages Released by Taliban

No word on whether or not a ransom was paid.

 

Obama Hopes For New Nuke Cuts

 President Barack Obama says there is room for another arms control deal with Russia.

After talks with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev at the Seoul nuclear summit Monday, Mr. Obama said both countries can continue to make progress in cutting stockpiles of nuclear weapons.

He said he plans to pursue another round of cuts with Russian President-elect Vladimir Putin.

Mr. Obama called the New START treaty with Russia, ratified in 2010, the most comprehensive arms treaty in 20 years.

Differences remain between the United States and Russia on such major issues as Syria and U.S. plans for a missile defense system in Europe.

Despite the disagreements, President Medvedev said Monday relations between the United States and Russia are their best in 10 years. VoA.

Obama-Hu Discuss Rogue Nuke States NoRK & Iran

President Barack Obama met with Chinese president Hu Jintao Monday on the sidelines of a 53-nation Nuclear Security Summit in Seoul.

The two leaders were expected to discuss bilateral issues, including the state of nuclear weapons programs in Iran and North Korea.

In remarks Sunday, Mr. Obama urged China to stop turning a blind eye to North Korea's nuclear defiance and use its influence to rein in Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions. China is North Korea's main ally and trading partner, but Beijing says its political influence over Pyongyang is limited.

In a speech at Hankuk University in Seoul earlier Monday, Mr. Obama warned Pyongyang that it could continue down the road it is on, but that would lead to more broken dreams, more isolation and ever more distance between the people of North Korea and the dignity and opportunity they deserve.

US Troops Save 1 of 5 Kids Blown Up by Taliban

Story by Maj. Joseph Buccino, RC-East

PAKTIKA PROVINCE, Afghanistan — Once in a while in combat, an event occurs that helps humanize warfare. When soldiers here were able to save a child gravely injured by an insurgent improvised explosive device, it became such an event.

Between March 14 and March 25, the Soldiers of Company B, “Blackjack,” Task Force 3-66, 172nd Infantry Brigade, Task Force Blackhawk, experienced a life-altering chain of events.Blackjack soldiers responded March 14 to a blast in Kushamond district in the compound of Saduzi, a known Taliban member. An IED had detonated.

Sgt. Anthony Merino, senior medic for Company B, Task Force 3-66, 172nd Infantry Brigade, and Capt. Giles Wright, Company B commander, pose for a picture at COP Kushamond, Paktika province, Afghanistan, with Matten, an eight-year-old Afghan boy whose face was severely damaged and blinded by an insurgent IED. Merino saved Matten’s life, but the insurgent IED blinded him. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. David Barnes)

Upon arriving at the scene, they realized the insurgent device killed four children who appeared to be playing in the area. At the time they didn’t know it, but one child, Saduzi’s eight-year-old son Matten, survived the blast.Within minutes, a man named Sultan, who lives in a neighboring home, carried the severely injured Matten to Combat Outpost Kushamond.

Sgt. Anthony Merino, the unit’s senior medic, reacted immediately and began treating the child.

Kentucky Citizen Soldiers Waste No Time When Tornadoes Hit

 by Spc. Brandy Mort 133rd MPAD

FRANKFORT, Ky. – Before the first winds crossed the Commonwealth of Kentucky March 2, the Kentucky National Guard made preparations to keep its citizen-soldiers safe and ready to assist in the event local officials would request assistance.

Pictured: Kentucky Guardsmen from Charlie Battery 1st Battalion, 623rd Field Artillery (HIMARS) provide assistance to local authorities by pulling security, clearing debris, manning checkpoints and patrolling damaged areas in East Bernstadt, Ky., March 3.

Once the sun rose March 3, the need for Kentucky’s Guardsmen was evident across more than 40 of the 120 counties. From the sky, in a Kentucky Guard UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter, Kentucky’s Lt. Gov. Jerry Abramson surveyed the damage and visited with residents in the small community of East Bernstadt, Ky., located in Laurel County.

“I’ve never seen anything as devastating as I saw today in this county,” said Abramson. “I’m very proud of the Kentucky National Guard and how quickly they respond to these types of crisis’ occur.”

#MilitaryMon Moments of Silence #MoS to #HonorTheFallen 26 MAR 2012 1PM-1:08 ET

"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”. Rest in peace my Brothers, you have not been forgotten. (W.Shakespeare)

REQUEST that all afford my Brothers a Moment of Silence each on Monday beginning 1:00 PM, Eastern Time. REQUEST that each Moment of Silence be dedicated each Monday to my Fallen Brothers in order of notification since prior Monday. 1PM Eastern is Kabul 22:30/10:30PM, Baghdad 20:00/8PM, London 18:00/6PM, San Diego 10AM. This time accommodates those in London, Baghdad & Kabul as well as Congress and across the United States.

• #MoS #MilitaryMon 1PM to 1:02 EDT: SGT #Bowe #Bergdahl, Kidnapped by Taliban, Two Minutes until he comes home #MIA #SOT #MoS
• #MoS #MilitaryMon 1:02-1:03 EDT: SSG Jesse J Grindey, Hazel Green WI 03/12/12 Kandahar AFG 287th MP Co 89th MP Bde
• #MoS #MilitaryMon 1:03-1:04 EDT: SPC Daquane D Rivers, Marianna FL 03/14/12 Paktika AFG 2-28 Inf Rgt 172nd InfBde
• #MoS #MilitaryMon 1:04-1:05 EDT: 2LT Clovis T Ray, San Antonio TX 03/15/12 Kunar AFG 2-35 Inf Rgt 25th ID
•  #MoS #MilitaryMon 1:05-1:06 EDT: SGT Jamie D Jarboe,Frankfort IN 03/21/12 Kandahar AFG 4/10/11 4-4 ACR 1st ID
• #MoS #MilitaryMon 1:06-1:07 EDT: Capt Rupert WM Bowers, Wolverhampton UK 03/21/12 Helmand AFG 2n Bn, The Mercians
• #MoS #MilitaryMon 1:07-1:08 EDT: SPC Dennis P Weichel Jr, Providence, RI 03/22/12 Laghman, AFG

  

Republication of Moments of Silence WITHOUT attribution is encouraged.  Tailoring quotes and tribute video is encouraged but not required, though it is requested that the times and names be maintained intact.  Each moment is tailored to meet twitter norms and to be tweeted at that time, Each Monday, based on order of notification.

Communists Release Italian Hostage in India

Maoist terrorists in eastern Indian state of Orissa have released one of the two Italian men they kidnapped almost two weeks ago.

Claudio Colangelo, who was freed Sunday, described his experience as frightening. He expressed hope that the second man, Paolo Bosusco, will be released soon.

Colangelo, a tourist, and tour guide Bosusco were taken hostage by the rebels along with their Indian cook and driver on March 14. The two Indians were released the same day.

The communists issued a series of demands for the release of the Italians, including an end to the government's anti-rebel operations and the release of imprisoned communist insurgents. Maoist negotiators had talked with government officials about releasing the Italians.

US Pays Victims' Families More than $850,000 in Shooting Case

Afghan authorities say the United States has paid tens of thousands of dollars to the families of victims killed in a shooting rampage allegedly by an American soldier.

Kandahar provincial council member Haji Agha Lali Dastageri told VOA Sunday that authorities paid the compensation a day earlier during a ceremony in the governor's office. Relatives of the victims received $50,000 per person killed and $11,000 per person wounded in the March 11 shooting rampage in Panjwai district of Kandahar province.

Dastageri said that the victims' families had requested that media not be present for the ceremony because of possible insurgent threats.

A spokesman for NATO forces in Afghanistan declined to confirm or deny the payments, saying that while coalition members often make compensation payments, they usually are confidential.

Update: Brother of Dead AQ Terrorist in France: "Proud" of him

French prosecutors have filed preliminary charges against the older brother of an Algerian Islamist terrorist who shot and killed seven people during a shooting rampage in southwestern France earlier this month.

Abdelkader Merah was charged Sunday with complicity to murder and involvement in terrorism.

He has denied helping his younger brother Mohamed kill three children and a rabbi, as well as three soldiers in earlier attacks. But police say he told them he is proud of what his brother did and he has admitted to assisting his terrorist brother in stealing the scooter used in the getaways.

Abdelkader will remain in custody while a formal investigation is completed. Police already suspect Abdelkader Merah belonged to a network that smuggled Islamist terrorists into Iraq in 2007.

Video Report: Joseph Kony & The Lord's Resistance Army

One of the only interviews ever with Kony, if not the only one.

A lot has been made of Kony and his guerilla force in recent years.  He claims he is fighting for Freedom, for Democracy, against an atrocious tyrant that has committed the atrocities he is blamed for.  President Obama has ordered US Troops to Africa to help track him down, and kill or capture him.  A Kony 2012 campaign has kicked off by an individual that was accused of taking "artistic license" with the truth, before he snapped and started ranting naked in public.

What is the truth?  In Africa, there is seldom a choice between an atrocious force and a benevolent force.  War is almost always between atrocious forces.  Allegations of atrocity are used to whip opponents of that force into a frenzy to commit atrocities against it.  It seems there are more civil wars in Africa, than there are stable nations there.  War in Africa is so normal that it rarely gets news time in the US.

The biggest successes of American Foreign Policy in Africa have been Djibouti and Liberia, under the previous Administration.  The Liberian success led to the Sierra Leone success, because it removed the local warlord, Charles Taylor, though it was the British Foreign Policy that was most applicable to increased stability in Sierra Leone, aside from the removal of one of the most atrocious current tyrant of Africa.  The biggest failures in Africa have been Somalia under Clinton and Liberia, under Clinton and Bush Sr., with allegations that Carter was involved in the coup that set the situation in motion.

War in Afghanistan News - 25 March 2012

An Afghan National Security Forces Crisis Response Unit conducted an operation in Surobi district, Kabul province, Friday.

Afghan forces recovered a number of explosive devices, components and weapons to include: two mortar fuzes, IED-detonators, rocket propellants, various IED components and small arms. The material was confiscated by ANSF for further investigation. During the operation, the CRU positively identified multiple armed insurgents displaying hostile intent. Responding to the immediate threat, the security force engaged and killed the insurgents.

 Tailor the way you get your War On Terror News

In other ISAF news throughout Afghanistan:

 

3rd Marine Air Wing Patrols from the Skies

 by Cpl. Isaac Lamberth, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing

CAMP BASTION, Afghanistan — An hour before the break of dawn, offices on the flight line here were abuzz with the day’s upcoming operations; one of which included providing close air support for Marines on the ground.

Prior to heading into a hostile area, two helicopters, a UH-1Y Huey and an AH-1W Cobra, from Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 369, also known as the “Gunfighters,” fired their door mounted machineguns. The final function check of their weapons reassured the crew they would be ready to engage enemy forces if necessary.

Pictured: Sgt. Jason Sparks, a native of Savannah, Ga. and door gunner for Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 369, scans for suspicious activity while providing air support for Marines from 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion in Helmand province, Afghanistan, March 15.

Middle East News - 24 March 2012

Hillary Clinton has overruled Congress and is giving $1.3 to $1.5 Billion in aid to the new Islamist government of Egypt, ignoring legislation forbidding it passed in December.

Syria has renewed its artillery bombardment on the civilians of Homs.

Soccer riots have caused 1 death and 68 injuries in Egypt, as Islamists choose their authors of the new Islamist Constitution in that country.

Stories follow:

Muslim Brotherhood to Write New Egyptian Constitution

Egypt's newly elected parliament has selected members of an assembly that will draft the country's first constitution since last year's overthrow of long-time President Hosni Mubarak.

However, lawmakers from liberal and leftist parties withdrew from Saturday's crucial vote, saying the country's most powerful political group — the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood which won a sweeping victory in parliamentary elections earlier this year — was trying to monopolize the 100-member panel.

Liberals say that a permanent constitution should not be written solely by the victors of a single election, but it should include all political and ideological streams in the assembly and represent all sectors of Egyptian society.

The new constitution will define the balance of power between the Islamist-dominated parliament and once all-powerful president. A power struggle over the future document is already underway between Egypt's army-backed executive and the parliament, which wants to curb presidential powers.

Other key concerns are the role of Islamic Sharia law, which is subject to a wide variety of interpretation, as well as the role of the military and the future of the country's military rulers. VoA

UN Asks NoRK's to Honor Appeasement Agreement Obama Gave Them

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has urged North Korea to reconsider its announced plan to launch a so-called “application satellite” next month.

Mr. Ban discussed the issue in a meeting with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak Saturday. He arrived in Seoul earlier in the day to attend the Nuclear Security Summit which begins Monday.

The statement issued by his office says Mr. Ban urged Pyongyang to fully comply with the relevant resolutions of the U.N. Security Council, particularly the resolution which bans “any launch using ballistic missile technology.” He also urged North Korea to reconsider its decision in line with its recent agreement to refrain from long-range missile launches.

North Korea agreed to halt all its nuclear programs and ballistic missile tests in exchange for a shipment of 240,000 metric tons of U.S. food assistance given by the Obama Administration. The communist country is perpetually on the edge of famine due to spates of drought and famine and poor economic management that maintains a Million Man Army and prioritizes spending on nuclear weapons over feeding its populace.

Video Report: Iraq Instability Increases in Absence of US

In the 2008 political campaign, slogans set a course for complete departure from Iraq.  It became irreversible, despite the obvious change in conditions on the ground.  The current POTUS did not change the timetable, but did cause the previous office holder to negotiate the longest term of stability, with the responsibility of his replacement doing the rest, and having enough time to do so.

 Iraq is devolving into the sphere of influence of Islamist Iran, even allowing Iran to use Iraqi airspace to fly weapons and munitions to Ba'athist Syria, Iran's ally.  Violence and Terrorism are again on the rise in Iraq.  And it is a negative development to see college students universally wearing the hijab, as required under Iranian, not Iraqi law.

Mali Coup Leaders Attempt to Inflict Peace in Aftermath

The men behind Mali's surprise coup are calling for calm, trying to reassure a wary public faced with looting and growing shortages of food and fuel.

Mali's state-run television Saturday aired a statement by coup leader Amadou Sanogo intended to dispel rumors that he had been killed.

“I am Captain Sanogo and I am here in good health, all is well.”

Sanogo also said his men's primary mission was to preserve Mali's territorial integrity and “the security of people and their belongings.”

Video from Mali's capital has shown widespread looting, with debris scattered in the streets. Some residents say they are afraid to go out, accusing soldiers of taking what they want at gunpoint.

There have also been long lines at gas stations. And fears are growing that food and fuel are running out.

Coup spokesman Amadou Konare used state TV to demand gas stations reopen.

Communist Terrorists Kidnap Indian Legislator; after taking 2 Italians hostage

Indian officials say Maoist terrorists have kidnapped a lawmaker in the eastern state of Orrisa, where two Italians were abducted by rebels last week.

Authorities say a group of armed men snatched state legislature member Jhina Hikaka from his car early Saturday.

Police say the men left leaflets in Hikaka's car, listing the same 13 demands set for the release of the Italians.

It was not immediately clear if the politician was kidnapped by the same wing of the Maoists who abducted the Italians. Saturday's kidnapping took place in a different region of the state.

Naxal negotiators have been talking with government officials about releasing the Italians.

Maoist terrorists, known as Naxalites or Naxals, have infiltrated more than 20 Indian states.

Indian leaders have referred to Naxalism as the country's biggest internal security threat.

G/2/11 Marines Defend Post in NE Helmand

OBSERVATION POST SHRINE, Afghanistan — The Marines here guard the northeastern frontier in Helmand province. Beyond the boundary of the observation post is known enemy territory, where insurgent fighters take refuge. Farmland and abandoned compounds surround the post. Insurgents sporadically shoot machinegun bursts and launch attacks against the Marines from multiple positions, and when the Marines fight back, enemy forces flee into dry riverbeds deep enough to conceal most movement.

For the past four months, the Marines of Golf Battery, 2nd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment repelled dozens of attacks and kept enemy forces from moving forward.

Pictured: Private First Class Aristarchus K. Metto, a motor transport operator with Golf Battery, 2nd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, patrols near Observation Post shrine in Helmand province, Afghanistan, March 16.

Video: Combat Veteran Defends Good Samaritan

When a man is being beat by a mob on a beach, stabbed by those that had attempted to push a woman beyond her levels of acceptance, an Iraq War Veteran stepped in to help the good Samaritan.  This is the nature of your Protectors, your Sheepdogs, YOUR Troops and Veterans.
 
This happens far more often than violence later blamed on PTSD by lawyers and malcontents.  H/T to Jonn Lillyea of ThisAintHell.us  Currently youtube says it has been viewed 12 times.  It needs to go viral.

War In Afghanistan News - 24 March 2012

Coalition forces killed a Taliban expert bomb maker and wounded another insurgent with a precision airstrike in Baghlan-e Jadid district, Baghlan province, Friday.  The airstrike took place as the two insurgents emplaced two roadside bombs. One was a pressure plate device and the other was remote controlled.Afghan and coalition security forces removed and destroyed both explosives and detained the wounded insurgent. The expert bomb maker constructed explosive devices for attacks against Afghan and coalition troops and trained other insurgents in constructing roadside bombs.Before conducting the airstrike, coalition forces ensured no civilians were in the area and no property would be damaged.

Tailor the way you get your War On Terror News

I

In other ISAF news throughout Afghanistan:

 

Middle East News 23 March 2012

As reported by WOTN earlier today, the US military has filed murder charges against Army Staff Sergeant Robert Bales in connection to the killings of 17 Afghan villagers, including nine children.  

Syria's British-born First Lady has now become the focus of new further sanctions by the EU. This while the UNHCR issued "strong condemnation" of the continuing escalating violence against civilians.

Israel's Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said Friday he may recall the Israeli ambassador to the UN Human Rights Council and cut ties with the body.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has signed off on the release of $1.3 billion in annual military aid to Egypt, despite concerns that the country's new leaders are not making sufficient democratic reforms.

Details after the break.

Dog-gone good medicine: 4-legged volunteers lend a helping paw

March 21, 2012  By Amy Newcomb, Fort Leonard Wood

FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (March 21, 2012) -- Each month, the General Leonard Wood Army Community Hospital receives two special visitors. Both visitors would rather lift spirits than play fetch -- Paisley, a Great Dane and Lela, a Labrador retriever, are Red Cross therapy dogs.

Lela's owner, Kelly Howley, therapy dog volunteer, said Lela knows when it's time to make a therapy trip to the hospital.

Pvt. Jean Lacap, Company B, 84th Chemical Battalion, is greeted by Lela, Red Cross therapy dog, during a visit to General Leonard Wood Army Community Hospital at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., March 18, 2012.

"Lela knows -- we get in the front gate and we jump in [General Leonard Wood Army Community Hospital] -- and she is literally ready to go," Howley said.

Therapy dogs are trained to improve the quality of life and provide companionship to others. They provide affection and comfort to people in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, retirement homes, nursing homes and schools, such as those with learning difficulties and in stressful situations.

Paisley's owner, Lee Vesely, therapy dog volunteer, and Howley, said their dogs do just what they were trained to do -- make people smile.

"For a lot of people, it's a break in their day, especially the ones who have been here for days on end," Vesely said. "Many say 'thank you for coming in.' They are very pleased."

RIP SPC Dennis P. Weichel

 

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

            Spc. Dennis P. Weichel Jr., 29, of Providence, R.I., died March 22 in Laghman province, Afghanistan, from injuries suffered in a noncombat related incident.  He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 143rd Infantry Regiment, 56th Troop Command, Rhode Island National Guard, East Greenwich, R.I.

 

 

"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.

SSG Robert Bales: Charges formally preferred under UCMJ

Release USFOR-A 2012-03-CA-001

KABUL, Afghanistan (Mar. 23, 2012) — Criminal charges under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) were formally preferred today against U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Robert Bales. The charges allege that, on or about March 11, 2012, SSG Bales did, with premeditation, murder seventeen Afghan civilians and assaulted and attempted to murder six other civilians at or near Belambey, Panjwa’i District of Afghanistan’s Kandahar province.  

Staff Sergeant Bales is assigned to 2d Battalion, 3d Infantry Regiment (Rear) (Provisional), headquartered at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. He is currently in pre-trial confinement at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.  

Under the UCMJ, the maximum possible punishment for a premeditated murder conviction is a dishonorable discharge from the Armed Forces, reduction to the lowest enlisted grade, total forfeiture of pay and allowances, and death (with a mandatory minimum sentence of imprisonment for life with eligibility for parole).

The next procedural step in the military justice process is for the Special Court-Martial Convening Authority at Joint Base Lewis-McChord to decide whether to direct an investigation of the charges under UCMJ Article 32. An Article 32 investigating officer submits to the command a written report with non-binding recommendations concerning the sufficiency of the charges and evidence. The report aids the command in determining an appropriate disposition of the charges. The charges may not be referred to a general court-martial absent a prior Article 32 investigation.  

No disposition decision has been made concerning the preferred charges.   Preferral of charges represents an accusation of criminal misconduct only.  In accordance with U.S. law, a military member accused of criminal misconduct is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at a trial by court-martial.

The investigation of these events is ongoing.

 

RAF Tornados hit Taliban bombers

A Military Operations news article

23 Mar 12

RAF Tornado crews have recently launched strikes against Taliban bombers.

 

A 12 (Bomber) Squadron Tornado prepares for take-off [Picture: Corporal Andy Benson RAF, Crown Copyright/MOD 2012]

A Tornado GR4 crew from 12 (Bomber) Squadron unleashed a Brimstone missile attack on an insurgent attempting to lay a number of improvised explosive devices in the ground in Kandahar. He was killed instantly and a search of the area discovered four trip-wire bombs and another with a pressure plate.

The attack was called in by an ISAF Forward Air Controller who spotted the man burying the devices near a convoy route in the area.

In a separate attack during the same mission, another 12 Squadron Tornado tracked and destroyed a suspect vehicle carrying explosives used to manufacture the deadly devices.

Afghan kids and school

Afghan students at the Safar School listen to town elders speak about security and education in the Garmsir district during a shura, or meeting, in Safar, Afghanistan, March 18, 2012. Approximately 40 elders and 150 students met with Afghan National Security Forces and U.S. Marines assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment at the newly constructed school to discuss the growth of education in the district. (DoD photo by Cpl. Reece Lodder, U.S. Marine Corps/Released)