War On Terror News

Islamist car bomb kills 11 Paki shoppers

Authorities say a car bomb has killed at least 11 people at a market in northwest Pakistan.

Friday's blast hit in Matani near the city of Peshawar and wounded at least 14 people.

No one claimed responsibility for the bombing, but officials have blamed the Pakistani Taliban for such attacks in the past.

Peshawar is the capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, which borders Afghanistan. VoA.

Two Afghan kids beheaded; 3rd blown up

Officials say two children have been beheaded in separate incidents in Afghanistan.

In the south, authorities say the Taliban beheaded a 12-year-old boy Thursday in Kandahar province because the child's brother is a police officer.  A Taliban spokesman has denied the allegation.

A spokesman for Kandahar's governor, Jawid Faisal, said Friday police found the boy's body in the Panjwai district. 

In the other incident, police say a seven-year-old girl was beheaded and her legs cut off in her home in the eastern province of Kapisa.  Authorities are not sure if the attack is the result of a domestic dispute or involvement by insurgents.

The killings come just days after 17 Afghan civilians were beheaded during a party in the southern province of Helmand.  Afghan officials blamed the Taliban, saying Sunday's killings followed a long-standing feud between two insurgent commanders over two women.  The Taliban denied involvement.

Also Friday, the U.S. military said a roadside bomb killed two Afghan civilians, including a child, in the Nahr-e-Saraj district of Helmand.  Another roadside bomb severely wounded a civilian in Sangin district. VoA.

War in Afghanistan News - 31 Aug 2012

BAGRAM, Afghanistan (Aug. 31, 2012) – Afghan and coalition forces killed eight insurgents, detained 15 and cleared seven improvised explosive devices during operations in eastern Afghanistan throughout the past 24 hours, Aug. 30.

Ghazni Province

Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely cleared an IED in Giro District.

Khowst Province

Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces detained an insurgent during an engagement in Gurbuz District. The detained suspect was transferred to a base for questioning.

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

Logar Province

Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely cleared an IED in Baraki Barak District.

A coalition airstrike killed three insurgents and wounded three in Baraki Barak District who were emplacing an IED. The wounded received medical care and were transferred to a base for questioning.

Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces killed an insurgent during an engagement in Muhammad Aghah District.

Nangarhar Province

Afghan National Army soldiers and coalition forces detained 11 insurgents who were conducting an illegal checkpoint in Khugyani District. The detained suspects were transferred to a base for questioning.

Paktika Province

Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely cleared two IEDs, one in Sar Rowzah District and one in Omnah District.

A coalition airstrike killed four insurgents in Sar Rowzah District in response an imminent threat posed to Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces. 

Operations in RC-East are still ongoing.

Pakistan arrests Head of LeJ Terrorist group

Pakistani police say they have arrested the Sunni Muslim founder of one of the country's most virulent anti-Shi'ite organizations, on charges of making a speech aimed at stirring sectarian hatred.

Police say Malik Ishaq, leader of the al-Qaida-linked Lakshar-e-Jhangvi terrorist group, was arrested in the eastern city of Lahore after returning from a pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.  Authorities say the charges stem from an address delivered to a religious gathering in Lahore earlier this month. 

The terrorist organization was banned more than a decade ago after being linked to the deaths of hundreds of minority Shi'ites.

Meanwhile, senior Pakistani intelligence officials, who did not give their names, confirmed to the Associated Press Thursday that a top commander of the terrorist Haqqani network, Badruddin Haqqani, was killed last week in a U.S. drone strike in the North Waziristan tribal agency.

The al-Qaida- and Taliban-linked group is blamed for a number of attacks on U.S. forces in neighboring Afghanistan.

Also Thursday, the United States announced it has placed sanctions on eight members of the Pakistan-based terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba.  The group is blamed for the 2008 terrorist attacks in the Indian city of Mumbai that killed 166 people. 

The U.S. Treasury froze any assets of the Lashkar members, including Sajjid Mir, who allegedly helped plan the assaults.

Separately, government authorities say at least eight terrorists have been killed in northwest Pakistan's Bajaur tribal agency, as security forces continue to target militant hideouts.  Three soldiers and six terrorists were reported killed there on Wednesday.

Earlier this month, gunmen killed 22 Shi'ites after ordering them off buses in Baluchistan. VoA.

BIO: Marilee Fitzgerald, Director DoD Education Activity

As the Director of the Department of Defense Education Activity, Ms. Marilee Fitzgerald has oversight of all DoDEA schools, in the U.S. and overseas. She was selected as the Director in November 2011 and had previously served as the acting Director since June 2010.

Prior to her recent service with DoDEA, Marilee Fitzgerald was appointed as the Director of Workforce Issues and International Programs, Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Civilian Personnel Policy, in June 2005. She oversaw and approved the Department of Defense (DoD) human resource policies and programs that affect over 700,000 employees worldwide. She also served as the Principal Deputy to the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Civilian Personnel Policy. During her tenure, she led the transformation of the Senior Executive Service and the creation of the DoD Civilian Expeditionary Workforce (CEW).

Ms. Fitzgerald also served as the Deputy Director for Field Advisory Services for the DoD Civilian Personnel Management Services, and served as its Acting Director before joining the staff of Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Civilian Personnel Policy. The Civilian Personnel Management Service provides DoD-wide policy and support to Component Headquarters and all operating field civilian personnel offices in the human resources arena. As Deputy Director for Advisory Services, Ms. Fitzgerald was responsible for executive program oversight, policy development, and management of field advisory services for the DoD civilian personnel program, including programs functioning through both appropriated and nonappropriated funds. In addition, she was responsible for the coordination of wage surveys, development of the resultant wage schedules, and development and issuance of special salary rates for the Department. Ms. Fitzgerald was charged with planning and implementing human resource strategies to meet Department-wide strategic plans for civilian personnel management.  Within that strategic vision, she assisted the Department in drafting legislative proposals and other policy and regulatory guidance to meet the strategic direction.

Previously, Ms. Fitzgerald served as the Associate Director of Management for the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA). As the Associate Director of Management, Ms. Fitzgerald provided executive leadership in planning, developing, implementing, and evaluating major system-wide support in the areas of human resources, logistics, procurement, financial management, information technology, and the management control functions.

Earlier, Ms. Fitzgerald held several positions with the DoD school system including:  Chief of Staff, Chief of Executive
Services and Chief of Staffing. In accomplishing these functions, she was
responsible for conducting and overseeing long-range and strategic planning
based on the strategic goals of DoDEA, the military, DoD initiatives and
priorities, and Congressional requirements. She has also led many of the DoDEA
reorganization and realignment projects, which included the decentralization of
civilian personnel and other management functions within DoDEA, and the
transformation to automated services.

Ms. Fitzgerald is married to Dr. Dennis Fitzgerald. They have two daughters and one son.

DoD Schools rank near top; DoD to change things

By Jim Garamone, AFPS, WASHINGTON, Aug. 30, 2012 - Bells have rung in 194 Department of Defense Educational Activity Schools around the world, marking the start of another school year.

Marilee Fitzgerald, the director of the agency, spoke during a Pentagon news conference today about changes to the school system and the unique role these schools play.

Worldwide, 87,000 students attend classes in 22 countries, seven states and two territories, Fitzgerald said. In addition, another 1.2 million children of military families will join their peers attending public schools around the United States.

The students come from all different racial, ethnic, social and economic backgrounds and are united by the affiliation with the military, Fitzgerald noted.

"I like to refer to this group of military children as ambassadors of our U.S. military core values," the director said. "They bring a lifestyle, a commitment and a sense of purpose. Their values are rooted in honor, courage, selfless sacrifice, loyalty, respect, integrity and excellence, just like the families in which they live, just like their mothers and fathers who have made a commitment to our nation. That's what makes these children so very special for us."

Their educational experiences mirror the mobile lifestyles of their parents. On average, the students will attend six to nine schools before they graduate. "In DODEA alone, our mobility rate is about 35 percent every year," Fitzgerald said.

And these children bear burdens and have worries their stateside friends don't know, she added. Many have parents deployed in harm's way or know students who have lost parents. "Certainly, one can't underestimate the challenges of moving ... and leaving your friends and neighborhoods and the comfort of security in neighborhoods around our nation to join their parents in their military commitments," she said.

A major military construction program is underway to optimize the learning environments in the system's schools, Fitzgerald said.

DOD schools rank at the top or near the top in every measurement of student achievement, she added, but while students may be getting an education that prepares them for 21st century careers, some of the physical plants for the schools themselves are mired in the 1970s -- not unsafe, but just in failing condition.

DOD provided about $3.7 billion over five years to fix these schools. "For us, that translates to 134 schools," Fitzgerald said. "Today we have 49 schools in design. I believe eight schools are under construction, and we've opened up some new schools."

The new schools incorporate all the latest educational thinking. "Studios" replace classrooms. All students have laptops, and the schools will have enough outlets to charge them and connect with sites. "Children will have more collaboration spaces," Fitzgerald said, and will receive some instruction through the Web.

"You can't use a traditional classroom setup to accommodate some new instructional approaches," Fitzgerald explained. "We do more project-based learning, and so our classroom spaces are reflective of the kind of ... teaching and learning that we're going to be doing in this century."

The school system will add five courses from the science, technology engineering and mathematics curricula, and effective this year, graduation will include an additional math requirement. The schools also will expand a program to teach children Spanish in elementary schools, in addition to local languages, at many of the overseas schools.

This year, the system will join 46 states in adopting the Common Core Standards -- descriptions of what children should know and be able to do by grade level and in content areas, providing what Fitzgerald called "the power of having standards that are the same for every state." The states have adopted standards in two subject areas -- mathematics and reading/language arts – and science is under development, the director said.

In the years to come, Fitzgerald said, the system will change as the military changes. DOD's focus will shift toward the Pacific, she noted, and DODEA will shift to meet that need.

Condoleeza Rice, John McCain chastise Admin on Foreign Policy

U.S. President Barack Obama's foreign policy came under sharp criticism Wednesday at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Florida.

Senator John McCain, the man Mr. Obama defeated in the 2008 presidential election, told delegates the president has repeatedly failed to support allies across the globe as well as others who have tried to stand up against tyrants and dictators. 

“When Iranians rose up by the millions against their oppressive rulers, when they beseeched our president, chanting in English, “Are you with us or are you with them?”, when the entire world watched as a brave young woman named Neda was shot and bled to death in the street in Tehran, the president missed a historic opportunity to throw America's full moral support behind an Iranian revolution that shared one of our highest interests: ridding Iran of a brutal dictatorship that terrorizes the Middle East and threatens the world.”

McCain also accused Mr. Obama of failing the opposition in Syria, which has been struggling to topple the regime of Bashar al-Assad, and for allowing countries like Russia and China to have too much sway over U.S. foreign policy.  He said the Republican presidential nominee, Mitt Romney, has the ability to restore America to a position of leadership on the global stage.

Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice echoed McCain's sentiments in her remarks to the convention.  While not mentioning the president by name, Rice said America “cannot be reluctant to lead — and one cannot lead from behind.”

“Our friends and allies must again be able to trust us. From Israel to Poland to the Philippines to Colombia and across the world – they must know that we are reliable and consistent and determined.  And our foes, our foes must have no reason to doubt our resolve – because peace really does come through strength.  Our military capability and our technological advantage will be safe in Mitt Romney's hands.”

Rice said America is “abandoning the playing field of free trade” under Mr. Obama. She noted that while the U.S. has ratified just three trade agreements in recent years — all of them under the previous administration of former President George W. Bush — China has signed 15 trade agreements, and is negotiating 20 more. 

'When long-suffering peoples demand liberation from their jailers and torturers and tyrants, the leader of the free-world must stand with them.  Unfortunately, this is not happening. When Iranians rose up by the millions against their oppressive rulers, when they beseeched our president, chanting in English, “Are you with us or are you with them?”, when the entire world watched as a brave young woman named Neda was shot and bled to death in the street in Tehran, the president missed a historic opportunity to throw America's full moral support behind an Iranian revolution that shared one of our highest interests: ridding Iran of a brutal dictatorship that terrorizes the Middle East and threatens the world.”

“We can't afford to cause our friends and allies, from Latin America to Europe to Asia to the Middle East and especially in Israel, a nation under existential threat, to doubt America's leadership.”

“We can't afford to give government in Russia and China a veto over how we defend our interests and the progress of our values in the world . We can't afford to have the security of our nation – we can't afford to have the security of our nation and those who bravely defend it endangered because the government leaks the secrets of their heroic operations to the media .” VoA.

War in Afghanistan 30 Aug 2012

BAGRAM, Afghanistan (Aug. 30, 2012) – Afghan and coalition forces killed 14 insurgents, detained eight and cleared 10 improvised explosive devices during operations in eastern Afghanistan throughout the past 24 hours, Aug. 29.

Ghazni Province

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

Kapisa Province

Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely cleared an IED in Nijrab District.

Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces killed four insurgents during an engagement in Tagab District.

Khowst Province

Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces detained six insurgents during engagements in Khowst, Sabari, Bak and Gurbuz Districts. The detained suspects were transferred to a base for questioning.

Khowst Province

Afghan National Army soldiers and coalition forces killed five insurgents during engagements in Darah Ye Pech and Watahpur Districts.

Laghman Province

Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces killed an insurgent during an engagement in Qarghah’i District.

Nangarhar Province

Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely cleared two IEDs, one in Kama District and one in Shinwar District.

Paktika Province

Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely cleared two IEDs, one in Sar Rowzah District and one in Sharan District.

Paktiya Province

Afghan Border Police and coalition forces detained two insurgents during engagements in Jaji District. The detained suspects were transferred to a base for questioning.

Parwan Province

Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely cleared an IED in Bagram District.

Wardak Province

Afghan National Army soldiers and coalition forces killed four insurgents during an engagement in Jaghatu District.

Afghan National Army soldiers and coalition forces found and safely cleared an IED in Sayyidabad District.

Operations in RC-East are still ongoing.

SGT Merical leads drive for US School supplies

By Army Sgt. Richard Wrigley, 1st Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division

FORT HOOD, Texas, Aug. 29, 2012 - A 1st Cavalry Division soldier here headed a fundraiser to provide school supplies for the Mae Stevens Elementary school in Copperas Cove, Texas.

"It's about giving back to a community that has given so much to you," said Army Sgt. Johnny Merical, a CH-47 Chinook helicopter repairer for Company B, 615th Aviation Support Battalion, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade.

After more than a month of collecting donations, and with help from other soldiers in his platoon, Merical bought school supplies and presented them to the school Aug. 22.

Merical and his fellow soldiers set up a display of the new school supplies in the school's gymnasium, and members of the community -- along with children, parents and faculty members -- came by to hear him explain why he led the drive.

"I've been here almost six years, and have lived here the whole time," he said. "I'm leaving now, but the community has supported me whenever I needed it, and the school district really looked out for my family when they allowed my children to stay in Mae Stevens, even though the rezoning could have forced them to go to a different school."

While this is the biggest volunteer effort Merical has undertaken, he is no stranger to volunteer work, said Army Capt. Nicholaus Cortez, a platoon leader in Company B, 615th ASB.

"He's done a lot of volunteering for the unit and the surrounding community," Cortez said. "When I think of Sergeant Merical, I think of selfless service."

The captain added that Merical's professionalism and work ethic are unparalleled at his level in the platoon.

The school's students and their families were in dire need of the supplies, Merical said. Joe Burns, the superintendent for the Copperas Cove Independent School District, agreed.

"About 63 percent of this campus' student population consists of kids who receive free or reduced lunches," he explained. "This means that a lot of the families that have kids who attend here simply don't have the resources to provide [the children] with all the things they need for school. This donation Sergeant Merical put together ... will go a long, long way to meeting the needs of those families."

Another school district official talked about how donations will benefit the students as they begin this school year.

"Many of these students are used to getting hand-me-down materials," said Rick Kirkpatrick, the deputy superintendent. "Just imagine how happy these students will be to have a brand-new notebook or binder this year."

Merical said he hopes that his and his fellow soldiers' efforts to help will have a lasting impact.

"My family and I are about to leave, but the good that this has done for the community will last much longer than that," he said.

Defense Department initiates Tribunal against Saudi National for terrorism

DOD Announces Charges Sworn Against Al Darbi

             The Department of Defense announced today that the Office of the Chief Prosecutor for Military Commissions has sworn charges against Guantanamo detainee Ahmed Mohammed Ahmed Haza al Darbi, a Saudi Arabian national.

             The charges sworn today allege that the accused committed offenses triable under the Military Commissions Act of 2009, 10 U.S.C. §§ 948a, et seq, including: (1) Conspiracy to Commit Multiple Offenses Triable by Military Commission; (2) Aiding and Abetting the Offense of Attacking Civilian Objects; (3) Aiding and Abetting the Offense of Hazarding a Vessel; (4) Aiding and Abetting the Offense of Terrorism; (5) Multiple Specifications of Attempt; and (6) Aiding the Enemy.  The charges are merely accusations, and the accused is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.  The maximum sentence for these charges is confinement for life.

             These sworn charges allege that al Darbi joined a terrorist conspiracy with al Qaeda by the year 1997.  In furtherance of this conspiracy, al Darbi is alleged to have attended the Khalden training camp in Afghanistan, to have received personal permission from Usama bin Laden to train at al Qaeda's Jihad Wahl training camp, and to have worked as a weapons instructor at al Qaeda's al Farouq training camp, both in Afghanistan.  From approximately 2000 through 2002, al Darbi is also alleged to have committed multiple overt acts in support of a plot to bomb civilian oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz and off the coast of Yemen.  These alleged acts included:  receiving large amounts of money from al Qaeda; purchasing GPS devices and other equipment; purchasing a boat intended to be the attack vessel; registering this boat under the name of an unwitting participant; applying for travel documents that allowed potential attack operatives to travel from Yemen to the UAE; training these potential attack operatives; and sailing the boat he purchased towards Yemen in order to meet with these attack operatives.

             In addition to the conspiracy charge, al Darbi is alleged to have aided and abetted the completed terrorist attack against the French oil tanker, the MV Limburg, which severely injured multiple civilians and caused a large oil spill in the Gulf of Aden in 2002.

             The Regulation for Trial by Military Commission requires that the chief prosecutor notify the legal advisor to the Convening Authority and the chief defense counsel for Military Commissions within 24 hours of swearing charges.  The accused must also be notified of the charges sworn against him as soon as practicable.  The chief prosecutor will not immediately forward the charges to the Convening Authority for action in this case.  Once the chief prosecutor does so, the Convening Authority makes an independent determination as to whether to refer some, all, or none of the charges for trial by military commission.  If the Convening Authority decides to refer the case to trial, he will designate commission panel members (jurors). The chief trial judge of the Military Commissions Trial Judiciary then assigns a military judge to the case.

             The Chief Prosecutor, Brigadier General Mark Martins, said upon the swearing of charges, "Mr. al Darbi's alleged crimes are serious violations of the law of war that were committed to terrorize and wreak havoc on the world economy.  We will be prepared to proceed toward his trial by reformed military commission if the Convening Authority refers charges."

Charges were previously initiated in Download Charge alDarbi 2007 in December 2007.  On November 25, 2009 those charges wwere dismissed without prejudice based on decisions made by Attorney General Eric Holder and other members of the Obama Administration on 13 November 2009.

Pirated oil tanker found off Nigerian Coast

An oil tanker hijacked in the Gulf of Guinea has been spotted off the coast of Nigeria and the 24 Russian crew members on board are believed to be safe.

The vessel's Greek-based operator, Golden Energy Management, said Wednesday that pirates still have control of the tanker.

The hijackers seized the Greek-owned Energy Centurion off the coast of Togo on Tuesday.  It was anchored about 27 kilometers from the capital, Lome, when the pirates attacked.

A Togo naval ship responded to a distress call and exchanged fire with the pirates, but the attackers managed to gain control of the tanker and set sail.

The operator said it is in contact with what it called “relevant authorities” and believes the pirates' goal is to steal the oil cargo.

Piracy has become a growing problem in the Gulf of Guinea, though not of the same proportions as it was for several years off the coast of Somalia.

The International Maritime Bureau says pirates in the Gulf of Guinea usually release hostages after seizing cargo.  By contrast, Somali pirates typically hold hostages for ransom. VoA.

Assad blames Turkey as Syrian Rebels close in on Damascus

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has blamed foreign powers, especially Turkey, for the bloodshed in his country.

In a televised interview Wednesday, Mr. Assad told Syrians that destiny is in their hands and not in the hands of others.  He described rebels as terrorists and said that his government needs more time to resolve what he called a “regional and global” conflict.  

For the past year and a half, the Syrian government has been trying to put down a revolt using force.  The military action has resulted in a huge civilian death toll, alarming the international community. 

Turkey has called for international intervention and some of Syria's officials have defected, with Prime Minister Riad Hijab the most senior among them.

Mr. Assad told the local Addounia television that his government had been aware of some ignorant officials trying to defect and decided to let them leave in order to get rid of traitors.

Syrian rebels and government forces engaged in fierce fighting Wednesday near a military airport between the northern cities of Aleppo and Idlib.

An activist group, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, told VOA that 14 government troops were killed or injured in the clashes, while three rebels died.

Rebels entrenched in Aleppo and Idlib have targeted the Taftanaz military airport several times.  The two cities have been shelled daily by government troops.

Activists also reported a third day of army attacks on rebel strongholds in the eastern outskirts of Damascus.  Attacks in and around the capital in the past week have killed hundreds of people.

More than 100,000 Syrian refugees have fled to neighboring Turkey, but the number is rapidly growing as close to 5,000 try to cross the border every day.  Syrian refugees have also gone to Jordan and other neighboring countries. VoA.

Taliban attacks Paki post; 18 dead

Taliban terrorists have attacked an army post in northwest Pakistan, killing eight soldiers and wounding several others.

Security officials say soldiers killed 10 militants in the fighting Wednesday in the South Waziristan tribal area near the Afghan border.

Earlier reports said the militants had killed nine soldiers.

The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack. VoA.

RNC vows to get tough on China

The Republican party has adopted a platform that is strongly critical of Communist China, even as Chinese state media slammed the party's presidential nominee, Mitt Romney, for having what it termed a “Cold War mentality.”

The Republican platform, approved Tuesday at the party's national convention in Tampa, promises to get tough on China for the alleged undervaluing of its currency and theft of intellectual property. It also condemns what it calls China's “destabilizing claims in the South China Sea” and vowed to continue U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, two issues that have riled China in the past.

The tougher rhetoric mirrors that of Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, who has promised to designate China as a currency manipulator on his first day in office, if elected.

Beijing, which does not officially take sides in the election, this week lashed out at Mr. Romney's China policies in a series of state media editorials. The official China Daily describes his policies as “pugnacious,” saying they will “poison” U.S.-China relations, if implemented.

U.S. political strategists say criticizing the incumbent's policies toward China is not only common, but can be politically beneficial, especially while the American economy is struggling to recover from a recession. This is something that Communist Chinese rulers have been quick to point out, accusing both Mr. Obama and Mr. Romney of pandering to what they call the “anti-China vote.”

The Republican platform accuses the president of a “virtual surrender” in responding to alleged Chinese trade violations.

The GOP promises to impose duties on Chinese goods, if China does not change its policies and threatens punitive measures on foreign businesses that steal American technology and property. If China does not adhere to World Trade Organization standards, the platform warns that the U.S. government will “end procurement of Chinese goods and services.”

Party platforms are a symbolic statement of generally agreed-upon principles and are not binding upon the nominee or any of the party's politicians.

Nonetheless, the increased rhetoric appears to represent a shift in the Republican party's traditional views.  VoA.

Syrian rebels gain ground; Assad says he needs more time

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad says his government is fighting a “regional and global battle” and that more time is needed to win the conflict against anti-government rebels trying to overthrow him.

His comments came as fighting renewed Wednesday between rebels and Syrian forces near the Taftanaz military airport, located between the northern cities of Aleppo and Idlib.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights told VOA that 14 government troops were killed or injured at Taftanaz, while three rebels died during the clashes.

Taftanaz has been targeted several times by rebels entrenched in the two cities, which have suffered daily shelling by government troops.

In excerpts from an interview with Syria's privately-owned Addounia television, Mr. Assad described the situation on the ground as “practically better” but still unresolved.

The Syrian leader, who has vowed to defeat rebels he has characterized as Islamist terrorists, praised the army and security forces for their “heroic conduct.”

Mr. Assad also dismissed an idea being championed by neighboring Turkey of creating Western-imposed buffer zones within Syria to receive people displaced by the conflict.

The two countries once cultivated good relations but Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan turned against Mr. Assad over his violent response to the uprising.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Wednesday Ankara has discussed with the United Nations the possibility of housing Syrian refugees inside Syria and that his government expected the world body to take concrete steps towards this end.

Turkey has proposed the idea of a “safe zone” to be set up for civilians under foreign protection as fighting intensifies in the 17-month uprising. Up to 5,000 refugees a day have been crossing into Turkey during the past two weeks.  The U.N. warned Tuesday that up to 200,000 people could settle there if the conflict worsens.

In Damascus, activists Wednesday reported a third day of army attacks on rebel strongholds in the eastern outer belt of the city.

The opposition Local Coordination Committees said warplanes and helicopters bombed and strafed those suburbs.  The Britain-based Observatory reported attacks by combat helicopters on the eastern suburb of Saqba as well as shelling further into the city in the district of Zamalka.

Attacks in and around Damascus over the past week have killed hundreds of people.

Syrian authorities blame the uprising on a foreign conspiracy and accuse oil-rich Gulf countries Saudi Arabia and Qatar, in addition to the United States and Turkey, of backing “terrorists” seeking to oust Mr. Assad's government. VoA.

Afghan Intelligence chief removed by Karzai

Afghan President Hamid Karzai has removed the head of the country's intelligence agency, in the latest shake-up to his Cabinet.

Mr. Karzai on Wednesday thanked Rahmatullah Nabil, the director general of the National Security Directorate, for his two-year service.  He said Nabil would soon take over as an ambassador to a foreign country.

The president's office said Nabil's new appointment is consistent with Mr. Karzai's decision that intelligence chiefs cannot serve more than two years.

The move comes just weeks after parliament voted to remove Defense Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak and Interior Minister Bismillah Khan Mohammadi for failing to bring security to the country and protect top officials.

Afghan officials have told reporters that President Karzai is expected to nominate Mohammadi as the new defense minister and Deputy Interior Minister Mushtaba Patang as the new interior minister. Asadullah Khalid, the current minister of tribal and border affairs, is expected to be nominated as the new head of NDS. VoA.

War in Afghanistan News - 29 Aug 2012

BAGRAM, Afghanistan (Aug. 29, 2012) – Afghan and coalition forces killed six insurgents, detained one and cleared eight improvised explosive devices during operations in eastern Afghanistan throughout the past 24 hours, Aug. 28.  

Ghazni Province

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

Kapisa Province

Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely cleared an IED in Nijrab District.

Khowst Province

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

Kunar Province

A coalition airstrike killed two insurgents in Darah Ye Pech District in response to Afghan National Security Forces and CF receiving small arms and indirect fire. 

Nangarhar Province

Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely cleared an IED in Kama District.

Paktika Province

Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely cleared two IEDs, one in Sar Rowzah District and one in Sharan District.

Parwan Province

Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely cleared an IED in Bagram District.

Wardak Province

Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces killed four insurgents during an engagement in Jaghatu District.

Operations in RC-East are still ongoing.

Suicidal Islamist kills Russian Mullah

A female suicide bomber posing as a Muslim pilgrim killed a leading moderate Islamic scholar and at least five others Tuesday in the restive southern Russian republic of Dagestan.

Dagestan's interior ministry says Said Atsayev, a widely respected Suffi Muslim spiritual leader who opposed radical Islam, was killed when the unidentified woman entered his home in disguise and detonated an explosives belt around her waist.

The Dagestan attack was reported as Russian President Vladimir Putin began delivering a keynote address related to a separate assassination attempt last month against another top moderate cleric in the republic of Tatarstan.  It was not clear whether Mr. Putin knew of the Dagestan bombing as he began his address.

Elsewhere in Dagestan, a Russian border guard killed at least seven servicemen in a shooting spree at a border post Tuesday.  The motivation for the attack is unknown, but authorities are quoted as saying they suspect the shooter also may have had ties to Islamist groups.

Moscow is struggling to contain an Islamist insurgency in its largely-Muslim North Caucasus region, nearly a decade after fighting two wars against Islamists in Chechnya. Russia claims the region is largely under control, but sporadic bombings, assassinations and attacks on government facilities and troops continue. VoA.

Pirates take oil tanker on West African coast

A Greek-operated oil tanker has disappeared from sight after being attacked by pirates off the coast of Togo.

Togolese military officials say their forces engaged the pirates in gunfire after the attack Tuesday, but the pirates escaped.

Togo's army chief, Atcha Titikpina, told reporters the ship was headed for neighboring Benin when it disappeared from view.  He said the search for the ship continues.

It is not clear if the pirates hijacked the vessel loaded with oil.   There were about 20 crew members on the ship when it sent a distress signal.

The ship operator, Golden Energy Management, said there has been no word from the crew.  He said pirates in the Gulf of Guinea are more interested in stealing the cargo, especially oil, than kidnapping the crew.

Waters off the coast of Somalia are plagued by pirates who take hostages for ransom and rob cargo from international ships. VoA.  Togo is on the West African coast, whereas Somalia is East Africa.

RIP SSG Jessica M Wing

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

            Staff Sgt. Jessica M. Wing, 42, of Alexandria, Va., died Aug. 27, in Kuwait City, Kuwait in a non-combat related incident.  She was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 126th Aviation Regiment, Bangor, Maine.

"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 SGT Christopher J Birdwell, SPC Mabry J Anders

The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

            They died Aug. 27, in Kalagush, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered from enemy, small arms fire.  They were assigned to the 4th Special Troops Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.

            Killed were:

            Sgt. Christopher J. Birdwell, 25, of Windsor, Colo., and

            Spc. Mabry J. Anders, 21, of Baker City, Ore.

"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.

Court rules Israel not responsible for death of civilian in military zone

An Israeli court Tuesday dismissed a lawsuit brought against the military by the family of a U.S. activist crushed to death by an army bulldozer during a 2003 pro-Palestinian protest in the Gaza Strip.

Rachel Corrie's family had accused Israel of intentionally and unlawfully killing their 23-year-old daughter, launching a civil case in the northern Israeli city of Haifa after a military investigation had cleared the army of wrong-doing.

In his ruling, Judge Oded Gershon called Corrie's death a “regrettable accident,” but said the state was not responsible because the incident had occurred during what he termed a war-time situation.

He said Corrie entered the Gaza Strip despite knowing it was a war zone with live fire being exchanged daily. He also cited a warning from the U.S. urging American citizens not to enter Gaza.

Gershon ruled that the military had conducted a proper investigation, and denied the family's request for a symbolic $1 in damages and legal expenses.

The bulldozer driver has said he did not see Corrie, a pro-Palestinian activist who opposed the military's demolition of Palestinian homes.

The military deemed her death to be accidental, but Corrie's parents were not satisfied by the army probe and filed a civil lawsuit in 2005.

Activists with Corrie at the time said she was clearly visible to the driver of the military bulldozer.

Corrie's parents travelled from the United States to be present in court for the verdict. After the ruling was announced, Corrie's mother, Cindy Corrie, told reporters “we believe Rachael was seen.” She said civilians in Gaza “have rights and deserve protection.”

The home demolitions were part of an unsuccessful campaign to halt hundreds of shooting and mortar attacks against soldiers and Jewish settlers in southern Gaza, along the border with Egypt. On the day Rachel Corrie died, she and other activists had entered a closed military zone to protest the demolition policy.

According to the U.N. agency handling Palestinian refugees, the military had left more than 17,000 Gazans homeless in the four years after a Palestinian uprising against Israel erupted in September, 2000. The demolitions drew international condemnation at the time. VoA.

Pakistan tries 14 yo Christian for Blasphemy

The lawyer for a Pakistani Christian girl accused of blasphemy says she is a minor and that her case will likely be heard in a juvenile court.

The girl, Rimsha Masih, was taken into custody earlier this month after angry neighbors surrounded her house in Islamabad and accused her of burning pages inscribed with verses from the Koran.  Some say she was burning papers from the garbage for cooking.  Blasphemy is punishable by death in Pakistan.

On Tuesday, her attorney, Tahir Naveed Chaudhry, said a medical board has determined that the girl is 14 years old, but mentally younger than that.  He told reporters in Islamabad that as a minor, Masih can be tried in the juvenile justice system.

Chaudhry said a bail hearing has been scheduled for Thursday.

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari has taken “serious note” of the girl's detention and called for a report on her arrest.

Human rights activists say the blasphemy law in Pakistan has been used to harass religious minorities and settle personal scores.  Amnesty International last week called on the government to urgently reform its blasphemy laws and protect Masih and her family against possible intimidation or attack.

Last year, Pakistan's Minister of Minorities Shahbaz Bhatti, the only Christian member of the federal Cabinet, was gunned down in Islamabad.  And Punjab province's governor, Salman Taseer, was killed by one of his bodyguards for opposing the controversial blasphemy law. 

Christians are the largest non-Muslim religious minority in Pakistan, making up about 5 percent of the population.

The United States has called Masih's case “deeply disturbing” and urged Pakistan's government to protect not just its religious minority citizens, but also women and girls. VoA.

Jordan/Turkey brace for Syrian Refugees as Syria tells World terrorism will plague those that support Rebels

The United Nations refugee agency says the number of Syrians fleeing to Jordan has doubled in recent days, with 10,200 arriving in the past week, signaling what could be an impending mass movement.

Spokeswoman Melissa Fleming for the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees in Geneva says the new arrivals at the Za'atri camp in northern Jordan are mainly from Syria's southern flashpoint area of Daraa. She said refugees reported “being bombed as they were trying to cross” the border.

She said more than 22,000 Syrians have taken shelter at the Za'atri camp since it opened on July 30.

UNHCR representatives also say up to 200,000 Syrian refugees could flee to Turkey if the conflict continues to deepen. They say more than 74,000 Syrians have registered in Turkey, which is building at least five new refugee camps in addition to the existing nine.

More than 3,000 refugees fled Syria to Turkey in the past 24 hours alone.

In Tehran, Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad told reporters at a summit of the Non-Aligned Movement that member nations have condemned sanctions imposed against Syria by the West and some other countries.  He also warned countries not to support Syrian rebels, who he called “terrorists.”

“Any support by any foreign country of the terrorists in Syria is absolutely condemned, and we tell them that once you support terrorism in Syria it will come back to your own country.  Stop it!”

Meanwhile, The Associated Press reported that Syrian military helicopters dropped thousands of leaflets over Damascus and its suburbs Tuesday, urging rebels to hand over their weapons or be killed.

The AP said some of the leaflets read “The Syrian army is determined to cleanse every inch in Syria and you have only two choices: abandon your weapons … or face inevitable death.''

Syrian authorities blame the 17-month uprising on a foreign conspiracy and accuse oil-rich Gulf countries Saudi Arabia and Qatar, in addition to the United States and Turkey, of backing “terrorists” seeking to oust the government.

On Monday, Syrian rebels said they shot down a military helicopter during heavy fighting with government forces in Damascus.

Amateur video posted online showed what activists claim is a government helicopter falling to the ground in a ball of fire and crashing in a plume of black smoke. The video has not been independently verified.

Syrian state television confirmed that a government helicopter went down in the capital, but did not offer further details.

Activists blame the government for killing hundreds of people several days ago in Daraya, on the outskirts of Damascus. The government says it was battling to crush insurgents based there, while activists say the victims died in shelling or when troops allegedly went house-to-house executing people.

War in Afghanistan News - 28 Aug 2012

 

BAGRAM, Afghanistan (Aug. 28, 2012) – Afghan and coalition forces detained 17 insurgents and cleared five improvised explosive devices during operations in eastern Afghanistan throughout the past 24 hours, Aug. 27.

Ghazni Province

Afghan National Army soldiers and coalition forces found and safely cleared an IED in Dehyak District.

Khowst Province

Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces detained 17 insurgents during engagements in Khowst, Gurbuz and Nadir Shah Kot Districts. The detained suspects were transferred to a base for questioning.

Paktika Province

Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely cleared two IEDs, one in Jani Khel District and one in Sar Rowzah District.

Paktiya Province

Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely cleared an IED in Zurmat District.

Wardak Province

Afghan National Army soldiers and coalition forces found and safely cleared an IED in Nerkh District.

Operations in RC-East are still ongoing.

Taliban beheads 17 Afghans; ANA infiltrator killed after attacking US Troops

Officials in southern Afghanistan say Taliban insurgents have beheaded 17 Afghan civilians, including two women.

The Interior Ministry says the civilians were killed in the Kajaki district of Helmand province late Sunday. 

There were conflicting reports about the reasons behind the killings.  Some Afghan officials said the Taliban attacked the party because insurgents disapprove of music and dancing.  But Helmand's governor said the killings took place after a long-standing feud between two Taliban commanders turned violent.  And the governor of nearby Musa Qala district said insurgents killed the civilians because they had links to the government.

Authorities say it is difficult to corroborate the reports, because the area is not controlled by the government.

Later on Sunday, officials say insurgents overran an Afghan military post in Helmand's Washir district, killing 10 Afghan troops and wounding four others.  A local official said five other Afghan soldiers were either kidnapped or joined the attackers.

Meanwhile, in eastern Afghanistan, NATO officials say an Afghan soldier turned his weapon on two coalition service members.  NATO says its troops returned fire, killing the soldier.

The attack in Laghman province is the latest in a string of insider attacks this year.

Monday's attack brings the number of foreign soldiers killed in such violence this month to 12.

Last week, the commander of U.S. and NATO troops in Afghanistan, General John Allen, said many of the attacks are due to personal grievances and arguments, with about 25 percent attributed to Taliban infiltration, impersonation or coercion.  VoA.

Some Veterans of the Afghan War believe 90% of "green on blue" violence involves Taliban infiltrators.

Somali Islamist financier/recruiter gunned down in Kenya

Unidentified gunmen have killed a Kenyan Muslim cleric who was accused of supporting Somali terrorist group al-Shabab, which is an Al-Qaeda affiliate.

Kenyan police say Aboud Rogo Mohammed was shot dead Monday in the port city of Mombasa.  Initial reports say the gunmen attacked the cleric as he was driving a vehicle carrying his wife and family.

Aboud Rogo Mohammed was placed on a U.S. sanctions list last month for recruiting fighters and raising money for al-Shabab.

The U.N. Security Council placed its own travel ban and assets freeze on the cleric, saying he used an extremist group, Al Hijra, as a way of recruiting Swahili-speaking Africans to fight in Somalia.

Al-Shabab is fighting to overthrow Somalia's U.N.-backed government.  The terrorist group is known to have supporters in Kenya, which has a large Somali immigrant community. 

Kenyan forces entered Somalia last October to fight al-Shabab, and have since joined the African Union peacekeeping force in the country. VoA.

Syrian rebels shoot down Govt helicopter

Syrian rebels say they shot down a military helicopter during heavy fighting with government forces in Damascus Monday.

Amateur video posted online shows what activists are claiming is a government helicopter falling to the ground in a ball of fire and crashing in a plume of black smoke.  The video has not been independently verified.

Syrian state television confirmed that a government helicopter had gone down in the capital, but it did not offer any further details.

A spokesman for the local rebel force told the French news agency that the alleged downing of the helicopter was in revenge for what he called the “Daraya massacre.”

Activists blame the government for killing hundreds of people during the past several days in Daraya, which lies on the outskirts of Damascus.  The government says it was battling to crush insurgents based there, while activists say the victims died in shelling or when troops allegedly went house-to-house executing people. VoA.

Nigeria negotiating with Islamist terrorists

A spokesman for Nigeria's president has confirmed the government is engaged in talks with Boko Haram, the Islamist terrorist group which has killed hundreds of people.

Presidential spokesman Reuben Abati said “backroom” negotiations are being held to bring peace and stability, particularly in the north where most of the violence has taken place.

Abati told reporters in Abuja Sunday the government wants to understand the group's grievances in order to bring an end to the violence.  However, he noted, the government will hold anyone who broke the law accountable.

The comments mark the first time a government official has publicly acknowledged Nigeria is holding peace talks with Boko Haram.

Earlier this month, a purported spokesman for the shadowy group told VOA the group was in talks with the government in response to public appeals for peace.

Human Rights Watch says Boko Haram is responsible for killing at least 1,400 people since 2010.

The radical group says it wants to impose Sharia law throughout the country.  It does not recognize Nigeria's government or constitution.

Nigeria is divided roughly in half between a mostly Muslim north and predominantly Christian south. The country of 160 million is Africa's biggest oil producer. VoA.

On the path to defeat in Afghanistan

For those that have been paying attention, it is obvious that the War in Afghanistan is going poorly in 2012, that it is far worse now than in 2008.  National Security should be on the campaign stump, and how the candidates would win the war should be part of the discussion, but its not.

Rarely do we hear in what little discussion there is, why we went there to begin with.  That's an important detail because before we can pronounce the "war has been ended," or that the mission is complete, we must remember what the mission was and what was so important that we were unified as a Nation to go to the other side of the world, to a country landlocked and surrounded by less than friendly Nations, to fight a war in the 14th Century.

The desired end state is also missing from the discussion.  That hasn't always been missing.  It was quite clear in 2001 and slightly fuzzy but stated from 2003 to 2008.

Since we don't remember where this war came from, nor have a plan on where we want to take it, it is not surprising that we are confused as to how to get there.  Instead, politicians have gotten mired in tangential side issues.  The big issues pushed by the current political leadership have been: repeal of DADT, putting women in combat units, establishing no-fire zones around structures, and pushing talks with an enemy that has no desire to compromise.

Former Marine Paul Szoldra, in Business Insider writes:

"And yet all the blood, destruction—all the efforts of our military—cannot change the unfortunate and highly probable outcome that our 2014 exit from Afghanistan will be marked as a failure."

"I don’t want to believe it, but we are losing this war." (Paul highlights the post here)

War in Afghanistan News - 27 Aug 2012

BAGRAM, Afghanistan (Aug. 27, 2012) – Afghan and coalition forces killed four insurgents, detained two, located three weapons caches and cleared nine improvised explosive devices during operations in eastern Afghanistan throughout the past 24 hours, Aug. 26.

Ghazni Province

Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely cleared three IEDs, one in Ghazni District, one in Gelan District and one in Dehyak District.

Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces detained an insurgent during an engagement in Andar District. The detained suspect was transferred to a base for questioning.

Khowst Province

Afghan Border Police and coalition forces discovered a weapons cache in Gurbuz District. The cache contained IED making materials.

Afghan National Army soldiers and coalition forces discovered a weapons cache in Sabari District. The cache contained a radio, small arms and ammunition, and military clothing.

Logar Province

Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely cleared two IEDs, one in Pul-E Alam District and one in Khoshi.

Afghan National Army soldiers and coalition forces killed two insurgents during an engagement in Pul-E Alam District.

Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces discovered a weapons cache in Khoshi District. The cache contained 142 mortar rounds, 23 rockets and small arms ammunition.

Paktika Province

Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely cleared an IED in Yahya Khel District.

Paktiya Province

Afghan Border Police and coalition forces detained an insurgent during an engagement in Jaji District. The detained suspect was transferred to a base for questioning.

Wardak Province

Afghan National Army soldiers and coalition forces found and safely cleared three IEDs in Sayyidabad District.

Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces killed two insurgents during an engagement in Nerkh District.

Operations in RC-East are still ongoing.

Video: 3rd Armored Division History

On 15 April 1941, the 3rd Armored Division was born.  It was unstoppable by the Germans.  The only thing that prevented it from taking Berlin was orders from above to halt, allowing the Soviets to enter Berlin.

It faced down the Red Hordes of the Soviet Army for decades of the Cold War, and picked a 2nd nickname for its most famous Soldier: the Elvis Presley Division.

 

From 24 February 1991 to 1 March 1991, during Desert Storm, the Division destroyed hundreds of Iraqi tanks and captured 2400 Iraqi POW's.   On 17 January 1992, the heaviest Armored Division in the world, rolled up its colors in Germany.  On 17 October 1992, after successfully defeating multiple divisions of Saddam's Republican Guard (his best) in Desert Storm, it rolled up its colors for the last time in Frankfurt, Germany. 

Syrian Civil War kills 370; hundreds line road near Damascus

A Syrian watchdog group says hundreds of people were killed across the country Saturday.

The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says the final death toll for the day was 370.

Activists say nearly 200 bodies were found in Daraya, a town close to Damascus, the capital. 

The number of corpses in Daraya and when they died could not be independently confirmed.  However, video footage reported to be from Daraya showed a huge group of victims.  Syrian forces have leveled a five-day onslaught on rebel fighters in the town.

The state-run SANA news agency says Daraya had been “purified of terrorist remnants.”

President Bashar al-Assad has blamed foreign-backed terrorists for much of the violence that has gripped his nation for nearly the past 18 months.

The attack on Daraya was part of an army campaign to regain control of the outskirts of the capital.

Activists say Syrian forces with tanks and combat helicopters also launched fresh raids in other cities.

On Saturday, SANA said armed forces killed an unspecified number of “terrorists” in Aleppo and destroyed seven vehicles equipped with machine guns.

Western powers have urged Mr. Assad to resign, but the Syrian leader continues to get support from Iran. On Saturday, an Iranian delegation visiting Syrian lawmakers in Damascus reaffirmed Tehran's support.

The Associated Press quotes Iran's ambassador to Syria  as saying that calls for reforms in Syria have been “masked by plots carried out by enemies.” VoA

War in Afghanistan News - 26 Aug 2012

BAGRAM, Afghanistan (Aug. 26, 2012) – Afghan and coalition forces killed two insurgents, detained one, located a weapons cache and cleared six improvised explosive devices during operations in eastern Afghanistan throughout the past 24 hours, Aug. 25.

Ghazni Province

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

Khowst Province

Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces discovered a weapons cache in Gurbuz District. The cache contained IED making materials.

Logar Province

Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely cleared an IED in Pul-E Alam District.

Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces killed two insurgents during an engagement in Pul-E Alam District.

Paktika Province

Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely cleared an IED in Yahya Khel District.

Paktiya Province

Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces detained an insurgent during an engagement in Jaji District. The detained suspect was transferred to a base for questioning.

Wardak Province

Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely cleared three IEDs in Sayyidabad District.

Operations in RC-East are still ongoing.

Islamists kill 26 Afghan incl Hajj Director for Ramadan

BAGRAM, Afghanistan (Aug. 26, 2012) – Insurgents caused 101 civilian casualties in eastern Afghanistan from Aug. 11 to 25, as Ramazan wound down. They killed 26 innocent Afghans and injured 75.

Logar province suffered a significant loss when Qari Ghulam Rasoul, the director of Hajj and Auqaf, was shot and killed Saturday evening outside of his house, less than two months from the Hajj. 

Mohammad Taher Sabari, Logar provincial governor said, “I am very saddened with the news that a true public servant and a scholar was martyred by insurgents who truly showed once again they are enemies of peace and the people of Afghanistan.”

Governor Sabari strongly condemns this un-Islamic and inhuman act of insurgents with the strongest terms and offers his condolences to the family of Qari Rasoul.

Despite the efforts of the enemies of the Government of Republic of Afghanistan, ISAF forces in eastern Afghanistan remain committed to partnering with their Afghan National Security Forces counterparts to secure a stable and prosperous future for the Afghan people.

RIP PFC Patricia L Horne

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

            Pfc. Patricia L. Horne, 20, of Greenwood, Miss., died Aug. 24 in Bagram, Afghanistan.  She was assigned to the 96th Aviation Support Battalion, 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky. 

"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.

High level Taliban and Haqqani leaders killed

Coalition forces say an airstrike in eastern Afghanistan has killed a leader of the Pakistani Taliban.

The international alliance says the operation Friday in the Shigal district in Kunar province killed Maulawi Dadullah and several others. Media reports say 12 insurgents were killed in the attack.

NATO says Dadullah, who was also known as Jamal, was responsible for the movement of fighters and weapons, as well as attacks against Afghan and coalition forces.

Dadullah reportedly replaced Maulvi Faqir Mohammed last year as the leader of the Taliban in Pakistan's Bajaur tribal agency, near the border with Afghanistan. 

Separately, Pakistani and militant sources say a U.S. drone strike this week killed Badruddin Haqqani, a top commander of the Haqqani terrorist network in northwest Pakistan.  U.S. and Pakistani officials have not confirmed the death.

The Haqqani network has ties to both al-Qaida and the Taliban. The terrorist group is responsible for a number of attacks on U.S. forces in Afghanistan. VoA.

RIP Neil Armstrong

U. S. astronaut Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon, has died.

A family statement said the 82-year-old icon died Saturday in his home state of Ohio, following a cardiovascular procedure earlier this month.

Armstrong commanded the Apollo 11 spacecraft that landed on the moon on July 20, 1969.  After stepping on the lunar surface he sent the historic message: “that's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”  As an enthralled world looked on, Armstrong spent nearly three hours walking on the moon with fellow astronaut Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin.

Weeks later, Armstrong, Aldrin and the mission's third astronaut, Michael Collins, received a thunderous welcome with ticker-tape parades in New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles.  They later made a world tour.

The moon walk marked America's victory in the Cold War space race with the Soviet Union that began in October 1957 with the launch of the Soviet satellite “Sputnik 1.”

Armstrong had largely withdrawn from public life in recent years.  But he spoke earlier this year at Ohio State University at an event honoring fellow space pioneer John Glenn, former senator from Ohio.

Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney called Armstrong an American hero who will inspire him for the rest of his life.  He praised the astronaut for operating “with courage unmeasured and unbounded love for his country.”  

Saturday's family statement described Armstrong as “a loving husband, grandfather brother and friend.”  It asked that the public “honor his example of service, accomplishment and modesty.  And the next time you walk outside on a clear night and see the moon smiling down at you, think of Neil Armstrong and give him a wink.”

Armstrong's Apollo 11 mission earned decorations from 17 nations and many special American honors, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Congressional Space Medal of Honor and the NASA Distinguished Service Medal.

In later years, he served as Deputy Associate Administrator at NASA headquarters, and was a professor of aerospace engineering at the University of Cincinnati. He and his family lived on a 120-hectare farm outside of Cincinnati. VoA.

Turkish Politician complains of Al-Qaeda presence

Dorian  Jones, VoA, ISTANBUL — Turkish political opposition members are claiming that Turkish authorities are turning a blind eye to Islamic militants based in Turkey who are crossing over the border to join the opposition fighting the Assad government in Syria.

Mehmet Ali Edipoglu is parliamentary deputy for the main opposition Peoples Republic Party, for Hatay -- the main city in the Antakya province that borders Syria.

While he says he has no complaints about the Syrian rebels operating from the region, the past few months there has been a worrying change in the influx of new fighters.

Edipoglu says militants who are coming from Libya, Chechnya, Afghanistan, and from various countries in Africa are placed in Hatay and they say they are here to fight for Syria, to make a Jihad and bring Sharia, he says.   He says they all openly say that they are al-Qaida and there have been incidents of small fights between these people and Hatay locals. Edipoglu says many are now getting to guns to protect themselves and he says he spoke to the governor and police many times and they tell him they are keeping these people under control.

The population of the  Antakya region is a complex mix of Sunnis , Christians and Alawites. The region also has a strong secular population. 

During a visit to Istanbul earlier this month,  U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton voiced concern over the presence of radical islamic elements amongst the Syrian rebels. and in particular potential links to al-Qaida. 

"We worry about terrorists, PKK and Al-Qaida and others taking advantage of the legitimate fight of the Syrian people," Clinton said.

Despite that concern being discussed during meetings this week between Turkish and U.S. officials in Ankara,  Edipoglu says Turkish authorities are turning a blind eye to radical Islamic groups within the Syrian rebels who are basing themselves in Turkey.

Edipoglu says the recent big clashes are taking place around the Turkish border with Syria and he says  every day, what he calls al-Qaida militants are picked up from their homes and put on the buses in Antakya.  He says every day and night, 40 or 50 mini buses leave for Syria and they fight there and come back and this happens every day and he says state authorities are providing the buses, even escorting them.

But the Turkish foreign ministry spokesman Selcuk Unal denies that any such support is being given to any of the Syrian rebel groups.  He says there is concern about the threat of al-Qaida elements entering Syria, but says there is not too much Turkey can do.

"We don't have any hard evidence about any kind of passage from Turkey or any other countries, otherwise we would of course be willing to take the necessary steps to avoid any kind of escalation.  But its a 900 kilometer border, of course our border authorities are doing their best," Unal said.

Turkey has had a bitter experience with al-Qaida in the past.

In 2003, an al-Qaida faction set off four van bombs across the city of Istanbul targeting synagogues, the British consulate and the headquarters of a bank.  67 people were killed and more than 700 injured.

Experts point out that many of these al-Qaida members had fled to Turkish border cities after being defeated in battle against U.S.-led forces in !raq.

International relations expert Soli Ozel of Kadir Has University fears a repeat of the events in Iraq, for both Syria and Turkey.

"We don't know if we are going to have a repeat of Iraq in terms of al-Qaida involvement in Syria. But given the fact that  things are reverting back to a civil war conditions again in Iraq between Sunni and Shia and al-Qaida appears to be back. To have this radical elements on two of our southern borders, I don't think it bodes well for Turkey -- a country which has a serious ethnic problem and a sectarian one," Ozel said.

For now observers say Ankara's priority appears to be the growing Syrian refugee crisis its facing in the east and the bringing down of the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria. But over the past few years, with Turkish security forces having detained scores of al-Qaida suspects, concerns are growing in Turkey that another crisis is brewing that will cause even bigger problems.

On August 25th, 1942: the 82nd became Airborne

The 82nd Airborne Division was born on August 15th, 1942. It had served previously as a leg infantry unit, in World War I, in the "organized reserves," and had on Active Duty again since 25 March 1942, on August 15th, it became the Nation's first Airborne Division.

Jumping out of planes, trusting a few strings tied to silk to slow your fall enough, that you will be healthy enough to fight an entrenched enemy, after you hit the ground, takes a special resolve.  It's not freefall parachuting, but this means to get to the battle was not the sole factor in their success on the battlefield.  They trained harder.  They learned more.  They fought harder than other Troops.  The Germans nicknamed them "Devils in Baggy Pants" while the official motto was the "All-American" Division, as they had originally been consituted with citizens of all 48 states on August 5th, 1917.

Being the best doesn't mean never losing comrades.  The leg 82nd fought hard in WWI and from May to November of 1918 lost 995 Soldiers, Killed in Action, 7,082 Wounded in Action, and gained two Medals of Honor; Colonel Emory Pike, KIA 1918, and Sergeant Alvin C York, of Tennessee.  SGT York's expert marksmanship had led to masses of German soldiers surrendering to him in the final weeks of World War I.  It was deactivated on 27 May 1919 when it returned from the War.

Great Generals trace their history to their time in the 82nd including Omar Bradleey, Maxwell Taylor, James Gavin, Matthew Ridgway, George Van Pope, and Matthew D Query.  Olympic Medalists have served in the 82nd.

The first Airborne Attack was onto Sicily on July 9th, 1943, followed shortly by parachuting into Salerno on 13 September 1943.  It continued to fight in Italy until pulled and reinforced to prepare for D-Day.  On the 5th and 6th of June, 1944 the 505th, 507th, and 508th Parachute Infantry Regiments of the 82nd parachuted into Normandy to free Europe.  Scattered across the battlefield, it fought as small units, retaining all ground it gained in 33 days of battle that cost it 5,245 Soldiers.  During WWII, 1,619 Soldiers of the 82nd were Killed in Action, 6,560 were Wounded in Action, and 332 Died of Wounds, in less than 2 years.  Japan surrendered before the 82nd could be sent to finish them off.

In April 1965, the 82nd was sent to the Domincan Republic where is ended a Civil War.  It would be used significantly in Viet Nam, though would not earn a combat jump there.

In 1967, it was sent to Detroit to end the race riots, which took it less than 2 days.

From the end of World War II, the 82nd Airborne was the Nation's Rapid Deployment Force.  It was required to be ready to have the Division anywhere in the world in 72 hours and a Brigade in the fight in 24 hours.  This kept it out of Korea as a strategic reserve against the Communist threat of World War III.  It was alerted for operations in Jordan in September 1970, the Middle East in 1973 & 1980, for Zaire in 1978, and for Iran in 1979.

On 23 October 1983, along with the 1st and 2nd Battalions of 75th Ranger Regiment, it defeated the Communists on Grenada, marking the first time since World War II that Communism lost a Nation.  In March of 1988, it parachuted into Honduras sending Communist Nicaraguans scurrying out of that country.  In 1989, it jumped into Panama, defeating the drug lord, Manuel Noreiga.

On 8 August 1990, it became the first Troops to draw a line in the sand against Saddam Hussein's Iraqi Forces, which were threatening to invade Saudi Arabia, after having overrun Kuwait on the 2nd.  It would remain on the ground until April 1991, after having provided the Northernmost and deepest penetration into Iraq of the ground war.

It was sent to end the violence in Haiti in September 1994, ready for another combat jump, the threat of which was sufficient to cause the belligerent leader to end his rule.  It was called up for deployments in Bosnia and Kosovo, making its combat jump entry on 1 October 1999.

Its first deployment to Afghanistan was in June 2002 and elements of it crossed into Iraq on 21 March 2003.

The Division has earned 4 Presidential Unit Citations, a Meritorious Unit Citation, a Valorous Unit Citation, 3 French Croix de Guerre (2 with Palm), a Belgian Fourrageere, and a Dutch Military William Award.  The most recent awards were for OIF 1.