Posted on 11/25/2005 4:11:48 PM PST by Gucho
November 25, 2005
FORWARD OPERATING BASE PROSPERITY, Iraq -- It was an early-morning mission for the food specialists here: prepare a Thanksgiving feast for soldiers deployed more than 3,000 miles from home.
Starting at 1 a. m. , the soldiers and civilians who work in the dining facility began to give it a new look. The inside of the dining facility was changed to give Task Force Baghdad soldiers a very different dining experience from they find day-to-day. Displays made of food - such as a gingerbread model of the palace in which the soldiers were eating, ice sculptures and other decorations - adorned the facility. A soldier dressed as a pilgrim and an interpreter dressed as an American Indian greeted the soldiers as they came in.
"The meal was excellent. It definitely took you away from Baghdad," said Army Sgt. Timothy Hartung, an engineer with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 4th Brigade Combat Team. "The meal really showed that the staff cares about making us feel like we're at home. "
The dining facility staff expected at least 4,000 people and prepared a virtual cornucopia of Thanksgiving favorites.
"We put a lot of emphasis on Thanksgiving, because it's one of the biggest meals of the year and it's a way for us to say thanks to the soldiers for what they do every day," said Clyde Randolph, dining facility supervisor.
Cooks prepared 2,500 pounds of turkey, 1,200 pounds of prime rib, as well as ham hocks, a whole pig, 500 pounds of Cornish hens, 600 pounds of roasted ham, 700 pounds of collard greens, 800 pounds of mashed potatoes, 600 pounds of corn on the cob, 750 pounds of dressing and 2,500 pies.
"We asked quite a few soldiers what they wanted for Thanksgiving. A lot (of them) wanted ham hocks, collard greens, pumpkin pie and pecan pie, so we made a big effort to make sure we had all those things today," Randolph said.
Thanksgiving is a day for many to spend time with their families and loved ones when they are at home and the staff wanted to create the same feeling here. "They're away from their families and this is a home away from home, so we wanted them to feel like they're at home and give them what their mama would fix," Randolph said.
(Army Staff Sgt. Raymond Piper is assigned to the 4th Brigade Combat Team public affairs office.)
By Staff Sgt. Raymond Piper, USA - Special to American Forces Press Service
ADDITIONAL PHOTOS:
Soldiers make their way through the serving line as they start their Thanksgiving meal Nov. 24 at Forward Operating Base Prosperity in Iraq. (Photo by Spc. Dan Balda, USA)
Civilian food specialists prepare the 750 pounds of dressing served Nov. 24 during the Thanksgiving meal at Forward Operating Base Prosperity in Iraq. (Photo by Spc. Dan Balda, USA)
Army Gen. George W. Casey Jr. , Multinational Force Iraq commander, chats with Sgt. Terral Lassiter, Headquarters and Headquarters Support Company, Special Troops Battalion, during the Nov. 24 evening Thanksgiving meal at the Rock of the Marne Sports Oasis Dining Facility. Casey, the Army's top general in Iraq, joined the soldiers in Baghdad as they feasted on turkey, ham, prime rib and all the trimmings. (Photo by Sgt. Andrew Miller, USA) Cooks Serve Thousands of Thanksgiving Meals in Iraq
Army Gen. George W. Casey Jr. , Multinational Force Iraq commander, talks with Task Force Baghdad soldiers during the evening Thanksgiving meal Nov. 24 at the Rock of the Marne Sports Oasis Dining Facility. Casey, the Army's top general in Iraq, joined the soldiers in Baghdad as they feasted on turkey, ham, prime rib and all the trimmings. Photo by Sgt. Andrew Miller, USAthe trimmings. (Photo by Sgt. Andrew Miller, USA)
November 25, 2005
FORWARD OPERATING BASE PROSPERITY, Iraq -- It was an early-morning mission for the food specialists here: prepare a Thanksgiving feast for soldiers deployed more than 3,000 miles from home.
Starting at 1 a. m. , the soldiers and civilians who work in the dining facility began to give it a new look. The inside of the dining facility was changed to give Task Force Baghdad soldiers a very different dining experience from they find day-to-day. Displays made of food - such as a gingerbread model of the palace in which the soldiers were eating, ice sculptures and other decorations - adorned the facility. A soldier dressed as a pilgrim and an interpreter dressed as an American Indian greeted the soldiers as they came in.
"The meal was excellent. It definitely took you away from Baghdad," said Army Sgt. Timothy Hartung, an engineer with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 4th Brigade Combat Team. "The meal really showed that the staff cares about making us feel like we're at home. "
The dining facility staff expected at least 4,000 people and prepared a virtual cornucopia of Thanksgiving favorites.
"We put a lot of emphasis on Thanksgiving, because it's one of the biggest meals of the year and it's a way for us to say thanks to the soldiers for what they do every day," said Clyde Randolph, dining facility supervisor.
Cooks prepared 2,500 pounds of turkey, 1,200 pounds of prime rib, as well as ham hocks, a whole pig, 500 pounds of Cornish hens, 600 pounds of roasted ham, 700 pounds of collard greens, 800 pounds of mashed potatoes, 600 pounds of corn on the cob, 750 pounds of dressing and 2,500 pies.
"We asked quite a few soldiers what they wanted for Thanksgiving. A lot (of them) wanted ham hocks, collard greens, pumpkin pie and pecan pie, so we made a big effort to make sure we had all those things today," Randolph said.
Thanksgiving is a day for many to spend time with their families and loved ones when they are at home and the staff wanted to create the same feeling here. "They're away from their families and this is a home away from home, so we wanted them to feel like they're at home and give them what their mama would fix," Randolph said.
(Army Staff Sgt. Raymond Piper is assigned to the 4th Brigade Combat Team public affairs office.)
By Staff Sgt. Raymond Piper, USA - Special to American Forces Press Service
ADDITIONAL PHOTOS:
Soldiers make their way through the serving line as they start their Thanksgiving meal Nov. 24 at Forward Operating Base Prosperity in Iraq. (Photo by Spc. Dan Balda, USA)
Civilian food specialists prepare the 750 pounds of dressing served Nov. 24 during the Thanksgiving meal at Forward Operating Base Prosperity in Iraq. (Photo by Spc. Dan Balda, USA)
Army Gen. George W. Casey Jr. , Multinational Force Iraq commander, chats with Sgt. Terral Lassiter, Headquarters and Headquarters Support Company, Special Troops Battalion, during the Nov. 24 evening Thanksgiving meal at the Rock of the Marne Sports Oasis Dining Facility. Casey, the Army's top general in Iraq, joined the soldiers in Baghdad as they feasted on turkey, ham, prime rib and all the trimmings. (Photo by Sgt. Andrew Miller, USA)
Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!!
Bump
Friday, November 25, 2005
Bomb wounds 4 NATO peacekeepers in Afghanistan
It was a mission that eventually rooted out not only hidden weapons in quantities that resembled a gun show, but the terrorists themselves.
By U.S. Army Spc. Carlos Caro - 1st Battalion, 87th Infantry
BAGHDAD, Iraq, Nov. 25, 2005 — When local residents provide information on where terrorists are hiding their weapons, Iraqi and American forces are quick to respond.
An anonymous tip prompted Iraqi soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 1st Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division and U.S. forces from D Company, 1st Battalion, 87th Infantry to conduct searches in west Baghdad Nov. 20-21.
It was a mission that eventually rooted out not only hidden weapons but the terrorists themselves.
“The amount of weapons and munitions found (on the first day of searches) was enough to arm a small cell, maybe eight men,” said U.S. Army Sgt. Paul Casiano, 1st Battalion, 87th Infantry.
The American and Iraqi forces turned up caches hidden inside four parked cars Nov. 20 and rounded up three suspected terrorists at the scene.
“The weapons inside the cars were enough to lay down some serious firepower, should they have been used,” Casiano added. “Luckily, the insurgents were discovered along with the cache.”
The caches included 10 assault rifles, six machine guns, six hand grenades, two rocket-propelled grenade launchers with eight rounds, a mine, and thousands of rounds of ammunition for the rifles and machine guns.
“I couldn’t believe that we found this many weapons in four small cars,” said U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Robert Cortez, 1st Battalion, 87th Infantry. “It is really awesome that we found all these weapons and detained the suspected terrorists. All the hard work of gathering intelligence and gaining the trust of the local nationals has really paid off.”
The next day proved even more productive, as the Iraqi and American soldiers turned up even larger caches on a large section of farmland that once belonged to Saddam Hussein.
Less than 20 minutes after beginning their mission, the soldiers found a mortar round hidden inside a bus parked in an old garage. Once soldiers began thoroughly searching the vehicle, they could barely believe their eyes.
Inside a hidden compartment was a large cache. The soldiers seized 37 blocks of explosives, 75 demolition charges, 400 feet of detonation cord, hundreds of blasting caps, 33 mortar rounds, 30 hand grenades, 29 RPG rounds, 20 hand-grenade fuses, 86 assorted radios, four night-vision devices, four light anti-tank weapons, three mortar fuses, two submachine guns, a sniper rifle, a video camera, a laser range finder, and several thousands of rounds for different weapons.
“It was a gun show,” Casiano said. “With all the weapons, munitions, improvised explosive device materials and shoulder-launched missiles that were brought out from a hidden panel inside the bus, there were enough weapons to arm at least 30 men.
Thankfully, the hard training of the Iraqi Army battalion allowed them to conduct the searches with success.”
However, the morning had just begun for these troops because less than a half hour passed before the Iraqi and American Soldiers found two more caches in the area.
These smaller caches contained 50 12.7-millimeter rounds, 18 rounds of linked 40-millimeter high-explosive grenades, dozens of mortar fuses, old Iraqi Republican Guard uniforms, five gas masks, five parachutes, two mortar rounds and two artillery shells.
The soldiers also discovered six already-prepared Improvised Explosives Devices waiting to be picked up and used against Iraqi civilians, Iraqi Security Forces and Coalition Forces.
“I feel a considerable dent was put into the local insurgency,” said U.S. Army Pfc. Michael Wilmott, 1st Battalion, 87th Infantry. “With the December elections coming up quickly, it is a good thing to have the locals tip us off as to where weapons caches are located.”
November 25, 2005
Baghdad, Iraq -- Nestled between a bustling city thoroughfare and a cheerful all-girl elementary school stand two recently renovated, bright and shiny Iraqi police (IP) stations. These facilities provide more than 250 Iraqi police not only a safer vantage point from which to serve and protect Najaf citizens, but for the first time in their careers, the means to do so with pride.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Gulf Region Division (GRD) follows a two-pronged strategy in carrying out the Iraq reconstruction effort. First, GRD is working large-scale capital projects such as power plants, water treatment plants, and oil infrastructure facilities. These endeavors are expensive, take longer to build, and often are not seen by many Iraqis.
However, the service members, Army Civilians, and Iraqi national employees of the GRD also are working small-scale, essential service projects such as schools, clinics, police stations, local power and water distribution facilities that are much less expensive to build but more visible to the Iraqi people.
On a recent site inspection in the Iraqi city of Najaf, Col. Richard Stevens, GRD Deputy Commander, toured the two police stations and met the resident police officers as well. Stevens viewed the new guard shacks and new bathrooms and was able to witness the pride that resonated from the faces of the police.
"This station is a prime example of Iraqi security forces having the facilities to increasingly take the lead in transferring security responsibilities to civil authority," said Stevens.
(Left to right) Maj. William Smith, Najaf-Karbala Resident Engineer, Col. Richard Stevens, GRD Deputy Commander, and Iraqi police chief, Maj. Hakim Kam, discuss the station’s renovations during a recent site inspection in Najaf. (Photo by Denise Calabria, GRD)
The police chief, Maj. Hakim Kam, spoke for himself and the police force under his command when he said the new facilities are "very good." Kam said that he and his officers are very happy with the improvements because they all feel safer as a result.
Major William Smith, Najaf-Karbala Resident Engineer and Liaison Officer, served as the tour escort. He is a member of the 35th Engineer Brigade, a Missouri Army National Guard unit currently augmenting the Gulf Region South.
During the site inspection, Smith told the group that the two police units occupying the renovated facilities are crucial to the citizens of Najaf.
"One is an IP traffic checkpoint unit that controls "Route Miami" ... a key roadway, and the other is an investigation unit that handles homicides, burglaries, and such."
While these important responsibilities merit suitable facilities, Smith explained that the renovated stations also represent a "visible sign of authority" to the community.
"Through these renovations," said Smith, "we are giving the IP of Wafa District something they can be proud to be a part of."
"Our theory is to treat them with respect and they, in turn, will generate respect," he said.
By Denise Calabria - Gulf Region Division - U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
November 25, 2005
FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU, Iraq -- Major General Harold A. Cross, Adjutant General of the Mississippi National Guard, visited the Soldiers of the 155th Brigade Combat Team stationed at FOB Kalsu, Iraq on Thanksgiving Day.
Following a Thanksgiving dinner that featured turkey, ham, stuffing, prime rib, lobster, fried shrimp, crab legs and all the trimmings, Major General Cross was provided a briefing by the staff of the 155th BCT on the unit’s activities and accomplishments during the deployment to Iraq.
"The 155th Brigade Combat Team through its ongoing actions and efforts has made significant strides in winning over the citizens of Iraq to the concept of democracy, the 155th BCT is doing great things for the country of Iraq and the citizens of Mississippi can be proud of their Soldiers and all they have accomplished," said Major General Cross.
The 155th BCT is assigned to the II Marine Expeditionary Force in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
By MAJ Erby Montgomery - Public Affairs Officer 155th Brigade Combat Team
ADDITIONAL PHOTO:
Thanksgiving Dinner display at the FOB Kalsu Dining Facility. (Photo by SFC Kevin Reeves, 155th BCT Public Affairs)
Stars and Stripes - Mideast edition
Friday, November 25, 2005
U.S. military officials announced Thursday that last month they captured a senior maker of propaganda and buyer of weapons for an insurgent group called Jaysh al-Mujahideen.
Ahmad Ni’mah Khudayyir Abbas, known as Abu Shihab, was arrested on Oct. 23 after tips led U.S. forces to a safe house in western Baghdad, military officials said. The capture of some senior insurgent leaders is not immediately announced because intelligence services believe they can get more information from a suspect and track any alleged associates.
Abu Shihab started out by recording recruitment and training videos for Jaysh al-Mujahideen, which has ties to al Qaeda in Iraq, U.S. officials allege.
“As his skills and terrorist connections developed, he began directing and coordinating media operations throughout the Baghdad area for Jaysh al-Mujahideen,” according to a Baghdad news release.
“Besides overseeing … media operations, Abu Shihab was responsible for the coordination of weapons, explosive purchases and the distribution of money to different terrorist cells, as well as the official record keeping of the organization’s terrorist activities.”
Abu Shihab got some of his funds, U.S. officials said, by asking Iraqis for donations to a local Baghdad charity; that money would be funneled to Jaysh al-Mujahideen.
“One method of garnering donations from local citizens, according to Abu Shihab, was to stage pictures with children and young adults highlighting the ‘charity’s’ name and logo in the background. The pictures would be shown to the Iraqis to solicit money supposedly in support of youth education and religious study; these donations would then be used to support terrorist operations in the Baghdad area,” the U.S. release alleged.
Jaysh al-Mujahideen also is believed to operate in Mosul, Fallujah and Ramadi, U.S. officials say.
By Andrew Tilghman - Stars and Stripes Mideast edition
Friday, November 25, 2005
HUSAYBAH, Iraq — Cpl. Jeff Gattis stepped inside the cluttered Iraqi electronics shop, dropped his flak vest and Kevlar helmet on the tile floor and got down to business.
“Big, we need big — the biggest one you’ve got,” the 23-year-old team leader from northern Virginia said as he pantomimed a large square with outstretched hands for a young Iraqi clerk.
Here in this dusty Syrian border town, turkey dinner took a backseat to television and satellite dish shopping as the focus of Thanksgiving Day, as one platoon of Marines went into the city’s bustling market place to find a key creature comfort for their newly assembled home.
“It’s all about football,” Gattis explained, hoping the platoon’s group purchase will allow the 45 men living in a battle-damaged youth center to catch the last leg of the college and professional football seasons.
Troops with the 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment swept through the city in a seven-day battle earlier this month. Now, Lima Company’s second platoon plans to spend the remaemainder of their deployment here, stabilizing the battle-scarred city and setting up the Marines’ long-term presence in this former insurgent stronghold.
“You gotta look at this one — it’s got surround sound, visual enhancement and a flat screen,” Lance Cpl. Michael Virts said as several Marines crowded into the small shop at midday on Husaybah’s Market Street.
With nearly a dozen televisions lining the upper shelves, an 18-year-old Iraqi store clerk wielded a large calculator, pointing to individual TV sets and punching in prices — in U.S. dollars — for the Marines to consider.
They finally settled on a 21-inch LG brand TV for $140. The Marines were less picky about the satellite dish, receiver and connection cords they would need to complete the project.
“You know what we want to do, just bring me the bill,” Gattis told the platoon’s Iraqi interpreter, a 19-year-old Sunni Muslim known affectionately as “Baghdad Bob.”
After tallying the entire purchase price at $230, the store clerk was initially reluctant to take a U.S. $100 bill, but acquiesced after reassurances that it was not counterfeit.
Outside, as the mid-day call to prayer sounded over the busy marketplace, other squad members were making radio contact with Marines at their base, dubbed Battle Position Hue City, and summoning a Humvee to come out and pick up their bulky purchase.
Although there have been no attacks on U.S. forces since the sweep through the city, the Marines took precaution and arranged to meet their vehicle on a nearby side street.
“All we gotta do is go back … and link up,” Virts said, holding out one of the ubiquitous satellite-image maps of the city that Marines here use for navigation and planning.
“We don’t want to do it on Market Street because they could snipe us,” Virts, a 22-year-old from western Maryland, explained.
Gattis squeezed the radio receiver in his left sleeve pocket and told his team members it was time to leave.
“Alright, we’re steppin’,” he said into the mouthpiece attached to his helmet.
As two Marines began lugging the large brown cardboard television box down the street, other Marines and a unit of Iraqi Army soldiers who joined them on the joint patrol secured the street, stopping traffic and kneeling, with rifles ready, at each cross street.
The otherwise uneventful shopping trip underscored the recent transformation of the border city that was off limits to Marines for nearly a year as insurgents operated openly and used it as a staging area to move guns and weapons from Syria into Iraq.
The television will add dramatically to the Marines’ quality of life here. Since their arrival two weeks ago, they’ve had no running water, only one hot meal a day and no telephone or Internet service. A mail truck arrived for the first time last week.
Receiving American televisions stations in this far-flung outpost may be difficult, but the Marines expect at the least to receive AFN, which offers a mix of domestic sports and news shows.
Several Marines spent much of the afternoon struggling to decipher the Arabic language instructions that came with the satellite dish.
And Thursday afternoon, a convoy brought turkey cutlets and T-bone steaks to help the Marines celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday.
In truth, though, holidays mean little for many deployed Marines. Some began their day unaware it was the final Thursday of November.
“Happy Thanksgiving,” Cpl. Joseph Walker said, with a trace of sarcasm, to several others in his squad shortly after reveille Thursday morning.
“Oh, it’s Thanksgiving today?” Gattis asked, initially surprised.
“Oh, so it is,” said Lance Corporal Jarvis Ferrell, a 22-year-old from Tallahassee, Fla., who just got married before leaving home this summer.
Walker shrugged at their reaction.
“All the days blend together around here,” he said.
Cpl. Jeff Gattis offers up a mixture of U.S. dollars and Iraqi dinars to buy a television, satellite dish and receiver — a $230 package. (Andrew Tilghman / S&S)
Lance Cpl. Kyle Woodbine, left, and Cpl. Joseph Walker carry their platoon’s newly-purchased television down a side street of Husaybah, while Cpl. David Rios carries a six-pack of soda. (Andrew Tilghman / S&S)
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DAMASCUS, Nov 25 (KUNA) -- Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad received a phone call from Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday. A presidential statement released here said, both presidents discussed bilateral relations and progress of the international investigation into the murder of Lebanese prime minister Rafiq Hariri. Also Foreign Minister Farouk Al-Sharaa received a phone call from his Russian counterprat Sergei Lavrov.
Lavrov lauded Syria's cooperation with the UN investigation committee led by Detlev Mehlis.
This came after Syria's announcement on its approval on Vienna as a venue for interrogating five Syrians on killing of Hariri.
Ohio Cleric to Be Deported for Terror Ties
By JOE MILICIA, Associated Press Writer
11/25/2005
CLEVELAND - Federal authorities arrested an Islamic religious leader Friday as they began the process of deporting him for his ties to terrorist groups.
Imam Fawaz Damra, the spiritual leader of Ohio's largest mosque, was convicted in June 2004 of concealing ties to three groups that the U.S. government classifies as terrorist organizations when he applied for U.S. citizenship in 1994.
That conviction was upheld in March, clearing the way for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to begin deportation proceedings.
Damra, 44, was arrested early Friday without incident, the immigration office said.
"It is clear that this person, Mr. Damra, believed in terrorism, supported terrorism," said Brian Moskowitz, an agent with Immigration and Customs Enforcement's office in Detroit. "This is not a man of peace or a man of God."
Damra's conviction for naturalization fraud wasn't enough to warrant deportation because he has legally lived in the United States for five years. Immigration officials are seeking to remove him because he raised funds for terrorist organizations, Moskowitz said.
A message seeking comment from Damra's attorney, Mark Flessner, was not immediately returned.
Haider Alawan, a Damra supporter and a member of his mosque, criticized officials for arresting Damra without warning.
"What kind of a threat is he? He's been out all this time?" Alawan said. "Now his wife are children are back home crying and not knowing what to do."
Damra is being held in Detroit by federal authorities. A bond hearing was expected to take place next week before an immigration judge in Detroit.
The Palestinian-born Damra, who is the imam, or spiritual leader, at the Islamic Center of Cleveland, immigrated to the United States in the mid-1980s.
In Damra's trial last year, prosecutors showed video footage of Damra and other Islamic leaders raising money for an arm of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, which has been listed as a major terrorist group by the State Department since 1989.
Jurors also were shown footage in which Damra called Jews "the sons of monkeys and pigs" during a 1991 speech and said "terrorism and terrorism alone is the path to liberation" in a 1989 speech.
U.S. District Judge James Gwin sentenced the Palestinian-born cleric to two months in prison and four months in home detention. Damra served the prison time from November 2004 to January of this year.
Gwin also stripped Damra's citizenship but informed prosecutors they could not begin deportation proceedings until after the appellate ruling.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051125/ap_on_re_us/imam_deportation
Today is Sat, Nov 26, 2005 , Philippines
By Joel Francis Guinto
THE MILITARY has launched air strikes on a mountain base of the Al Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf in Sulu province, officials said Friday.
At around 8 a.m. Thursday, OV-10 bomber planes and MG-520 assault helicopters attacked the Tumatani complex, which straddles the boundaries of Parang, Maimbung, and Indanan towns, officials said.
Some 200 Abu Sayyaf bandits, including two commanders, Doc Abu and Albader Parad, were believed to be inside the Tumatani complex at the time of the attack, said Brigadier General Alexander Aleo, commander of the anti-terror Task Force Comet.
Aleo said the bandits suffered casualties but could not say how many. There were no immediate reports of casualties on the security forces' side.
"The Abu Sayyaf has been entrenched in the Tumatani complex since we overran the Karawan complex earlier this year. We believe Doc Abu and Parad are hiding there," Aleo said in a phone interview.
A ground assault by troops from the 104th Brigade accompanied the air raid, he added.
"The enemy is strong and well-entrenched so we have to use available firepower at our disposal to dislodge the enemy from their heavily fortified bunkers," Armed Forces Deputy Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Samuel Bagasin told a news conference in Camp Aguinaldo military headquarters.
The air strikes also displaced some civilians but Bagasin could not ascertain how many. He said battalion commanders in the area were overseeing evacuation operations.
Fresh fighting between the military and the Abu Sayyaf broke out in Indanan town last November 11. Four soldiers have been killed and 22 others injured since then.
thank you
Your welcome Sara.
Monday, July 4, 2005 - 12:52 PM CDT
By Jillian McGehee - Courier Staff
One look at Marcelina Beaty Davis, or peek into her house, and it becomes strikingly obvious that she is proud to be an American.
Nicknamed "Miss America" at Brown's Country Store and Restaurant, where she bakes pastries for a living, the native of Mexico dons at least one red, white and blue item of clothing or accessory at all times. Her love of everything American is evident in her home, too.
An American flag is painted on the garage at her house off U.S. 67 near Haskell; a flagpole stands tall with an American flag hanging from it in front of her house; and her home is filled with symbols of freedom such as flags, pictures, eagles and the Statue of Liberty.
She said she keeps her American ornaments out "year-round, and not just on the Fourth of July. I love red, white and blue."
"I was ready to show my pride" before 9/11, she said. "You don't have to have a tragedy to show the flag."
Becoming a U.S. citizen in 1985 was a dream come true for Davis. "I always wanted to come to America," she said.
Noting that some Americans take being American for granted, she said: "People who are born here don't know what it is like to come and strive for what you want," she said.
Originally from Durango, Mexico, she came to Arkansas in 1965, barely speaking English, with her first husband, John Beaty. They met in Mexico while he was on duty as a Marine. She said he proposed to her using a dictionary, and that she thanks him for not learning her native language so that she would learn English.
Her dream was to come to America, but Marcelina said she is "thankful she was born in Mexico so that she could appreciate what she how now ... I would not change one thing about my life." Challenges in life are merely "stepping stones" to learn from. "It's the only way to live."
On a long wall leading to her family room, a picture of her first husband in uniform along with certificates and awards hangs next to a picture of their son, Douglas Beaty, a corporal in the Marines who is on his second tour of duty in Iraq.
Her second husband, Bob Davis, - with whom she now shares the home that she has lived in since coming to Arkansas 40 years ago - also is honored on the wall for his service in the Air Force.
Aside from recognition of servicemen close to her, Marcelina Davis has mementos to remind her of how proud she was when she became a citizen. A compilation of memorabilia, which she calls her "pride and joy," is displayed in a shadow box on the wall. Next to the box are old Arkansas license plates with the state's old motto, "Land of Opportunity," on them.
"I'm grateful to live hear and raise my kids and grandkids and to have the opportunity to be in America, where you can do what you want and say what you want."
In light of the nation's independence holiday , Marcelina said "from the bottom of my heart, I am appreciative of men and women who join the service and because of their sacrifice, they give me freedom and happiness."
"If they haven't made anyone else proud, they've made me proud." More closely to home, she said she is "thankful she raised someone who wants to be in the serve the country. I've at least done one thing for my country."
The Davises have a cookout and gather with family to celebrate the Fourth. In addition to her son, Marcelina has a daughter, Maria Banks, who lives in Haskell, with three children, 3, 7 and 14. A flag received when her first husband died in 1996 is put up on the morning of the holiday and taken down at night. "She only flies on special holidays," Marcelina Davis said.
SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM
Friday, November 25, 2005
TEL AVIV — Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has drafted a plan for Israel's withdrawal from virtually all of the West Bank by 2008.
Political sources said Sharon has begun briefing senior U.S. officials of his intention to withdraw unilaterally from more than 95 percent of the West Bank. They said Sharon, who quit the ruling Likud Party on Nov. 21, would seek a U.S. and international security presence in the area as well as a commitment for the dismantling of Palestinian insurgency groups.
On Wednesday, Haim Ramon, a Cabinet minister who joined Sharon's new party, said the prime minister plans to withdraw unilaterally to what would constitute Israel's final borders, Middle East Newsline reported. Ramon said Sharon does not plan to discuss this before the parliamentary elections, scheduled for March 28.
"His decision [to quit the Likud] stems from his desire to bring the state of Israel to permanent borders during his term of office," Eli Landau, a longtime confidante of Sharon, said. "He knows that this step will be a dramatic one."
The sources said Sharon's plan was based on an assessment that the Palestinian Authority was not prepared to sign a formal peace agreement with Israel. They said that under this scenario Sharon would order a unilateral withdrawal from more than 90 percent of the West Bank, but retain control over air space.
The pullout would be accompanied by a pledge from Sharon of an additional pullout and full Palestinian independence should the PA dismantle insurgency groups and maintain security cooperation with Israel. The sources said a version of the plan has already been drafted by Israel's National Security Council.
On Nov. 21, Sharon pledged to lay the "foundation for a peace in which we set the permanent borders of the state, while insisting on the dismantling of the terror organizations." He did not elaborate, but stressed that this plan would be within the parameters of the so-called roadmap announced by U.S. President George Bush in 2002.
SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM
Friday, November 25, 2005
BAGHDAD — The Iraq Army has been completed preparations to take responsibility for much of western Iraq.
Officials said the U.S. military has been training and mentoring Iraqi forces to take over a significant portion of security assignments in the Anbar province and other areas by the end of 2005. They said Iraq Army battalions would take the lead in patrols and counter-insurgency operations, now directed by the United States.
"They're becoming more proficient with their planning tools and their ability to direct and support their forces," Maj. Gen. Stephen Johnson, commander of Multinational Force West, said. "And we also are starting to see the link between the division headquarters and the Iraqi army command forces is growing too as they learn how to do these skills as well."
[On Thursday, at least 30 people were killed and about 50 were injured when a suicide bomber detonated a car full of explosives outside a hospital south of Baghdad, Middle East Newsline reported. The injured included four U.S. soldiers.]
Johnson, responsible for security in western Iraq, told a Pentagon briefing that half of the battalions would be ready this month to take the lead in planning, coordinating and executing operations. He said 18 Iraqi battalions have been deployed in his area.
"The planning, the ability to plan, coordinate and put operations together is one of those skills that organizations learn, and the brigades and battalions in our area are learning that pretty well," Johnson said in the October 2005 briefing. "They're learning it through partnership with our battalions, and they're learning it because we have embedded with them military transition teams."
Officials said U.S. battalions commanders report a significant improvement in Iraqi military capability. They said the commanders detected a steady growth in confidence and ability by Iraqi units to conduct independent operations.
The combat capability, officials said, extends from Iraqi soldiers who have learned to use their weapons to the battalion and brigade commanders. They said Iraqi military logistics have also improved.
"At present, the Iraqi Army is in the lead for planning and executing counterinsurgency operations in one Iraqi province that is roughly the size of New Jersey," a Defense Department report, entitled "Measuring Stability and Security in Iraq," said. "The ISF also have the lead for 87 square miles in Baghdad and over 450 square miles of battle space in the other Iraqi provinces."
Currently, most of the Iraqi battalions in the western part of the country are regarded as Level 3, or capable of participating rather than leading counter-insurgency operations. The more capable battalions have been deployed in northern Iraq, particularly in the Kurdish areas.
"Fighters, whether they be coalition force or Iraqi security force, know they have to be able to trust the guy on their right and left flank, and they know that they if you got to be able to trust a guy watching them," Johnson said.
KABUL, Afghanistan - November 25, 2005
William Matias, program manager with the Afghanistan Engineer District carves the Thanksgiving turkey for dinner. Matias has been in Afghanistan for 18 months working with the engineer district. (Photo by U.S. Army Spc. Brianna K. Young-Navarro, 117th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment)
Bonnie Kunkel, administrative assistant, and Marie Vanderpool, project manager with the Afghanistan Engineer District make their way through the Thanksgiving dinner food line here. Kunkel and Vanderpool celebrated Thanksgiving with fellow members of the Afghanistan Engineer District in Kabul , Afghanistan . (Photo by U.S. Army Spc. Brianna K. Young-Navarro, 117th Public Affairs Detachment)
Lt. Gen. Carl A. Strock, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Commander and Chief of Engineers, presents a 2005 White House Christmas ornament to Col. Christopher J. Toomey, Afghanistan Engineer District Commander for their Christmas tree. (Photo by U.S. Army Spc. Brianna K. Young-Navarro, 117th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment)
Car bomb kills 4 in Baghdad
Sat Nov 26, 2005 - 1:55 AM ET
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - A car bomb exploded near a passing U.S. military patrol in Baghdad on Saturday, killing four passersby and wounding four others, Iraq's Interior Ministry said, but the U.S. patrol escaped unharmed.
The bomb went off in Qahtan Square, a busy intersection of western Baghdad where there is a constant flow of traffic. Police said they believed the attack was carried out by a suicide bomber but that could not be confirmed.
There has been a surge in car bombs and suicide attacks by the Sunni Arab-led insurgency over the past week, leading to the deaths of more than 200 people, the vast majority civilians.
Many of the attacks have targeted the Shi'ite Muslim community, aggravating Iraq's sectarian conflict and pushing the country to the brink of full-blown civil war.
The violence comes in the run-up to elections on December 15, when voters will chose the country's first four-year parliament since Saddam Hussein was overthrown in 2003.
http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2005-11-26T065456Z_01_RID838944_RTRUKOC_0_US-IRAQ-BOMB.xml
Updated: 11/26/2005 - 9:37 AM MST
By Dan Werner
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - A suicide bomber drove his pickup truck into a crowded gas station in central Iraq on Saturday and detonated it, killing six people, while a car bomb targeting a convoy of foreigners in the capital killed four people, police said.
The U.S. military also said it had received information confirming the death of a top aide to the leader of al-Qaida in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.
Bilal Mahmud Awad Shebah, also known as Abu Ubaydah, was killed in an Oct. 14 raid in Ramadi, an insurgent stronghold 70 miles west of Baghdad, the U.S. command said in a statement. The confirmation came from "a close family member as well as coalition sources," the statement said.
"Detained members of al-Qaida claim Abu Ubaydah served as an `executive secretary' for Zarqawi; met with Zarqawi frequently; served as a messenger and gatekeeper for Zarqawi; screened all messages and requests for meetings with Zarqawi (and) was one of Zarqawi's most trusted associates," the statement said.
A U.S. soldier assigned to the 2nd Marine Division was killed Friday when his vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb near Hit, 85 miles west of Baghdad. There are several Army units temporarily assigned to the 2nd Marine Division in western Iraq.
At least 2,105 members of the U.S. military have died since the beginning of the Iraq war in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count.
The suicide bomber struck in Samarra, 60 miles north of Baghdad, said police Lt. Col. Mahmoud Mohammed. Twelve people were injured and nine cars were destroyed.
The burnt carcasses of two sheep were in the back of one destroyed truck, and burnt clothing -- including a man's traditional Sunni Arab robe -- was scattered around the station parking lot.
In central Baghdad, a parked car bomb detonated when two armored cars drove by, killing four people, Lt. Thaer Mahmoud said. No one in the convoy was injured, but one of the armored cars was damaged and removed by U.S. forces, Mahmoud said.
In the first signs of trouble before the Dec. 15 parliamentary elections, four people have been shot in the last two days while trying to hang campaign posters, police said. Two of the incidents occurred in Mosul, 225 miles northwest of Baghdad, while two more were reported in the capital.
In northwestern Baghdad on Friday, more than 200 members of the Batta tribe gathered at a mosque carrying banners and chanting slogans to demand the resignation of the defense minister after Wednesday's slaying of Khadim Sarhid al-Hemaiyem.
One of the sheik's brothers said gunmen wearing Iraqi army uniforms and vehicles broke into the family home, killing al-Hemaiyem, three of his sons and his son-in-law. A spokesman for the Interior Ministry denied that government forces were involved.
Another one of al-Hemaiyem's sons was killed by men in uniform last month, family members said.
"We want the Arab League and the Sunni scholars to investigate," said Abdullah Jawad Khadim al-Battawi, a relative.
A statement from the little-known Partisans of the Sunni claimed it carried out a Thursday car bombing, killing 11 and wounding 17, in the mostly Shiite city of Hillah in retaliation for al-Hemaiyem's slaying and other attacks against Sunni Arabs.
"We have warned the (Shiites) to stop assassinations and detentions and torture," the statement posted Friday on an Islamist Web site said. "You should know, your blood is no more dear than ours. You kill our men, we kill yours. You kill our sheiks, we kill yours. You started this war."
An Interior Ministry official said security forces were aware of the Partisans group, which has been active in the area south of Baghdad for months.
More than 270 people have been killed since Nov. 18 in car bombings and suicide attacks against Shiite targets.
The Saddam Hussein trial resumes Monday following a five-week recess granted by the court to give the defense time to study the evidence. The trial could raise sectarian tensions ahead of national elections. Saddam's regime was dominated by Sunnis, and the trial involves the deaths of Shiites.
U.S. officials hope a big Sunni turnout will encourage members of the community to turn away from the insurgency, hastening the day when American and other international troops can go home. Sunnis form about 20 percent of Iraq's estimated 27 million people but are the backbone of the insurgency.
The Associated Press
November 26, 2005
THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. This week, we gather with our loved ones to give thanks for the many blessings in our lives. Each family has its own traditions, yet we are united as a nation in setting aside a day of gratitude. We are thankful for our family and friends, who fill our lives with joy and love. We are thankful for the abundance of this prosperous land. We are thankful for the freedom that makes possible the enjoyment of all these gifts. And we acknowledge with humility that all these blessings and life itself come from Almighty God.
On Thanksgiving and throughout the year, we are grateful to the men and women of our Armed Forces for securing the peace in these dangerous times. Many members of our Armed Forces are observing this holiday in places far from home. They are serving with courage and skill in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere to defend our freedom and extend the blessings of freedom to others. In the past year, these brave Americans have continued to fight terrorists abroad so we do not have to face them here at home. And they have helped the people of Iraq and Afghanistan hold historic and successful elections. They are America's finest, and we thank them today and every day for their service and sacrifice.
This week we also extend our gratitude to our military families, who are making great sacrifices to advance freedom's cause. Many of our servicemen and women have endured long deployments and separations from home. Many of those they leave behind must deal with the burden of raising families while praying for the safe return of their loved ones. All Americans honor and appreciate the commitment and sacrifice of our military families.
We think especially this week of those military families who are mourning the loss of loved ones. Every person who dies in the line of duty commands the eternal gratitude of the American people. The military families who mourn the fallen can know that America will not forget their sacrifice, and they can know that we will honor that sacrifice by completing the noble mission for which their loved ones gave their lives.
The Thanksgiving holiday reminds us that, "to whom much is given, from him much will be required." As we count our blessings, we are mindful of the need to share our blessings and gifts with others, and America is moved to compassionate action. This compassionate spirit was seen again this year, when Americans rallied to help their neighbors in need after the destruction caused by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. We pray for continued strength as we rebuild these communities and return hope to our fellow citizens.
The universal call to love a neighbor also extends beyond our shores, moving us to help people in other lands. Our nation has begun to help the millions of people in Pakistan, India, and Afghanistan who are suffering after last month's devastating earthquake in South Asia. I urge you to visit the website of the South Asia Earthquake Relief Fund at SouthAsiaEarthquakeRelief.org to find out how you can help. And to help others in need in your hometown, across America, and around the world, please visit the USA Freedom Corps website at USAFreedomCorps.gov.
This week of Thanksgiving, we ask that God continue to bless our families and our nation. Laura and I wish you all a happy and safe Thanksgiving weekend.
Thank you for listening.
END
Nov 26, 2005 - 8:50 AM (ET)
BAGHDAD, Nov 26 (KUNA) -- The US military Saturday said that the American troops in Iraq killed Bilal Awad Sabah, described as a close associate of extremist leader Abu Musab Zarqawi in western Iraq.
Sabah, also known as Abu Ubaydah, was reportedly killed on October 14 when US-led forces raided a number of suspected rebel hideouts in the Albuaide neighborhood north of Ramadi, in western Iraq, according to the US Army's statement.
Although intelligence analysts reported that Abu Ubaydah was killed during the mid-October raids, they could not determine his death with certainty at that time, when the hideouts were bombed by US forces.
Sabah was said to have served as a messenger and gatekeeper for Zarqawi and to have been one of his most trusted assistants.
Thank Sara and thank you Gucho for the great thread!
Your welcome blackie.
Nov 26, 2005 - 2:32 PM US/Eastern
By ANTHONY MITCHELL - Associated Press Writer
GODE, Ethiopia -- Two endangered cheetah cubs held captive and abused at a remote village restaurant are to be rescued by an Ethiopian veterinarian and U.S. soldiers, an environmental official said.
Befekadu Refera, an official of the national Environmental Protection Agency, said the veterinarian would take the cheetahs away from Gode on Saturday and hand them to U.S. troops for safekeeping until the animals are flown to the capital, Addis Ababa.
"The U.S. Army will not take the cheetahs without Ethiopian officials being present," Befekadu told The Associated Press. "The vet will give some medical treatment to the animals and then on Monday or Tuesday they will flown to Addis Ababa courtesy of the U.S Army."
The plight of the cubs has gathered international attention since American soldiers, part of the U.S. counterterrorism task force for the Horn of Africa, last month discovered the animals tied up and being forced to fight each other for the amusement of patrons at the Gode restaurant. One cheetah has an eye infection and may be blind.
The soldiers tried to persuade restaurant owner Mohamed Hudle to hand over the cubs to wildlife officials. Mohamed refused, saying he wanted $1,000 for each cheetah _ 10 times the average income in this impoverished nation of 77 million people.
The soldiers also contacted U.S.-based cheetah experts as well as Ethiopian authorities, who have intervened. The U.S. military refused to comment officially on the cheetah rescue effort, but its role was confirmed by the restaurant owner, the Ethiopian EPA and the U.S.- founded international Cheetah Conservation Fund, based in Namibia.
In a statement on its Web site, the Cheetah Conservation Fund said that U.S. soldiers learned about the cheetahs when the restaurant owner brought the animals for medical treatment to a U.S. military housing compound in Gode.
The soldiers checked up on the cubs over the following weeks and discovered they were being mistreated. An AP reporter who visited the village saw the restaurant owner's sons, ages 4 and 2, pulling the cubs' tails and dragging them around by ropes tied tightly to their necks. Other children followed, poking and teasing the frightened animals.
"I don't see why I should hand them over," the owner, Mohamed, told AP. "When I was younger I looked after goats and camels, so I know what animals need."
Mohamed, 43, said he bought the cubs from poachers, who had kicked the female cub in the face, blinding the animal.
The cheetah is endangered because of loss of habitat, poaching and other factors, according to the Cheetah Conservation Fund. Keeping wild animals is illegal without a special license, but Ethiopia's wildlife laws are rarely enforced. Mohamed also has a hawk with a broken wing and three malnourished baby ostriches.
Befekadu, of the EPA, said once the cubs are brought to the capital, they would be cared for on the large grounds of the National Palace, home to several Abyssinian lions rescued by former Emperor Haile Selassie.
Thanks Gucho.
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