Posted on 08/25/2006 3:57:45 PM PDT by Gucho
Starting before dawn and continuing through the early afternoon, the soldiers systematically searched houses along neighborhood blocks, taking care to respect Iraqi customs and property along the way.
An Iraqi policeman passes out copies of the “Baghdad Now” newspaper to children from the Ghazaliyah neighborhood during a cordon and search operation conducted by Iraqi security forces and soldiers from Multi-National Division, Baghdad's Company C, 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, which is based out of Fort Wainwright, Alaska. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Kevin Lovel)
By U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Kevin Lovel - 363rd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
BAGHDAD, Aug. 25, 2006 — As part of Operation Together Forward, Iraqi army soldiers and soldiers from Multi-National Division, Baghdad’s (MND-B) Company C, 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, mounted a combined operation and conducted a cordon and search mission in the Baghdad neighborhood of Ghazaliyah in an effort to decrease terrorist activity and protect law-abiding residents.
Starting before dawn and continuing through the early afternoon, the soldiers systematically searched houses along neighborhood blocks, taking care to respect Iraqi customs and property along the way.
During a cordon and search mission in the Ghazaliyah neighborhood, Capt. Matthew Mousseau, platoon leader, 1st Platoon, Company C, 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, Multi-National Division, Baghdad, examines the medals and uniform of a suspected former member of one of the death squads during the Saddam Hussein regime. The operation was a joint effort by MND-B soldiers and Iraqi security forces. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Kevin Lovel)
An Iraqi army soldier maneuvers his way through an air-conditioning grate during a cordon and search operation in the Ghazaliyah neighborhood. The operation was a joint effort by Iraqi security forces and soldiers from Multi-National Division – Baghdad's Company C, 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Kevin Lovel)
“Unfortunately, we have to enter each home whether it’s empty or not,” said Capt. Matthew Mousseau, platoon leader, 1st Platoon, Co. C, 4th Bn., Multi-National Division, Baghdad.
Many of the residents were at home and were present as each room of their residence was searched. However, some homes appeared to be recently abandoned because all furniture and household items were absent.
In previous searches Company C has conducted, soldiers found notes threatening homeowners to leave, and sometimes the notes had a bullet attached, said Mousseau.
It is threats and violence such as these that the Iraqi Army (IA) and MND-B soldiers hope to end with Operation Together Forward.
“People are very interested (and respond) well to what we are doing, giving us information and displaying a positive attitude towards us,” said Sgt. Shane Weaver, infantryman, 1st Plt., Co. C. “They seem happy to see us on the ground.”
“It’s great to have the IA along,” added 2nd Lt. Michael Williams, platoon leader, 2nd Plt., Co. C. “They do a good job and the residents like to see them out here as well.”
“We’re making the area safe from terrorists,” said Habib, an Iraqi army soldier, through the aid of an interpreter.
He said he has a vested interest in eliminating the criminal element in the area, which is “taking some convicted terrorists to prison that had hurt my family.”
By Tom Clarkson - Gulf Region Division U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
BAGHDAD, Aug. 25, 2006 — When the temperature regularly exceeds 120 degrees, asphalt and concrete streets tend to be a tad toasty on the toes – even through tough combat boots. The norm for all who work outside in Iraq, this time of year, is to be hot, hot and very hot – no one could really blame another for panting from the heat. But imagine if the job also entailed treading on the baking paving, barefoot.
But such has, until now, been the daily duties of Sweep, Scratch, Bob, Will, Jess and Muttley.
They are the six English Springer Spaniels whose security detail work is that of checking vehicles for explosives. Their duty station are the entry points for the high walled, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Gulf Region Division and the Project and Contracting Office compounds in the International Zone (IZ) in Baghdad, Iraq. This is the organization leading the massive Iraq Reconstruction effort of over 3,000 projects upgrading and improving the Iraqi infrastructure.
Though canine they be, these faithful few serve and protect every bit as diligently as do their human partners. And like the soldiers and security professionals with whom they work, they should be entitled “care packages” from home as well.
This very thought originated in the conscientious mind of activated Navy Reservist, Commander Renay Wilson who has been in Iraq nearly six months now. A Department of Defense employee as a civilian, she works as an Equal Employment Opportunity Officer at McChord Air Force Base in the State of Washington when not deployed. In the IZ she is the Deputy of the Program Analysis and Integration Office.
Not long ago, she contacted her friend Brenna Hargraves, a veterinarian technician at the Banfield Animal Hospital, and described “in-country” working conditions - sometimes harsh for both man and beast. As a result the Wild Side Pet Store and the Petz Edge catalogue ordering company of Puyallup, WA recognized a need and “doggedly” proceeded to resolve it.
The result was several boxes of highly applicable products for the specific use by this pack of four legged protectors - who each wear what appears to be a perpetual smile – along with their much more serious acting comrades, Max, Frodo, Kai and Jake, the German Police perimeter attack dogs.
Included were booties to protect their feet, grooming brushes, anti-itch shampoo, ophthalmic eye drops and ointment, pet wipes, cooling blankets, “pig ear” chewies, toys and treats. Accompanying these kind and welcome gifts were several notes written by hospital staffers and their children – all which will be answered by the security officer handlers who so dutifully care for their dogs.
During the opening of the priority mailed boxes, “Sweep”, representing his fellow “dog faced troopers”, eyed a particularly attractive rubber bone and claimed it with quick clamp of his canines. One not to speak with his mouth full, his expressive brown eyes appeared to express gratitude as he rolled them at Commander Wilson, the initiator of these treasures!
By Donna Miles - American Forces Press Service
CAMP PENDLETON, Calif., Aug. 25, 2006 – Just three weeks before they deploy for six months as U.S. Central Command’s theater reserve force, Marines from the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit here say they’re ready to get on with the mission despite pulls at their heartstrings over leaving home.
Navy Petty Officer 1st Class John Jucutan, 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, proudly wears his Fleet Marine Force badge on his Navy uniform signifying that he has undergone specialized Marine Corps training at Camp Pendleton, Calif. This will be Jucutan’s eighth deployment with the Marines during his 18-year career. (Photo by Cherie A. Thurlby)
The heavy lifting is over. Six months of intensive training recently wrapped up with an 11-day joint task force exercise aboard USS Boxter that earned the unit the critical “special operations capable” designation.
“The operating tempo has been unbelievable,” said Staff Sgt. Tracie Kessler, the MEU’s public affairs chief. “But no MEU wants to go out not being special operations capable.”
Col. Brian Beaudreault, the MEU commander, said the unit’s operations tempo has been “as high as it’s ever been,” but has paid off in a big way. “We’re prepared to execute any mission we’re assigned as the theater reserve,” he said. “We’re ready for everything from sustained combat operations ashore to humanitarian relief operations and everything in between.”
Unlike the MEU’s last deployment, when its members knew they were headed to Iraq, this time that’s not a given unless CENTCOM requests the support. “As far as I know, that’s not going to happen this time,” said Staff Sgt. Dwayne Benjamin. “But then, that could all change any time.”
With its pre-deployment training wrapped up, the pace at the MEU’s command headquarters has come to a near halt -- the proverbial calm before the storm.
A sign at the top of a stairwell marks the days until the deployment -- E-21 yesterday for “Embarkation minus 21.” When the sign reads “E-0,” 2,300 Marines will leave here aboard three ships: USS Comstock, USS Dubuque and USS Boxter. The contingency will include the battalion’s combat landing team, its logistics battalion and air combat element.
But for now, there’s a sense of quiet here, with most of the Marines on block leave and a skeletal staff wrapping up last-minute details.
“We’re now in a decentralized mode of operation. Each section knows what has to be done. It’s a matter of setting those Marines loose to get it done,” Beaudreault said. “Right now, the emphasis is on maintenance of equipment and quality time for families.”
Staff Sgt. Dwayne Benjamin, the unit’s purchasing chief, is processing last-minute orders to ensure the Marines have all the gear they need while they’re away. Cpl. Juan Juarez, an administrative clerk, is double-checking travel vouchers to make sure they’ve all been settled and unit members paid. Chief Warrant Officer Mike Chaney, working as a action officer in the MEU’s operations section, is planning the training the unit will conduct during its deployment, as it awaits a call for a real-world mission.
Maintainers were turning wrenches, checking times and ensuring the MEU’s aircraft and vehicles are ready to go. Sgt. Bobby Savicke, a motor transportation mechanic, was checking transmission fluids and “making sure nothing goes out the door broken.” The unit supply administration chief, Cpl. David Choe, was rechecking boxes of desert camouflage uniforms and other supplies to make sure nothing was inadvertently left behind. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class John Jucutan, a corpsman preparing for his eighth deployment with the Marines, was packing medical equipment in new medical bags the MEU recently received.
Meanwhile, other Marines from the MEU were on Camp Pendleton’s Red Beach testing a new tactical water purification system to make sure it will operate properly during the deployment.
Most of the Marines are veterans of multiple deployments and said the operational preparations tend to go smoother each time. “For me, it gets easier,” said Benjamin, about to leave for his fourth “float” and his third with the 15th MEU. “It doesn’t seem as stressful as the first time around. Everything starts to become second nature, especially if you work with the same people.”
“This deployment is a lot easier than the last one,” Chaney agreed. “We knew what to expect in the work-up cycle. It’s still painful, but it’s not new.”
Juarez said he’s applying lessons learned from his last deployment this go-around. “Last time, I learned so many things that I’m using to mold this deployment to help myself, my shop and my fellow Marines,” he said. Those lessons range from better ways to pack a backpack to knowing what equipment and supplies need to go and what ones will simply take up space on the ship.
As important as these last-minute details will be to success during the deployment, Beaudreault said, an equally important priority right now is ensuring the Marines get their personal affairs in order and, most importantly, spend time with their families.
Cpl. James Johnson, the MEU’s postal clerk, is giving up his apartment while he’s gone and moving everything he’s not taking with him into storage. He’s already assigned power of attorney to a buddy who will watch over his car.
Staff Sgt. Danny Sava, the unit data chief, is drawing up a list of details and contact information for his wife, Julia. The family bill payer, Sava set up a lot of automatic online payments and is making sure Julia knows where to find his will, power of attorney, Social Security card and other important documents.
“We’re trying our best to get everything together and get squared away,” Julia said.
After four deployments with the MEU, Sava has control of the tangible preparations but admits the emotional ones are a bit tougher. He missed the birth of his daughter, Alyssa, now 18 months old, during his last deployment, and this time he’ll miss her second birthday as well as his son Anthony’s 11th birthday and Christmas.
“We’ll celebrate it late,” Julia said, quickly filling the silence left after her husband acknowledged the lost landmarks.
Chaney is busy preparing for them as well, writing letters and wrapping birthday and Christmas gifts that he’ll leave behind for his 3- and 6-year-old children for his wife to present on the appropriate days. “I’m trying to do that now, so everything is pre-staged and I know it will be there, instead of worrying about getting them here in the mail,” he said.
In addition to making sure household expenses are in order, Juarez said he’s devoting every spare moment possible to his wife of two years. “We’re spending a lot of time just talking to each other,” he said.
After his last deployment, Juarez said, the two already know what’s ahead, but he’s not sure that’s going to make it any easier. “We already know what to expect of each other, but I think this one is going to be a little more difficult,” he said. “I think we’re going to feel the sense of separation more this time.”
Benjamin is busy getting his personal affairs in order and making sure his wife and three children, ages 13, 12 and 6, are ready for his departure. He plans to take a week of leave at home, relaxing with the family and enjoying his favorite foods, “especially a good steak.”
Deployments are never easy on families, Benjamin said, but experience has shown him that his family can make it on their own while he’s away. “We’ve done this before,” he said with a shrug. “When you do this over and over, things tend to get -- not easier, but simpler.”
When embarkation day comes, Benjamin said he knows he’ll be ready to go. “You have a job to do,” he said. “My head is always in the game.”
Juarez, too, said that although he hates to leave his wife behind, he’s ready for the deployment. “I don’t stress out about it. I know I have to deploy, so I don’t worry. I just stay focused on my job,” he said. “It’s going to be a good deployment. I’m looking forward to it.”
Johnson, a single Marine, doesn’t share his comrade’s conflicts about the upcoming deployment and said he’s more than ready to go. “I love it. I’m excited,” he said. “It’s where I want to be.”
“At this point, it’s almost, ‘Let’s go,’” Chaney agreed. “You do all this training, so you just want to get out there and get the deployment going. We’re Marines, and we’re just ready to go.”
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U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Bobby Savicke, motor transportation mechanic, pushes a tool cart out to one of the vehicles in order to inspect it, in preparation for an upcoming deployment, at Camp Pendleton, Calif., Aug. 23, 2006. This will be Savicke’s second “float” with the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit. (Defense Dept. photo by Cherie A. Thurlby)
By Gerry J. Gilmore - American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Aug. 25, 2006 – Iraqi and U.S. troops have used an “isolate, clear and hold” strategy during Operation Together Forward to dampen insurgent activity in some troubled Baghdad neighborhoods, a senior operational officer said in the Iraqi capital today.
The operation “is part of a larger effort across Baghdad to significantly reduce the amount of violence that was hindering progress in our area of operations,” said Army Col. Robert E. Scurlock Jr., commander of the 1st Armored Division’s 2nd Brigade Combat Team. He spoke to Pentagon reporters via a satellite connection from Camp Liberty, Iraq. The 2nd Brigade’s area of responsibility is in western Baghdad.
Scurlock said his soldiers and Iraqi troops of the 1st Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, began a sweep of Baghdad’s Amiriyah neighborhood Aug. 13. This operation, he said, was conducted in concert with other anti-insurgent operations launched across Baghdad.
The security sweeps were conducted to rid violence-prone Baghdad neighborhoods of murderers, kidnappers and other terrorists, Scurlock said. The Iraqi capital city was experiencing about 52 insurgent attacks daily during July, he said, and now it sees about 31 such attacks per day.
Isolated attacks on civilians, Iraqi security forces and coalition forces have taken place since the sweeps were completed, Scurlock acknowledged. But, “these attacks are still fewer than the average we’ve seen in recent weeks,” the colonel said.
For example, the Amiriyah neighborhood had experienced 29 murders during the 30 days prior to the start of Operation Together Forward, Scurlock said. Just three murders have occurred in Amiriyah since Aug. 13.
The anti-insurgent strategy employed in Baghdad has proven effective because “it shows the Iraqi people that their security forces, along with coalition forces, can provide a secure environment,” Scurlock said.
Al Qaeda in Iraq members, Sunni insurgents, Shiite death squads and garden-variety criminals are responsible for most of the violence committed in Baghdad, Scurlock said.
“There are different agendas out there,” Scurlock said, “and there are many people out there that are trying to counter our efforts.”
The desired outcome is to set conditions where the Iraqi security forces can handle insurgent activity and crime by themselves, the colonel said.
“And, they’re getting there,” Scurlock said.
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Friday, August 25, 2006
Militants loyal to former Afghan Prime Minister Gulbudin Hekmatyar are also operating against the government in the mountainous Nooristan and Kunar provinces, a spokesman of the U.S.-led coalition forces said Thursday.
Release Date: 8/25/2006 - 10:00:00 AM
Special release from the U.S. Department of Defense
WASHINGTON (NNS) -- The Navy will commission the USS Texas, second ship of the Virginia attack submarine class, Sept. 9, during a 10 a.m. CDT ceremony at the Port of Galveston piers in Galveston, Texas.
As the Navy's next-generation attack submarine, the Virginia-class submarine is the first class specifically designed to counter post-Cold War threats, providing the Navy with the capabilities required for safeguarding the nation’s interests in the 21st century.
Texas has improved stealth, sophisticated surveillance capabilities and special warfare enhancements that enable it to meet the Navy's multimission requirements. With a modular design, Texas along with its other sister submarines of the Virginia class, will be able to accommodate technology upgrades throughout its life.
Sen. John Cornyn of Texas will deliver the ceremony’s principal address. Laura Bush, first lady of the United States, serves as the ship’s sponsor. In the time-honored tradition of commissioning U.S. naval ships, she has been invited to give the order to “man our ship and bring her to life!”
This is the fourth ship of the Navy to carry the name Texas since the original ship was commissioned in 1895. The second USS Texas (BB 35) was a battleship, which took part in both World Wars. The most recent ship named Texas was a nuclear-powered guided missile cruiser (CGN 39), which was decommissioned in 1977.
Texas can attack targets ashore with highly accurate Tomahawk cruise missiles and conduct covert long-term surveillance of land areas, littoral waters and other sea forces. Texas also has superior anti-submarine and anti-ship warfare capabilities, is able to provide special forces delivery and support, and can conduct mine delivery and minefield mapping. With enhanced communications connectivity, Texas will also provide important joint task force support and full integration into strike and expeditionary group operations.
Capt. John Litherland, a 1982 graduate of the University of Washington in Seattle, will become the first commanding officer of the ship, leading a crew of approximately 134 officers and enlisted sailors. Texas will be homeported in Groton, Conn., as a unit of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet.
Texas is 377 feet in length, has a waterline beam of 34 feet, a navigational draft of 32 feet, displaces approximately 7,800 tons submerged, can dive to depths greater than 800 feet, and can sustain speeds of more than 25 knots when submerged.
The ship is also designed with a reactor plant that will not require refueling during the planned life of the ship – reducing lifecycle costs while increasing underway time.
The superior capabilities of Texas and other Virginia-class submarines will help ensure the Navy maintains undersea dominance well into the 21st century.
German opposition criticizes deal, citing risk that submarines might be used to carry nuclear weapons; 'delivery of these two Dolphin class submarines is foreseen for 2010, not earlier, therefore vessels have no relevance to current conflict in Middle East,' government spokesman says
Associated Press
Aug 25, 2006
A deal under which Germany will sell Israel two submarines foresees the vessels being delivered starting in 2010, and they are not being equipped to fire nuclear weapons, an official said Friday.
The German government said earlier this week that the HDW shipyard signed a contract with Israeli authorities July 6 to build the two Dolphin-class submarines. Israel already has three of that type submarine.
"The delivery of these two Dolphin class submarines is foreseen for 2010, not earlier, according to current planning," and therefore the vessels have "no relevance" to the current conflict in the Middle East, government spokesman Thomas Steg told reporters.
Some members of the German opposition have criticized the deal, citing the risk that the submarines might be used to carry nuclear weapons. Israel has never confirmed or denied that it has such weapons.
Steg noted that there was an agreement on the deal between both governments, signed November 21.
"The submarines will not ... Be built and equipped for the firing of nuclear weapons, but are designed for the conduct of conventional war," he said.
Asked if Germany wanted assurances from Israel on that point, Steg said: "We have no mistrust and no suspicion toward our Israeli partner."
By Tech. Sgt. Matt Summers - Combined Forces Command-Afghanistan Public Affairs
Aug 25, 2006
KABUL, Afghanistan – Senior enlisted leaders from Pakistan , Afghanistan and the United States met for the first time this week to share insights between their respective armed forces and future interoperability.
“Building a relationship between these forces is essential,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Daniel Wood, Combined Forces Command-Afghanistan command sergeant major, the top U.S. NCO in the country.
Wood said he thought it was important to create an enduring engagement plan because the relationship between Afghanistan and Pakistan is important not only to the U.S. mission in Afghanistan , but also to the overall campaign in support of the war on terror.
The meeting, linked to the U.S. Central Command’s Theater Security Cooperation program, coincided with the 18th Tripartite Commission meeting, made up of senior military and diplomatic representatives from Afghanistan , Pakistan , Coalition forces in Afghanistan , and NATO’s International Security Assistance Force.
Tripartite participants discussed future operations and how the security environment can be better shaped in the region.
The senior NCOs explained the present construct of their respective services, describing promotion systems, professional development paths, and duties and responsibilities of NCOs.
Meetings at Kabul ’s Camp Eggers were followed by a visit to the Kabul Military Training Center , the training home for the Afghan National Army.
Sergeant Major of the Afghan Army Roshan Safi, a graduate of the U.S. Army's Sergeant Major Academy at Fort Bliss , Texas , provided a tour of some of the facilities and a close-up view of squad-level tactics.
The Pakistani senior NCOs came away with a greater appreciation for how training is conducted in the Afghanistan army, Roshan said.
“I know they were excited, and when they go back, they will be talking about the training of the Afghan Army,” he said. “And I hope in the future we have a chance to go there (Pakistan ) to see how their soldiers are trained.”
Wood, who has experience with Theater Security Cooperation programs in Central and South America , said the information sharing is invaluable.
“Each army does things a little bit different and in some ways drastically different,” he said. “But we can all learn from each other’s experiences.”
Security cooperation programs foster the personal relationships between U.S. military personnel and their counterparts in partner countries, helping to build the trust and confidence needed between allies when they fight as partners against a common foe.
Despite their close proximity and common enemy, the Afghan and Pakistani senior NCOs had never met their counterparts, Wood said. Perceptions or misconceptions were clarified during the dialogue created at the meetings.
Described alternately as “the backbone, the life blood and the fuel that makes the Army go,” Wood said each country’s NCO corps is essential. “You can’t have peace without a military, and you can’t have an effective military without the NCO leadership of people like the ones sitting around the table (here).”
In addition to meeting on a regular basis, the engagement initiative may lead to sending NCOs to each other’s professional development academies and, long-term, a possible NCO exchange program.
“This conference was an ice-breaker that will hopefully lay the groundwork for better working relationships and better communication in the future,” Wood said.
ADDITIONAL PHOTOS:
KABUL, Afghanistan – Command Sgt. Maj. Thomas Gills, Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan command sergeant major, talks with Naib Subedar Hussain of the Pakistan Armed Forces during a meeting Aug. 23 at the Kabul Military Training Center. (Photo by Air Force Tech. Sgt. Matt Summers, CFC-A public affairs)
KABUL , Afghanistan – Senior NCOs from the U.S. , Afghanistan and Pakistan discuss squad-level training at the Kabul Military Training Center Aug. 23 during the first-ever meeting of senior NCOs from the three nations. (Photo by Air Force Tech. Sgt. Matt Summers, CFC-A public affairs)
By Polli Barnes Keller - Gulf Region North, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Aug 25, 2006
Kirkuk, Iraq - Neglected and oppressed during the Saddam era, citizens of Kirkuk are rising to rebuild their city and their country’s economy. Appropriate thereto, Iraq’s oil plays an active role stimulating and directing that economy. With operations back on-line in the local oil fields, other infrastructure preparation for further economic growth is underway.
The rehabilitation of the Tameem Railway Station is one illustration of economic support in progress. The reconstruction and rehabilitation of this facility is part of a vision for the future of the country through the development of basic services and strategic infrastructure. An operating rail system will assist in generating an economic recovery within the region.
Major Craig Guth, P.E. (Professional Engineer), the Kirkuk Provincial Reconstruction Team Engineer of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers spoke of the railway, “Rebuilding the rail industry is important to the Iraqi economy. After years of neglect of the highways and road network, the construction boom we are seeing today in Kirkuk and the need to transport fuel and oil products by road is straining the transportation system. Rail is a much more efficient alternative and is necessary for Kirkuk’s continued future development.”
Improving the station’s ability to handle increasing freight storages will help fulfill the vision of Iraq’s future in laying the foundation for a growth economy. Added freight capacity and the potential for the long term employment of Iraqis are examples of this vision coming to realization.
Guth met with the Directorate General for the railroad, Mr. Shakir Mahoud, to discuss the new railway station. Mahoud explained that during Saddam’s era there was a plan to expand and develop the railroads, but was never ratified. A map and design for connecting the cities of Sulaymaniya, Erbil, Dahuk and Mosul to the railroad network exist, however the task is not easy due to the security situation in the region.
The intent is to rebuild the station to improve efficiency and safety. In the past, operational readiness and safety were aggravated by the lack of pre-war maintenance as well as the post-war looting and damage that led to its disrepair.
Joe Domingo, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, project engineer said “This station previously was an asset to the Kirkuk Province for importing and exporting commodities, transporting postal cargo service, oil, gas, etc between Northern and Southern Iraq.” Currently, limited service is provided between the Kirkuk and Mosul areas.
Renovations to this facility included the construction of many outer buildings as well as rehabilitation to the existing structures. Also constructed was a direct link to the high voltage grid and installation of the lower floor of the Kirkuk Station.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers monitored all quality control activities to ensure the requirements of the contract were followed and construction met all the correct quality standards.
Not only is Kirkuk one of the oldest cities in Iraq, but it is at the center of the Iraqi petroleum industry. It holds great importance both historically as well as economically. By setting the infrastructure in place, Iraq is opening itself to economic prosperity. Prosperity will follow regulated commerce, the security of borders and infrastructure, and openness to legitimate trading partners and neighboring countries.
Note: Polli Barnes Keller is the Public Affairs Officer at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Gulf Region North.
ADDITIONAL PHOTO:
The reconstruction and rehabilitation of the Tameem Railway Station is part of a vision for the future of the country through the development of basic services and strategic infrastructure. (GRN file photo)
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Aug. 25, 2006 – Coalition forces recovered three weapons caches Aug. 23 while searching three compounds in Afghanistan’s Paktika province, U.S. military officials reported.
The caches consisted of rifles, a machine gun and ammunition, rocket-propelled grenade ammunition, a mine detector and a Taliban banner and literature.
Serviceable equipment will be turned over to the Afghan security forces for their use, and an explosive ordnance disposal team will deal with the unserviceable equipment, officials said.
Marijuana also was found in one of the compounds.
"The weapons found in Paktika will no longer be a threat to the lives of Afghan civilians," said Army Col. Thomas Collins, Combined Forces Command Afghanistan spokesman. "We will continue working alongside Afghan security forces to remove these types of deadly weapons wherever we find them to better ensure a peaceful future for the Afghan people."
In other news from Afghanistan, Afghan National Police discovered and disarmed a makeshift bomb in Kunar province on Aug. 23.
The police secured the site to protect civilians, and a coalition explosives ordnance disposal detachment from Asadabad disarmed the device.
"Getting this improvised explosive device out of the hands of extremists improves the safety and security for all Afghans," said Army Lt. Col. Paul Fitzpatrick, Combined Joint Task Force 76 spokesman. "Now this weapon cannot be used against Afghan and Coalition forces or turned against innocent civilians as an intimidation tactic."
(Compiled from Combined Forces Command Afghanistan news releases.)
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