Tue May 16, 12:07 PM ET - US President George W. Bush(L) met at the White House Tuesday with Australian Prime Minister John Howard for talks focusing on international security, the war on terror, and developments in Iraq. (AFP/Brendan Smialowski)
Posted on 05/16/2006 4:04:28 PM PDT by Gucho
By Jim Garamone - American Forces Press Service
CAMP TAJI, Iraq, May 16, 2006 – When the 2nd Brigade of the 9th Iraqi Mechanized Division assumed 150 square kilometers of battlespace north of Baghdad yesterday, it was more than just a paperwork shuffle.
"From the command and control perspective, they go from reporting to (the 7th Squadron, 10th Cavalry) to me," 1st Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, Commander U.S. Army Col. James Pasquarette said during an interview. "They now report straight into my headquarters, and I report to the 4th (Infantry Division)."
But this arrangement is only temporary. In June, the 2nd Brigade's parent unit, the 9th Division, will assume battle space, and the divisions' 1st and 2nd brigades will come under its operational control. This division's commander will then report directly to the commander of Multinational Division Baghdad.
But the U.S. 4th Infantry Division and the Iraqi 9th Division still will be intermingled until the American units redeploy, officials said. Pasquarette said his unit will continue to provide augmentation for military transition teams. "That's how they get the enablers (to the Iraqis)," he said. "If they need close-air support, attack helicopters, (explosive ordnance disposal), dog teams, those are the ones who integrate them into (the Iraqi) operations."
Pasquarette's unit also will continue partnership with the Iraqis, "but it won't be to the level it is right now."
When 7-10 Cavalry had the lead in operations, the unit had three cavalry troops, company-sized units, operating in the area. "We're drawing that down to one troop, and (the Iraqis) are going to pick up more of the tasks in that area," he said.
The one remaining troop will continue to train with the Iraqis and conduct combined operations. The American training teams and the cavalry unit will ensure the Iraqis do not fail, Pasquarette said. But the Iraqis will have more latitude to make their decisions and will receive more responsibilities as the year goes on. The 2nd Brigade is receiving more tasks that Americans were doing, and the process of turning over these tasks continues, he said.
The colonel said this will be an evolutionary process. By the time the U.S. brigade redeploys, the area around Taji may be under full control of the 2nd Brigade, 9th Iraqi Division, with no partnership units intermingled.
Pasquarette said the changeover should "make the Iraqis uncomfortable" -- meaning they should feel stretched by the responsibility. "If they are comfortable, it probably means that we are not giving them enough to do," he said. "We'll help them work smarter and help them with planning. We will not let them fail as they figure out the 'troop-to-task process' that is the crux of the situation."
Like American leaders, the Iraqi commanders must look at the totality of their area of operations. They must decide where they can take risks and where they must be "risk-averse," Pasquarette said.
The Iraqi 2nd Brigade in particular and the 9th Division in general should do very well, he said. "They are very, very professional," he said. "I think the 9th Division has an incredibly bright future once they are through the training gates."
He said the division needs to work on manning, and there is a proposal to recruit locally. Pasquarette said 2,000 enlistment packets from Tarmiyah alone are awaiting approval in Baghdad. "We think this will be good for the demographics of the division," he said. "It's about 70 percent Shiia now; the influx of Sunnis will bring it to 50-50."
Related Site:
Related Article:
By Kathleen T. Rhem - American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, May 15, 2006 – Southwestern border states will deploy up to 6,000 National Guardsmen to provide support to border patrol missions, President Bush said this evening in a nationally televised speech.
"For decades the United States has not been in complete control of its borders," Bush said from the White House.
He said he intends to see that an additional 6,000 Border Patrol agents are trained to join the existing 12,000 by the end of 2008. The National Guardsmen will act as an immediate stopgap measure in the interim.
Bush stressed that National Guardsmen will not be involved in direct law enforcement activities, but will help exclusively in support functions. "The Border Patrol will remain in the lead," he said. "The Guard will assist the Border Patrol by operating surveillance systems, analyzing intelligence, installing fences and vehicle barriers, building patrol roads, and providing training."
The initial commitment of Guard troops would last one year, Bush said. "After that, the number of Guard forces will be reduced as new Border Patrol agents and new technologies come online," he added.
Bush said today and government officials have said repeatedly over the past several days that the United States is not seeking to militarize its southern border. "Mexico is our neighbor and our friend," the president said. "We will continue to work cooperatively to improve security on both sides of the border, to confront common problems like drug trafficking and crime, and to reduce illegal immigration."
In an earlier briefing that was embargoed until after the president's speech, Fran Townsend, the president's assistant for homeland security and counterterrorism issues, explained that the departments of Defense and Homeland Security will work together to determine mission requirements for the National Guard troops, then the National Guard Bureau will help identify units to meet those requirements.
"Think of things such as intelligence, surveillance and infrastructure," she said. "There will be a combination of both Guard deployments and contractors to fulfill those mission assignments, depending on the expertise that's required and available."
National Guardsmen should begin taking up duties in these missions "sometime in early June," Townsend said.
Townsend also noted that officials believe 3,000 Guardsmen will be needed for such missions during the plan's second year. She said the Guardsmen will be under operational control of the governor in whose state they are operating but that the federal government will pay for the deployments.
Having 6,000 National Guardsmen supporting border enforcement efforts for a year should not be construed as deploying 6,000 servicemembers for the year, Townsend said. Instead, officials hope the mission requirements can be fulfilled by carefully managing the two- to three-week annual training requirements for Guardsmen. This would help meet mission needs without assuming additional costs, she said. In all, she said, nearly 160,000 Guardsmen could rotate through southwest border duty in this period.
The temporary National Guard deployment is part of a comprehensive plan to deal with the vexing problem of illegal immigration. In addition to deploying Guardsmen and increasing the number of Border Patrol agents, Bush proposed improving administrative procedures to cut the average deportation time for those captured along the border and a guest worker program to reduce the number of people trying to sneak across the border illegally.
"All elements of this problem must be addressed together," Bush said, "or none of them will be solved at all."
Officials today stressed this mission will not detract from the National Guard's roles in the war on terrorism and in supporting their home governors. "It is important for Americans to know that we have enough Guard forces to win the war on terror, respond to natural disasters, and help secure our border," Bush said in his speech.
Toward the end of the address, Bush also saluted people who came to the United States as immigrants and have worked to better the nation. He specifically lauded Marine Master Gunnery Sgt. Guadalupe Denogean, who the president and first lady Laura Bush met at the National Naval Medical Center, in Bethesda, Md.
Bush said Denogean came to the United States from Mexico as a boy and spent his summers picking crops with his family before he enlisted in the Marine Corps.
"During the liberation of Iraq, Master Gunnery Sergeant Denogean was seriously injured. When asked if he had any requests, he made two: a promotion for the corporal who helped rescue him and the chance to become an American citizen," Bush said. "And when this brave Marine raised his right hand and swore an oath to become a citizen of the country he had defended for more than 26 years, I was honored to stand at his side.
"We will always be proud to welcome people like Guadalupe Denogean as fellow Americans."
5/15/2006 - 11:08:00 AM
By Journalist 3rd Class Christopher Menzie - Naval Special Warfare Public Affairs
CORONADO, Calif. (NNS) -- Secretary of the Navy Dr. Donald C. Winter presented one of the nation’s highest military awards to a Naval Special Warfare task group and its subordinate tactical and support elements May 10 during a ceremony at Naval Special Warfare (NSW) Command.
SECNAV praised the Sailors’ bravery and dedication as he presented the Presidential Unit Citation to NSW Task Group-Central, NSW Squadron 3, and NSW Unit 3 for their actions during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
“I hope people get a sense of the significance of what these men have done, and the tremendous contribution that it has provided to this nation and the free world,” Winter said. “This is a time when we need people to come forward to do the most difficult tasks efficiently and effectively.”
The Presidential Unit Citation was established by President Franklin D. Roosevelt Feb. 6, 1942, and is awarded to U.S. military and allied units for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy. The unit must have accomplished its mission under such extremely difficult and hazardous conditions to set it apart from and above other units participating in the same campaign. The award requires the same degree of heroism as that which would be needed for an individual to receive the Navy Cross.
NSW Task Group-Central and the subordinate elements participated in the largest NSW operation in history. Members of the unit and squadron seized oil terminals in the Northern Persian Gulf, and Task Group-Central coordinated the assault around the Al Faw pipeline. Their actions prevented ecological disaster by securing several oil-related targets that had been rigged with explosives.
“Going into an uncharted territory, all the men knew the significance of the event and how catastrophic it could have been,” said Senior Chief Operations Specialist (SEAL) Richard Ledford, an operations chief during the Al Faw mission.
While SEALs completed their missions on land with tactical precision, Special Boat teams traveled through the Khawr Abd Allah estuary, infiltrating the Iraqi port city of Umm Qasr. Despite constant sniper attacks, the boat teams held their position until the risk of danger from floating mines and land-based forces was eliminated.
“It was a tremendous opportunity to be in that situation,” said Lt. Cmdr. Van Wennen, the assault force commander tasked with securing Mina Al Bakr (one of the two major offshore terminals). “Many men within the Naval Special Warfare community could have done what I did. I was just lucky enough to be there at the time.”
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
A man walks with his bicycle in the dust during a windy afternoon in Kabul, Afghanistan, Tuesday, May 16, 2006. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)
This story about the mechanics serving at FOB McHenry contains quotes from Soldiers in from the following areas: SSG Breite- Springfield, Mo., SPC Vrabcak- Nashville, Tenn., SPC Robinson- Chareston, S.C.
May 16, 2006
Hawija, Iraq -- Mechanics with the 426th Brigade Support Battalion are tasked with the difficult job of keeping all of the vehicles here and functioning despite a harsh desert environment.
But they are not only maintaining these vehicles. In many cases they are tasked with rebuilding them from the ground up, putting damaged vehicles back into the hands of the Soldiers who need them most on the dangerous roads.
"It’s really important, the job that we do, putting the vehicle back in the fight," said Staff Sgt. Christopher T. Breite, a senior mechanic with E Company, 426th BSB, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, and Springfield, Mo., native. "We put in some late days and late nights to get those guys back on the road."
Late days and nights are a necessity due to the large workload tasked to E Company. Rebuilding a vehicle can take anywhere from one or two days to weeks, depending on the amount of damage the vehicle has sustained and how long it takes for parts to arrive.
"Even though we do have rebuilds, we still have scheduled and unscheduled maintenance to deal with. So, on top of all that, we still have to rebuild all of these vehicles," Breite said.
On most days, E Co. is down a few Soldiers because of leave and lending out Soldiers for details, just like any other unit.
"All of us work every day," said Spc. Kenison L. Vrabcak, a wheel mechanic and Nashville, Tenn. native. "We also lose about six people every day to details, but we’re all hard workers and have learned a lot. I know we’re building humvees left and right."
Long days and late nights is not the only challenge E Co. faces when trying to rebuild damaged vehicles. A lot of the tools needed for the rebuilds aren’t readily available. That doesn’t stop them from getting the job done though.
Spc. Daniel Robinson, a metal worker with E Co., builds a piece of armor plating for the bottom of a humvee to deflect stray bullets. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Michael Pfaff - 133rd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment)
"Our facility is not really made to do this kind of job," Vrabcak noted, "But, we still do it and we use what we have. We don’t have cranes, so we use wreckers for material handling. We also have our welders make tools for us. We fabricate of lot of things to help us get the job done."
The welders are essential to rebuilds because they help make tools from scrap metal resources.
"Pretty much anything they can think about we can put together," said Spc. Daniel Robinson, a metal worker with E Co. and a Charleston, S.C. native.
The metal workers also fabricate additional armor pieces for the rebuilt humvees to make them safer than they initially were.
"The latest things we’re working on are the turrets with the glass plating so the gunner can see out of it," Robinson said.
With the tools and equipment the metal workers build, the mechanics can rebuild a damaged vehicle in a matter of days. When a vehicle is repaired, it can be put back out on the roads to keep the infantry Soldiers at full strength.
"Infantry does their job out there, so we do our job in here," Vrabcak said. "We want to keep our percentage of effective vehicles at the maximum."
Though the mechanics from E Co. 426th BSB work short staffed and less some equipment that might make their job easier, they do the job under a motto many Soldiers come to live by during their careers; adapt and overcome. They not only adapt and overcome, but they do it in one of the most dangerous areas in the 1st BCT’s area of operation.
"Here at FOB McHenry it’s one of the most hostile areas in the Bastogne area of operation," Breite said. "We’ve received 12 incidents of mortar fire on the motor pool alone, and the guys work through that. They stay tough through it mentally and physically and get the job done."
Story and photos by Spc. Michael Pfaff - 133rd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
By Erik Slavin - Stars and Stripes Pacific edition
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
RODRIGUEZ RANGE, South Korea — U.S. and South Korean servicemembers conducted one of their largest joint single live-fire exercises in recent years Sunday, combining joint airpower witwith armor against a simulated brigade-sized armor and artillery unit.
Units from the 2nd Infantry’s Division Combat Aviation Brigade coordinated air attacks with the U.S. Air Force and South Korean attack helicopters, while U.S. infantry and South Korean tanks fired at ground targets during a simulated battle to protect a flank and counter a large-scale attack.
An Army Apache helicopter fires a missile at a hillside target during a massive live-fire exercise at Rodriguez Range on Sunday. (Erik Slavin / S&S)
Several brigade officers said they had been deploying to South Korea for tours from the early 1980s to the present day, and none could remember seeing such a large-scale joint effort between the two nations and so many different units.
The event wasn’t something devised at higher levels as a political statement, said brigade vice commander Col. Ben Williams.
“It’s about training the same way we fight,” Williams said. “This is tactical and event driven … not a dog and pony show.”
Brigade commander Col. Pete Foreman ran the exercise while conferring with South Korean commanders through an interpreter in the operations center.
Meanwhile, soldiers who normally fire their weapons only at Rodriguez Range during semi-annual qualification tests gained practice in more realistic situations Sunday.
The scenario began with advancing ground units engaging a mock artillery and armored force. South Korean 109th Aviation Brigade K-1 tanks called for air support.
A Black Hawk crew from the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Aviation Regiment soldiers dropped an Air Force tactical air control party into the battle after firing automatic 7.62 mm rounds at a theoretical ground enemy.
“The gunners are shooting on the move as we evade targets,” said pilot Chief Warrant Officer Christopher Braund. “This is what a Black Hawk was made for. In a combat zone, it’s what we do.”
Spc. Cameron Letcher prepares to fire 7.62mm rounds from an Army Blackhawk helicopter during a large-scale live fire exercise Sunday. (Erik Slavin / S&S)
The tactical air controllers from the 604th Air Support Operations Squadron set up communications on a bushy hillside, then contacted soldiers from the 3rd Squadron, 6th Cavalry and 1st Battalion, 2nd Attack Battalion.
“Roger, we have enemy armor/artillery moving south into the valley,” Senior Airman Ryan Cornelis radioed to four Apache helicopters who unleashed a barrage of missiles and ammunition into a hillside.
A few minutes later, Kunsan Air Base’s 8th Fighter Wing F-16s flew in and dropped bombs on the targets. When the Apaches left, the South Korean army’s 109th Aviation Brigade laid down fire with AH-1 Cobra helicopters.
Meanwhile, the Army’s 2nd Battalion, 9th Infantry fired mortars as South Korean 60th Armor Brigade K-1 tanks scored hits at targets ranging from roughly 600 to 1,800 yards.
Just 10 years ago, it would have been much more difficult to coordinate an effort with multiple South Korean units, said brigade operations plans chief Maj. Doug Hooks. But despite logistical hurdles in coordinating such a large exercise, the brigade would like to schedule similar events in the future, Hooks said.
“This is a great relationship builder and a huge step for us in working with the (Republic of Korea) army,” Hooks said.
From left: Tactical Air Controllers Airman 1st Class Quincy Hambrick, Senior Airman Bret Gratson, Senior Airman Ryan Cornelis and Senior Airman Joshua Ackerman direct Army Apache helicopter and Air Force F-16 strikes. (Erik Slavin / S&S)
May 16, 2006
BALAD, Iraq -- Three caches were discovered in recent days by members of the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Task Force Band of Brothers.
The first two caches were discovered south of Balad by Bulldog Troop, 2nd Squadron, 9th Cavalry, 3rd HBCT, 4th ID, Task Force Band of Brothers Thursday. These caches consisted of four rocket-propelled grenade heads and propellant, two RPG launchers, two unknown rockets, one 82 mm mortar tube, one tripod, one homemade rocket launcher, one 60 mm rocket, one unknown rocket in green canister, one box of detonators, 400 rounds of 7.62 ammunition, one heavy machine gun and one assault rifle.
A third cache was discovered by Bulldog Troop Saturday in an area south of Balad, near where the first two caches were found. This cache consisted of: four RPG rounds, three anti-personnel RPG rounds, three RPG launchers, five mortar rounds of various sizes, one 60 mm rocket, one AK rifle grenade, four anti-personnel mines, four mortar fuses, 100 to 150 unknown grenades, six illumination rounds, 500 rounds of 7.62 linked ammunition, one bottle of unknown liquid, four bags of unknown white powder, one bag of gun powder, one motorcycle battery and electronic equipment for an improvised explosive device. This cache was destroyed via a controlled detonation by an Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit.
By 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team - Public Affairs Office
ADDITIONAL PHOTOS:
U.S. Army photo
U.S. Army photo
U.S. Army photo
U.S. Army photo
U.S. Army photo
U.S. Army photo
BBC World News Service - LIVE - Click RealAudio - Stream
BBC World News Service - LIVE - Windows Media - Stream
Click Radio Taiwan International (English)
Click LBC 1152 AM London News Radio
Israel News Radio, 0430 UTC - English
Israel News Radio, 2000 UTC - English
Click Here Listen Live~~Israel Radio News UPDATES (on the half-hour)
3 Radio Pakistan News Bulletins (English) ~~ (Left Margin - Scroll Down to "Select")
Voice of Russia, 0300 UTC - English
Voice of Russia, 0800 UTC - English
Radio China International, 1500 UTC - English
Radio Polonia, 1700 UTC - English
Radio Australia, 0700 UTC - English
Radio Australia, 1100 UTC - English
North American Radio Stations List
Click Latest VOA Radio News Headlines (5 Min.)
Radio Japan News (English)
(1, 2 & 3 + Radio)
**TALK SHOW RADIO HOSTS**
01:00am ET - 05:00am ET - Coast to Coast AM with George Noory
12:00pm ET - 03:00pm ET - The Rush Limbaugh Show
G. Gordon Liddy Show (10:00 AM-1:00 PM ET)
G. Gordon Liddy Show (12:00 PM-3:00 PM ET)
3:00PM ET-6:00PM ET -- Sean Hannnity
Neal Boortz -- 9:00AM ET-12:00PM ET
06:00pm ET - 9:00pm ET - The Michael Savage Show
9:00am ET - 12:00pm ET - The Laura Ingraham Show
11:00pm ET - 01:00am ET - Fox News LIVE with Alan Colmes
11:45am ET - 12:00pm ET - Paul Harvey News & Commentary
Paul Harvey News Radio Archives
SUNDAY ~ 10:00pm ET - 01:00am ET - Matt Drudge-LIVE!
4:00pm ET - 5:00PM ET ~~ The Kyle Warren Show
6:00PM ET - 8:00PM ET ~~Mark Levin
10:00PM ET - 12:00AM ET~~John Batchelor
12p.m. ET - 2 p.m. ET~~Bill O'Reilly
6:00am ET - 10:00am ET~~Imus in The Morning
9am ET -12pm ET ~~ Glenn Beck Show (Audio Feed)
10:00pm ET -1:00am ET ~~ The Jim Bohannon Show
Click Rollin Down the Road ~~ 12:00am ET - 5am ET
Thr Michael Reagan Show~~ 9:00pm ET - 12:00am ET
The Mike Gallagher Show~~12:00am ET - 3:00am ET
The Hugh Hewitt Show ~ 9:00pm ET - 12:00am ET
Michael Savage Show ~ 9:00pm ET - 12:00am ET (Click Bitcaster)
Basrah, Iraq
Kabul, Afghanistan
Click Daily World Weather Video Forecast 
The current time in (UTC/GMT) is Here. 
#1 Old Radio Shows ~~ 10:00pm EST - 2:00am EST
#2 More OTR Shows ~~ (24/7) ~~ Windows Player or Real Player or Winamp
Bump! :)
By Paul X. Rutz - American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, May 16, 2006 – Wars, by their nature, are full of successes and failures, no matter how they are remembered, the nation's top defense official said today.
Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld spoke to 245 graduating cadets, about 105 of whom will soon serve as military officers, at Virginia Military Institute's commencement ceremony, in Lexington, Va.
"We remember the D-Day invasion as a great American victory. That's how it's taught," Rumsfeld said. "But many historians also remember it for a series of strategic and tactical errors and decisions based on imperfect intelligence, difficulties that cost thousands of lives and delayed the allied advance. Actually, it was undoubtedly both of those things, which, of course, is the nature of warfare."
Rumsfeld invited the cadets seated in front of him to remind people "that for every story of failure we know, there are hundreds more of courage and self-sacrifice, and America's proven can-do spirit."
Although the cadets are entering the world at a complicated time, he said today's world is more free than it has ever been in history. "But those freedoms are threatened as never before," he said.
The nation is fighting a war unlike any other in its history, he said. For the first time, Americans are seeing "the full view of war" displayed in continuous, real-time digital news media, while warfighters conduct battles with similar new technologies.
"Because of these new technologies, the American people are seeing things they never saw before about the realities of major conflict and postwar violence," Rumsfeld said. "And they will need the help of those of you who have studied military strategy to better understand what it is they are seeing every day and to become more aware that war requires continuous adjustments and calibrations, just as the enemy, an enemy with a brain, is constantly adjusting its tactics."
The secretary warned the graduates not to become cynical in the midst of the nation's current struggle. He said concentrating on America's imperfection does not make a person a realist; rather, it is "the sign of a cynic."
"Idealists write history's stirring chapters," he said. "Cynics read those chapters and seem to not understand. Choose to be an idealist."
Rumsfeld mentioned several famous VMI graduates who have carried on its "proud tradition," including Gen. George C. Marshall, author of the Marshall Plan, which focused on rebuilding post-World War II Europe and won him the Nobel Peace Prize in 1953. Rumsfeld also spoke about Dave Williams, who died while on duty in the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001.
"Yours is the first class to have entered VMI since that horrible day," he said. "Tell your fellow citizens that since then our forces have gone on the offense. Our forces are fighting the enemy on their territory so we do not have to fight them on our territory."
Before closing with a reminder to "resolve to live a life knowing you will leave footprints," the secretary quoted Jonathan Daniels, VMI's 1961 valedictorian, who said during his address to classmates, "I wish you the decency and nobility of which you are capable."
Upon graduating from VMI, Daniels went to seminary and was later jailed for protesting with civil rights activists. "After six days in a crowded jail, the group was released, only to be confronted by a violent segregationist, who aimed his shotgun at a 16-year-old girl," Rumsfeld said. "It is said that Daniels pushed her aside and was hit by the burst.
"He died, a foot soldier for a cause beyond himself, and a believer in a power beyond this world," Rumsfeld said. "His life was one that mattered."
Related Site:
Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld congratulates Class of 2006 graduating cadets during their commencement ceremony at the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Va., May 16, 2006. (Defense Dept. photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Chad J. McNeele)
A Republic of Korea army soldier hands an Afghan flag to a local child during a humanitarian mission sponsored by U.S. Army Task Force Med and the Republic of Korea army at the Korean Hospital at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, May 5, 2006. Task Force Med and coalition forces provide humanitarian services, medical care and education to the local population in Afghanistan. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Jose L Rodriguez)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
