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The US Drug Enforcement Agency has five commando-style squads it has been quietly deploying for the past several years to various countries in Central and South America and the Caribbean, the New York Times reported Monday. The countries where the commando teams have been deployed include Haiti, Honduras, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala and Belize, all countries struggling to combat drug trafficking, the daily wrote. The program, known by its acronym FAST -- Foreign-deployed Advisory Support Team -- dates back to the George W. Bush administration. It was created originally to investigate Taliban-linked drug traffickers in Afghanistan. But US President Barack...

Debora Marshall wasn't sure what she was witnessing. She came home from work to find sheriff's cruisers blocking streets in her sleepy Timber Pond subdivision. Deputies with guns drawn and bulletproof vests surrounded her house. "They had it blocked off at both ends. I thought a murderer was on the loose," she said. So did the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office. Authorities thought her son had killed her. "My son was home and clueless," Marshall said. "I was at work, and all my neighbors thought I was dead." In what appears to be the first incident of its kind in Hillsborough...

Israel has long had troops dedicated to Cyber War activities, but now they are introducing a new twist to this. Israel is using the same screening and recruiting techniques they employ for commando units, to form an elite Cyber War unit. Thus the Israelis are not just seeking men (or women) with the right technical skills, but also with the mental toughness characteristic of the regular commandos. Israel wants to use this Cyber War unit to deal with the most difficult, and dangerous Cyber War situations. Thus if there's a Cyber War attack, using an unknown, and seemingly devastating new...

The Iranian president on Tuesday demanded a strong UN Security Council resolution against Israel over its raid on an aid flotilla bound for the Gaza Strip. In a speech broadcast live on state TV, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called on the Security Council to adopt a resolution that would "cut off" Israel's hands, thus preventing it from committing more "crimes."

North Korea has deployed about 50,000 commandos along the inter-Korean border in an apparent show of force with the threat of rapid infiltration "suicide missions" against South Korea, a military source in Seoul said. The North "has completed the frontline deployment of seven light infantry divisions over the past two or three years," the source said, citing a joint study by South Korean and U.S. militaries. Each division consists of about 7,000 troops. A South Korean soldier keeps watch northwards on the south side of the truce village of Panmunjom in the demilitarised zone separating the two Koreas, north of...

COS GARRY OWEN – Iraqi Army Commandos continue to train and conduct successful operations here with the Scout Platoon from Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 4th Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment. Over a seven-month period, the Iraqi Commandos have grown in their technical and tactical proficiency, building a more professional and independent fighting force. Using the traditional coach, teach and mentor approach, the Commandos now control much of their own training and even started teaching classes to the U.S. Army Scout Platoon. "It’s amazing how far they have come; I feel comfortable when they are teaching me a class and running missions...

  Story by U.S. Army SFC Matthew Chlosta ISAF HQ PAO KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - Afghan National Army Commandos, patterned after United States Army Rangers, led the assault on Marjah in the early hours of the February operation to take back the Taliban stronghold. Partnered with their Special Forces trainers, ANA Soldiers from the 3rd Commando Kandak, 205th Corps were the first unit on the ground to secure territory for the U.S. Marines coming in behind. “The Commandos fill the Ranger asset, minimizing civilian casualties on the battlefield because they’re so familiar with the people and the people we’re interacting with,�...

  Story by Pfc. Roy MerconCombined Joint Task Force - 82PARWAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan – The scene was a spectacle for the children: Afghan commandos – the same ones in their comics and coloring books – came to their village, Lagmani Kuna in Parwan Province, Afghanistan, in Afghan helicopters in a precise and organized fashion, March 18. For most of these kids, this was the first time they had ever seen a helicopter up close, but not the first time they had seen soldiers. They knew what the arrival of soldiers meant – they were getting some presents today. The...

COS GARRYOWEN — The citizens of Iraq took a more independent role in securing their country with the signing of the Security Agreement, June 30. In support of this goal, U.S. Scouts are conducting joint operations and training with Iraqi Army Commandos. The Scout platoon, from Headquarters & Headquarters Co., 4th Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, is developing the 38th Iraqi Army Brigade Commando leadership through instruction on how to be more effective trainers for their Jundee (Soldiers). This will help the Iraqis to continue quality training after the drawdown of U.S. forces. "I believe this is a great opportunity to...

Pvt. 2nd Class Cheston K. Bun, 1st Battalion (Air Assault) 377th Field Artillery Regiment, Bravo Battery Air Reactionary Force, leads a group of Iraqi commandos through a helicopter loading drill during recent training at Camp Wessam in Basrah. Photo by Spc. Maurice Galloway, 17th Fires Brigade. BASRAH — A group of 14th Iraqi Army commandos recently underwent an intense week of training here at Camp Wessam, honing their helicopter familiarity.  The course, taught by U.S. Soldiers with the 1st Battalion (Air Assault), 377th Field Artillery Regiment, "B" Battery (Bulldogs), Air Reactionary Force (ARF), was more of a refresher, as many...

Iraqi Special Operations Soldiers conduct fast-rope training into a mock village during the recent Commando-Selection Course on an Iraqi military compound in Baghdad. The 47-day Commando Selection Course is similar to the U.S. Army's Ranger School. Photo by Sgt. Jeffrey Ledesma, Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force - Arabian Peninsula. BAGHDAD — Symbolic of the blood – both of fallen fighters and slain foes – that has been shed in the fight for freedom and democracy, the words "fighting the insurgency for a secure and stable Iraq" were written in a dripping red font on a poster affixed to one...

Iraqi Commando Battalion Soldiers exit a U.S. Marine CH-53E Super Stallion transport helicopter during recent helicopter and air assault familiarization training aboard Al Asad Air Base. Photo by Cpl. Meg Murray, II Marine Expeditionary Force (Fwd). AL ASAD AIR BASE — Different types of military operations call for specific methods of insertion. Since the advent of helicopter-borne insertion during the Korean War nearly 60 years ago, air assault has become an extremely viable method of troop insertion. To refine their air assault skills, Iraqi Soldiers with 1st Company, Commando Battalion, 7th Iraqi Army Division, took to the skies in the...

AL ASAD — An elite group of Iraqi Soldiers stand ready to spring into action against terrorism and insurgency here. Al Anbar's 9th Battalion, Iraqi Special Operations Forces (ISOF) have one mission; to keep the people of Iraq safe. To stay prepared for this mission, they spend their days training and working with U.S. Special Operations Forces advisors to continually sharpen their skills. "Iraq is so spread out you can't control it from one location," said an Iraqi lieutenant. "Each province has teams to execute high value missions." These missions can range from presence patrols to fast-roping during pitch-black night...

KABUL, May 18, 2009 – The Afghan National Army’s top leaders convened here May 12 and 13 for discussions and teambuilding. Afghan National Army commandos of the 6th Kandak conduct a welcoming ceremony for the ANA chief of general staff before the start of a two-day ANA Corps and Commando Commanders’ Conference held May 12-13, 2009, in Kabul. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Anna K. Perry  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. The Corps and Commando Commanders’ Conference marked the first time leadership from the elite commando brigade and kandaks -- battalion-size units -- met with leadership from the...

TIKRIT — Iraqi Special Operations Forces, with Coalition advisors, arrested ten suspected terrorist cell members during a combined operation in Diyala province recently, based on warrants issued by the Central Criminal Court of Iraq. Within two hours time, the 8th Regional Commando Battalion successfully conducted their mission against a violent terrorist cell operating in the Hamrin Dam area, leading to the capture of the suspected terrorist cell leader and nine of his associates. According to Iraqi intelligence sources, the detained individuals were suspected of conducting numerous acts of murder, kidnapping and roadside bomb attacks against Iraqi Security Forces and innocent...

COB ADDER — After an intense eight weeks of training, 65 Commandos from the 10th Iraqi Army (IA) Division marched across the Camp Dhi Qar parade field near here signifying the completion of training, May 2. "Training's been hard from the beginning," said Maj. Gregory Stroud, a Military Transition Team chief with the 1st Cavalry Division. "But they worked just as hard and it definitely shows." Stroud worked closely with the Romanian Special Forces from the 26th Infantry Battalion to train the Iraqi Commandos on various tactical skills such as small unit tactics and patrolling. "The U.S. Special Forces have...

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, Iraq , April 28, 2009 – Romanian soldiers are helping train Iraqi commandos on Camp Ur, near Contingency Operating Base Adder in Iraq. Soldiers assigned to the 26th Romanian Infantry Battalion teach Shotokan karate to Iraqi troops during hand-to-hand combat training, as part of commando training on Camp Ur near Contingency Operating Base Adder, Iraq, April 26, 2009. (Photo courtesy of Multinational Division South)  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. Soldiers of the 26th Romanian Infantry Battalion mentored Iraqi soldiers of the 3rd Battalion, 39th Iraqi Army Brigade, through the first four weeks of tactical,...

BAGHDAD — More than 80 Iraqi Special Operations Forces (ISOF) Soldiers recently completed nearly 50 days of dawn-to-dusk training to join the ranks of Iraq's most elite Soldiers. "You are taking up a place of honor in this organization," said Iraqi Maj. Gen. Abdu Ghani, commander of the Counter-Terrorism Command (CTC) and guest speaker for the graduation. "It's up to you to carry out the missions that will provide our country with security. Terrorism will not be the future because of you." The ISOF brigade has Soldiers based throughout the country to provide the Government of Iraq a premiere counter-terrorism...

Local Sons of Iraq security volunteers greet Lt. Col. Ayoob (right), commander, Commando Battalion, 17th Iraqi Army brigade, during Operation Al Sakar in the Owesat area, April 12. Photo by Pfc. Evan Loyd, 1st Armored Division. BAGHDAD — The Iraqi Army (IA) took the lead in conducting Operation Al-Sakar, a combined Iraqi/U.S. counterinsurgency operation in the Owesat area southwest of here, April 12. The purpose of the operation was to clear weapons, find any hidden explosives and capture insurgents in the area. "The Owesat area is void of a Coalition forces presence and is a potential location to move accelerants...

AL ASAD AIR BASE, Iraq — Different types of military operations call for specific methods of insertion. Since the advent of the helicopter-borne insertion during the Korean War nearly 60 years ago, air assault has become an extremely viable method of troop insertion. To refine their air assault skills, Iraqi soldiers with 1st Company, Commando Battalion, 7th Iraqi Army Division, took to the skies in the back of two Marine CH-53E Super Stallion transport helicopters as they participated in familiarization of helicopter and air assault operations. “What we’re trying to do is get the commandos used to getting on helicopters,...

While four pirates armed with AK47s bobbing in a lifeboat hold a US Navy destroyer at bay, a French commando team storms a sailboat held by pirates and rescues French citizens. The world truly has gone mad. According to the BBC, President Sarkozy's office released a statement saying a French sailboat, seized Saturday off the coast of Somalia, was the target of a French commando raid Thursday. The French sail boat had four adults and one child on board. According to the release, two pirates and a hostage were killed in the operation and three others taken prisoner. This is...

Room clearing in an urban environment is dangerous. Marines have trained extensively on this subject, applying lessons learned from tough battles in such places as Seoul during the Korean War, Hue in Vietnam, and most recently, Fallujah, Iraq. Now the Marine Corps wants to make sure its Iraqi Army brethren are skilled in close quarters battle as well. To that end, Reconnaissance Marines with 2nd Platoon, Company B, 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, Regimental Combat Team 8, have been training Iraqi commandos with the 7th Iraqi Army Division on fundamental infantry tactics during a month-long training evolution. As part of the course,...

CAMP MEJID — Military Transition Team (MiTT)-7, working with the Reconnaissance Platoon of Regimental Combat Team (RCT)-8, recently launched a month-long training course designed to hone the skills of the 7th Iraqi Army Division’s Special Operations Battalion. The training program began with a five-day marksmanship refresher, which reminded the Iraqi commandos how to properly zero their weapons, fire at extended distances, and rapidly assess and engage close-range targets with their assault rifles. “I’d say they’re giving everything they’ve got,” said Robert Wise, MiTT-7’s special operations foreign internal defense specialist. “They come out here, and in their own way, they try...

Iraqi Commandos rush to action during a recent joint training event in the Maysan province of southern Iraq. Photo by Chang J. Ahn, 1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs. FOB HUNTER — Another chapter on operations in southern Iraq was written as Iraqi Commandos recently honed their combat skills with the ‘Black Dragons’ of the 4th Brigade Combat Team during a three-day training operation in the Maysan province. The Iraqi Army (IA) Soldiers learned various skills required to become an independent security force. The first day of joint training consisted of classes on weapons safety, vehicle maintenance and proper room-clearing procedures....

FOB DELTA — The second half of the 1st Company, 3rd Battalion, Department of Border Enforcement Region commandos graduated from a two-week training course on mounted and dismounted techniques, urban and close quarter combat, medical training and snap traffic control points at the Karmashiyah Border Fort, Jan. 13. All the border security commandos of 1st Company have now completed the two-week training course and are ready to conduct border security operations at the Karmashiyah Border Fort, less than 2 miles from the Iraq-Iran border. The first half of the company graduated from the same course, Dec. 29. “Thank you to...

The Royal Navy described the boarding as 'compliant' Michael Evans, Defence Editor and Rob Crilly Pirates caught redhanded by one of Her Majesty’s warships after trying to hijack a cargo ship off Somalia made the grave mistake of opening fire on two Royal Navy assault craft packed with commandos armed with machineguns and SA80 rifles. In the ensuing gunfight, two Somali pirates in a Yemeni-registered fishing dhow were killed, and a third pirate, believed to be a Yemeni, suffered injuries and subsequently died. It was the first time the Royal Navy had been engaged in a fatal shoot-out on the...

KABUL, Afghanistan – U.S. Special Forces soldiers freed a kidnapped American working for the Army Corps of Engineers during a nighttime mission last week — a rare hostage rescue in a country where ransom abductions have become increasingly common. The American, who had been working on U.S. government-funded infrastructure projects, was abducted in mid-August and had been held just 30 miles west of Kabul with no public notice of his abduction. The dangerous mission to free the U.S. contractor killed several insurgents, U.S. officials told The Associated Press. Taliban militants have kidnapped several international aid workers and journalists in recent...

A middle school teacher has been suspended for posting a video of his Barack Obama-slogan chanting, arm-waving drill team on YouTube. The report from Fox News said the teacher, whose name was being withheld by the school district, was suspended today for the video revealing his students chanting lines from Obama talking points and wearing military-style uniforms. According to Fox News, the school learned about the posting of the video, called "Obama Youth – Junior Fraternity Regiment," and immediately took action.

SHINDAND AIR FIELD, Afghanistan (June 27, 2008) – The dedication in his eyes is evident as the American Special Operations warrior attentively moves up and down the row of Afghan Commandos on the firing range. He rewards a particularly good shot with an approving tap on the helmet. He seems unaware of the sweltering heat or the weight on his shoulders from the massive amount of equipment he is wearing. His only concern is for the men before him and the mission they have accepted. Afghanistan’s security and stability partially rests in the hands of the Commandos on this range....

British forces help free Italians in Afghanistan Last Updated: 1:43am BST 25/09/2007 British special forces were involved in a daring raid to rescue two kidnapped Italians in Afghanistan. Commandos from the Special Boat Service (SBS) joined a multi-national military team led by Italian troops to free the two intelligence officers who have been missing since Saturday. A fierce gun battle broke out when the SBS force ambushed the kidnappers as they tried to move the Italians in two four-wheel drive vehicles. One of the Italians was seriously wounded while the other has non-life threatening injuries. At least nine of the...

WASHINGTON, Sept. 14, 2007 – A new battalion of Afghan National Army commandos today completed it first operation, capturing a well-known Taliban facilitator and two suspected Taliban extremists. Working with a contingent of Afghan national police advised by coalition forces, the commandos led a two-day mission 30 miles southwest of Jalalabad in the Sherzad district of Nangahar province. During the mission, the commandos captured and detained Haji Shir Khan, a known improvised explosive device maker, who is responsible for numerous IED attacks on Afghan and coalition forces in the province. The assault force also found two weapons caches that contained...

U.S. Army and Iraqi army soldiers quickly secured a site where a vehicle borne improvised explosive device detonated. The explosion took place at a mechanic shop in Mahmudiyah, Iraq, April 8. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Angela McKinzie Commando Brigade and Iraqi Army Render Aid in Car Bombing IED detonates in auto shop, killing 17 By Multi-National DivisionCamp Victory, Iraq MAHMUDIYAH, Iraq, April 10, 2007 — Coalition and Iraqi troops quickly secured an area near the south Baghdad city of Mahmudiyah on April 8, after improvised explosive device in a car exploded. "I really want to help the...

This (short) excerpt as linked in the source URL is part of a documentary made by the dutch journalist/film maker Vik Franke who lived embedded with the dutch special forces operating in Afghanistan for two months. These special forces are part of the 1600 dutch soldiers present in the afghan province of Uruzghan. What you see is an ambush, following by incoming enemy fire from multiple directions. No friendly casualties occurred during this incident, the amount of enemy casualties is unknown.

THE HAGUE, Netherlands - Dutch commandos killed 18 enemy fighters who set up positions in rugged hills overlooking a Dutch camp in southern Afghanistan, the country's military chief said Friday. There were no Dutch casualties during a 10-day mission. "If we had not done something then our soldiers could have come under fire and the construction of our camp could have been hindered," Gen. Dick Berlijn, commander of the Dutch armed forces, told reporters in The Hague. Berlijn said the Taliban fighters were massing on terrain on both sides of the Baluchi Valley, about 6 miles north of where Dutch...

Royal Marines to be deployed in Afghanistan throughout winter Specialist arctic warfare troops to undertake dangerous mission Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders also to be deployed Key quote "There are people out there, after three decades of conflict, who are determined to stop us doing that. They will deploy any violence they can to stop us doing that, but they can't be allowed to succeed. We must achieve our objective of making this a better country not only for the Afghan people, but also we mustn't allow it to become a haven for terrorism again." - Defence secretary, Des Browne...

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) -- Pakistani anti-terror police commandos on Monday arrested two Afghans and an Arab, suspected to be al Qaeda militants, after a gunfight outside the northwestern city of Peshawar, two intelligence officials said.

AL ASAD, Iraq (Oct. 13, 2005) -- As the commandos came aboard, the stern looks on their faces, hardened from months of battling insurgents, turned to smiles as they greeted Marines operating the KC-130J Hercules. Under the cover of darkness, Marines from Marine Aerial Refueler and Transport Squadron 252 flew a company of Iraqi Special Operation Forces out of Al Asad, Iraq. “We are happy to be on this bird with so many successful missions accomplished,” said the ISF company commander. “We’re glad the bird was here and on time. I think that happened because the Marines are in charge....

HURLBURT FIELD, Fla., Sept. 30, 2005 – A select team of combat aviation advisors from the 6th Special Operations Squadron here deployed to the edge of the Sahara desert to conduct a joint exchange training exercise with the fledgling Niger air force in August. Because the 6th SOS has been to Niger numerous times, the air commandos better understand how to adapt to living and working in one of the world's poorest countries. The team requires very little outside support and leaves a very small footprint in the local area. The air commandos are culturally and linguistically trained to earn...

FRENCH commandos abseiled from circling helicopters to recapture a car ferry in the Mediterranean yesterday after it was hijacked by striking workers opposed to privatisation plans. The dramatic operation, which was ordered by Dominique de Villepin, the French prime minister, came after some 50 masked strikers from the Union of Corsican Workers took control of the ferry Pascal Paoli in the port of Marseilles late on Tuesday and set sail for Corsica. Five army helicopters began circling above the vessel shortly after dawn yesterday and had taken control of the ship within ten minutes, army sources said. There was no...

BAGHDAD, Iraq (Army News Service, Aug. 24, 2005) – The Distinguished Service Cross – second only to the Medal of Honor in military decorations – has been awarded to U.S. Army Col. James H. Coffman Jr. for his role in leading Iraqi Special Police Commandos through a 5 ½-hour battle against insurgents trying to overrun an Iraqi police station. Flanked by the commando unit Coffman fought with, U.S. Army Gen. George Casey, commander of Multi-National Forces–Iraq, pinned the cross and eagle medal on Coffman’s body armor during an Aug. 24 ceremony at Adnon Palace in Baghdad’s International Zone. Iraq’s Minister...

HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. (AP) - Four victims of an Iraqi air force plane crash were stationed at Hurlburt Field in the Florida Panhandle, a newspaper reported Wednesday. Military sources told the Northwest Florida Daily News that the four killed in Monday's turboprop crash were the first Hurlburt-based air commandos to die in the Iraqi war. Their names and unit have not been released.(snip) The Tampa-based Central Command issued a statement saying the plane was on an operational mission. No other details have been released about the mission or the cause of the crash. The single-engine plane is normally outfitted to...

In a country of tough guys, Adnan Thabit may be the toughest of all. He was both a general and a death-row prisoner under Saddam Hussein. He favors leather jackets no matter the weather, his left index finger extends only to the knuckle (the rest was sliced off in combat) and he responds to requests from supplicants with grunts that mean ''yes'' or ''no.'' Occasionally, a humble aide approaches to spray perfume on his hands, which he wipes over his rugged face. General Adnan, as he is known, is the leader of Iraq's most fearsome counterinsurgency force. It is called...

TIKRIT, Iraq (Reuters) - Iraqi commandos backed by U.S. troops killed 84 militants in a battle to seize a training camp north of Baghdad, one of the highest guerrilla death tolls in the country's nearly two-year-old insurgency. Baghdad's Interior Ministry said the dead included Arab and foreign fighters. Seven police commandos were also killed in the clashes on Tuesday in a deserted region 160 km (100 miles) northwest of Baghdad, where sporadic fighting continued. "Special forces in the Interior Ministry attacked a training center ... and had a fierce battle with the terrorists, killing 84 of them," Sabah Kadhim, a...

The latest news coming from our friends in the Netherlands about sending a commando force to Afghanistan to work alongside U.S. and British soldiers is very good news. I understand the Netherlands is not going to stomp out terrorism on its own, but it shows that the Dutch people are looking to do more in worldwide fight against terrorism. The Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs (JCPA) has an excellent piece on the Dutch Intelligence’s examination of the radical Islamic threat within its country. The result has been to question Netherlands’ culture of "gedoogcultuur," or “culture of permissiveness,” which has helped...

AMSTERDAM — The Cabinet is reportedly planning to send 150 commandos to Afghanistan to fight alongside US soldiers in secret operations against terrorists holed up along the Pakistan border. The elite troops would be deployed for initially one year as part of the US military's Enduring Freedom operation aimed at flushing out and destroying radical-Islamic Taleban fighters and the terrorist network al-Qaeda of Osama bin Laden, newspaper De Telegraaf reported on Friday. Foreign Minister Ben Bot and Defence Minister Henk Kamp want the soldiers to engage in combat operations with US and British troops, plus those from other willing nations...

Commandos Get Duty on U.S. Soil By ERIC SCHMITT ASHINGTON, Jan. 22 - Somewhere in the shadows of the White House and the Capitol this week, a small group of super-secret commandos stood ready with state-of-the-art weaponry to swing into action to protect the presidency, a task that has never been fully revealed before. As part of the extraordinary army of 13,000 troops, police officers and federal agents marshaled to secure the inauguration, these elite forces were poised to act under a 1997 program that was updated and enhanced after the Sept. 11 attacks, but nonetheless departs from how the...

WASHINGTON - U.S. commandos are hunting for secret nuclear and chemical weapons sites and other targets in Iran, and have a plan to turn the hard-line Islamic country into the next front in the war on terrorism. "It's not if we're going to do anything against Iran. They're doing it," an ex-intelligence official tells this week's issue of The New Yorker. Since at least last summer, the U.S. teams have penetrated eastern Iran, reportedly with Pakistan's help, the magazine said. "Iraq is just one campaign," the official told investigative reporter Seymour Hersh. "The Bush administration is looking at this as...

London 04.01.05 | My astonishment with respect to the arrest of FARC leader Ricardo Granda in Caracas continues to grow, not because Granda was in Caracas as a guest of honour of Hugo Chavez but rather due to the outlandish nerve of the FARC in condemning Chavez via public communiqués. Mind you what sort of moral stance a bunch of assassins have to be claiming anything to anyone? Their rights to claim were forfeited the moment they decided to start killing innocent peasants to achieve whatever goal they set out to reach. What's more, according to UN reports 1 million...

Twenty months after toppling Saddam Hussein, US troops still battling his followers in the heartland of Iraq's old arms industry are hitting back with a new weapon: ex-members of Hussein's special forces. For five months, Iraqi police commandos calling themselves the Black Scorpions have been based with US marines in the region along the Euphrates south of Baghdad. Roadside bombs, ambushes and kidnaps have turned the area into a no-go zone and earned it the melodramatic description "triangle of death". "All of them were previously officers in the Iraqi army or special forces," said Scorpions commander Colonel Salaam Trad. "But...