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SNIPPET: "Iraqi soldiers foiled a potentially deadly suicide attack today at the border crossing at Al Qaim in western Anbar province. From Aswat al-Iraq (Voices of Iraq): “A force from the 28th infantry division managed to defuse a car bomb and to kill its driver in al-Qaim, Anbar province,” said the statement received by Aswat al-Iraq news agency. “The suicide driver carries the Kuwaiti nationality, and had on his possession a fake ID issued from Baiji,” the statement added. “The car was loaded with three tons of Chlorine and C4 as well as other chemical materials,” it added. Having closely...

KIRKUK — Lt. Col. Chris Spigelmire defines success as, "The better we do our jobs, the fewer people they'll send to replace us until we don't have to be here at all." "The trick is," he added, "the Iraqi Air Force has to be able to do what we're doing without us around." Spigelmire, deployed from Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas, commands the 521st Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron. He and his two dozen Airmen have two missions: – Help Iraqis train their new pilot corps – Prepare qualified Iraqi pilots to assume mission operations "We're also training the trainers so...

Killeen, Texas native, Sgt. Chester Temple, unloads water filters during the stocking of a humanitarian aid warehouse on Camp Taji, Nov. 21. The unit, along with their counterparts from the 37th Brigade, 9th Iraqi Army Division, will distribute water filters and blankets to Iraqi residents in the coming months. Photo by Pfc. Adam Halleck, 1st Cavalry Division. CAMP TAJI — In an effort to provide local Iraqi residents with supplies and extra comforts during the winter months, U.S. Soldiers here are stocking warehouses full of humanitarian aid items. For troopers from 1st Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat...

KIRKUK — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Gulf Region District, Kirkuk Resident Office is seriously delving into the road construction business. The Kirkuk office is serving as construction design manager for the Kirkuk Ring Road project and the manager of “Village to Market” road repair project. The $130 million, two-year Kirkuk Ring Road project is an aggressive 31-kilometer highway extension, designed to create a southern access bypass road from the Sulamaniya Interchange to the Taza Road Interchange. The three-phase project is being funded by oil revenues from the provincial government. USACE, through the Economic Support Fund, provided $4.3...

Air Force Capt. Kacey Grannis, 721st Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron Mi-17 pilot, talks with an Iraqi Air Force pilot after a mission, Nov. 5. Grannis is the first female Mi-17 instructor pilot for Iraqi Air Force pilots at Camp Taji. Photo by Senior Airman Alyssa Miles, U.S. Air Forces Central, Baghdad Media Outreach Team. CAMP TAJI — A U.S. Air Force officer here is serving as the Iraqi Air Force's first female Mi-17 instructor pilot, a job she describes as one of a kind. "My primary duty as an air advisor is to train, advise and assist their pilots by...

Iraqi forces detained two people yesterday near Tikrit. The suspects are believed to be members of al-Qaida in Iraq, and responsible for car bombings against civilians and security forces in northern Iraq. One of the suspects is believed to be linked to a Nov. 4 bombing east of Tikrit that killed a U.S. servicemember, Multinational Force Iraq officials said. Also in Tikrit, Iraqi forces arrested a suspected terrorist leader with a criminal warrant Nov. 21. The man is believed to be involved several bombing attacks against Iraqi forces, military officials said. In a Nov. 19 operation, U.S. troops and Iraqi...

It's both amusing and educational to observe a consensus when it suddenly starts to give way at all points without yielding an inch. A couple of weeks ago, the consoling view was that Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan was a man more to be pitied than feared, a full-blown officer in the U.S. armed forces who was too shaken up by the stories of returned veterans to be able to function properly, and a physician too stressed-out to bear in mind that there was such a thing as a Hippocratic oath. Why, even the FBI had interpreted his e-mails to Anwar...

BAGHDAD / Aswat al-Iraq: Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Rafie al-Issawi discussed with the chief of Google company on Sunday investment opportunities available in Iraq’s communications sector, according to a release by Issawi’s office. “Issawi and Eric Schmidt took up ways to launch investments in the communications field with the objective of providing better services for Iraqi citizens,” read the release as received by Aswat al-Iraq news agency. Eric Emerson Schmidt (born April 27, 1955) is an engineer, Chairman/CEO of Google Inc. and a former member of the Board of Directors of Apple Inc. He also sits on the board of...

Revenge of the Iraqi detainees: Brett Favre jokes Fri Nov 20,2009 By Rick Chandler You think you know how to torture, America? Waterboarding is for schoolchildren. Detainees locked in an internment camp in Iraq are mocking their captors -- members of the Wisconsin National Guard -- with Brett Favre jokes. Evil bastards! It all started when the National Guardsmen began decorating their trucks and other areas of Camp Cropper with Packers colors recently. The prisoners picked up on it, did some research (Wiraqipedia?), and began with the Favre barbs. What goes around comes around, I suppose. I blame Dick Cheney....

Obama Presidency: A Boon to Islamic Terrorists Obama's General Says: Syria Allied with Al-Qaida, Attacking U.S.; White House Says: Is that a Problem? By Barry Rubin thelastcrusade.org Does anyone read the newspapers in the U.S. government? How about checking out the dispatches coming from its generals in the field? Here’s a news story which tells all. A Reuters’ dispatch from Iraq interviews the commander of U.S. forces there. What’s he say?Al-Qaida is joining forces with Saddam Hussein’s supporters. And where are both al-Qaida’s forces fighting in Iraq and Saddam’s backers headquartered with lots of money stolen from Iraq? Syria....

Students at Al Soonobar School greet Soldiers with the 36th Sustainment Brigade out of Temple, Texas, Nov. 18, in Jaber Mohamed Village, Iraq. Photo by Spc. Lisa A. Cope, 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary). COL ADDER — U.S. Soldiers here delivered supplies and stuffed animals to students at the Soonobar School in Jaber Mohamed Village, Nov. 18. Lt. Col. Clinton Moyer, chief of civil operations with the 36th Sustainment Brigade out of Temple, Texas, has worked with the school's staff and the local community for roughly a year to build a new school.Moyer, a Clearwater, Kan., native, said the new school...

BAGHDAD — In its largest reconstruction effort since the Marshall Plan, the United States government has spent $53 billion for relief and reconstruction in Iraq since the 2003 invasion, building tens of thousands of hospitals, water treatment plants, electricity substations, schools and bridges. But there are growing concerns among American officials that Iraq will not be able to adequately maintain the facilities once the Americans have left, potentially wasting hundreds of millions of dollars and jeopardizing Iraq’s ability to provide basic services to its people. The projects run the gamut — from a cutting-edge, $270 million water treatment plant in...

Bariz Ajal Rashid, the Mukhtar of the northern Kirkuk village of Chemin, demonstrates the versatility of his village hoop house, an enclosed farm designed to allow farmers to farm year round for up to ten years. Photo by Lt. Col. Mark Leahey, 1st Cavalry Division. KIRKUK — In the small village of Chemin north of here, 38-year-old Bariz Ajal Rashid serves as the appointed leader (Mukhtar) of villagers who rely on farming, livestock and fishing for income. Rashid 's cousin, Umen Shahidan, is the proprietor of a small family farm, which had been plagued by a lack of water and...

WASHINGTON — Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) arrested five suspected members of the al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) and the Islamic State of Iraq (ISoI) terrorist groups, Nov. 20. All arrests were made during three combined security operations conducted with U.S. advisers in the Iraqi cities of Ramadi, Tikrit and Kirkuk, military officials reported. Iraqi forces and U.S. advisers searched two buildings in Ramadi for a suspected AQI leader believed to be responsible for multiple vehicle-borne bomb attacks in the region. After questioning those in the buildings and examining evidence found at the scene, Iraqi forces arrested two suspected AQI associates. In...

A forklift pushes the remains of several Hesco barriers onto the back of a 7-ton truck aboard Al Asad Air Base, Nov. 20. The base-wide cleanup effort is dubbed “Operation Blue Spoon,” and the goal is for Marines with Multi National Force - West to leave the base in good order as they wind down their role in Operation Iraqi Freedom. U.S. Marine Corps photograph by Cpl. Meg Murray. AL ASAD AIR BASE — As the clouds and drizzle of the rainy winter season roll into Iraq, many Marines with Multi National Force - West are rolling out. The gradual...

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. - Marines treated at Camp Lejeune for post-traumatic stress had to undergo therapy for months in temporary trailers where they could hear bomb blasts, machine-gun fire and war cries through the thin walls, according to servicemen and their former psychiatrist. The eight trailers were used for nearly two years, until a permanent clinic was completed in September in another location on the base, said a Camp Lejeune medical spokesman, Navy Lt. j.g. Mark Jean-Pierre. The noise from training exercises "shook me up real bad. I couldn't take it. I almost ran out of there a couple of...

...of 2008! That's right. It's time to admit that no amount of American lives can resolve the political disagreement that lies at the heart of someone else's civil war. That's why I have a plan that will bring our combat troops home by March of 2008. Let the Iraqis know... letting the Iraqis know that we will not be there forever is our last best hope to pressure the Sunnis and Shia to come to the table and find peace. Click on either my image or the video link to hear Barack Obama tell a big lie. He claimed to...

The Justice Department intends to drop manslaughter and weapons charges against one of the Blackwater Worldwide security guards involved in a deadly 2007 Baghdad shooting, prosecutors said in court documents Friday. The shooting in busy Nisoor Square left 17 Iraqis dead and inflamed anti-American sentiment abroad. It touched off a string of investigations that ultimately led the State Department to cancel the company's lucrative contract to guard diplomats in Iraq. Iraqis have said they're watching closely to see how the U.S. judicial system handles the five men accused of unleashing an unprovoked attack on civilians with machine guns and grenades....

KIRKUK — The use of non-governmental organizations to champion social issues is often a successful method of combating social and cultural woes. Some examples include anti-smoking and –litter campaigns in the United States. While the government of Kirkuk continues to develop, private citizens are encouraged to take on social challenges. The role of women in Iraq, and their contributions to Kirkuk, was the subject of a conference Nov. 19 at the Kirkuk Government Building. Non-Governmental Organizations representing women's issues attended the conference, which included groups who addressed issues ranging from illiteracy, domestic violence, small business development and civil rights awareness....

Iraqi veterinarians inspect recently-acquired medical supplies at the Kirkuk Agricultural Department, Nov. 17. The 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, distributed the medical supplies, including antibiotics and vaccinations, to Iraqi veterinarians from around Kirkuk province. Photo by Staff Sgt. Jason Douglas, 1st Cavalry Division. KIRKUK — In an effort to improve veterinary services and increase agricultural production, U.S. Soldiers distributed medical supplies to Iraqi veterinarians here, Nov. 17. Agriculture, agribusiness and related industries comprise the majority of the economic activity in this province, according to the Kirkuk Provincial Reconstruction Team. Northern Iraq relies heavily on the success of its...

Air Force Lt. Col. Tom Schmidt, Air Component Coordination Element airspace planner, observes while Iraq Civil Aviation Authority members discuss the new Iraqi airway structure, Nov. 18. Photo by Tech. Sgt. Johnny Saldivar, U.S. Air Forces Central, Baghdad Media Outreach Team. BAGHDAD — The Iraq Civil Aviation Authority (ICAA) opened several new north to south routes within Iraqi air space, Nov. 18. In addition to the ICAA, members of the U.S. Air Force Air Component Coordination Element (ACCE), Washington Consulting Group (WCG) and various other agencies played a crucial role in opening these airways.According to Ali Khlil Ibrahim, Iraqi director...

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20, 2009 – Iraqi security forces arrested five suspected members of the al-Qaida in Iraq and the Islamic State of Iraq terrorist groups today during three combined security operations conducted with U.S. advisors in the Iraqi cities of Ramadi, Tikrit and Kirkuk, military officials reported. Iraqi forces and U.S. advisors searched two buildings in Ramadi for a suspected al-Qaida in Iraq leader believed to be responsible for multiple vehicle-borne bomb attacks in the region. After questioning those in the buildings and examining evidence found at the scene, Iraqi forces arrested two suspected al-Qaida in Iraq associates. In Tikrit,...

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20, 2009 – Though the National Guard has a role in reconstruction missions in Iraq and Afghanistan, it’s a temporary one, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told an audience at the Joint Senior Leadership Conference at the National Harbor yesterday. Left to right: Army Col. Eric Grimm, commander of the California Army National Guard's 40th Infantry Division agribusiness development team; Pedro Torres, a U.S. Agriculture Department representative; Army Sgt. Jeff Johanson, team leader for the agribusiness team; and Ted Wittenberger, U.S. Agency for International Development senior civilian representative, speak with Gulrahaman, chief of police, in Asmar, Afghanistan, Nov....

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE BASRA, Iraq, Nov. 20, 2009 – A Basra, Iraq, native brings 50 years of experience as an architect, a master’s degree and a resume that reads like a travel guide ranging across Europe and the Middle East and even Japan to his job as leader of the Iraqi facilities engineering team here. A worker at the Anzio logistics site on Contingency Operating Base Basra, Iraq, bends rebar to be used in the placement of housing trailers for U.S. troops Nov. 14, 2009. The work at the site is being overseen and planned by an Iraqi facilities engineering...

Detainees at a camp in Baghdad, Iraq have found a way to get under the skin of guard troops from Wisconsin. And it has to do with football and a painful chapter for some Green Bay Packers fans who consider Brett Favre a traitor for joining the rival Minnesota Vikings. First Lieutenant Tim Boehnen of New Richmond says the detainees are familiar with Favre and picked up on the troops' discussion about the quarterback's performance with the Vikings. Lt. Col. Tim Donovan says the detainees at Camp Cropper needle the guards about Favre's success as a Viking.

We shut the aircraft down and what we saw was 350 plus people ranging in ages from 6 months to old and gray standing silently at a fence watching our every movement. I walked around the nose of my aircraft a mere 150 feet away from this crowd, I gave a simple smile and raised my arm up over my head and was greeted with the most substantial roar of levity that I have ever heard in my life. 350 plus people were cheering. Not because I play an instrument in some notable band, acted in a big Hollywood movie,...

November 17, 2009 MURTHA CONTINUES TO UNDERMINE TROOPS By William RussellIn recent interviews defending President Obama’s slow decision making on Afghanistan, Congressman John Murtha continues to undermine our troops, embolden our enemies, and place our country in greater danger. He does this by drawing on the wrong lessons from his own experience in Vietnam, and endorsing the enemy’s propaganda.  By continually questioning the request for more troops, Mr. Obama and Mr. Murtha are signaling the possibility that America might withdraw as we did in Vietnam. But unlike Vietnam, we do not have the choice of leaving and withdrawing to our...

Iraqi Police work to assemble their bicycles during training at the Kirkuk Police Academy, Nov. 15. This group will be the first to graduate and become bicycle police officers in Kirkuk City. Photo by Pfc. Justin Naylor, 1st Cavalry Division. KIRKUK — Iraqi Police (IP) officers recently attended the Bicycle Police Course at the Police Academy here, part of an ongoing effort to establish better policing practices in the city. Many of the police officers had never seen or heard of a bicycle cop before, but soon they themselves will be the first group to begin operating as Bicycle Police...

One of the first-ever female Iraqi Police officers to attend and complete training at the Baghdad Police College proudly poses for a photo following the BPC’s latest graduation ceremony, Nov. 9. Photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Edwin L. Wriston, Joint Combat Camera Center - Iraq. BAGHDAD – Fifty female Iraqi Police (IP) officers became the first women to graduate from the Baghdad Police College here, Nov. 9. The new female officers and more than 1,000 male students culminated their training with a ceremony marking their successful completion of the rigorous nine-month training program.Dozens of senior Iraqi political leaders, U.S....

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, Iraq, Nov. 19, 2009 – Women in Iraq have struggled for centuries to carve out a life of their own. Even with the advent of democracy, that struggle continues, and without attention and assistance, there is no telling how prolonged it may be. Army Capt. Ann Demapan takes a few photos of the rugs at a factory managed and staffed entirely by Iraqi women near Contingency Operating Base Adder, Iraq, Oct. 16, 2009. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Gavriel Bar Tzur  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. With that in mind, Task Force Pathfinder members of...

WASHINGTON, Nov. 19, 2009 – American forces are waiting to see what effect the veto of Iraqi election legislation may have on the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq, the commander of Multinational Force Iraq said in Baghdad yesterday. “I think we’re set up and we’re flexible enough between now and the first of May,” Army Gen. Raymond T. Odierno said. “So … we won’t have to make any decisions until the late spring.” Iraqi Vice President Tariq al-Hashemi’s veto of an election law recently passed by Iraq’s legislature that would allow the election to take place has thrown the...

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, Iraq – The acting bishop of Basra held Catholic Mass here Nov. 7 in honor of the service members and civilians working toward a safer, more secure Iraq. Bishop Imad Al Banna, a Chaldean priest, spoke Aramaic, an ancient language spoken in Palestine 2,000 years ago and still spoken in parts of Iraq to this day. Al Banna began his sermon with a message of peaceful coexistence. “Peace can be achieved only by respecting other people’s opinions,” said Al Banna. “All nations who respect themselves take care of all of their citizens. National must also learn...

Holiday Mail for Heroes is back! In this season of hope and giving the American Red Cross and Pitney Bowes, Inc. have joined forces to invite Americans to “send a touch of home” to United States service members and veterans across the country and abroad. In its third year, the Holiday Mail for Heroes program is an opportunity to share joy and thanks with our service members throughout the holiday season by way of a greeting card.Today over 1.4 million men and women serve in the U.S. armed forces and over 24 million veterans have served in the past....

We have volunteer Soldier "contacts" on the "Where to Send" page. Click through the names and select the one(s) you wish to support. They list what the folks they represent want and need. We even have a search capability so you can easily identify what the troops need most. All the Soldiers involved in this effort are military volunteers stationed in areas that are in harm's way. You send your support (letters and/or packages) addressed to them and when they see the "Attn: Any Soldier®" line in their address they put your letters and packages into the hands of Soldiers...

Sgt. James Glomski, of Alpena, Mich., with the 1434th Engineer Company, observes Iraqi Pfc. Omar Khodair Abbas making his first cut using a circular saw during a "train the trainer" carpentry course for the Iraqi Army in Baghdad, Nov. 14. Photo courtesy of the 16th Engineer Brigade. BAGHDAD — Iraq Soldiers here ended two days of basic carpentry training with a practical exercise of building dormitory-style rooms in the old Ministry of Defense, Nov. 14. Soldiers of the 1434th Engineer Company taught a "train the trainer" course to the 11th Field Engineer Regiment, 11th Iraqi Army Division, so the IA...

WASHINGTON — Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) arrested 11 terrorism suspects in operations over the last two days, military officials reported. Iraqi forces and U.S. advisors searched several buildings throughout Baghdad yesterday during a series of operations to search for a suspected al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) leader believed responsible for multiple vehicle-borne bomb attacks in the region. Credible intelligence led the security team to several locations across Baghdad in pursuit of the suspected cell leader. When a vehicle traveling at an excessive speed approached a restricted area established by the security team in the city’s Mansour district, the team attempted to...

Sarah Mohammad, 3rd Infantry Division Women's Initiative coordinator, demonstrates products that can be sold on U.S. Military installation during a Business Workshop for Iraqi women in Dujayl, Nov. 11. Photo by Capt. Rebecca Walsh, 1st Infantry Division. DUJAYL — A meeting room inside the library here was filled with lively conversations, Nov. 14, as Iraqi women discussed business opportunities available to them within the Salah ad-Din province. Women from Balad, Samarra, and Dujayl gathered together for a business workshop to exchange ideas about the possibilities of selling hand-made goods on Contingency Operating Base Speicher at the Iraqi Souq Bazaar.For Provincial...

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger talks with Spc. Ferrell Mapp, a resident of Richmond, Calif., and a member of the California National Guard, 49th Military Police Brigade, during a breakfast event held on Camp Victory, Baghdad, Nov. 17. At right is Brig. Gen. Donald Currier, commander of the 49th, and close aide to the governor in his civilian job. Photo by Sgt. Kenneth Bince, 49the Military Police Brigade. BAGHDAD — California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger shared breakfast and conversation with his State’s Soldiers during a visit here to Camp Victory, Nov. 17. Schwarzenegger said he visited the Fairfield, Calif.-based 49th Military Police...

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, Iraq, Nov. 18, 2009 – National Guard soldiers bring a variety of life and work experiences with them on deployment, and even the smallest unit can include a surprising array of skills and experience. Chief Warrant Officer Nathan McKean runs through a preflight safety check prior to departing for a mission at Combat Operating Base Adder, Iraq, Oct. 10, 2009. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Neil Gussman  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. In October, Task Force Keystone’s Alaska-based C Company, 1st Battalion, 52nd Aviation Regiment, needed a crew for a routine flight to two of...

JOINT SECURITY STATION CHILAT, Iraq, Nov. 18, 2009 – Soldiers here have taken the adage “Improve your foxhole” to heart as they strive to improve this small security station in southern Iraq. Army Spc. Damon Krach builds a set of shelves for a tent at Joint Security Station Chilat, Iraq, Oct. 5, 2009. U.S. Army photo by 1st Lt. Nathan McEwen  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. The station’s remote location means soldiers of C Troop, 2nd Squadron, 13th Cavalry Regiment, often have to rely on themselves to do the improvements. This involves many different types of manual labor, such...

2nd Circuit to Civil Rights Lawyer Lynne Stewart: Go Directly to Jail A federal appeals court says bail for civil rights lawyer Lynne Stewart should be revoked and she should begin serving her sentence “forthwith” for passing messages from an imprisoned terrorist to his followers. The New York City-based 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed Stewart’s conviction in an opinion (PDF) released today, rejecting her argument that the First Amendment protected her release of statements by an imprisoned sheik. Stewart was convicted in 2005 of providing material support to terrorists by passing messages from Sheik Omar Abdel Rahman to...

Soldiers, civilian workers and visiting actors Jeffrey Donovan (left) and Bruce Campbell (far right), of the USA show Burn Notice, enjoy a charity bazaar hosted by the Daughters of Iraq at Combat Outpost Meade, Nov. 13. Photo by Sgt. Robert Jordan, 30th Heavy Brigade Combat Team. BAGHDAD — The Daughters of Iraq, a national womens' organization here, held a bazaar on Combat Outpost Meade to raise money for local widows and orphans, Nov. 13. Soldiers of the 113th Field Artillery Battalion's Civil Affairs Team, based at the COP, hosted the bazaar that featured the work of several female Baghdad-area artists...

An Iraqi Soldier exits a U.S. Marine helicopter during joint air-assault training between Iraqi Commandos and Scouts, and Paratroopers of the 82nd Airborne Division (Advise and Assist Brigade), Nov. 15, on Camp Ramadi. Photo by Spc. Mike MacLeod, 82nd Airborne Division. CAMP RAMADI — Iraqi Commandos and Reconnaissance Scouts partnered with the "All American" paratroopers of the 82nd Airborne Division here, Nov. 15, to train for future joint helicopter air-assault operations. The 1st Iraqi Army Division Soldiers trained with Paratroopers of the 2nd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division (Advise and Assist Brigade), on loading and...

WASHINGTON, Nov. 17, 2009 – Iraqi security forces arrested 11 terrorism suspects in operations over the last two days, military officials reported. Iraqi forces and U.S. advisors searched several buildings throughout Baghdad today during a series of operations to search for a suspected al-Qaida in Iraq leader believed responsible for multiple vehicle-borne bomb attacks in the region. Credible intelligence led the security team to several locations across Baghdad in pursuit of the suspected cell leader. When a vehicle traveling at an excessive speed approached a restricted area established by the security team in the city’s Mansour district, the team attempted...

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE BASRA, Iraq, Nov. 17, 2009 – Through a coordinated effort to improve relationships between Iraqi police and judges, the provincial reconstruction team in Iraq’s Basra province and the 17th Fires Brigade legal team set up a conference Nov. 7. Chief Judge Khazal Dabol Qasim and Iraqi Police Brig. Gen. Eedan talk during a law-enforcement community conference in Iraq’s Basra province, Nov. 7, 2009. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Maurice A. Galloway  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. The four-hour conference covered topics such as the responsibilities of their respective investigation officers and the state of the facilities...

"Obsessed by their hatred and floundering in illogicality, these dupes forget that the United States, acting in her own self-interest, is also acting in the interest of us Europeans and in the interests of many other countries, threatened, or already subverted and ruined, by terrorism." -Jean-Francois Revel Gwynne Dyer from the Salt Lake Tribune doesn't deny that Nidal Hasan's faith played a role in his going postal jihadi: Let's see, now. A devout Muslim officer, born in the United States but of Palestinian ancestry, is scheduled to deploy to Afghanistan in the near future. He opens fire on his fellow...

November 16, 2009 Arnold Schwarzenegger visits Iraq - and aims to transfer military tactics to California Oliver August in Baghdad The governor of California trots out his most famous one-liner wherever he goes but, at the Victory military base in Baghdad today, he apparently meant it. “I’ll be back,” Arnold Schwarzenegger growled after working out with a group of American soldiers on active duty in Iraq, all with necks and trunks as thick as his. The muscleman who rose to Hollywood fame as The Terminator came to the site of America’s bloodiest war in a generation to cheer up troops,...

Vilified as a nuclear bomb-seeking threat to world peace before the 2003 invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein's regime, Iraq now wants access to civilian nuclear power for its economic and energy needs. Science and Technology Minister Raed Fahmi, in an interview with AFP, called for the international community to lift the Saddam-era UN resolutions which still stand in its path. "Our nuclear strategy is for civilian application of atomic energy and we believe we have the right and that certain obstacles contained in Resolution 707 should be lifted," he said. "We have a clear and transparent political strategy in close...

This is a summary of significant items concerning Iraqi Security Force (ISF) Developments reported in the September 2009 Quarterly Report to Congress: Measuring Stability and Security in Iraq released 13 November 2009. Author’s comments and analysis is in italics. This report’s data is dated 31 August 2009 and there are changes since then. This report is also the unclassified version and thus excludes Iraqi classified data. The budget issues and legislative delays continue to impact Iraqi Security Force development. Limited funds, the resulting hiring freeze and competition for resources exacerbated services cooperation. More recent developments than the information in this...

WASHINGTON, Nov. 16, 2009 – As the drawdown of U.S. forces in Iraq advances, efforts to build the nation’s police force have made great strides, the team leader of the police training and advisory mission said last week. “The traction that we’re getting is really impressive. It truly is a partnership,” Army Brig. Gen. Michael Smith said during a Nov. 13 “DoDLive” bloggers roundtable. Smith said Iraqi police agencies have impressed him with their growing abilities to recruit and train their own forces and run their own operations. He’s also noted a dissipation of ethnic tension at top levels. “The...