Free Republic

PARIS, Oct. 13 (Xinhuanet) -- A mysterious disease hit waterfowl in west Iran, leaving thousands of dead birds, the cause is still unknown, the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) said here on Thursday. "A high mortality has been observed among wild waterfowl in Poldasht (in West Azerbaijan province)" said the Paris-based organization on its website. It noted that there was no pathological agent identified nor particular lesion appeared at the autopsy and that weakness and death are only signs of this affection. The OIE said a total of 3,673 wild waterfowl had died since thephenomenon was found on Oct....

Ceremony 'Weighs Heavily' As Unit Colors Passed On By Pfc. Chris Jones, USASpecial to American Forces Press Service BABYLON, Iraq, Nov. 3, 2003 – In the arid, ancient Iraqi city of Babylon, soldiers of the 716th Military Police Battalion, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) watched Maj. Gen. David Petraeus, 101st commander, pass their unit's colors to a new commander here Nov. 2. Maj. Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), passes the 716th Military Police Battalion guide-on to Lt. Col. Ashton L. Hayes, signifying the battalion's change of command to Hayes Nov. 2 after the death...