Free Republic

Today was a great day on Long Island.Patriots from the Conservative Society for Action, Gathering of Eagles, Active and the 912 Group rallied in front of the offices of Senator Charles Schumer to counter the staged pro-nationalized healthcare rally planned by MoveOn.org and ACORN.The first moonbats arrived and almost immediately called the police because they hate free speech and any opposition to their agenda. One of their old biddies called me a racist for opposing health care for illegal immigrants. Unfortunately for them the first amendment is still enforced in this country and the police would not interfere with...

Hello freedom fighters, Attend the Fairfax County Board meeting on Monday, July 13th to have your voice heard! If we don’t want to live with Muslim intimidation then we have to go on the offensive, and let them know we mean business. It was nerve wracking before I spoke at the planning commission hearing in March because there were a lot of Muslims there making their presence known. But once I spoke I realized that there is power in standing up and saying, no, we will not let you get away with this. Listening to these people lie to get...

The news is not that American combat troops withdrew from Iraqi cities. The news is that American combat troops withdrew from Iraqi cities in victory — rather than in defeat. Two years ago at this time, few in the foreign-policy establishment considered that outcome possible. Some did not even see it as desirable. There were those who believed that the conflict in Iraq was “unwinnable,” that America had met its match on the hot and dusty streets of 21st-century Mesopotamia. Others thought Americans needed a Vietnam-like refresher course about the futility of the use of U.S. military force anywhere in...

KIRKUK — Since the withdrawal of U.S. combat forces from Iraqi cities, and in accordance with the Security Agreement, the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, has begun adding signs reading “Iraqi partnership provincial approved convoy. Thank you for your patience and support” to the sides of their vehicles. U.S. Forces serving in an advisory and assistance role continue to travel within the city to meet with their Iraqi counterparts or government officials. “These signs show that we are working with our partners and that we’re abiding by the Security Agreement,” explained Maj. Frazier Epperson, an Information Operations officer...

The Iraqi National Police take the lead and escort a U.S convoy through Baghdad, July 6. Photo by Capt. Tommy Avilucea. Multi-National Security Transition Command – Iraq. BAGHDAD — The Iraqi National Police (NP) and Multi-National Security Transition Command - Iraq (MNSTC-I) joined forces for convoy operations July 5 - 6, to comply with U.S./Iraq Security Agreement articles. The NP led a convoy through the streets of the Iraqi capital, supporting a U.S. Army mission to transport Americans to various locations. The well-coordinated movement took the convoy through city streets and on highways. The convoy aggressively moved through the traffic...

7/8/2009 AL ASAD AIR BASE, Iraq — After serving in Iraq for approximately three months, a detachment of Marines from Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 169 will soon join the remainder of their squadron serving in Afghanistan. “This is an amazing opportunity for every Marine within the squadron, because there aren’t a whole lot who get to serve in two operational theaters within one deployment,” said Maj. Gerry Kearney, detachment officer-in-charge for HMLA-169. More than half of the squadron is already in Afghanistan and the remaining Marines will be joining their counterparts. “We have been operating with about a third...

WASHINGTON, July 9, 2009 – A key measurement of success in Afghanistan will be the attitude of Afghans affected by U.S.-led operations, the military’s second-ranking military officer said today. Marine Corps Gen. James E. Cartwright, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the Senate Armed Services Committee that the counterinsurgency mission in Afghanistan elevates the civilian population as a main determinant of success or failure, much as it did in Iraq. “I believe personally that one of our key metrics for success will be over the next few months to see whether or not there is a shift...

WASHINGTON, July 9, 2009 – The military is sending thousands of mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicles to Afghanistan, even while a new version is being built, to protect troops against their biggest threat: improvised explosive devices. Because IEDs pose the biggest threat to troops in Afghanistan, the nation’s top military officer said yesterday, the military will keep the MRAPs flowing there until new versions built specifically for the Afghan terrain are ready for shipment. Navy Adm. Mike Mullen told a National Press Club audience that IEDs have become “more and more sophisticated over time.” Combined with increasingly sophisticated Taliban attacks, they pose...

WASHINGTON, July 9, 2009 – A detainee transfer and two base renaming ceremonies recently signified the changing role of U.S. forces in Iraq. Soldiers salute behind a tribute to Army Staff Sgt. Todd Olson during a base renaming ceremony in Samarra, Iraq, June 30, 2009. The base had been named in honor of Olson, who was killed in an attack in Samarra in 2006. It is now called Fond'k Abo Hera. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Jazz Burney   (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. Iraqi officials traveled to the Remembrance II theater internment facility on Camp Cropper in Baghdad...

WASHINGTON, July 9, 2009 – Iraqi forces, aided by coalition advisors, arrested suspected terrorists, including an insurgent cell leader, in operations in Iraq yesterday, military officials reported. Members of an Iraqi Emergency Response Brigade, along with coalition advisors, arrested a suspected key leader of an insurgent cell in Ladafiyah. The suspect is believed to be tied to terrorist activities against coalition and Iraqi security forces in the area. Elsewhere, the Iraqi National Police Justice Battalion, with coalition advisors, arrested a suspected terrorist in Salahuddin province. The suspect is believed to have emplaced roadside bombs and supplied terrorists in the province...

BAGHDAD, July 9, 2009 – A San Antonio-based Army Reserve unit is getting much praise for its road improvements around Baghdad. A bulldozer operator with the 277th Engineer Company completes the ripping process for the reshaping of a roadway on Victory Base Complex in Iraq, July 5, 2009. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. George Velez  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. The “Dirt Devils” of the 277th Engineer Company have wrapped up resurfacing and upgrades to the roadways north of Western Bypass Road connecting Camp Liberty and Camp Victory here. The Soldiers worked to keep the road serviceable so...

There is something in Danny Eaglesfield's pale blue eyes that wasn't there a week ago. He still looks ridiculously young. And, at only 5ft 4in in height, he seems barely tall enough to lift his rifle. But the wide-eyed youthfulness I saw when I first met him on the eve of battle last Friday has been replaced. A loss of innocence? Certainly. For Danny Eaglesfield has experienced a great tragedy this past week. His closest friend, Robbie Laws, was killed by a Taliban rocket as the pair of them travelled in the same vehicle, side by side to the last....

NANGAHAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan, July 9, 2009 – The eastern Afghanistan terrain is demanding, not only on soldiers, but also on their equipment. Keeping vehicles running is essential to mission success. Army Pfc. Jonathan M. Hall works on a mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicle at Forward Operating Base Fenty in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province, July 2, 2009. U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Elizabeth Raney   (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. That’s the job of Army Pfc. Jonathan M. Hall, a native of Elizabethtown, Ky., and a light-wheeled vehicle mechanic who serves with Task Force Mountain Warrior here with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 4th...

A new book published by Al Qaeda shows that the terrorist group is under intense pressure and in "deathly fear" of U.S. counterterrorism efforts in Pakistan, terror experts say. The 150-page book, titled "Guide to the Laws Regarding Muslim Spies," was recently posted on jihadist Web sites. It was written by a senior Al Qaeda commander, Abu Yahya Al-Libi, and features an introduction by Ayman Al-Zawahri, the No. 2 man in Al Qaeda. The book accuses some in Al Qaeda's ranks of being spies who provide intelligence, including information about Al Qaeda camps and safehouses, to U.S. forces. According to...

WASHINGTON, July 9, 2009 – The fifth Army Reserve soldier to earn the Silver Star since the terrorist attacks on the United States in 2001 spoke about his experience in a “DoDLive” bloggers roundtable July 6. Army Spc. David Hutchinson receives the Silver Star medal from Army Col. James Doty on the campus of Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, June 6, 2009. Hutchinson earned the award for valor during and following an ambush in Afghanistan on May 21, 2008. U.S. Army photo  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. Army Spc. David Hutchinson of the 420th Engineer Brigade discussed...

Minneapolis terrorism suspect Mohammed Abdullah Warsame was sentenced today to seven and a half years for conspiring to aid Al-Qaida, with credit for the years he has already spent in prison. In U.S. District Court in Minneapolis, Judge John Tunheim gave Warsame credit for his five-and-a-half years behind bars and gave him additional credit for "good time," because he has been kept in solitary confinement. That means he will probably be released and deported in about 10 months. Warsame, 35, served one of the longest pretrial detentions for a terrorism-related case since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. He pleaded...

After being closely followed by the U.S.S. John McCain, a vessel on its way to Burma believed to be carrying missile parts turned back to return to North Korea. The ties between the two dictatorships are worrisome, as Burma’s purchases help sustain the DPRK regime and their close military cooperation will make the Southeast Asian country the North Korea of its region. A secret Burmese government report has leaked out revealing that 17 officials visited North Korea from November 22-29, 2008, including the chief of staff of the armed forces. An agreement for close military cooperation was signed on November...

(Moderator note: comments for www.regimeofterror.com are now activated at the end of each post)During a series of email and telephone exchanges Matthew Degn relayed to www.regimeofterror.com his vast array of experiences working with intelligence issues relating to the current and former situation in Iraq. Among his responsibilities during his years in Iraq Degn worked as a civilian interrogator attached to the U.S. Army in Iraq before working as a Senior Policy/Intelligence Adviser to Deputy General Kamal and other top intelligence officials with the Iraq's Ministry of Interior. Degn, currently working on a book about his experiences in Iraq (personal website...

Sheikh Abdel Rahman al-Mukhtar Abu Zubair, Prince of the Young Mujahideen Movement in Somalia, called on government forces to lay down their arms and give up the government and surrender to the mujahideen within five days. Abu Zubair said that the leaders of the transitional government would be tried according to Islamic law for the crimes they have committed to bring the enemy to the country and the extermination of civilians.

Note: The following text is a quote: 09 July 2009 EGYPT ARRESTS TERRORIST CELL OF 25 MEMBERS CAIRO, July 9 (Xinhua) The Egyptian authorities have arrested a terrorist cell of 25 members, 24 Egyptians and one Palestinian, for plotting to carry out terrorist attacks in Suez Canal, Egyptian Interior Ministry said in statement issued on Thursday. According to the statement, the members of the cell who believe in Jihad (Holy War) were located in Cairo, Alexandria and Daqahlia governorates and communicated through internet with other terrorist groups outside Egypt. The cell's members, mostly engineers, were developing high-tech and electronic devices...

Azerbaijan media publish segments from hearing of 2 Lebanese, 4 locals accused of planning terror attack on Israeli embassy in capital city, Baku. According to indictment, suspects admit to being sent by Hezbollah, Iranian Revolutionary Guards, and al-Qaeda Ynet Published: 07.09.09, 00:20 / Israel News

Western anti-terror agencies have warned that a large group of 15-20 al Qaeda terrorists, trained in Pakistan and Algeria to hijack and blow up airliners, deployed secretly in at least six European and Middle East countries in early July. They are standing ready to carry out multiple terrorist attacks. The terrorists are believed to have landed in Britain, Germany, France, Italy, Turkey and Egypt. The dates to watch, local authorities were warned, were July 4, July 7, the fourth anniversary of the 7/7 attacks on the British transport system in which 52 people died, and July 8-9, when the G8...

The director of the Central Intelligence Agency, Leon E. Panetta, has told the House Intelligence Committee in closed-door testimony that the C.I.A. concealed “significant actions” from Congress from 2001 until late last month, seven Democratic committee members said.

Collaborators in the Pursuit of Freedom / The 1974 School Massacre – An Afterthought (2009) I ask myself: Has Israel learned nothing during its 61 years as a modern state? In my previous Postcard, I recalled the 1974 Maalot Massacre in which 105 children were taken hostage in a school. A soldier, three members of one family and 22 boys and girls were murdered on that day, 35 years ago. In front of my eyes, the black and white photos of the ninth, tenth and eleventh graders pass, 18 young women and four young men on a school trip, their...

The anniversary of the 18 Tir, the Iranian Students National Uprising, is once again upon us. The 18th of Tir (July 9th) has become a symbolic struggle and resistance against the tyrannical, totalitarian and barbaric Islamic regime in Iran. The very brave and courageous freedom loving Iranians have been challenging the very fabric of the Islamofascists in Iran. In a show of solidarity, both in Iran and abroad, Iranian people have demanded a total annihilation of this totalitarian state of Islamic barbarity and terror, which lacks even the most basic human compassion and human rights. The flowers of victory will...

BAGHDAD – More than 40 people died in bombings in Iraq on Thursday in the worst violence since U.S. combat troops withdrew from urban areas at the end of last month. Even though attacks are down sharply from past years of war, the carnage was a reminder that insurgents remain intent on destabilizing Iraq as the United States shifts its focus to the war in Afghanistan. Militants have been driven from many strongholds, but they routinely inflict casualties in Baghdad and northern Iraq, a cauldron of ethnic and sectarian tension.

In her book Que Pense Allah de l'Europe?, Iranian thinker and French writer Chahdortt Djavann presents first the views of the proponents of the veil. There are those Muslim women who say, "The veil represents my religion, my culture and my identity. It is a sign of modesty, of self-respect, of submission to God. It is a religious duty written in the Koran... [I wear it] out of my own free will..." She also presents the opinions of European intellectuals who defend the veil on the basis of "the right to be different" and "religious freedom," and who ask, for...

Egyptian authorities said they arrested 25 radical Islamic terrorists who were planning a terror attack at the Suez Canal. The chief of the crew is a member of Al-Qaida, security officials said, while the rest were Egyptian citizens. Most were technicians and engineers. Authorities say the group was planning to remotely set off explosives on ships plying the canal, using cell phones. They were also planning to damage or destroy oil pipelines running beneath the canal. The group had undergone intensive training in terrorist tactics and fighting, including learning how to build car bombs.

The city's willingness to cooperate with such people constitutes a betrayal of the local Muslim community. Last weekend marked a milestone in the history of interfaith relations in Boston (as noted in Michael Felsen's 'Walls and Bridges' - in Monday's Jerusalem Post). On Friday, local Muslims, public officials, and interfaith leaders celebrated the opening of the Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center in Roxbury - a religious complex paid for largely by the Saudis and run by what federal authorities describe as the overt arm of the Muslim Brotherhood. Some milestone! The city has helped the Wahhabi clerical establishment -...

Our Fallen Airman and Fallen Soldier Return HomeLFCA MA 09-13 - July 8, 2009OTTAWA – Our fallen airman, Master Corporal Pat Audet from 430 Escadron tactique d’hélicoptères, based at Canadians Forces Base Valcartier and our fallen soldier, Corporal Martin Joannette from the 3e Bataillon, Royal 22e Régiment based at Canadian Forces Base Valcartier, near Quebec City, return home to Canada tomorrow. Where: 8 Wing, Canadian Forces Base Trenton, Ontario. When: Thursday, July 9, 2009 at 2:00 p.m. What: At the request of the families, media will be permitted on the tarmac. Present to pay their respects will be the Minister...

LOOKS like we may have a new upstart in the shadowy world of cyber-warfare: North Korea. Yes, that's right, fingers are pointing at North Korea as the perp in a spate of cyber-strikes against both South Korean and American government targets, beginning around July 4. The more than 25 targets in the cyber-crosshairs reportedly included the White House, Pentagon, State Department and US Treasury. Similar targets were struck in South Korea. It may seem unbelievable that Pyongyang could be behind these attacks; most such sallies originate in China or Russia these days. But more than 100 nations are involved in...

LAST week, 4,000 US Marines launched a major operation in Helmand, the poppy- queen province in southern Afghanistan. The Marines performed magnificently, reaching their objectives with minimal casualties -- mostly from the 110-degree heat. But something important was missing: Afghans in uniform. A few hundred Afghan players showed up in the backfield. But the village elders saw American guns. The Marine mission is to provide security for villagers, build trust and instill confidence in the Kabul government. This would all be far easier if the Afghan military and police were competent, trustworthy and present. After 8½ years in Afghanistan and...

It will be the largest-ever resettlement of Palestinian refugees into the US - and welcome news to the Palestinians who fled to Iraq after 1948, but who have had a tough time since Hussein was ousted in 2003. Targeted by Iraqi Shi'ites, the Palestinians, mostly Sunni Muslims, have spent recent years in one of the region's roughest refugee camps, Al Waleed, near Iraq's border with Syria in the west.

July 09, 2009Why I'm Thankful for George W. BushBy Ken Russell On October 23, 1983 the Marine Corps Battalion Landing Team (BLT) building located at the Beirut International Airport was blown up.  Two hundred twenty Marines, 18 Sailors and 3 Soldiers were killed in a split second by a suicide bomber.  I wasn't there at the time.  I was participating in Operation Urgent Fury in Grenada.  I was a squadron CH-46E helicopter co-pilot in Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 261 (HMM-261) and also the squadron classified materials officer.  Being the one who set up the squadron classified messages, I read about...

This brave woman wrote this about the role of military in today'sa Russia http://obozrevatel.com/news/2008/8/26/255012.htm It is in Russian but i strongly suggest that you read it with the help of http://translate.google.com/translate_t# She explains that Russia basically ruled by GRU of General Staff which is highest military intelligence body in Russia. It is The most disturbing news coming from a very high level expert in russian military affairs. And she was badly punished for that. In my opinion it is a pure miracle that she is still alive. ------------------------------------------- This is what heppened to her. ------------------------------------------- I have been released after...

This is Cynthia McKinney and I'm speaking from an Israeli prison cellblock in Ramle. [I am one of] the Free Gaza 21, human rights activists currently imprisoned for trying to take medical supplies to Gaza, building supplies - and even crayons for children, I had a suitcase full of crayons for children. While we were on our way to Gaza the Israelis threatened to fire on our boat, but we did not turn around. The Israelis high-jacked and arrested us because we wanted to give crayons to the children in Gaza. We have been detained, and we want the people...

SNIPPET: "Aleem N. is then accused of then having transported the equipment and money to al-Qaida contacts in the Afghanistan-Pakistan border region. Sermet I. visited Aleem N. many times at his apartment in the town of Germersheim in western Germany, prosecutors said. The German of Pakistani heritage, who has been identified by his family as Aleem Nasir, went on trial in December in Koblenz, also charged with membership in Al Qaeda. A verdict is expected next Monday. In another linked case, prosecutors in March charged 31-year-old Omer O. with membership in Al Qaeda on allegations he was collecting money and...

In his invaluable new book, Winning the Long War, Ilan Berman -- a vice-president at the American Foreign Policy Council and editor of the Journal of International Security Affairs (and frequent contributor to this site)-- argues the War on Terror has veered far astray since 2001, failing to "keep pace with al-Qaeda's metamorphosis from a terrorist group into a global ideological movement, or to take advantage of its latent operational, economic, and political vulnerabilities." Yet the tome is hardly a paean to pessimism or defeatism. Equal parts historical primer, cogent analysis, and canny, outside-the-box rumination, Winning the Long War elucidates...

EVIL al-Qaeda chiefs are raping young male converts to shame them into becoming suicide bombers, it emerged yesterday.

Remains of Seven U.S. Troops Killed in Afghanistan Returned Home By Air Force Tech. Sgt. Benjamin J. Matwey Special to American Forces Press Service DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del., July 8, 2009 - The remains of seven American troops killed July 6 during combat operations in Afghanistan returned to their nation during a dignified transfer this afternoon at Dover Air Force Base, Del. Today's dignified returns were of the following seven servicemembers: U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Tony M. Randolph, of Henryetta, Okla., assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit Eight, Sigonella, Italy. U.S. Army Capt. Mark A. Garner,...

Hundreds of Tucson airmen are headed to Afghanistan to help shore up the U.S. military's renewed focus on the region. About 300 pilots, aircraft mechanics and support personnel from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base are due to leave by week's end for a six-month tour overseas. A squadron of D-M's A-10 Thunderbolt II attack jets will lead the way, departing first. The jets will be followed a day or two later by remaining personnel from D-M's 354th "Bulldogs" Fighter Squadron and the 355th Maintenance Group. The units, both part of the base's 355th Fighter Wing, operate and maintain the A-10. The...

BAGHDAD — The historic Ibn Sina Hospital will return to Iraqi Government control this fall. In accordance with the Iraq Security Agreement, U.S. forces are scheduled to return the facility to the Iraqis, October 1. Currently operated by the U.S. Army’s 10th Combat Support Hospital (CSH), the staff will continue to provide quality healthcare for all patients throughout the next two months of transition. Col. Raphael De Jesus, 10th CSH Commander, wants to reassure servicemembers and civilians that they need not worry about care. "The mission of the 10th CSH is sustaining,” says De Jesus. “Our ability to provide excellent...

Lt. Col. Michael Fadden, the 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment commander, speaks with civilians hired to assist with the renovations of one of the water stations his civil affairs unit just finished renovating. Photo by Pfc. Jared Sollars, 145th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment. MOSUL — In the rural areas outside this city, U.S. Soldiers are helping local villagers obtain running water by repairing and building water pumping stations in eight different locations of the Qayyarah Sub-District in Ninewa province. Four of the water stations were completed June 27, which included a ribbon cutting ceremony at each of those stations.Lt. Col....

Members of Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity teach first aid to Iraqi Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts during a recent partnership session. Photo by Lt. Col. Pat Simon, 225th Engineer Brigade. BAGHDAD — "From what we get, we can make a living; what we give, however, makes a life." That quote from former tennis great Arthur Ashe is not just a famous saying, it's a way of life for a unique group of Soldiers deployed here.They are members of the college fraternity Kappa Alpha Psi, who meet every week at the Pegasus dining facility on Camp Liberty. They are fraternity "brothers...

WASHINGTON, July 8, 2009 – While devoting much of his National Press Club address today to efforts under way in Afghanistan, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff was quizzed on a broad range of other defense issues ranging from the war in Iraq to the defense budget to possible revisions to the military ban on homosexuals. Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, addresses the audience at a National Press Club luncheon in Washington, D.C., July 8, 2009. Mullen discussed a multitude of subjects including the ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the fiscal...

WASHINGTON, July 8, 2009 – Combat operations some 4,000 Marines began last week in southern Afghanistan and an influx of additional forces represent a big step toward carrying out a more comprehensive U.S. strategy there, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff says. Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, addresses a National Press Club luncheon in Washington, D.C., July 8, 2009. Mullen discussed and took questions from the audience on a multitude of subjects including the ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the fiscal year 2010 budget request and ongoing care for wounded warriors...

WASHINGTON, July 8, 2009 – U.S. forces strengthened relationships with their Iraqi counterparts in recent days as they worked to help a city in need and to improve health care and quality of life throughout Iraq. U.S. forces are providing humanitarian aid to the residents of an Iraqi city recovering after a devastating truck bomb attack in June. Representatives from the 1st Cavalry Division’s 2nd Brigade Combat Team and the Kirkuk provincial reconstruction team traveled to Taza, south of Kirkuk, on June 27 to assist in the recovery. Forces assessed the security situation, delivered much-needed water and inspected a tent...

WASHINGTON, July 8, 2009 – The United States continues to face severe security and governance challenges in Afghanistan this year, but U.S. efforts remain fixed on defeating extremism and boosting the Afghan government. That’s the conclusion drawn in the latest Pentagon assessment of U.S. achievements and setbacks in Afghanistan. Congress requires the so-called “1230 Report” every 180 days. The report released today covers the first half of 2009, a period during which President Barack Obama’s administration assessed the multinational effort in Afghanistan, unveiling a new strategy in late March. The strategy has yielded the appointment of a new top U.S....

WASHINGTON, July 8, 2009 – Afghan and coalition forces detained suspected militants and destroyed homemade bombs in operations in Afghanistan today and yesterday, military officials reported. In Ghazni province, Afghan and coalition forces detained suspected militants last night during operations aimed at disrupting Haqqani terrorist activities, including attacks on coalition bases by a key Haqqani commander, assassination attempts of Afghan government officials and the flow of foreign fighters and weapons into the region. The forces assaulted three compounds south of Ghazni city. In one of the compounds, the forces engaged a suspected militant who did not comply with instructions to...

WASHINGTON, July 8, 2009 – The commander of a U.S. Marine brigade in southern Afghanistan is cautiously optimistic at progress made in the first week of an offensive there, but says more Afghan forces are needed.“We're still very early into this operation. … [I’m] very cautiously optimistic that things have gone well,” Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Lawrence Nicholson, commander of the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, said in a conference call from Marine Camp Leatherneck in Helmand province with reporters at the Pentagon. Some 4,000 Marines and 650 Afghan security forces launched the ongoing Operation Khanjar, which translates to Strike of...