U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. John Bolton delivers a report about conditions in Iraq during a meeting of the Security Council at the United Nations in New York September 14, 2006. (REUTERS/Chip East)
Posted on 09/14/2006 3:46:49 PM PDT by Gucho
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Updated: 11:51 PM - Sep 13, 2006
Austin, Texas (AP) -- A family spokeswoman says former Texas governor Ann Richards has died.
She was 73.
The spokeswoman says Richards died at home surrounded by her family. Richards was found to have cancer of the esophagus in March and underwent chemotherapy treatments.
The silver-haired, silver-tongued Richards said she entered politics to help others -- especially women and minorities who were often ignored by Texas' male-dominated establishment.
She grabbed the national spotlight with her keynote address at the 1988 democratic national convention when she was Texas state treasurer. Richards sealed her partisan reputation with a blast at then-vice president George H.W. Bush. Said Richards: "Poor George, he can't help it. He was born with a silver foot in his mouth."
Richards rose to the governorship with a come-from-behind victory over Clayton Williams in 1990.
She was governor for one term, losing her re-election bid to republican George W. Bush.
Associated Press
Three Soldiers Die in Iraq; Previous Casualty Identified
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Sept. 14, 2006 – Two Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers were killed today in Iraq, and another soldier died yesterday. Also, the Defense Department released the name of a previous casualty from the war on terror, U.S. military officials reported.
One of the soldiers killed today died when his vehicle was struck by a roadside bomb south of Baghdad, and the other died from wounds received when his unit was attacked by small-arms fire southeast of Baghdad, officials said.
A soldier attached to the 25th Combat Aviation Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, was wounded by enemy fire yesterday near Mosul. The soldier was transported to a military hospital, where he later died of wounds.
The names of the soldiers are being withheld pending notification of next of kin.
Also, the Defense Department released the name of a soldier previously killed supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael T. Fuga, 47, of Nuuli, American Samoa, died Sept. 9 in Kandahar, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered when he encountered enemy forces using small-arms fire. Fuga was assigned to the Army National Guard’s 35th Special Troops Battalion, Kansas City, Mo.
(Compiled from Defense Department and Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)
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Key Terror Leader Captured in Iraq; Security Focus in Baghdad Expands
By Donna Miles - American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Sept. 14, 2006 – Iraqi and coalition forces captured a key al Qaeda operative and some 70 more terror suspects in Iraq during a series of 25 raids in and around Baghdad Sept. 12, a senior Multinational Force Iraq spokesman told reporters in Baghdad today.
The raids netted a personal associate of Abu Ayyoub al-Masri, Army Maj. Gen. William Caldwell said. Masri took control of al Qaeda in Iraq after a U.S.-led air strike killed Abu Musab al-Zarqawi in early June.
While not revealing the detainee’s name, Caldwell called him “the leader of assassination, kidnapping and IED (improvised explosive device) cells in Baghdad.” He “is known to have directly participated in numerous terrorist acts” and to have contributed to sectarian violence throughout the city, Caldwell said.
In addition, the detainee played a key operational role in terrorist activities leading up to and during operations in Fallujah in November 2004, he said.
The Sept. 12 raids, which also netted dozens of other terror suspects and multiple weapons caches, is part of an ongoing effort to help secure Baghdad during Operation Together Forward, Caldwell told reporters.
Iraqi and coalition forces have been focusing on five specific neighborhoods that were experiencing the most sectarian violence. During the past two weeks, more than 150 focused operations resulted in 66 terrorists killed and 830 terror suspects detained, Caldwell said.
The focus expanded today into the Shaab and Ur neighborhoods, he said.
This approach appears to be working in the focus areas, where violence is down, Caldwell said.
However, he acknowledged that violence in other parts of Baghdad experienced a “spike” yesterday and noted that terrorist death squads “are clearly targeting civilians outside the focus areas.”
“Overall, Baghdad’s level of sectarian violence has been reduced,” he said, “but remains above the levels of violence we saw before the Golden Mosque bombing in Samarra in late February.”
Iraqi and coalition forces are working together to help bring these levels down, particularly with Ramadan just 10 days away. “As we approach Ramadan, we know there is generally an increase in violence, and the government of Iraq has ongoing plans to address this,” Caldwell said.
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/NewsArticle.aspx?ID=861
By Joseph Giordono and Monte Morin - Stars and Stripes Mideast edition
Friday, September 15, 2006
The Germany-based commander of U.S. forces in Ramadi, the war-torn capital of Anbar province, has added to the military’s criticism of a Washington Post article that characterized a classified Marine intelligence report as saying the province was “lost politically” and in danger of being lost militarily.
Col. Sean MacFarland, who leads the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division in Ramadi, said in an e-mail response to Stars and Stripes that the initial news story “failed to put the report in its proper context, which was to inform commanders, like myself, of possible threats to our operations.”
“As such, it naturally focused on the bad or potentially bad aspects of Anbar.”
More importantly, MacFarland wrote, the story “fails to understand that senior commanders must choose their fight, where to be strong and where to accept risk.
“Clearly, Baghdad is the most important place in Iraq. Ramadi is only important to the extent that it influences events in Baghdad,” he wrote.
MacFarland characterized the daily fighting in Ramadi as a “supporting effort” and that troops there are “making steady progress against a determined enemy in Anbar.”
The secret report by Marine Col. Pete Devlin, a top intelligence official in Anbar, has not been released but was described in the Post article, which appeared in the Sept. 12 edition of Stripes, as being an unusually negative and grim report on the security and political situation in western Iraq.
After news stories appeared about the report, Marine Maj. Gen. Richard Zilmer, who commands some 20,000 U.S. troops in Anbar, said in a telephone interview with the Pentagon press corps that he largely agreed with the intelligence report, but declined to go into its specific findings.
But Zilmer also said he had enough troops and was succeeding at his core mission: training Iraqi troops.
“For what we are trying to achieve out here I think our force levels are about right,” Zilmer said, according to a transcript. “Now, if that mission statement changes — if there is seen a larger role for coalition forces out here to win that insurgency fight — then that is going to change the metrics of what we need out here,” he said.
Bump! Thanks for the post, Cecily.
Stars and Stripes - European edition
Thursday, September 14, 2006
KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany — Air Force Maj. Jill Metzger issued a public statement Wednesday, marking the first time she has been directly quoted since reportedly being kidnapped and escaping her captors last week in Kyrgyzstan.
“Right now I’m trying to focus on healing myself mentally and physically,” said Metzger in a U.S. Air Forces in Europe news release. “I’m healthy and recovering, and looking very forward to heading back to the states to see my family. I appreciate everyone’s understanding in respecting my privacy while I rest and try to get through this.”
Metzger is still undergoing the debriefing process at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center where she is listed in “good” condition, according to the release.
“We will continue to care for Maj. Metzger for as long as the debriefing process takes,” said Col. John Collins, Landstuhl chief of staff, in the news release. “She has been through a lot, and we hope she will be able to fly back to the states in the next day or so.”
Metzger on her way back to States
Stars and Stripes - European edition
Friday, September 15, 2006
Air Force Maj. Jill Metzger, who went missing for three days in Kyrgyzstan after reportedly being kidnapped, is on her way home after spending four days in Germany receiving medical tests and evaluations.
The Air Force took Metzger from Landstuhl Regional Medical Center to Ramstein Air Base, where she boarded a U.S.-bound military cargo plane on Thursday afternoon, said Maj. Krista Carlos, a spokeswoman for U.S. Air Forces in Europe. Her final destination is her home station at Moody Air Force Base, Ga., where she will meet her husband.
She has not talked to the media since she reported being kidnapped while on a shopping trip to the capital of Bishkek.
“While she was at [Landstuhl Regional Medical Center], her focus was to heal and recover and [she] really asked that everybody let her do that,” Carlos said on Thursday.
She reportedly told investigators that someone stuffed an object in her jeans and told her it was a bomb before she was kidnapped on Sept. 5. Police in Kyrgyzstan have told reporters in recent media reports that Metzger’s quick departure from the country hampered their investigation. They also reportedly said Metzger gave confusing accounts of her ordeal, leading to speculation over what happened.
http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=40059
By Anita Powell - Stars and Stripes Mideast edition
Friday, September 15, 2006
BAGHDAD — The effort to clean up sectarian violence in Baghdad entered another phase Thursday as soldiers from the Fort Wainwright, Alaska-based 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team began to clear the poor, ethnically mixed areas of northwest Baghdad.
Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment conducted a daylong search mission in Shab, a poor, mostly Shiite neighborhood that abuts Sadr City, the infamous slum that is home to more than 3 million of the country’s most restive Shiite population.
The battalion initially entered Sadr City on Sunday in an attempt to gauge sentiment in the area; after a day of being barraged with rocks and nasty comments, the battalion has not returned to the neighborhood.
In Shab, operations went smoothly on the first day, with scattered incidences of rock-throwing and gunfire. One soldier was shot but was able to return to duty. Soldiers fanned out into the scrubby area and entered homes, talked to residents and confiscated the odd illegal weapon.
One group found a few dozen old artillery rounds in a stagnant lagoon; the cache was later destroyed by a Navy ordnance disposal team.
The operation, which has been called “Together Forward” to reflect its joint Iraqi-American nature, was mainly American troops on Thursday in Shab. A platoon-sized element of Iraqi National Police accompanied the battalion and directed traffic. A squad of the Iraqi force broke off and searched houses.
Whether the operation has actually curbed violence in the capital is a subject of controversy. Earlier this month, American military officials touted their success, citing a dramatic drop in violence.
However, the Iraqi Health Ministry later released figures that showed that the operation has left the number of sectarian killings virtually unchanged from July to August, according to a report by the Associated Press.
For one platoon, the day’s travails gave a whole new meaning to the term “junkyard wars.” For hours, soldiers sifted through an immense scrapyard full of piles of twisted metal, automotive skeletons, and enough metal pipes to launch the mother of all battles.
The soldiers, members of 1st Platoon, Company B, also searched several shanties and squatters’ homes, turning up little more than mellifluous encouragement from residents.
“I like when the Americans stand with us,” said 67-year-old Jaodat Salman Saleh, his eyes glossed over with blindness, his hands shaking with uncontrollable tremors. “If the Americans leave, we will not be safe.”
On the ride back to Camp Taji in the sizzling early afternoon, some soldiers were clearly discouraged by the lack of tangible results.
“I didn’t find nothing today,” said Spc. Benjamin George, 24, of College Park, Ga. “Except for some rocks and dirt.”
Spc. James Logie, 22, of Grand Rapids, Mich., said in most homes the take has “mostly been one additional gun and extra magazines.”
But for platoon leader 2nd Lt. Mike Gold, the psychological impact of the operation is as important as any pile of weapons.
“We’ll go anywhere, we’ll walk through anything, there’s nowhere we will allow insurgents to have a safe haven,” he said.
By Lisa Burgess - Stars and Stripes Mideast edition
Friday, September 15, 2006
ARLINGTON, Va. — The war in Afghanistan has had one positive effect for NATO, according to the alliance’s deputy chief of transformation, U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. James Soligan: It has given members “a sense of urgency” and fostered changes in equipment and interoperability that otherwise might have taken years to institute.
“I think there is a sense of urgency. I think there is a sense of commitment to provide the operational commanders [in Afghanistan] with the capabilities they need that help streamline both decision processes, funding and implementation,” he said.
That urgency “is good for NATO,” Soligan said. “It’s accelerating the deliveries of some [new] capabilities, based on operational needs.”
One example of an accelerated program is Friendly Force Tracker Afghanistan, a tactical command and control system that allows NATO forces to talk to each other, Soligan said.
“A capability that was not part of the dialogue two years ago” has now been funded by NATO and will be in theater by November or December, Soligan said.
The alliance is also funding counter-improvised explosive device improvements, as well as “hoping to guide national investments in those areas,” Soligan said, “again, driven by the operation requirement on a much shorter time line than the normal process that would likely have taken place if, in fact, Afghanistan was not happening.”
Another example is NATO’s discussions about unmanned aerial vehicle capabilities, he said.
“I believe, ultimately, the [UAV] implementation capability will be much quicker,” because it is being “forced by the operational requirements” of NATO’s Afghanistan mission, instead of being “just a theory or a discussion going through a normal process,” Soligan said.
Soligan was among the participants in the first annual NATO chiefs of transformation conference, which was held in Norfolk, Va., from Sept. 11-13 at the headquarters of the alliance’s Supreme Allied Commander for Transformation, U.S. Air Force Gen. Lance Smith.
For troops who are in Iraq or Afghanistan today, NATO transformation meetings like the one that Soligan and other participants just attended are more than just a lot of people sitting around and showing each other PowerPoint slides, he said.
“For folks are deployed, [looking at all the coalition] capabilities that are brought into theater [that are not as] effective at working together as we would like, the real goal is to talk about how we can make those capabilities more effective in supporting their operations today, and establishing those standards they need to be effective for the future,” Soligan said.
By Lance Cpl. Ray Lewis - 1st Marine Division
CAMP HABBANIYAH, Iraq (Sept. 5, 2006) -- It doesn’t matter if insurgents want to hide high or low. Marines assigned to L Company, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment are still searching everywhere
The company recently conducted an insurgent search east of Fallujah Sept. 5. 2nd Lt. Jonathan E. McConnell, a platoon commander for L Company, said his Marines went inside every home, every store and livestock pen looking for evidence of insurgent activity.
“I can’t say any house was left unturned,” said McConnell, a 24-year-old from Mobile, Ala.
The “Betio Bastards” of 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment are serving in Iraq with Regimental Combat Team 5.
McConnell led his men onto lush brush and tarred rooftops looking for insurgents, improvised explosive device-makers and illegal weapons.
Marines made sure Iraqis knew why they are in their village.
“We just want to let them know that we’re looking for the bad guys,” said Cpl. Zachary P. Schlarb, a team leader with L Company who is on his third deployment.
The 21-year-old rifleman from Reading, Pa., and his team are taking necessary precautions to prevent his Marines from getting hurt in the future.
The searches aren’t only for the Marines safety. They’re also helping Iraqi civilians.
“IEDs are killing most of them,” said Cpl. Joshua W. Simonson, a squad leader for L Company who is also serving his third tour in Iraq. “Once we get rid of these IEDs, we’ll be able to open up the main road so it will be easier for the Iraqis to get around.”
Although Iraqis go through daily struggles, they told Marines during the operation they understood Marines have a goal to accomplish. In fact, Iraqis welcomed the Marines in to their homes for hot tea and freshly baked flatbread.
Marines saw the invitations and welcoming attitudes as a good sign. Local Iraqis are seeing Marines keep the pressure on insurgents and that’s translating into safer communities for citizens in the area.
This was a big development for Marines. Many Iraqis were once afraid to talk to Americans because of insurgents who terrorized the area. Now Iraqis are letting Marines get closer to their community to help hunt down the insurgents.
“It’s good that they’re cooperating,” Schlarb said.
Marines wrapped up the operation with several detainees, IED-making materials and valuable knowledge of insurgent activity in the local area.
“It went well,” McConnell said. “My Marines got the job done quickly. There’s not as nearly as many IEDs as there used to be.”
The insurgent activity has calmed down some because McConnell’s Marines have kept up with constant patrols through the area.
McConnell couldn’t be more pleased with his Marines’ results.
“They did a thorough job of gathering intelligence sources and everybody got home safe,” McConnell said. “You can’t ask for more than that.”
Lance Cpl. Josh D. Noble, a 23-year-old rifleman, greets an Iraqi toddler east of Fallujah, Iraq Sept. 5. Noble and other Marines of L Company, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment were looking for insurgents and intelligence when they stopped at the house. Noble is from Bradford, N.H., and is currently serving a seven-month deployment in the Habbaniyah area under Regimental Combat Team 5. (Photo by: Lance Cpl. Ray Lewis)
Lance Cpl. Scott A. Spivey, a 22-year-old team leader, patrols past an old truck east of Fallujah, Iraq Sept. 5. Spivey and other Marines of L Company, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, were looking for insurgents and intelligence. Spivey is a rifleman from St. Augustine, Fla., and is currently serving a seven-month deployment in the Habbaniyah area under Regimental Combat Team 5. (Photo by: Lance Cpl. Ray Lewis)
Lance Cpl. Alan M. Grizzle, a 21-year-old rifleman, patrols through an area east of Fallujah, Iraq Sept. 5. Grizzle and other Marines of L Company, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment were looking for insurgents and intelligence. Grizzle is from Newport Richey, Fla., and is currently serving a seven-month deployment in the Habbaniyah area under Regimental Combat Team 5. (Photo by: Lance Cpl. Ray Lewis)
By Lance Cpl. Cindy G. Alejandrez - Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni
ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE BASE TINDAL, Australia (09/14/2006) -- Marines from Marine Aerial Refeuler Transport Squadron 152 and Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 212 participated in a refueling exercise over the Australian skies, Sept. 14.
During this exercise, one of VMGR-152’s KC-130 Hercules delivered approximately 11,000 pounds of fuel to four VMFA-212 F/A-18C Hornets.
Providing aerial refueling is VMGR-152’s primary mission and one they train for regularly. The continuous training is what allows them to work efficiently in the sky, explained 1st Lt. Michael A. Scott, VMGR-152 pilot.
“To make it run smoothly we just practice. We train and we do it every week back home (in Okinawa, Japan),” said Scott, who is native of Clawson, Mich. “(Aerial refueling) is our staple mission for the Marine Corps, that’s our bread and butter.”
Aerial refueling during Exercise Southern Frontier has been no problem for the VMGR-152 Sumos because of their prior preparation.
“Today was a smooth evolution. With only four receivers it was pretty relaxed up there. It can get busy at times,” said Scott. “As long as we have good crew coordination and as long as everyone stays in the game it’s pretty simple.”
The role of crewmen is important because they ensure things are working properly both inside and outside of the KC-130.
“During the flight we’re pretty much the eyes of the pilots,” explained Lance Cpl. Justin G. Winter, VMGR-152 KC-130 flight mechanic and native of Morgantown, W.Va. "We have to make sure we see where the jets are coming from and make sure when they connect we let the guys up front know."
Making sure there are no problems with the fuel before take-off is also part of the aircrew’s job, explained Cpl. Brandon J. Dube, VMGR-152 navigator and native of Vassalboro, Maine.
“We take a look at the fuel off-load, what the jets are going to need, and figure out how much gas were going to burn while we’re out there,” said Dube. All the planning is to “see if we have enough fuel to conduct the mission and get back safely.”
The work beforehand leads not only to a good flight, but makes a routine exercise “smooth.”
“It’s nice. You get a couple of F/A-18’s that pull up right next to you. They’re only about, I’d say, 50 feet away,” said Scott.
A VMFA-212 F/A-18C Hornet flies next to a VMGR-152 KC-130 during an aerial refueling mission, Sept. 14, part of Exercise Southern Frontier. (Photo by: Sgt. David J. Hercher)
A drogue from a VMGR-152 KC-130 connects to a VMFA-212 F/A-18 providing fuel in mid-flight, Sept. 14. Aerial refueling is VMGR-152’s primary mission. (Photo by: Sgt. David J. Hercher)
Health Alert: Contaminated bagged spinach kills one person
9/14/2006
Washington (AP) — Federal health officials are warning people not to eat bagged fresh spinach.
The officials say an outbreak of E. coli in eight states has left at least one person dead and 50 others sick.
The death occurred in Wisconsin. The cases of people getting sick were reported in Connecticut, Idaho, Indiana, Michigan, New Mexico, Oregon and Utah.
FDA officials say they do not know the source of the outbreak, other than it appears to be linked to bagged spinach. One official says, "We're advising people not to eat it."
http://www.tampabays10.com/news/local/article.aspx?storyid=39574
Associated Press
BUMP !!!!
Thank you, Deetes.
By U.S. Department of Defense, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs)
Sep 14, 2006
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Peter Pace, U. S. Marine Corps, will host the Pentagon ceremony for National POW/MIA Recognition Day at the Mall Entrance Parade Field on Friday, Sept. 15, 2006, at 11 a.m. EDT. Rep. Rob Simmons, chairman of the Homeland Security Intelligence, Information Sharing, and Terrorism Risk Assessment Subcommittee, will be the guest speaker.
The president is expected to issue a proclamation commemorating Friday's observances and reminding the nation of those Americans who have sacrificed so much for their country.
Observances of National POW/MIA Recognition Day are held across the country on military installations, ships at sea, state capitols, schools and veterans' facilities.
This observance is one of six days throughout the year that Congress has mandated the flying of the POW/MIA flag. The others are Armed Forces Day, Memorial Day, Flag Day, Independence Day and Veterans Day. The flag is to be flown at major military installations, national cemeteries, all post offices, VA medical facilities, the Korean War Veterans Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the official offices of the secretaries of state, defense and veterans affairs, the director of the selective service system and the White House.
Friday's Pentagon ceremony will feature troops from each of the military services.
Members of the media without a Pentagon building pass will be picked up at the North Parking Entrance only. Plan to arrive no later than 30 minutes prior to the event; have proof of affiliation and two forms of photo identification. Media interested in coverage of this event may contact Terry Mitchell at (703) 695-0169.
Click National POW/MIA Recognition Day, 2006
In the event of inclement weather, the event will be canceled.
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Sept. 15, 2006 – A suicide car bomber killed two Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers and wounded 30 others around 2:50 p.m. yesterday west of Baghdad, Multinational Corps Iraq officials said.
Army Lt. Gen. Peter W. Chiarelli, commander of Multinational Corps Iraq, announced in a briefing to Pentagon reporters today that one soldier is missing following that attack, but he gave no further details. Command officials said the soldier is officially listed as “duty status whereabouts unknown.”
The explosion caused debris to be scattered into a concentrated troop area. The wounded soldiers were evacuated by helicopter to a military hospital. Of those injured, one was listed as very seriously injured, one seriously injured, 17 not seriously injured, and eleven were returned to duty, officials said.
In a separate incident later yesterday, a Multinational Division Baghdad soldier was killed around 9 p.m. when an improvised-explosive device exploded near his dismounted patrol northwest of Baghdad.
Elsewhere, one Marine assigned to Regimental Combat Team 7 died today from enemy action in Anbar province.
Officials identified two soldiers who died supporting the global war on terror.
Army Capt. Matthew C. Mattingly, 30, of Reynoldsburg, Ohio, died Sept. 13 in Mosul, Iraq, when he encountered enemy forces using small-arms fire during combat operations. Mattingly was assigned to 1st Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.
Army Sgt. Jeremy E. DePottey, 26, of Ironwood, Mich., died Sept. 11 in Asadabad, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered in a single-vehicle accident. DePottey was assigned to 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.
(Compiled from Multinational Corps Iraq and Defense Department news releases.)
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