Thursday, April 30, 2009

Afghanistan: On Ground Updates

Afghan, Coalition Forces Kill More Than 40 Insurgents
Thursday, April 29, 2009
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Afghan and coalition forces today killed an estimated 42 insurgents during operations in Oruzgan, Helmand and Lowgar provinces. In Oruzgan province, Afghan National Police and Coalition forces were conducting a routine combat reconnaissance patrol in Langar, Tarin Kowt District, when they were attacked by several militants with small-arms and rocket-propelled grenade fire, from multiple sides.
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After positively identifying the enemies' positions, the Afghan-led force responded to the enemy attack with small-arms and heavy weapons fire. The militants repositioned and continued their attack on the convoy. Afghan and Coalition Forces returned fire and called for close-air support, killing 23 militants.
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In Helmand province, Afghan commandos of the 205th Corps, Afghan National Army and Coalition Forces were conducting a cordon and search in the Lashkargah District when they positively identified armed militants preparing an attack from inside a wooded area.
The Afghan-led force engaged the militants with small-arms and heavy weapons fire, killing four militants.

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After a search of the area, Afghan and Coalition Forces discovered 220 pounds of opium, 2,400 kilograms of ammonium nitrate commonly used by militants to produce explosives, and numerous pressure plates. Several improvised explosive devices were also discovered in the area and destroyed.
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Militants re-engaged the combined force with small-arms and heavy weapons fire. ANSF and Coalition Forces pursued the enemy and returned fire, killing another five militants. Operations are still ongoing.
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No Afghan, coalition or civilian casualties have been reported from either operation.
In Lowgar province, Afghan-coalition force targeted a village located about 80 kilometers southwest of Kabul in the Baraki Barak district. Intelligence sources indicated Taliban operatives were in the area.

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En route to the village, Afghan and coalition troops encountered and killed two insurgents armed with rocket-propelled grenades, AK-47 rifles and grenades.
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Shortly afterward, a small group of heavily armed insurgents attacked the Afghan-coalition force as it approached the village. An estimated eight insurgents were killed during the brief battle. Afghan and coalition forces sustained no injuries.
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Upon search of the compounds in the village, Afghan and coalition troops detained two suspected Taliban insurgents. Enemy weapons, RPGs and other grenades recovered after the battle were destroyed.
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In yesterday's news:
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- Afghan soldiers and coalition troops destroyed a weapons cache during a combat patrol in Bala Boluk district, Farah province. The cache contained 29 rocket-propelled grenades, 32 RPG boosters, plastic explosives and one improvised explosive device.
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- Afghan Army commandos with the 207th Corps, assisted by coalition forces, destroyed 331 pounds of narcotics discovered in Shindand district, Herat province. The narcotics' street value was judged at approximately $2 million. An assault rifle and 14 fully-loaded magazines of ammunition also were confiscated.
Taken from a DoD's American Forces Press Service News Article

Photo for the Day - April 30, 2009

* Photo for the Day *

From left, Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates congratulates former President George H. W. Bush, the 41st president of the United States, for receiving the Atlantic Council’s 2009 Distinguished International Leadership Award as former Nebraska Sen. Chuck Hagel, chairman of the council, looks on during a ceremony in Washington, D.C, April 29, 2009. Bush received the award for his historic role in ending the Cold War and reunifying Germany.

DoD photo by Master Sgt. Jerry Morrison, U.S. Air Force

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Abu Omar al-Baghdadi - Captured Leader of the Islamic State of Iraq

Abu Omar al-Baghdadi
Captured Leader of the Islamic State of Iraq
About this Image: AP writes… This image made from a photograph obtained by the Iraqi government in Baghdad, Iraq, Tuesday, April 28, 2009, shows a photo of Abu Omar al-Baghdadi, the man that the Iraqi government claims is the purported leader of an al-Qaida front group. The Iraqi government on Tuesday displayed for the first time a picture of a man it says is the purported leader of an al-Qaida front group. The arrest of Abu Omar al-Baghdadi, the head of the Islamic State of Iraq, could mark a setback for insurgents trying to intensify attacks after a relative lull.
Read the story behind the photo at link below…
Iraqis display photo of alleged al-Qaida leader
Photo by Iraqi Government

Iraq: On Ground Updates - April 29, 2009

Iraq: On Ground Updates
U.S. Makes Last Payment to 'Sons of Iraq'
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FOB WARRIOR, Iraq (Original post date: March 12, 2009) - The U.S. military made its last payment to “Sons of Iraq” civilian security group members March 2 in Kirkuk province’s city of Sudayra.
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The Iraqi government will assume full responsibility of payments April 1.
"This is one of the many milestones that the [Iraqi government] is hitting day by day," Army Capt. Justin Michel, commander of 1st Cavalry Division’s Company A, 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team. "This transfer is a necessary step that the [Iraqi government] is taking to show its citizens that it is taking the lead on more programs."
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U.S. military members played the role of observers as Iraqi soldiers handled the payments.
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"This is a great step in the right direction," Sheik Farhan, a Sons of Iraq leader in the Sudayra region, said. "Each day the government of Iraq is growing stronger, and we are becoming more independent."
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By assuming responsibility for the payments, “Iraq is showing us that they are truly taking over from coalition forces," Sheik Razzaq, of the Sons of Iraq, said.
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Though the U.S. military will no longer be responsible for making payments to the Sons of Iraq, they will not be completely removed from the process in the coming months.
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"Just because the [Iraqi army] is going to be in control doesn't mean we are going to be gone altogether," said Army Lt. Col. David Lesperance, commander of 1st Cavalry Division’s 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team. The Iraqi army, Sons of Iraq and coalition forces are going to be working side by side in the coming months to ensure that the transition goes well, he added.
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As security improves in the region, transferring control of the Sons of Iraq to the Iraqi government marks another step toward self-sufficiency and increased security in Iraq. The Sons of Iraq and Iraqi army have done a great job so far at improving security, Michel said. "I think that will continue to build upon the foundation they have now, and the region will steadily become safer," he added.

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From a CENCTCOM News Letter by DoD’s Armed Forces Press Service

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Photo for the Day - April 28, 2009

* Photo for the Day * More than 500 veterans with American flags line a procession route at the Iowa Veterans Cemetery in Van Meter, Iowa, April 24, 2009, after providing a motorcycle escort for the unclaimed remains of seven Iowan veterans. The ceremony coincided with Navy Week in Des Moines, Iowa, which is one of 22 Navy Weeks planned across America in 2009. Navy Week is designed to show Americans the investment they have made in their Navy and increase awareness in cities that do not have a significant Navy presence.
DoD photo by Senior Chief Mass Communication

Monday, April 27, 2009

Iraq Video: Lazy Iraqi Police get Motivational Speech

I found this priceless video Monday evening, in all places… on the FOXNews.com website.
. Man… You GOT… and I mean… YOU GOT to watch this one...
No political correctness from this guy. He/they got a job to do….Even though this young man might have come close to crossing the line… he still has my vote! How about yours?.
Yes sir... It’s men... and women... like these overseas that protect us and the Iraqi people. Maybe all of them are not so strong worded, but all are surely as strong willed.
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Damn I’m proud of the job they have done in Iraq and for their country folks back here at home.
Now let’s watch how the Left and many in the MSM in the days to come, will try to run this young man into the dirt for doing his job.

AubreyJ………
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Lazy Iraqi Police get Motivational Speech
Note: The following video contains content (STRONG LANGUAGE) that is inappropriate for some users, as flagged by YouTube's user community
- This video removed by me in respect of Google Ad Policies…

About this Video: Lazy Iraqi police get motivational speech by Army solider
This video posted on YouTube by bl4kec.
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Here’s the article at FOXNews.com and it starts off like this…
Is the U.S. soldier starring in this popular YouTube video a tough, Patton-esque, tell-'em-like-it-is inspirational leader … or is he an unprofessional jerk? … That’s the question FOXNews.com set out to answer when we asked the U.S. Army to help identify and locate the soldier for an interview. But the Army was less than forthcoming, so we’re looking for help finding him…
Read the rest at link below…
Video of Unidentified U.S. Soldier Berating Iraqi Police Is a YouTube Hit
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More to come on this story, I’m sure…
AubreyJ.........

Pakistan's President Says Bin Laden DEAD… or Not

Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari Says
Bin Laden DEAD… or Not
Monday, April 27, 2009
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Photo courtesy of Rewards for Justice

Telegraph.co.uk has the following article today and it starts off like this… Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari has raised the prospect that Osama bin Laden could be dead after he said that intelligence officials could find "no trace" of the al-Qaeda chief…
Read the full article at link below…
Pakistan's President says Osama bin Laden could be dead
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AP reports it this way…
Pakistani leader: Bin Laden 'may be dead' _ or not.
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AubreyJ………

NASCAR: Final Laps and Major CRASH at Aaron's 499

NASCAR:
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Image Courtesy of NASCAR

Final Laps and Major CRASH at Aaron's 499
Brad Keselowski gets into the back of Carl Edwards, sending him into the fence and himself into Victory Lane

NASCAR.com brings us this video at following link of the final 4 laps that ends with an incredible wreck…
Final Laps: Aaron's 499
You GOT to watch this one!
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AubreyJ………

Swine Flu Outbreak - April 26, 2009

NOTE: This post moved near top today from its original post date – Scroll below for latest postings
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Swine Flu Outbreak
Human Swine Influenza Investigation
As of 9:00am EDT

Sunday, April 26, 2009
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CDC, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has confirmed 20 human cases of swine flu in the U.S.:
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California: 7
Kansas: 2
New York City: 8
Ohio: 1
Texas:
2
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Investigations are ongoing to determine the source of the infection and whether additional people have been infected with swine influenza viruses.
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>
Learn more about Swine Flu and CDC investigation at…
CDC Swine Flu website
(Above link updates regularly so be sure to check back for latest updates)
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> World Health Organization has this report this morning…

Influenza-like illness in the United States and Mexico
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> The White House Blog has the following report on today’s Briefing today …
The Office of the Press Secretary issued an advisory this morning concerning a special White House Briefing… discuss the reported swine flu cases…
White House Press Briefing UPDATE: Read the Transcript
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POST UPDATE:
Monday,
April 27, 2009
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* Fox News has the following report this Monday morning…
There are now 40 confirmed cases of swine flu in the U.S., the World Health Organization said Monday, adding that it is "very concerned" about the new strain of influenza… Governments are racing to find and contain pockets of swine flu around the globe, seeking to stem both the threat of a pandemic and public panic…

Read the full report at link below…
World Races to Contain Swine Flu Outbreak
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* BBC News
has the following Article/News Video/World Outbreak Map at link below…
Warnings as swine virus spreads
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* You can find lots of info/maps at the following Government website:
PandemicFlu.gov
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Military Monitors Swine Flu with Focus on Protecting Force
Written by Donna Miles
Taken from a News Article by DoD’s American Forces Press Service
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WASHINGTON, April 27, 2009 - The Defense Department is monitoring the swine flu situation closely, with its primary focus on protecting the military population, a senior Pentagon official said today.
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As the Department of Health and Human Services leads the U.S. effort, the military is posturing itself to respond if required, Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman told reporters today.
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"We certainly have a number of contingency plans for dealing with health incidences like this, because our primary goal is preservation of the fighting force," he said. "So we obviously have plans and take measures to ensure that we can preserve the fighting strength of the military in the event that there should be a greater crisis with respect to a health situation like this."
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Two prescription anti-viral drugs, relenza and tamiflu, already are standard stock at U.S. military treatment facilities, and larger quantities are stockpiled at several sites in the United States and overseas, Whitman said.
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President Barack Obama told the National Academy of Sciences today the emerging incidence of swine flu in the United States "is obviously a cause for concern and requires a heightened state of alert, but it's not a cause for alarm."
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The Centers for Disease Control has confirmed 20 cases of swine flu virus infection in the United States in California, Kansas, New York City, Ohio and Texas. None have involved members of the military or their families.
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Greater cases of infections have been reported internationally, particularly in Mexico.
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Obama said HHS has declared a public health emergency only "as a precautionary tool to ensure that we have the resources we need at our disposal to respond quickly and effectively." HHS, the CDC and the Department of Homeland Security will provide the American people regular updates about steps being taken and precautions that may be required, he said.
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Meanwhile, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management Director John Berry distributed CDC guidelines for preventing the spread of swine flu to the federal work force. Berry also distributed guidance for federal agencies to protect their work forces and the public and to ensure continuity of operations in the event that they must institute their already-prepared pandemic influenza preparedness plans.
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CDC recommends the following actions people can take to stay healthy:
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Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
-- Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners also are effective.
-- Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.
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CDC also recommends avoiding close contact with sick people, particularly if they are coughing or sneezing, and to stay home if you're sick to avoid infecting others.
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Monday Evening Update:
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Mexico outbreak traced to 'manure lagoons' at pig farm
A village where residents have long complained about the smell and flies from a pig farm may be the source of the outbreak…

Read this report from the TimesOnline.co.uk website HERE
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AP website has this report up on their website this evening…
The swine flu epidemic entered a dangerous new phase Monday as the death toll climbed in Mexico and the number of suspected cases there and in the United States nearly doubled. The World Health Organization raised its alert level but stopped short of declaring a global emergency.
Read the full report at link below…
Swine flu epidemic enters dangerous new phase
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The following is from an email by CDC
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Situation in the United States
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As of 1:00 PM ET on April 27, 2009, CDC has confirmed 40 human cases of swine flu in the United States:
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California: 7 cases
Kansas: 2 cases
New York City: 28 cases
Ohio: 1 case
Texas: 2 cases
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Of these 40 cases, there have been zero deaths. Only one has been hospitalized. All 40 have fully recovered.
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For more information, please see the CDC Swine Flu website.
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Situation in Mexico
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At this time, CDC recommends that U.S. travelers avoid all nonessential travel to Mexico.
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As of April 27, 2009, the Government of Mexico has reported 18 laboratory confirmed human cases of swine influenza A/H1N1 infection. Investigation is continuing to clarify the spread and severity of the disease in Mexico. Suspect clinical cases have been reported in 19 of the country's 32 states. The World Health Organization (WHO), the Global Alert and Response Network (GOARN), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have sent experts to Mexico to work with health authorities. CDC has confirmed that seven of 14 respiratory specimens sent to CDC by the Mexican National Influenza Center are positive for swine influenza virus and are similar to the swine influenza viruses recently identified in the United States.
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On April 25, the WHO Director-General declared this event a Public Health Emergency of International Concern under the rules of the International Health Regulations. CDC and state public and animal health authorities are currently investigating 20 cases of swine flu in humans in California, Texas, Kansas, Ohio, and New York City. Some of the U.S. cases have been linked to travel to Mexico. CDC is concerned that continued travel by U.S. travelers to Mexico presents a serious risk for further outbreaks of swine flu in the United States.
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For more information, please see the full Travel Health Warning for Mexico posted on April 27, 2009.
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What You Can Do to Stay Healthy
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There are everyday actions people can take to stay healthy.
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Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
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Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hands cleaners are also effective.
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Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.
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Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
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Influenza is thought to spread mainly person-to-person through coughing or sneezing of infected people.
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If you get sick, CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.
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Additional Updates to the Website
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CDC has posted several additional updates to the website in the past 24 hours. For more information, please see the CDC Swine Flu website. All updates are listed promptly on the "What's New" page.
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AubreyJ………
This Post now CLOSED –
Check near top of Blog for latest updates or click HERE

DoD Identifies Army Casualty

No. 279-09 April 27, 2009
DoD Identifies Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting
Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Sgt. Leroy O. Webster, 28,
of Sioux Falls, S.D., died April 25th near Kirkuk, Iraq, after being shot while on a dismounted patrol. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.
For more information related to this release, the media may contact the Fort Hood public affairs office at (254) 287-9993; after hours (254) 291-2591.

Photo for the Day - April 27, 2009

* Photo for the Day * U.S. Army Sgt. Chris Chambers, of the 1st Battalion, 501st Infantry Regiment, kneels at the edge of a wheat field during a patrol near Combat Outpost Sabari, Afghanistan, April 25, 2009.
DoD photo by Sgt. Christopher T. Sneed, U.S. Army

Saturday, April 25, 2009

News Video: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Visits Iraq

Clinton to Iraqis: U.S. Will Not Abandon You
About this News Video: U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton assured Iraqis that the Obama administration would not abandon their country even as it presses ahead with plans to withdraw American troops.
This News Video posted on YouTube by AssociatedPress
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Also in today’s news from Iraq…
AFP reports…
Iran's Khamenei accuses US, Israel over Iraq bombings
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Iraq, just remember how much those dang Dems LIE...
AubreyJ.........

DoD Identifies Army Casualty

No. 277-09 April 25, 2009
DoD Identifies Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
CSM Benjamin Moore, Jr., 43, of Waycross, Ga., died April 24th at Contingency Operating Base Speicher, Iraq, of injuries sustained in a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the 2d Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 3d Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. The circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation.
For more information media may contact the U.S. Army Garrison, Hawaii, public affairs office at 808-656-3159 or 808-656-3157.

Friday, April 24, 2009

Pakistan/Afghanistan: On Ground Updates - April 24, 2009

Pakistan/Afghanistan: On Ground Updates
It’s already too late to be asking if Pakistan might fall to the Taliban for parts of it already have
Friday, April 24, 2009

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Militants in Pakistan Launch Brazen Attack

About News Video: Police say dozens of militants armed with guns and gasoline bombs attacked a truck terminal in northwestern Pakistan and burned five tankers carrying fuel to NATO troops in Afghanistan.
Original post date April 23rd
Posted on YouTube by
AssociatedPress
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* PressTV.ir has this report this early Friday morning…
Pentagon Chief Robert Gates warns that the US will severe its relations with Pakistan unless Islamabad crushes the Taliban-led insurgency… Speaking to thousands of US soldiers --who are about to be deployed to war-ravaged Afghanistan--Gates said "Pakistani leaders must take the appropriate actions" to deal with the Taliban insurgents… Also, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton accused Islamabad of abdicating to the insurgents and incited Pakistanis around the world to speak out against the government policy of ceding land to the militants… Clinton emphasized Pakistan posed "mortal threat" to the world security by abdicating to the Taliban…
Read the rest at link below…

Gates warns Pakistan over Taliban advances
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* CNN.com brings us this report early this Friday Morning…
The Taliban said Friday that it would withdraw from the Buner district -- about 96 kilometers (60 miles) from Pakistan's capital -- after its land grab sounded alarms worldwide about the possibility of terrorists taking control of the country…
Read the full report at link below…
Taliban: We'll withdraw from district near capital
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Update: 12:15pm CDT
News Video: U.S. Concerns as Taliban Advance
As the Taliban move further into Pakistan, taking over Buner, a district that is just 70 miles northwest of Islamabad, the chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff meets with Pakistani military leaders, again.
Watch this New York Times News Video
HERE
.
Read more from The New York Times at link below…
Taliban Hold Valley in Pakistan as They Remove Some Forces
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Also in the news Friday is this News Article by the American Forces Press Service
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Combined Forces in Afghanistan Kill 14 in Six-Hour Battle
Friday, April 24, 2009

Coalition and Afghan forces killed 14 insurgents in a six-hour battle in the Sangin district of Afghanistan's Helmand province yesterday.
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Forces were patrolling in an area known for heavy insurgent activity when they were attacked. The insurgents fired at the forces with rifles and rocket-propelled grenades.
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Coalition forces called in close-air support on two enemy fighting positions, killing 14 fighters and injuring one, who later surrendered. Two others also were detained.
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No coalition or Afghan forces were injured in the attack.
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In other Afghan news, coalition and Afghan forces detained three suspects last night in an operation to capture the leader of bomb-making ring near Kabul.
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Forces targeted a residence in the Paghman district of Kabul province, west of the Afghan capital. They searched the residence without incident and detained three men.

From DoD’s American Forces Press Service news article - Compiled from U.S. Forces Afghanistan news releases

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My short take today is this:
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I said it last year and I’ll say it again… Pakistan is the next front on the War on Terror… not Afghanistan. Even though the two do seem to go hand in hand of late…
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President Obama and his Administration better get serious with this dangerous situation we find ourselves in today. For yes Mr. President… there still is a Major War on Terror ongoing.
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Changing your Administration from saying ‘War on Terror’ to something less offensive to those overseas does nothing more than show our enemies and our friends just how weak of a leader you really are.
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At least President Bush led… You, President Obama, are not a Leader… but a follower of the far Left Wing Kooks of your Political Party.
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I for one believe the on ground situation in Pakistan is going to get much worse… And I cannot help but believe we will find ourselves heavily in Pakistan with our military troops and all our military might within the next 12 months. I hope I turnout wrong on this one…
.

AubreyJ………

DoD Identifies Army Casualty

No. 276-09 April 24, 2009
DoD Identifies Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Cpl. Brad A. Davis, 21
, of Garfield Heights, Ohio, died April 22 near Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. He was assigned to the 82nd Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.
For more information related to this release, the media may contact the 82nd Airborne Division public affairs office at (910) 432-0661.

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Iraq: On Ground Updates - April 23, 2009

Iraq:
On Ground Updates
Iraq Al-Qaeda Boss Abu Omar al-Baghdadi 'Is Captured'

Thursday, April 23, 2009
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> Times Online has the following report up on their website this Thursday afternoon and it starts off like this…
Iraqi forces said today that they had arrested one of the most wanted al-Qaeda leaders in Iraq, even as his suicide bombers killed more than 70 people in attacks in and around Baghdad… Abu Omar al-Baghdadi, a leader of the so-called Islamic State of Iraq, was held in the capital after a tip-off, said Major General Qasim Atta, Baghdad’s security spokesman… The Islamic State of Iraq is a shadowy, al-Qaeda-linked, Islamist umbrella group that in 2006 declared an independent caliphate in mainly Sunni West Baghdad, as well as in areas to the north and west. Modelled on the Taleban in Afghanistan, it murdered and intimidated anyone who did not adhere to its strict Islamist rulings…
Read the full report HERE
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>> The Washington Post has this troubling report posted up on their website this afternoon and it starts off like this…
Two suicide bombers killed more than 70 people Thursday in the bloodiest day in Iraq this year, grim evidence that Sunni insurgents remain capable of carrying out powerful attacks as U.S. forces begin to withdraw…
Read the rest at link below…
Suicide Bombers Kill More Than 70 in Baghdad, Diyala Province
Above link has nice, off topic, slideshow
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AubreyJ………

DoD Identifies Marine Casualty

No. 273-09 April 23, 2009
DoD Identifies Marine Casualty


The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Cpl. William C. Comstock, 21
, of Van Buren, Ark., died April 22nd as a result of a non-hostile incident in Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to 2nd Supply Battalion, Combat Logistics Regiment 25, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C. The incident is under investigation.
For additional background information on this Marine, news media representatives may contact the 2nd Marine Logistics Group Public Affairs Office at (910) 451-3538 or (910) 478-7759.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Haynesville Shale Report - April 22, 2009

Haynesville Shale Report
Wednesday
, April 22, 2009

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EnCana Boosts Haynesville Shale ActivityEnCana Corp., Calgary, has a $580 million program to drill 50 Haynesville shale gas wells in East Texas and North Louisiana in 2009…
Read this short report at link below…
EnCana boosts Haynesville shale activity
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*******************************
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(Following, in part, from original News Release by EnCana Corp)
EnCana encouraged by resource potential
In Haynesville Hale play
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“While it is early days in the development of the Haynesville play in Louisiana and Texas, there have been some very encouraging results from our program as well as from other producers in the region,” said Jeff Wojahn, EnCana’s Executive Vice-President and President, USA Division. “Given the significant potential of our lands, we plan to re-allocate $290 million of savings from other areas of the company into our Haynesville program this year.
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With a total capital program of $580 million we will be drilling about 50 net wells which will enable us to continue to increase our understanding of the play, further evaluate our lands, and retain prospective acreage.” In anticipation of increased future production from the region and to facilitate unrestrained market access for the company’s expected production growth, EnCana is advancing plans for midstream processing and gas transportation.
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This includes recent commitments of 150 million cubic feet per day of capacity on the proposed Gulf South pipeline expansion and 500 million cubic feet per day of service on the proposed ETC Tiger pipeline.
EnCana Corporation
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Taken from EnCana News Release dated April 22, 2009
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Here’s a Great Read my brother, Dick found for us…
US Natural Gas Prices: "The Fix is Underway"
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* View all my post on the Haynesville Shale at link below:
Haynesville Shale Updates
Over 28 Post at link above with lots of useful links, photos, videos and more
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AubreyJ………

Video: ‘Eagles over Auschwitz’

Eagles over Auschwitz’

About Video: ‘Eagles over Auschwitz’ is the compelling story ofthe historic flyover of Auschwitz-Birkenau by threeIsraeli F-15's.
Find out more
HERE

Freddie Mac Exec Found Dead In Apparent Suicide

Freddie Mac Exec, David Kellermann, Vienna, VA,
Found Dead Early This Morning In Apparent Suicide
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
.

Photo from FreddieMac.com Bios

FoxNews.com reports…
DEVELOPING:
David Kellermann,
[click HERE for BIO] the acting chief financial officer of Freddie Mac, was found dead at his home Wednesday morning in what broadcast reports said was an apparent suicide… WUSA-TV and WTOP Radio reported that David Kellermann was found dead in his Northern Virginia home. The 41-year-old Kellermann has been Freddie Mac's chief financial officer since September… Sabrina Ruck, a Fairfax County police spokesman, confirmed to The Associated Press that Kellermann was dead, but she could not confirm that he committed suicide… Kellermann's death is the latest blow to Freddie Mac, a government controlled company that owns or guarantees about 13 million home loans. CEO David Moffett resigned last month…
Read the rest at link below…
Freddie Mac Acting CFO Found Dead in Apparent Suicide
Note: Above link will update this tragic story as new info comes in
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Our thoughts and prayers go out to Mr. Kellermann, his family and friends…
AubreyJ………

Photo for the Day - April 22, 2009

* Photo for the Day *From left, BRP Dagupan City (LC 551), BRP Rajah Humabon (PF 11), USS Essex (LHD 2), BRP Leopoldo Regis (PG 847), USS Tortuga (LSD 46) and BRP Artemio Ricarte (PS 37) transit the South China Sea April 21, 2009, during Balikatan 2009. The bilateral exercise involves training evolutions between U.S. and Philippine military personnel and subject-matter exchanges with Philippine civil defense agencies.
DoD photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Mark R. Alvarez, U.S. Navy

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Daniel Andreas San Diego – The NEW MOST WANTED TERRORIST

NEW MOST WANTED TERRORIST
First Domestic Fugitive Added to List
Tuesday
, April 21, 2009

Daniel Andreas San Diego
FBI Photos

A $250,000 reward is being offered for Daniel Andreas San Diego, an animal rights extremist wanted for two bombings in 2003.
Read the Story and more HERE
See Wanted Poster
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AubreyJ………

DoD Identifies Marine Casualty

No. 263-09 April 21, 2009
DoD Identifies Marine Casualty


The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Lance Cpl. Ray A. Spencer II, 20, of Ridgecrest, Calif., died April 16th as a result of a non-hostile incident in Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. The incident is currently under investigation.
For additional background information on this Marine, news media representatives may contact the Marine Corps Public Affairs Office, Kaneohe Bay at (808) 257-8871.

Monday, April 20, 2009

Professor Stephen Hawking Rushed To Hospital - Seriously Ill

Stephen Hawking Seriously Ill
Monday
, April 20, 2009
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About this news video: Famed mathematician Stephen Hawking has been rushed to a hospital and is seriously ill, Cambridge University said Monday.
This News Video posted on YouTube by AssociatedPress
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> BBC News has this more up-to-date report up on their website late this Monday afternoon and it starts off like this… Leading scientist Stephen Hawking's condition has "improved" after being admitted to hospital with chest problems, Cambridge University says… His employers said Professor Hawking was undergoing tests on Monday at Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge… A university spokesman said the 67-year-old, who has motor neurone disease, was now "comfortable"…
Read the full report at link below…
Scientist Hawking ill in hospital
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Wishing you a fast and full recovery, Professor Hawking…
AubreyJ………

Photo for the Day - April 20, 2009

* Photo for the Day *U.S. Army 1st. Lt. Christopher Kittle, left, walks with a community member to the site of a key leader engagement in Tur Kheyl, Afghanistan, April 17, 2009. Kittle is assigned to Delta Company, 1st Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, Task Force Steel.
DoD photo by Sgt. Christopher T. Sneed, U.S. Army

Gates Cites Need to Learn From Past Drawdowns

Gates Cites Need to Learn From Past Drawdowns
Monday, April 17, 2009
. DoD file photo
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As the U.S. military winds down from Iraq and Afghanistan in the future, leaders must learn the lessons of past drawdowns, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here today.
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Gates spoke to the class and staff of the Naval War College. He said leaders must understand that as conflicts end, the United States cannot unilaterally disarm.
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Gates said one of his favorite sayings from his 43 years of federal service is, “Experience is the ability to remember a mistake when you make it again.”
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“And one of the things that has happened to this country repeatedly in the 20th century,” he added, “is that at the end of a conflict or a war, we unilaterally disarmed.”
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The United States eviscerated the armed forces at the end of World War I and World War II, he said. At the end of the Korean and Vietnam wars, he said, military capabilities dropped again.
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“And we did it at the end of the Cold War,” he said. The Army is 40 percent smaller today, he told the students, than it was when he stepped down as director of central intelligence in 1993.
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“So every time we have come to the end of a conflict, somehow we have persuaded ourselves that the nature of mankind and the nature of the world has changed on an enduring basis, and so we have dismantled both our military and intelligence capabilities,” he said.
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He said that as the United States draws down in Iraq and contemplates the right level of forces in Afghanistan, leaders must not make that same mistake.
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“My hope … is that we not forget the basic nature of humankind has not changed, and there will always be people out there who want to try and take our liberty away or the liberty of our friends and our partners,” he said. The United States must sustain a level of investment in national security capabilities that allows the country to deal with the range of threats, the secretary added.
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Gates fielded a question on the Air Force’s effort to update its aging tanker fleet, and said he favors one company getting the mammoth contract. Many have suggested splitting the contract and giving pieces of it to both competitors. “First of all,” he said, “I would look at it from the other perspective, and that is, what are the consequences and costs of having two tankers?”
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Development costs would double from the current $7 billion estimate to $14 billion, he said. A split contract also means the government gets no benefit from competition. “Any leverage that we might have in terms of cost control disappears,” said he explained.
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The competition is in three segments. The first buy -- the KC-X -- is for 179 tankers. It will be followed by the KC-Y and the KC-Z, he said. “If … we encounter problems with those, it seems to me you’re in a position to reopen the competition and go forward from there,” he said.
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Finally, the secretary talked about what he called the “miracle” of being able to study the fiscal 2010 defense budget request and make recommendations without anyone leaking the discussions. This was important to him, he said, and all involved signed nondisclosure agreements.
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“It seemed to me what was critically important as we considered dramatic changes in the way we were going to procure things and programmatic changes to specific programs was that we be able to have those deliberations among the senior military and the senior civilians in the department without the newspapers printing, every single day, the results of our deliberations the preceding day,” he said.
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The decisions were not made in a closed circle, he said, but rather involved multiple meetings with senior civilians, service chiefs, the Joint Chiefs and the combatant commanders.
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“I felt it was very important for us to have a collaborative effort where people could be honest with one another across the table and not feel defensive,” he said. “I also thought it was important for the service chiefs each to see that they were not being singled out -- that we were looking at the programs of all the services.”
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The nondisclosure policy allowed leaders to concentrate. The participants were not “looking over our shoulder at contractors and Congress and everybody else, and trying pre-emptively to see how we would get around their objections,” Gates said.
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The secretary said he discussed the process with President Barack Obama when he started the exercise. “My goal is to present to [the president] a budget independent of political considerations that focuses on what is in the best national security interest of the United States,” he said. “We’ll get into the political tradeoffs once the Congress starts looking at this budget.”
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The group was large enough to study the recommendations, but not so large as to make it impossible to tell who leaked if information got out, Gates said.
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“And I will tell you, a miracle happened,” he added. “In three months, there wasn't a single leak of any of our deliberations.”

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Taken from a DoD’s American Forces Press Service News Article - Written by Jim Garamone

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AubreyJ………

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Photo for the Day - April 19, 2009

* Photo for the Day *
Wind Turbines at Guantanamo Bay
The wind turbines at U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay reduce fuel consumption by 650,000 gallons annually. [That’s around $1,267,500 in savings at today’s fuel prices.] The wind turbines are located on John Paul Jones Hill, providing energy for the naval station and Joint Task Force Guantanamo. JTF Guantanamo conducts safe, humane, legal and transparent care and custody of detainees, including those convicted by military commission and those ordered released. The JTF conducts intelligence collection, analysis and dissemination for the protection of detainees and personnel working in JTF Guantanamo facilities and in support of the Global War on Terror. JTF Guantanamo provides support to the Office of Military Commissions, to law enforcement and to war crimes investigations. The JTF conducts planning for and, on order, responds to Caribbean mass migration operations.
Read the story behind the photo at link below…
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Photo by Staff Sgt. Blair Heusdens, Joint Task Force Guantanamo Public Affairs – Wind Turbines at U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, 4-8-09
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AubreyJ………

DoD Identifies Army Casualty

No. 258-09 April 19, 2009
DoD Identifies Army Casualty


The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
PFC Richard A. Dewater, 21, of Topeka, Kan., died April 15th of wounds sustained from an improvised explosive device, while on a dismounted patrol near Korengal Valley, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.
For more information related to this release, the media may contact the Fort Hood public affairs office at (254) 287-9993 or (254)291-2591.

Saturday, April 18, 2009

News Video: Captain Phillips - An American Icon Indeed

Capt. Phillips, American Icon

About this News Video: After being rescued from Somali pirates by the U.S. Navy, Captain Richard Phillips has returned to his hometown of Underhill, Vermont as a national hero. Jim Axelrod brings us this fine report.
This news video posted on YouTube by
CBS
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Captain -- Like it or not…
You are a true
American Hero!

AubreyJ………

Friday, April 17, 2009

Welcome Home Captain Richard Phillips

Phillips: 'I'm Not a Hero, the Military Is'

About this news video: The shipping captain rescued from the clutches of Somali pirates says he's not a hero, the military is. Capt. Richard Phillips arrived home to Vermont a week-and-a-half after being taken by pirates.
This news video posted on YouTube by
AssociatedPress
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No Other Words Needed--
Except maybe a great big…
Welcome Home Captain!!!
Job well done…
AubreyJ………

Photo for the Day - April 17, 2009

* Photo for the Day * Larsen Jensen Takes Oath
Larsen Jensen, left, a two-time Olympic medalist, takes the oath of office at the headquarters of Navy Recruiting District Los Angeles, Calif., April 15, 2009, before departing for Officer Candidate School in Newport, R.I. Larsen won freestyle swimming medals in both the 2004 and 2008 Summer Olympics.
DoD photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class David McKee, U.S. Navy

Afghanistan: On Ground Updates - April 17, 2009

Afghanistan: On Ground Updates
U.S., Afghan Forces Kill Eight, Detain Five
Friday, April 17, 2009
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Coalition and Afghan forces killed eight militants and detained five in recent operations throughout Afghanistan, U.S. military officials reported.
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In operations today:
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-- Afghan soldiers, assisted by coalition forces, killed two militants in Farah province's Khaki Safed district. The combined patrol came under machine-gun, small-arms and rocket-propelled grenade fire from five to seven militants. Shortly thereafter, 20 to 30 fighters joined in from established firing positions. The Afghan and coalition forces pursued the militants on foot. Most abandoned their fighting positions, but two were killed and several others were wounded as the combined elements cleared the area.
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-- In Kandahar province's Maywand district, U.S. and Afghan troops killed six enemy fighters and detained one in an operation targeting an alleged mid-level terrorist responsible for orchestrating attacks on U.S. forces. Afghan troops killed five of the insurgents in a field near the compound where the suspect was believed to be. The other insurgent was killed inside the complex after taking up arms and refusing to surrender. About 5 and a half pounds of opium was found and destroyed at the compound.
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-- In Nangarhar province, Afghan army commandos detained a suspected insurgent after receiving a tip from local villagers that the suspect was coordinating terrorist activities from his home.
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-- In Logar province's Baraki Barak district, U.S. and Afghan troops detained a suspected insurgent believed to be responsible for acquiring and developing bomb-making material for use against local residents and security forces.
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In Paktya province's Zormat district yesterday, Afghan commandos detained three suspected insurgents during a search of an alleged insurgent leader's home. The suspects and their alleged leader are believed to be involved in mortar and small-arms attacks against Afghan and U.S. forces.
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No Afghan or U.S. casualties were reported from these operations.
Taken from a DoD’s American Forces Press Service News Article

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Photos for the Day - April 16, 2009

* Photos for the Day *

MUNITIONS MOUND
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U.S. Army soldiers from the 760th Explosive Ordnance Disposal Company stand on nearly 8,000 pounds of inert and live munitions to inspect the work of Iraqi army and police in the desert near Karbala, Iraq, April 4, 2009.
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CONFISCATED WEAPONS
- Iraqi soldiers and policemen unload one of four trucks carrying nearly 8,000 lbs. of munitions to be destroyed in the desert outside of Karbala, Iraq, April 4, 2009. The mortar rounds, missiles and rockets confiscated from throughout Babel province have been accumulating at checkpoints and headquarters buildings. Iraqi forces worked with U.S. Army soldiers assigned to the 760th Explosive Ordnance Disposal Company to dispose of the munitions.

Both U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Dave Lankford