Saturday, May 26, 2007

Combat Camera: Cordon and Search in Ameriyah, Iraq

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Sgt. Tierney Nowland teaches the Macarena dance with an Iraqi soldier of 2nd Battalion, 1st Brigade during a break with Soldiers from Company A, 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division out of Fort Lewis, Wash., on a cordon and search mission in Ameriyah, Iraq, May 16. Nowland is combat camera with the 982nd Signal Company, Wilson, N.C. Photographer: Spc. Elisha Dawkins, Joint Combat Camera Center

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Sgt. Tierney Nowland takes a break with an Iraqi army soldier with 2nd Battalion, 1st Brigade on a cordon and search mission with Soldiers from Company A, 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division out of Fort Lewis, Wash., in Ameriyah, Iraq, May 16. Nowland is with the 982nd Signal Company, Wilson, N.C. Photographer: Spc. Elisha Dawkins, Joint Combat Camera Center

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Sgt. Gerald Stallings provides security for his squad during a cordon and search mission in Ameriyah, Iraq, May 16. Stallings is with Company A, 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash. Photographer: Spc. Elisha Dawkins, Joint Combat Camera Center

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Soldiers with Company A, 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash., run to their next objective during a cordon and search mission in Ameriyah, Iraq, May 16. Photographer: Spc. Elisha Dawkins, Joint Combat Camera Center

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Army 1st Lt. Zane Galvach leads troops on a cordon and search mission in Ameriyah, Iraq, May 16. Galvach is a platoon leader with Company A, 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash. Photographer: Spc. Elisha Dawkins, Joint Combat Camera Center

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Soldiers with Company A, 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash., gather information from an Iraqi man on a cordon and search mission in Ameriyah, Iraq, May 16. Photographer: Spc. Elisha Dawkins, Joint Combat Camera Center

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U.S. Army Spc. Jason Johnson provides security on a cordon and search mission in Ameriyah, Iraq, May 16. Spc. Johnson is a combat medic with Company A, 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash. Photographer: Spc. Elisha Dawkins, Joint Combat Camera Center

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Spc. A.J. Jackson monitors a roof top on a cordon and search mission in Ameriyah, Iraq, May 16. Spc. Jackson is a soldier with Company A, 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash. Photographer: Spc. Elisha Dawkins, Joint Combat Camera Center

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Soldiers with Company A, 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash., move to a roof top of a house on a cordon and search mission in Ameriyah, Iraq, May 16. Photographer: Spc. Elisha Dawkins, Joint Combat Camera Center

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Spc. A.J. Jackson clears a roof top on a cordon and search mission in Ameriyah, Iraq, May 16. Spc. Jackson is a soldier with Company A, 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash. Photographer: Spc. Elisha Dawkins, Joint Combat Camera Center

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Soldiers with Company A, 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash., move out on a cordon and search mission in Ameriyah, Iraq, May 16. Photographer: Spc. Elisha Dawkins, Joint Combat Camera Center

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An Iraqi man speaks to Soldiers from Company A, 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team through a translater during a cordon and search in Ameriyah, Iraq, May 16. Photographer: Sgt. Tierney Nowland, Joint Combat Camera Center

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A U.S. Army Soldier from Company A, 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team pulls gaurd in Ameriyah, Iraq, during a cordon and search mission on May 16. Photographer: Sgt. Tierney Nowland, Joint Combat Camera Center

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U.S. Army Soldiers from Company A, 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team wait to move to another location on a cordon and search mission in Ameriyah, Iraq, May 16. Photographer: Sgt. Tierney Nowland, Joint Combat Camera Center

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Friday, May 25, 2007

Images of Memorial: Where Valor Rests

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Photo by Michel du Cille, May 22, 2007

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Photo by Chief Petty Officer Johnny Bivera, May 22, 2007

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Photo by Lt. Col. Michael Edrington, May 22, 2007

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Photo by Lt. Col. Michael Edrington, May 22, 2007

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Photo by Lt. Col. Michael Edrington, May 22, 2007

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Photo by Lt. Col. Michael Edrington, May 22, 2007

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Photo by Chief Petty Officer Johnny Bivera, May 22, 2007

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Photo by Lt. Col. Michael Edrington, May 22, 2007

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Photo by Sgt. Haraz Ghanbari, May 22, 2007

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ALSO SEE
The Arlington National Cemetery Commemorative Project

FROM AMAZON.COM
Where Valor Rests: Arlington National Cemetery

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Illegal Alien Absurdity

Decline and Fall of Western Civ
The truth is out there

Open thread:

Today, The New York Times opens a new assault on our intelligence with the headline: Immigration Bill Provisions Gain Wide Support in Poll.

As opponents from the right and left challenge an immigration bill before Congress, there is broad support among Americans -- Democrats, Republicans and independents alike -- for the major provisions in the legislation, according to the latest New York Times/CBS News poll.

Taking a pragmatic view on a divisive issue, a large majority of Americans want to change the immigration laws to allow illegal immigrants to gain legal status and to create a new guest worker program to meet future labor demands, the poll found.

<...>

Half of Americans say they are ready to transform the process for selecting new immigrants as proposed in the bill, giving priority to job skills and education levels over family ties to the United States, which have been the foundation of the immigration system for four decades.

Point by point, large majorities expressed support for measures in the legislation that has been under debate since Monday in the Senate.
However, the story's thesis is about as far from the meat of the news as the writers could make it. Rather, the story is a blatant attempt to form positive opinions for us. The key word to the deception here is "provisions."

Take a look at the graphic below. The questions asked in the Times poll refer to broad issues and not to the actual "provisions" of the bill.
IMAGE
When we read six paragraphs into the story we find the truth:

The nationwide telephone poll did not ask respondents about the immigration bill itself, but there were questions about its most significant provisions. It was conducted May 18 to 23 with 1,125 adults, and has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus three percentage points.
Few congressional leaders have read the 500+ pages covering the provisions of the bill, much less the average person on the street who has yet to even see the bill.

In another story by the Associated Press, we are told:

Illegal immigrants could fall prey to loan sharks and other unscrupulous lenders if they have to pay $5,000 in fines and thousands more in fees and back taxes as required under the immigration reform measure now before Congress, some advocates are warning.
However, if the bill is passed, illegal aliens will actually become legal immigrants whether or not they apply for citizenship. Once legal, it is pretty unlikely immigrants will be forced to pay fines.

To make it across the border, many illegal immigrants pay thousands of dollars to smugglers, who sometimes threaten them with death if they don't pay their debts. Then, many make low wages working in agriculture, construction and the hotel and restaurant industry. Out of that, they often send money back home to support their families. And because they are illegal, they tend to distrust banks.
Perhaps immigrant smugglers will become the new border patrol.

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Combat Camera: Fort Lewis Soldiers Arrive in Diyala

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A Soldier from Troop B, 2nd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, from Fort Lewis, Wash., provides security for members of his unit as they search a building on the outskirts of Khan Bani Sa'ad, 15 miles south of Baqubah, Iraq, May 15. The Stryker Soldiers searched the area for evidence of insurgent activity. The unit has taken security in the area from 1-12 Combined Arms Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, from Fort Hood, Texas. Photographer: Sgt. Armando Monroig, 5th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, Tikrit

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Stryker vehicles from Troop B, 2nd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, from Fort Lewis, Wash., move through the outskirts of Khan Bani Sa�ad, 15 miles south of Baqubah, Iraq, May 15. The Stryker Soldiers searched the area for evidence of insurgent activity. The unit has taken security in the area from 1-12 Combined Arms Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, from Fort Hood, Texas. Photographer: Sgt. Armando Monroig, 5th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, Tikrit

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Stryker vehicles from Troop B, 2nd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, from Fort Lewis, Wash., move through the outskirts of Khan Bani Sa�ad, 15 miles south of Baqubah, Iraq, May 15. The Stryker Soldiers searched the area for evidence of insurgent activity. The unit has taken security in the area from 1-12 Combined Arms Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, from Fort Hood, Texas. Photographer: Sgt. Armando Monroig, 5th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, Tikrit

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Soldiers from Troop B, 2nd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, from Fort Lewis, Wash., patrol the outskirts of Khan Bani Sa�ad, 15 miles south of Baqubah, Iraq, May 15. The Stryker Soldiers searched the area for evidence of insurgent activity. The unit has taken security in the area from 1-12 Combined Arms Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, from Fort Hood, Texas. Photographer: Sgt. Armando Monroig, 5th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, Tikrit

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A Soldier from Troop B, 2nd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, from Fort Lewis, Wash., provides security from the rooftop of a patrol base in Khan Bani Sa�ad, 15 miles south of Baqubah, Iraq, May 15. The Stryker Soldiers searched the area for evidence of insurgent activity. The unit has taken security in the area from 1-12 Combined Arms Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, from Fort Hood, Texas. Photographer: Sgt. Armando Monroig, 5th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, Tikrit

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Thursday, May 24, 2007

Combat Camera: Maritime Operations in the Arabian Gulf Pt. 3

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The USS Antietam (CG 54), the USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6), the USS Rushmore (LSD 47) steam through the Gulf of Oman. All these ships are part of three different strike groups; the John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group, Nimitz Carrier Strike Group, and the Bonhomme Richard Expeditionary Strike Group, which are on regularly scheduled deployments in support of Maritime Operations. Maritime Operations help set the conditions for security and stability, as well as complement counter-terrorism and security efforts to regional nations. Photographer: Petty Officer 1st Class Denny Cantrell, U.S. Naval Forces, 5th Fleet Public Affairs

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The USS Nimitz (CVN 68) steams through the Gulf of Oman. Nimitz, as part of the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group, is on a regularly scheduled deployment in support of Maritime Operations. Maritime Operations help set the conditions for security and stability, as well as complement counter-terrorism and security efforts to regional nations. Photographer: Petty Officer 1st Class Denny Cantrell, U.S. Naval Forces, 5th Fleet Public Affairs

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The USS Antietam (CG 54), the USS O'Kane (DDG 77) and the USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) steam through the Gulf of Oman. All these ships, as part of the John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group, are on regularly scheduled deployments in support of Maritime Operations. Maritime Operations help set the conditions for security and stability, as well as complement counter-terrorism and security efforts to regional nations. Photographer: Petty Officer 1st Class Denny Cantrell, U.S. Naval Forces, 5th Fleet Public Affairs

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(from left) The USS Denver (LPD 9), the USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74), the USS Rushmore (LSD 47), the USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) and the USS Nimitz (CVN 68), steam through the Gulf of Oman. All these ships are part of three different strike groups; the John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group, Nimitz Carrier Strike Group, and the Bonhomme Richard Expeditionary Strike Group, which are on regularly scheduled deployments in support of Maritime Operations. Maritime Operations help set the conditions for security and stability, as well as complement counter-terrorism and security efforts to regional nations. Photographer: Petty Officer 1st Class Denny Cantrell, U.S. Naval Forces, 5th Fleet Public Affairs

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The USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) and the USS Denver (LPD 9) steam through the Gulf of Oman. Stennis, as part of the John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group, and Denver, as part of the Bonhomme Richard Expeditionary Strike Group, are on regularly scheduled deployments in support of Maritime Operations. Maritime Operations help set the conditions for security and stability, as well as complement counter-terrorism and security efforts to regional nations. Photographer: Petty Officer 1st Class Denny Cantrell, U.S. Naval Forces, 5th Fleet Public Affairs

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The USS Nimitz (CVN 68) steams through the Gulf of Oman. The Nimitz, as part of the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group, is on a regularly scheduled deployment in support of Maritime Operations. Maritime Operations help set the conditions for security and stability, as well as complement counter-terrorism and security efforts to regional nations. Photographer: Petty Officer 1st Class Denny Cantrell, U.S. Naval Forces, 5th Fleet Public Affairs

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The USS Nimitz (CVN 68) steams through the Gulf of Oman. The Nimitz, as part of the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group, is on a regularly scheduled deployment in support of Maritime Operations. Maritime Operations help set the conditions for security and stability, as well as complement counter-terrorism and security efforts to regional nations. Photographer: Petty Officer 1st Class Denny Cantrell, U.S. Naval Forces, 5th Fleet Public Affairs

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The USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74), the USS Nimitz (CVN 68), and the USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) along with the USS Antietam (CG 54), the USS O'Kane (DDG 77), the USS Higgins (DDG 76), the USS Denver (LPD 9) and the USS Rushmore (LSD 47) steam through the Gulf of Oman. All these ships are part of three different strike groups; the John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group, Nimitz Carrier Strike Group, and the Bonhomme Richard Expeditionary Strike Group, which are on regularly scheduled deployments in support of Maritime Operations. Maritime Operations help set the conditions for security and stability, as well as complement counter-terrorism and security efforts to regional nations. Photographer: Petty Officer 1st Class Denny Cantrell, U.S. Naval Forces, 5th Fleet Public Affairs

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Hillary's Greatest Hits

Hillary's Greatest Hits
"You're so vain..."

Open thread:

I came across a hilarious post in the Washington Times Fishwrap blog.

Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton's efforts to generate some Internet buzz by asking people to help her choose a campaign song were so successful she has opted for round two.

The New York senator first appealed to Web users with 10 songs, and after getting more than 130,000 votes the campaign has narrowed it down to another 10 -- the top vote-getters and five write-ins.
Round One Winners:

* Suddenly I See - KT Tunstall
* Rock This Country! - Shania Twain
* Beautiful Day - U2
* Get Ready - The Temptations
* I'm a Believer - Smash Mouth

Top Write-In Suggestions:

* Are You Gonna Go My Way - Lenny Kravitz
* Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now - McFadden & Whitehead
* Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic - The Police
* You and I - Celine Dion
* The Best - Tina Turner

My personal fave would be Rush Limbaugh and Paul Shanklin's rendition of Sir Mix-a-Lot's "Baby Got Back!"

Be sure to check out the reader comments at the Times.

Better yet, post your own suggestions here.

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Update: Boy Among Five Tortured in Iraq

Torture Instruments
Torture Instruments

Open thread:

Here are two stories that expose the true nature of the enemy.

However, this is the type of news that doesn't fit easily into the mainstream media's template for reporting the Iraq war. Left to liberally biased voices, war atrocities are only news when the U.S. is the accused. Because you probably won't come across these kinds of stories on CNN or NBC, the news is worth repeating.

UPDATE
The Smoking Gun has posted a collection of drawings and photos of tools seized from Iraq safe house in U.S. military raid.

In a recent raid on an al-Qaeda safe house in Iraq, U.S. military officials recovered an assortment of crude drawings depicting torture methods like "blowtorch to the skin" and "eye removal." Along with the images, which you'll find on the following pages, soldiers seized various torture implements, like meat cleavers, whips, and wire cutters. Photos of those items can be seen here. The images, which were just declassified by the Department of Defense, also include a picture of a ramshackle Baghdad safe house described as an "al-Qaeda torture chamber." It was there, during an April 24 raid, that soldiers found a man suspended from the ceiling by a chain. According to the military, he had been abducted from his job and was being beaten daily by his captors. In a raid earlier this week, Coalition Forces freed five Iraqis who were found in a padlocked room in Karmah. The group, which included a boy, were reportedly beaten with chains, cables, and hoses. More.
ORIGINAL POST
Reuters reports the U.S. military said on Monday it had found five Iraqis, including a boy, who had been kidnapped and tortured by militants the captives described as foreign fighters.

The four unidentified men and the boy were found during raids against an al Qaeda network in Garma, about 30 km (20 miles) west of Baghdad in Anbar province, a Sunni Arab insurgency stronghold.

They were found inside a padlocked room and had been beaten with chains, cables and hoses, the U.S military said in a statement.

"The boy stated the terrorists had hooked electrical wires to his tongue and shocked him," it said. It did not give the boy's age.
According to Reuters the hostages indicated their captors were foreign fighters who spoke with different accents.

All five were from different tribes, the military said, but no other details were available. They would receive medical treatment and then be handed over to tribal leaders. Read more.

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Combat Camera: Coalition Forces Begin Clearing Outskirts of Baqubah Pt. 2

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Pfc. Robert Turner, from Vancouver, Wash., and a member of Troop B, 1st Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash., scans his sector while providing security for other members of his troop during a mission conducted at Abu Karuum, a village three miles southeast of Baqubah, Iraq, May 6. Photographer: Sgt. Armando Monroig, 5th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, Tikrit

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Sgt. William Taylor, from Walla Walla, Wash., and a member of Troop B, 1st Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash., scans his sector while providing security for other members of his troop during a mission conducted at Abu Karuum, a village three miles southeast of Baqubah, Iraq, May 6. Photographer: Sgt. Armando Monroig, 5th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, Tikrit

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Soldiers from Troop B, 1st Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash., move towards the village of Abu Karuum, three miles southeast of Baqubah, Iraq, May 6. Photographer: Sgt. Armando Monroig, 5th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, Tikrit

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A Soldier with Troop B, 1st Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash., provides security for a member of the 4th Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 5th Iraqi Army Division. The two units conducted a joint effort to locate weapons caches and clear terrorists from Abu Karuum, a village three miles southeast of Baqubah, Iraq, May 6. Photographer: Sgt. Armando Monroig, 5th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, Tikrit

ADDITIONAL IMAGERY
Coalition Forces Begin Clearing Outskirts of Baqubah

Coalition Forces Begin Clearing Outskirts of Baqubah
05.15.2007
By Sgt. Armando Monroig
5th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

BAQUBAH, Iraq -- U.S. troops and Iraqi soldiers hunted for al-Qaida operatives as they moved through the outskirts of Baqubah, Iraq, May 6.

During the operation, members of the 4th Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 5th Iraqi Army Division, and Soldiers from Troop B, 1st Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash., focused on the villages of Abu Karuum and Abu Fa’ad, where they believed persons with ties to the terrorist organization were located.

Four men suspected of conducting terrorist activities were detained, while coalition forces discovered a weapons cache containing rocket-propelled grenades and mortar rounds.

“Today’s mission was basically to go out to these outlying villages, talk to people, and make sure al-Qaida is not in that area controlling the population,” said 1st Lt. Andrew Kennedy, platoon leader for 2nd Platoon, Troop B.

The mission, which was conducted three miles southeast of Baqubah, was the next step for the troop after their sweep of the Buhriz neighborhood last month with 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, where they encountered heavy resistance from both al-Qaida operatives and local insurgents.

Coalition forces suspected that terrorists in Buhriz had sought refuge in the outlying villages and clearing operations began there.

“We searched every house in (Abu Karuum and Abu Fa’ad,) and made sure there were no (terrorists) in the villages,” Kennedy said.

Coalition forces aim to keep it that way through their security efforts and through the cooperation of those who live in the area. Soldiers from the Troop B refer to Buhriz as an example of how their presence can make a difference.

“When we first got here, Buhriz was completely under al-Qaida control. Men weren’t allowed to smoke. No one was allowed to play soccer. Kids weren’t allowed to go to school,” said Kennedy.

“Our first day, we were in a 12-hour firefight,” said Sgt. William Taylor, from Troop B. “It was pretty much a hot bed for (al-Qaida in Iraq).”

Following the latest military operations there, life in Buhriz is better, said Taylor.

“They opened up all the shops. The (Iraqi Security Forces) create their own checkpoints. (Local residents) help secure the neighborhoods,” he said.

It’s a victory they hope to expand upon as Iraqi and U.S. forces continue to clear the area to ensure al-Qaida in Iraq does not regain a foothold in places like Buhriz, Abu Karuum and Abu Fa’ad, said Kennedy.

“We’re real proud of what we’ve done. I feel that we’ve helped out the people a lot,” said Pfc. Robert Turner, also from Troop B.

“Before, no one was out in the streets when we first came,” he said. “Nobody wanted to come out. Everybody was too scared. People are actually willing to stand up now. You don’t see that all the time.”
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Combat Camera: Maritime Operations in the Arabian Gulf Pt. 2

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(From top to bottom) the USS Nimitz (CVN 68), the USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) and the USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) steam through the Gulf of Oman. The three ships are flagships for three different strike groups: the John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group, Nimitz Carrier Strike Group, and the Bonhomme Richard Expeditionary Strike Group, which are on regularly scheduled deployments in support of Maritime Operations. Maritime Operations help set the conditions for security and stability, as well as complement counter-terrorism and security efforts to regional nations. Photographer: Petty Officer 1st Class Denny Cantrell. U.S. Naval Forces, 5th Fleet Public Affairs

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(From top to bottom) the USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74), the USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) and the USS Nimitz (CVN 68) steam through the Gulf of Oman. The three ships are flagships for three different strike groups; the John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group, the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group and the Bonhomme Richard Expeditionary Strike Group, which are on regularly scheduled deployments in support of Maritime Operations. Maritime Operations help set the conditions for security and stability, as well as complement counter-terrorism and security efforts to regional nations. Photographer: Petty Officer 1st Class Denny Cantrell. U.S. Naval Forces, 5th Fleet Public Affairs

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The USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) steams through the Gulf of Oman. Bonhomme Richard, as part of the Bonhomme Richard Expeditionary Strike Group, is on a regularly scheduled deployments in support of Maritime Operations. Maritime Operations help set the conditions for security and stability, as well as complement counter-terrorism and security efforts to regional nations. Photographer: Petty Officer 1st Class Denny Cantrell. U.S. Naval Forces, 5th Fleet Public Affairs

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The USS Rushmore (LSD 47), the USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) and the USS Nimitz (CVN 68) steam through the Gulf of Oman. Bonhomme Richard and Rushmore, as part of the Bonhomme Richard Expeditionary Strike Group, and Nimitz, as part of the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group are on regularly scheduled deployments in support of Maritime Operations. Maritime Operations help set the conditions for security and stability, as well as complement counter-terrorism and security efforts to regional nations. Photographer: Petty Officer 1st Class Denny Cantrell. U.S. Naval Forces, 5th Fleet Public Affairs

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The USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74), the USS Nimitz (CVN 68), and the USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) along with USS Antietam (CG 54), USS O'Kane (DDG 77), USS Higgins (DDG 76), USS Denver (LPD 9) and USS Rushmore (LSD 47) steam through the Gulf of Oman. All these ships are part of three different strike groups; the John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group, Nimitz Carrier Strike Group, and the Bonhomme Richard Expeditionary Strike Group, which are on regularly scheduled deployments in support of Maritime Operations. Maritime Operations help set the conditions for security and stability, as well as complement counter-terrorism and security efforts to regional nations. Photographer: Petty Officer 1st Class Denny Cantrell. U.S. Naval Forces, 5th Fleet Public Affairs

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The USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74), the USS Nimitz (CVN 68), and the USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6), along with the USS Antietam (CG 54), the USS O'Kane (DDG 77), the USS Higgins (DDG 76), the USS Denver (LPD 9) and the USS Rushmore (LSD 47) steam through the Gulf of Oman. All these ships are part of three different strike groups; the John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group, Nimitz Carrier Strike Group, and the Bonhomme Richard Expeditionary Strike Group, which are on regularly scheduled deployments in support of Maritime Operations. Maritime Operations help set the conditions for security and stability, as well as complement counter-terrorism and security efforts to regional nations. Photographer: Petty Officer 1st Class Denny Cantrell. U.S. Naval Forces, 5th Fleet Public Affairs

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The USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) and the USS Nimitz (CVN 68) stream through the Gulf of Oman. Nimitz, as part of the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group, and Bonhomme Richard, as part of the Bonhomme Richard Expeditionary Strike Group, are on a regularly scheduled deployment in support of Maritime Operations. Maritime Operations help set the conditions for security and stability, as well as complement counter-terrorism and security efforts to regional nations. Photographer: Petty Officer 1st Class Denny Cantrell. U.S. Naval Forces, 5th Fleet Public Affairs

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(From left) The USS Higgins ((DDG 76), the USS O'Kane (DDG 77), and the USS Antietam (CG 54) steam through the Gulf of Oman. All these ships are part of three different strike groups; the John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group, Nimitz Carrier Strike Group, and the Bonhomme Richard Expeditionary Strike Group, which are on regularly scheduled deployments in support of Maritime Operations. Maritime Operations help set the conditions for security and stability, as well as complement counter-terrorism and security efforts to regional nations. Photographer: Petty Officer 1st Class Denny Cantrell. U.S. Naval Forces, 5th Fleet Public Affairs

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