Saturday, September 1, 2007

Combat Camera: Paratroopers, Afghan Army Take Fight to Taliban

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Scouts of the 173rd Airborne Brigade's 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, react as villagers below run after spotting the soldiers moving on the hillside during Operation Destined Strike in Chowkay Valley, Afghanistan Aug. 22, 2007. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Brandon Aird

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Scouts of the 173rd Airborne Brigade's 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment , pull overwatch during Operation Destined Strike while fellow paratroopers search a village in the Chowkay Valley in Kunar Province, Afghanistan Aug. 22, 2007. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Brandon Aird

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Soldiers from 2nd Platoon, Able Company, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment (Airborne), walk up a steep incline to talk to villagers during Operation Destined Strike in Chowkay Valley, Afghanistan, Aug. 22. The villagers told 2nd Platoon that Taliban were rampant in the area. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Brandon Aird

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Army Maj. Christopher Milstead, attached to Task Force Bayonet, watches as a 500-pound bomb lands on a Taliban position after a small fire fight during Operation Destined Strike in Chowkay Valley, Afghanistan Aug. 22, 2007. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Brandon Aird

Paratroopers Take Fight to Taliban During Operation Destined Strike
By Sgt. Brandon Aird, USA


WASHINGTON, Sept. 1, 2007 (AFPS) -- The tense paratroopers and Afghan National Army soldiers sat in silence surrounded by darkness.

The previous hours were spent huddled together rehearsing the mission, "Destined Strike", which was to be an air-assault into the Taliban's backyard.

The whoop, whoop, whoop sound of the CH-47 "Chinook" helicopter's rotary wings reverberated in the soldiers' ears drowning out all chance of another sound. Some of the soldiers said last minute prayers while others day dreamed of loved ones back home. Squad leaders made last minute checks in the dark.

When the Chinook landed all thoughts came to the task at hand. The soldiers jumped off the noisy helicopter onto a quiet, moon-lit mountain above the Chowkay Valley in Kunar province. The mountain is over 7,000 feet above sea level.

The Taliban's biggest advantage in past fire fights has been their ability to dominate the high ground, but not this time.

Soldiers of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team’s 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment and elements of the Afghan National Army’s 2nd Kandak, 201st Corps, conducted Operation Destined Strike August 21-25. The U.S. soldiers were members of the 2nd platoons of the 2nd Battalion’s A, C and D companies.

"We came here to show the local populace that coalition forces aren't afraid to come into the Chowkay Valley," said Army 1st Lt. Kareem F. Hernandez, Company A 2nd Platoon leader.

After the initial insertion, the soldiers pulled security and waited for daybreak. During the night, they searched with night vision devices for 15 individuals spotted earlier near their position by an unmanned aerial vehicle.

Once dawn broke, the U.S. and Afghan soldiers put their gear-laden rucksacks on, and broke trail down the mountain to the first farming village. The village and fields were hand cut out of the mountain side.

Hernandez said he was surprised at the reaction he received from the first villager he encountered.

"It was the first time in this country I had someone admit he knew who the Taliban were. He showed me where they had been coming through to attack us,” Hernandez said. “I've never had that happen before. They always act like they have no clue what I'm talking about."

Hernandez learned the Taliban in the area were from the Korengal Valley. The trip from the Korengal Valley to the Chowkay Valley takes the insurgents two to three hours, according the local villager.

As Company A’s 2nd Platoon continued to the next village, rain started falling, along with bolts of lightning. During the ensuing storm, Taliban fighters attacked Company A’s landing zone, which was now occupied by the company commander and an overwatch element.

"They took small arms-fire and two RPG's from the northwest," Hernandez said.

In response, soldiers fired small-arms, 120mm mortars and 155mm artillery at the Taliban positions. The soldiers called in for air support, and fighter jets dropped four 500-pound bombs on enemy positions, ending any plans the Taliban had to move the soldiers from their position.

After the short fire fight, Hernandez's platoon and C Company’s 2nd Platoon spent the next few days moving to their extraction point for pick up by a helicopter.

On their way, Hernandez's platoon suffered three heat causalities. The difficult terrain, extreme weather conditions, and carrying extra ammunition, food and water was having its toll on the soldiers. When one soldier fell out, another picked up his gear while the stricken soldier recovered and was examined by a medic.

After five days on the mountain, however, every soldier who jumped out of the helicopter as a part of Operation Destined Strike jumped back on the helicopter without help when the mission was complete.
(Sgt. Brandon Aird is a journalist assigned to the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team.)

Related Sites:
173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team
Combined Joint Task Force 82

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Combat Camera: Aircraft Firefighter Training

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PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii (Aug. 29 2007) - Flames push water from a fire hose back as a federal firefighter assigned to Navy Region Hawaii Federal Fire Department combats a fire during an aircraft firefighting training evolution with the Mobile Aircraft Firefighting Training Device (MAFTD) at Navy Region Hawaii Federal Fire Department Headquarters. The MAFTD is a state-of-the-art training tool, which resembles an aircraft and provides different live fire and smoke scenarios for training to increase federal firefighter readiness and their ability to respond to aircraft fire and rescue emergencies. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class James E. Foehl (RELEASED)

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PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii (Aug. 29 2007) - Federal firefighters assigned to Navy Region Hawaii Federal Fire Department combat a fire during an aircraft firefighting training evolution with the Mobile Aircraft Firefighting Training Device (MAFTD) at Navy Region Hawaii Federal Fire Department Headquarters. The MAFTD is a state-of-the-art training tool, which resembles an aircraft and provides different live fire and smoke scenarios for training to increase federal firefighter readiness and their ability to respond to aircraft fire and rescue emergencies. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class James E. Foehl (RELEASED)

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PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii (Aug. 29 2007) - A federal firefighter assigned to Navy Region Hawaii Federal Fire Department waits to participate in an aircraft firefighting training evolution with the Mobile Aircraft Firefighting Training Device (MAFTD) at Navy Region Hawaii Federal Fire Department Headquarters. The MAFTD is a state-of-the-art training tool, which resembles an aircraft and provides different live fire and smoke scenarios for training to increase federal firefighter readiness and their ability to respond to aircraft fire and rescue emergencies. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class James E. Foehl (RELEASED)

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PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii (Aug. 29 2007) - Federal firefighters assigned to Navy Region Hawaii Federal Fire Department combat a fire during an aircraft firefighting training evolution with the Mobile Aircraft Firefighting Training Device (MAFTD) at Navy Region Hawaii Federal Fire Department Headquarters. The MAFTD is a state-of-the-art training tool, which resembles an aircraft and provides different live fire and smoke scenarios for training to increase federal firefighter readiness and their ability to respond to aircraft fire and rescue emergencies. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class James E. Foehl (RELEASED)

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PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii (Aug. 29 2007) - A safety observer watches as federal firefighters assigned to Navy Region Hawaii Federal Fire Department advance to combat a fire during an aircraft firefighting training evolution with the Mobile Aircraft Firefighting Training Device (MAFTD) at Navy Region Hawaii Federal Fire Department Headquarters. The MAFTD is a state-of-the-art training tool, which resembles an aircraft and provides different live fire and smoke scenarios for training to increase federal firefighter readiness and their ability to respond to aircraft fire and rescue emergencies. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class James E. Foehl (RELEASED)

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Combat Camera: USS John C. Stennis Returns to Home Port

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BREMERTON, Wash. (Aug. 31, 2007) - Sailors man the rails aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) as the ship returns to its homeport of Bremerton, Wash. Stennis and its crew returned to the United States after a 7.5-month long deployment promoting peace, regional cooperation and stability, supporting Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Ron Reeves (RELEASED)

Stennis Returns Home from Deployment
By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (SW/AW) Joseph R. Vincent, USS John C. Stennis Public Affairs


BREMERTON, Wash. -- USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) returned to its homeport of Bremerton, Wash. Aug. 31, after a successful seven and a half month deployment.

While deployed, Stennis supported Operations Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Iraqi Freedom (OIF), maritime operations, coalition operations in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations (AOO), Expeditionary Strike Force (ESF) training and recently, exercise Valiant Shield 2007.

“The very presence of a nuclear aircraft carrier and the strike group that surrounds it, helped provide stability and security throughout the Middle East and Pacific regions,” said Commander, Carrier Strike Group 3, Rear Adm. Kevin Quinn. “It helped to dissuade and deter potential adversaries, and at the same time, helped to assure friendly countries in that region that we have the commitment and capability to maintain stability and security throughout the maritime environment; Stennis was the focal point of that.”

Stennis’ Commanding Officer, Capt. Brad Johanson expressed his pride in the ship’s impact on the mission while serving as the centerpiece of the John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group (JCSSG).

“We are proud of what we accomplished,” said Stennis’ Commanding Officer, Capt. Brad Johanson. “The people I have the privilege to lead continually amaze me in their abilities and desires. I can honestly say I’m not too concerned about our future generations when we have great folks like these.”

While supporting OEF and OIF from the North Arabian Sea, Stennis and embarked Carrier Air Wing Nine (CVW-9) flew approximately 8,000 sorties providing more than 22,000 flight hours, dropped more than 160 bombs and expended more than 11,000 rounds of ammunition during 82 strafing attacks.

"Throughout this deployment, Stennis has set a new standard for the performance of carriers in a combat zone,” said Johanson. “The missions we sent into Afghanistan and Iraq and the strong presence we established in the Arabian Gulf made a very significant difference in providing security and stability to the entire region."

Along with five months of combat operations in support of OEF and OIF, Stennis also participated in a number of exercises during its deployment, such as a unique humanitarian relief exercise in the Arabian Gulf, dual-carrier exercises with USS Eisenhower (CVN 69) and Expeditionary Strike Force training in the 5th Fleet AOO with USS Nimitz (CVN 68) and USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6), while simultaneously providing close-air support to coalition ground forces in support of OEF and OIF.

“We got feedback from troops in combat, and we know that the operations we conducted on board John C. Stennis saved the lives of the troops on the ground,” said Quinn. “Across the board, in every area, the performance of Stennis was magnificent.”

After successfully completing operations in the U.S. 5th Fleet AOO July 11, Stennis sailed to the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility (AOR) where Sailors and Marines enjoyed port visits in Singapore and Hong Kong and participated in more than 20 community relations projects.

“The crew performed superbly throughout the port visits,” said Stennis Command Master Chief (AW/SW) Joseph Curtin.

“Everyone did well; everybody had a good time and enjoyed themselves. They had a chance to rest and relax and learn about local culture.”

Following the visit to Hong Kong, Stennis participated in exercise Valiant Shield 2007 off the coast of Guam from Aug. 7-14. The joint military exercise brought together more than 30 ships including the USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63) and Nimitz Carrier Strike Groups, 280 aircraft and more than 20,000 service members from the Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. Valiant Shield tested the military’s ability to rapidly bring together joint forces in response to any regional contingency, demonstrating the United States’ commitment to ensuring peace and stability throughout the Asian-Pacific region.

With the conclusion of Valiant Shield, Stennis wrapped up the operational requirement of her 2007 deployment and sailed toward home.

“When I look back on this great adventure of ours, the thing I’m most proud of is the performance of our young Sailors and Marines,” said Quinn. “They’ve left the comforts of their homes; they’ve left their families; they’ve gone forward into the combat zone to fight for our country, and their performance in that combat zone has been outstanding.”

Stennis will soon commence its post overseas movement standdown to give the crew some well-deserved time off before the ship begins its docked planned incremental availability later this year where it will undergo about six months of maintenance and upgrades.
For more news from USS John C. Stennis, visit: www.news.navy.mil/local/cvn74/.

Related media source: Video/blog - Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

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Scores of Taliban Killed in Afghanistan

News in balance

News in Balance:

News sources reported Saturday that Afghan troops backed by foreign soldiers and airpower killed about 70 suspected Taliban fighters in raids close to the Pakistan border and throughout in the country.

The official report is included below:

Failed Attack Leaves 12 Taliban Dead in Afghanistan

WASHINGTON, Aug. 31, 2007 (AFPS) -- Afghan national security forces, advised by coalition forces, defeated an insurgent attack yesterday near Regay Village on the east side of the Musa Qalah Wadi in Afghanistan’s Helmand province.

The combined force was on a combat patrol when insurgents attacked from multiple compounds and trenches using small-arms fire, 82 mm mortars and rocket-propelled grenades.

The Afghan forces repelled the attack with accurate small-arms fire and artillery. When the insurgents reinforced their fighting positions with additional fighters, Afghan forces requested coalition close-air support. Coalition aircraft performed precision air strikes on the insurgents, killing a number of fighters and destroying a truck that was being used as reinforcement transport. Several more insurgents were killed by direct fire during the engagement.

“The Taliban have continued to attack the Afghan national security forces and coalition forces,” said Army Capt. Vanessa R. Bowman, a Combined Joint Task Force 82 spokeswoman. “The insurgents in the Musa Qalah area are becoming desperate as the (Afghan) and coalition forces continue to find, fix and destroy them along with their (improvised explosive device) facilities and illegal drug labs.”
In other operations in Afghanistan this week:

  • A coalition-contracted helicopter suffered minor damage Aug. 29 when it was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade while flying over the Kamdesh district in Nuristan province. The aircraft was able to land safely and none of the crew was hurt in the incident. Coalition forces contract private companies to deliver logistical supplies throughout the rugged eastern-Afghanistan countryside. An investigation into the incident is under way.

  • Afghan national security forces, assisted by coalition forces, found and destroyed an insurgent-run drug lab after a brief fight Aug. 29 with Taliban fighters in Khyajehdad Village in the Musa Qalah district of Helmand province. The opium lab was the second of its kind found in a four-day period in the Musa Qalah area. Afghan and coalition forces have been conducting combat patrols in the region for the past week. No Afghan or coalition forces or non-combatants were killed or injured in the operation.

“The Taliban simultaneously lose funding and demonstrate their reprobate lawlessness when (Afghan security forces) discover and destroy their illegal narcotics facilities,” Bowman said. Coalition and Afghan forces will continue to work as a team to eliminate insurgent fighters and their sources of funding, “which threaten peace and stability in Afghanistan,” she added.
(Compiled from Combined Joint Task Force 82 news releases.)

Related media sources: CNN World, The Associated Press.

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Coalition Forces Kill Five, Detain 37 Terrorists

Dispatches from the Front

Dispatches from the Front:

Coalition Forces Kill Five Terrorists, Detain 37

WASHINGTON, Aug. 31, 2007 (AFPS) -- Five terrorists were killed and 37 suspected terrorists were detained today as coalition forces continued to put pressure on al Qaeda's operations in Iraq.

Military officials reported the following details of Friday's operations:

  • In the Tigris River Valley, coalition forces targeted an al Qaeda leader southwest of Balad who orders, finances and carries out attacks against Iraqi and coalition forces in Salah ad Din province. Reports indicated this leader recently assumed a position coordinating terrorist logistics between Baghdad and Mosul, and may have been trying to obtain chemical weapons for use in attacks against coalition forces. After ground forces secured the target building, they received small-arms fire from a nearby building. Coalition forces responded in self-defense and returned fire, killing five armed terrorists. Four additional suspected terrorists were detained.

  • In the New Baghdad District of eastern Baghdad, Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers captured 24 suspected insurgents during a clearing operation. The operation, carried out by soldiers of Company D, 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, attached to the 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, was part of ongoing efforts to clear insurgent strongholds in the area. The 24 suspects were being held for questioning.

  • In the northern city of Bayji, coalition forces captured the alleged administrative emir of Haditha, who was believed to be residing in Bayji because of Iraqi and coalition forces' pressure on al Qaeda in Haditha. Two other suspected terrorists were detained as well.

  • In southern Baghdad, coalition forces captured a suspected key leader in that city's car-bombing network. Reports indicate the individual had moved into the leadership position after his predecessor was detained in a June 10 operation and the previous leader was detained May 29. Several other leaders in this network were either killed or captured in the past two months. Coalition forces also detained five other suspected terrorists during the raid.

  • During operations to locate al Qaeda safe houses north of Tarmiyah, coalition forces found a building containing homemade explosives and rigged with command detonation wires. An explosives team with the ground forces safely destroyed the materials on site.

"Al Qaeda in Iraq is feeling the pressure from our operations to disrupt their nefarious activities," said Army Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, Multinational Force Iraq spokesman. "We will continue to hunt the terrorists who seek to thwart Iraq's progress."
In operations over the past two days:

  • Iraqi special operations forces and Iraqi security forces, with U.S. Special Forces as advisors, detained 11 members of the Jaysh al Mahdi militia, including a company commander, during separate operations Aug. 29 and Aug. 30 in Karbala. Intelligence indicated that one of the detained Shiia extremists is linked to the Aug. 22 assassination of the mayor of Husaniyah. During the operations, the forces received enemy small-arms fire and returned proportional fire, killing one enemy fighter and wounding another. The wounded individual was evacuated to a medical facility for treatment. No Iraqi or U.S. Special Forces members were injured during the operations.

  • Iraqi special operations forces, with U.S. Special Forces as advisors, detained a suspected al Qaeda emir and a terrorist cell member during an operation Aug. 30 in Baghdad. Reports indicate the emir has directed and conducted kidnappings and murders of local nationals. The Sunni extremist is believed to have participated in indirect-fire attacks against local citizens. The suspects are being detained for questioning for their involvement in the injury and death of Iraqi citizens and other criminal activity.

  • Marines from Regimental Combat Team 6 observed and engaged an armed group of al Qaeda terrorists killing 12 Iraqis and destroying two vehicles near the town of Karmah on Aug. 29. A group of three men was seen loading objects into a truck northeast of Fallujah, in an area known to be a weapons cache site. A second group of four men arrived in another truck, followed by a third group of six men on foot. A team of Marines was dispatched to better observe the scene and a third cargo truck carrying three men waving weapons and wearing ski masks approached the group a few moments later. The Marines called for air support and jets dropped two precision-guided bombs, destroying the first two cargo trucks. Marines called for artillery fire on the dismounted enemy personnel immediately following the air attack. Twelve members of al Qaeda were found dead upon investigation of the scene. Numerous weapons and roadside bomb-making materials also were found. All unexploded ordnance was removed from the scene and transported to a coalition base for investigation and disposal.

(Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq and Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)

Related media sources: CNN World, The Associated Press.

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Friday, August 31, 2007

Combat Camera: USS George Washington

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NORFOLK, Va. (Aug. 30, 2007) - USS George Washington (CVN 73) moves into Naval Station Norfolk after completing sea trials. The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier returned to Naval Station Norfolk after four days of sea trials in the Atlantic Ocean and completing an 11-month, $300 million planned incremental availability. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Apprentice Jon Dasbach (RELEASED)

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NORFOLK, Va. (Aug. 30, 2007) - Line handlers from USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) stand on the pier while USS George Washington (CVN 73) moves into position to cast over mooring lines. The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier returned to Naval Station Norfolk after four days of sea trials in the Atlantic Ocean and completing an 11-month, $300 million planned incremental availability. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Apprentice Jon Dasbach (RELEASED)

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PORTSMOUTH, Va. (Aug. 27, 2007) - Nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) departs Norfolk Naval Shipyard for her homeport of Naval Station Norfolk, Va. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Sheldon Rowley (RELEASED)

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NORFOLK, Va. (Aug. 27, 2007) - USS George Washington (CVN 73) passes by downtown Norfolk, Va., in transit through the Elizabeth River en route to a week of sea trials. The Norfolk-based aircraft carrier is undergoing sea trials, following a $300 million, 11-month planned incremental availability. George Washington is scheduled to relieve USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63) in 2008 as the Navy's only permanently forward deployed aircraft carrier. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Joshua A. Olson (RELEASED)

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ATLANTIC OCEAN (Aug. 28, 2007) - Sailors aboard USS George Washington (CVN 73) fight a mock aircraft fire during flight deck drills. The Norfolk-based aircraft carrier is undergoing sea trials following a $300-million, 11-month planned incremental availability. George Washington is scheduled to relieve USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63) in 2008 as the Navy's only permanently forward deployed aircraft carrier. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Joshua A. Olson (RELEASED)

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ATLANTIC OCEAN (Aug. 27, 2007) - Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Handling) Airman Wain Scott and Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Handling) Airman Sean Casto scrub a padeye during a counter-measure washdown on the flight deck aboard USS George Washington (CVN 73). The Norfolk-based aircraft carrier is undergoing sea trials, following a $300 million, 11-month planned incremental availability. George Washington is scheduled to relieve USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63) in 2008 as the Navy's only permanently forward deployed aircraft carrier. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Joshua A. Olson (RELEASED)

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PORTSMOUTH, Va. (Aug. 27, 2007) - USS George Washington (CVN 73) Sailors heave in a mooring line as the ship leaves Norfolk Naval Shipyard. The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier is undergoing sea trials following a $300-million, 11-month planned incremental availability. The ship is scheduled to relieve USS Kitty Hawk (CVN 63) in 2008 as the Navy's permanently forward-deployed aircraft carrier. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Jennifer Apsey (RELEASED)

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PORTSMOUTH, Va. (April 25, 2007) - Tug boats steady the bow of USS George Washington (CVN 73) as the aircraft carrier transits from dry dock to a wet slip. The Norfolk-based Nimitz-class aircraft carrier is currently undergoing Planned Incremental Availability and Docking (PIA+D). The availability will prepare George Washington to relieve USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63) as the fleet's forward deployed carrier in 2008. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Jennifer Apsey (RELEASED)

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PORTSMOUTH, Va. (April 25, 2007) - As line handlers keep USS George Washington (CVN 73) centered in the dry dock, tugboats assist the carrier move from dry dock to wet slip. The Norfolk-based Nimitz-class aircraft carrier is currently undergoing Planned Incremental Availability and Docking (PIA+D). The availability will prepare George Washington to relieve USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63) as the fleet's forward deployed carrier in 2008. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Peter D. Blair (RELEASED)

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PORTSMOUTH, Va. (Nov. 10, 2006) - A Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) crane removes the main mast from the island structure of USS George Washington (CVN 73). The Norfolk-based Nimitz-class aircraft carrier is undergoing a $300 million shipyard availability at NNSY. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Jennifer Apsey (RELEASED)

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PORTSMOUTH, Va. (Sept. 14, 2006) - The Nimitz Class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) transits the James River on its way to Norfolk Naval Shipyards. George Washington recently completed deperming, a process in which the ship is demagnetized. The ship will spend the next year in the yards being refitted and upgraded during a scheduled yard period. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Peter D. Blair (RELEASED)

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Redacted: Hollywood Hates the Troops

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Director Brian De Palma: Reality, but fictitious

On the Home Front:

A new film about the real-life rape and killing of a 14-year-old Iraqi girl by U.S. soldiers who also murdered her family "stunned" the Venice festival with graphic images that left some viewers in tears, Reuters reported Friday.

"Redacted," by American director Brian De Palma, is one of at least eight American films on the war in Iraq due for release in the next few months and the first of two movies on the conflict screening in Venice's main competition.

"The movie is an attempt to bring the reality of what is happening in Iraq to the American people," De Palma told reporters after a press screening.

However, De Palma admitted he fictionalized events in the film and blamed legalities for forcing him to do so.

"Everything that is in the movie is based on something I found that actually happened. But once I had put it in the script I would get a note from a lawyer saying you can't use that because it's real and we may get sued," De Palma said.

"So I was forced to fictionalize things that were actually real."
By late Friday, the editors of The Weekly Standard, a conservative publication, protested what they called, "The slanders of Tim Robbins and Brian De Palma."

"We've killed over 400,000 of their citizens." That's what actor Tim Robbins thinks U.S. troops have been doing in Iraq. He made the claim last week in an appearance on HBO's Real Time with Bill Maher.

He's wrong, of course. American soldiers have not been slaughtering 300 Iraqis a day for the last four years. Even for one of Hollywood's most feculent personalities, this is an appalling slander of U.S. troops.
The Iraq Body Count is an antiwar Web site that tallies all civilian deaths in Iraq as reported in the news media. At the moment, the site lists the "maximum count"at 77,555. That's one-fifth the number concocted by Robbins's overactive imagination.

Just as we were inclined to dismiss Robbins as a lonely voice of idiocy, news came of director Brian DePalma's Redacted, one of eight new movies about the Iraq War due out in the coming months, according to Reuters. "Inspired by one of the most serious crimes committed by American soldiers in Iraq since the 2003 invasion, it is a harrowing indictment of the conflict and spares the audience no brutality to get its message across."

<...>

How about the reality of what's happening in Hollywood? Says Pete Hegseth of Vets for Freedom: "These statements reflect the utter ignorance of Robbins and DePalma about what American soldiers are actually doing in Iraq. At every opportunity, they use their celebrity status to bash the very soldiers and Marines who are fighting for them. They reflexively side with radical Islamic terrorists rather than take an honest look at the situation in Iraq."
De Palma was quoted in Sky News:

"It is un-American to criticise the government... Personally, I am not scared. I am the man they love to hate. I am sure they will say; 'It's another De Palma misogynist saga'."
While I am not sure De Palma is as important as he thinks he is, I am sure it is not un-American to criticize the government. It is, however, a sham to say you support the troops with one breath while you slander them with the next.

Media sources: Reuters, Sky News, Weekly Standard.

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Combat Camera: Transiting Through the Panama Canal

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PANAMA CANAL (Aug. 30, 2007) – The Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) enters the Gatun Locks while transiting through the Panama Canal. Comfort is on a four-month humanitarian deployment to Latin America and the Caribbean providing medical treatment in a dozen countries. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Steven King (RELEASED)

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PANAMA CANAL (Aug. 30, 2007) – The Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) enters the Gatun Locks while transiting through the Panama Canal. Comfort is on a four-month humanitarian deployment to Latin America and the Caribbean providing medical treatment in a dozen countries. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Steven King (RELEASED)

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PANAMA (Aug. 28, 2007) - Visitors at the Pacific Ocean entrance of the Panama Canal observe a tanker in the Miraflores Locks, one of 3 locks used to raise and lower ships as they transit the canal. Civil and military forces from 20 countries will participate in PANAMAX 2007, a U.S. Southern Command joint and multi-national training exercise co-sponsored with the Government of Panama, focusing on ensuring the defense of the Panama Canal, one of the most strategically and economically crucial pieces of infrastructure in the world. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Todd Frantom (RELEASED)

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PANAMA (Aug. 28, 2007) – Ships prepare to enter Miraflores Locks, one of 3 locks used to raise and lower ships as they transit the canal. Civil and military forces from 20 countries will participate in PANAMAX 2007, a U.S. Southern Command joint and multi-national training exercise co-sponsored with the Government of Panama, focusing on ensuring the defense of the Panama Canal, one of the most strategically and economically crucial pieces of infrastructure in the world. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Todd Frantom (RELEASED)

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PANAMA CANAL (July 10, 2007) – Crewmembers aboard the flight deck of Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) wave to people on observation decks alongside the Miraflores locks. Comfort is on a four-month humanitarian deployment to Latin America and the Caribbean to provide medical treatment to patients in a dozen countries. While deployed, Comfort is under the operational control of U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command and tactical control of Destroyer Squadron 24. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Joshua Karsten (RELEASED)

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PANAMA CANAL (July 10, 2007) - Sailors view the Panama Canal from aboard Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20). Comfort is on a four-month humanitarian deployment to Latin America and the Caribbean to provide medical treatment to patients in a dozen countries. While deployed, Comfort is under the operational control of U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command and tactical control of Destroyer Squadron 24. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Joshua Karsten (RELEASED)

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PANAMA CANAL (July 10, 2007) - Capt. Ed Nanartowich, civilian shipmaster for Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20), communicates with his crew while transiting the Panama Canal. Comfort is on a four-month humanitarian deployment to Latin America and the Caribbean to provide medical treatment to patients in a dozen countries. While deployed, Comfort is under the operational control of U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command and tactical control of Destroyer Squadron 24. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Joshua Karsten (RELEASED)

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PANAMA CANAL (July 10, 2007) - Cmdr. Anna Stalcup views the Panama Canal through binoculars as Cmdr. Octavio Broges looks on during a steel beach picnic aboard the flight deck of Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20). Comfort is on a four-month humanitarian deployment to Latin America and the Caribbean to provide medical treatment to patients in a dozen countries. While deployed, Comfort is under the operational control of U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command and tactical control of Destroyer Squadron 24. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Joshua Karsten (RELEASED)

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President, Vice President Meet with Top Officials at Pentagon

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President Bush and Vice President Cheney meet with Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and the Joint Chiefs of Staff at The Pentagon, Aug. 31, 2007. Photo by Cherie A. Thurlby

News in Balance

Associated Press stories about the meeting President Bush and Vice President Cheney had Friday with top leaders at the Pentagon would have readers believe Bush has been advised that the Iraqis are so corrupt that they are "too tainted to continue," and that the administration -- must -- change course this fall to "save the health of a heavily stressed Army and Marines Corps."

AP reported:

In an hour and a half meeting with the Joint Chiefs of Staff in a secure Pentagon room dubbed "the Tank," Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney heard from leaders of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines, who are worried about strains that are building on the forces - and on troops' families - as a result of lengthy and repeated tours in Iraq.
However, in an official release, John J. Kruzel, writing for The American Forces Press Service, said the meeting was held to discuss the commitment to providing servicemembers with all they need "to meet the challenges of this new century."

In a written statement released by the White House after his meeting with Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and the Joints Chiefs of Staff, Bush said he accepted a recommendation Gates made in January to increase the overall strength of the Army and Marines by 92,000 over the next five years.

"This will strengthen our military and help reset our forces to respond to multiple contingencies around the world at any given moment," Bush said. "The effort is well under way, but there is more to do, and the Joint Chiefs are doing a terrific job monitoring the health of our all-volunteer force."

The president said the meeting included discussion about military and civilian coordination, noting that joint civilian and military teams currently are deployed in Afghanistan, the Horn of Africa, the Philippines and Iraq.

"In Iraq, we have more than doubled the number of civilian-led provincial reconstruction teams this year, most of which are embedded with U.S. combat brigades," Bush said. "These teams are a force multiplier for our men and women in uniform, and they are essential to the "bottom up" political progress taking place in Anbar, Diyala, and other provinces across Iraq.
"The Civilian Reserve Corps now being developed will enlarge the pool of civilian volunteers to support and enhance our missions," he continued.

Bush remarked that a highly anticipated assessment by Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of Multinational Force Iraq, and U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan C. Crocker is due out next month. "This status report comes less than three months since our new strategy became fully operational and will assess what is going well, what can be improved, and what adjustments might be made in the coming months," he said.

The president urged congressional members to withhold judgment until the report has been presented.

"The stakes in Iraq are too high and the consequences too grave for our security here at home to allow politics to harm the mission of our men and women in uniform," he said. "It is my hope that we can put partisanship and politics behind us and commit to a common vision that will provide our troops what they need to succeed and secure our vital national interests in Iraq and around the world."
Bush closed his statement by praising servicemembers' resolve, and vowing to uphold the legacy of their effort.

"The brave men and women of our armed forces and their families are making heroic sacrifices to secure our country," he said. "America will honor these sacrifices by ensuring that our children and grandchildren inherit a more peaceful, just, and democratic world."
Transcript: White House.

Media sources: AP, AP.

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