Saturday, September 8, 2007

Combat Camera: A 9/11 Retrospective, Part 2

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The Pentagon in flames moments after a hijacked jetliner crashed into the building Sept. 11, 2001. Photo by Cpl. Jason Ingersoll, USMC

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Firefighters work to put out the flames moments after a hijacked jetliner crashed into the Pentagon Sept. 11, 2001. Photo by Cpl. Jason Ingersoll, USMC

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The Pentagon in flames just minutes after a hijacked jetliner crashed into the building Sept. 11, 2001. Photo by Cpl. Jason Ingersoll, USMC

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Firefighters and Defense Department employees organize a group to go in and find survivors moments after a hijacked jetliner crashed into the Pentagon Sept. 11, 2001. Photo by Cpl. Jason Ingersoll, USMC

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After being told to vacate his office in the Pentagon, U.S. Air Force Maj. Ken Echternacht volunteered to help set up the Red Cross Disaster Services Area in the South Parking lot. The area was being used to provide food and rest for various emergency response agencies working around the clock to secure the impact area caused when a hijacked commercial jetliner crashed into the building Sept. 11, 2001. Photo by TSgt Jim Varhegyi, USAF

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Aerial view of the destruction caused when a hijacked commercial jetliner crashed into the Pentagon Sept. 11, 2001. The terrorist attack which caused extensive damage to the Pentagon followed similar attacks on the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City. Photo by Tech. Sgt. Cedric H. Rudisill, USAF

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Fire and rescue workers unfurl a huge American flag over the side of the Pentagon during rescue and recovery efforts following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack. A hijacked commercial airliner, originating from Washington D.C.'s Dulles airport, was flown into the southern side of the building facing Route 27. Photo by Photographer's Mate 1st Class Michael W. Pendergrass, USN

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Coalition, Iraqi Forces Capture Terrorism Suspects

Dispatches from the Front

Dispatches from the Front:

Coalition, Iraqi Forces Capture Terrorism Suspects

WASHINGTON, Sept. 8, 2007 (AFPS) -- Coalition forces captured five terrorism suspects in raids today, and other operations by Iraqi and coalition forces in recent days have taken more alleged terrorists off the streets, military officials reported.

Officials also provided details of a recent unmanned aerial vehicle mission that was a “first” for the Army.

Separate raids in Kirkuk today targeted the head of the city’s car-bombing network and a key communications link within the al Qaeda in Iraq terrorism network. The ground forces detained three suspected terrorists in the operations. In Mosul, coalition forces detained two suspected terrorists while targeting close associates of al Qaeda in Iraq senior leaders.

"We're continuing to put pressure on al Qaeda's networks to squeeze them out of their hiding places and into our custody so they cannot attack the Iraqi people," Army Lt. Col. Charles Perenick, a Multinational Force Iraq spokesman, said.

In other recent operations:

  • Iraqi security forces with U.S. Special Forces advisors detained a key leader and a supporter of an Iraqi criminal network during an early morning raid yesterday in Saiwaia, near Samarra. The suspected leader is directly related to kidnappings and murders of Samarra citizens, officials said.

  • In an intelligence-driven raid near Qaim in Iraq’s Anbar province Sept. 6, Iraqi security forces detained a man believed to be responsible for providing weapons, water and food to insurgents operating in the southern Rutbah deserts south of Qaim.

  • Also on Sept. 6, coalition and Iraqi forces conducted a combined ground and air assault in southwestern Kirkuk province as part of Operation Lightning Hammer II. U.S. soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, with units from the 4th Iraqi Army Division, maneuvered into the Riyadh valley and began operations to deny insurgents safe haven. The combined forces now are clearing villages to identify and root out Sunni extremists suspected to be in the area, officials said, and have detained at least eight people for alleged terrorist activity. Simultaneously in the neighboring Rashad valley, more than 400 coalition and Iraqi ground combat forces swept nearly a dozen villages. Partnered with 4th Iraqi Army Division soldiers, along with local police and the Iraqi Emergency Services Unit, U.S. soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, worked to clear the villages in the area and to provide food and other humanitarian aid to families. Nine people were detained.

  • Iraqi soldiers discovered multiple vehicle bombs and a large improvised explosive device in Iraq’s Ninewah province Sept. 6 as part of Operation Lightning Hammer II. The 2nd Iraqi Army Division soldiers found three vehicles rigged as bombs and 21 IEDs in western Mosul. A search of nearby homes uncovered three sedans being prepared as car bombs, 18 rocket-propelled grenades, a PKC machine gun with 600 rounds of ammunition, three AK-47 assault rifles and 10 grenades. The Iraqi soldiers also detained 19 suspected enemy fighters.

  • In Diyala province on Sept. 5, 5th Iraqi Army Division soldiers, partnered with U.S. soldiers from 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, conducted Operation Wickersham III in support of Task Force Lightning's Operation Lightning Hammer II. The operation, designed to remove al-Qaeda influence south of Buhriz, resulted in the discovery of three weapons caches and five improvised explosive devices. Four detainees were located in the vicinity of a cache and were transferred to a facility for further questioning.

A “first” for U.S. Army Aviation took place Sept. 1, military officials announced today, when a Hunter unmanned aerial vehicle engaged and killed two suspected roadside bomb emplacers near Qayyarah in Iraq’s Ninewah province.

A scout weapons team from 2nd Battalion, 25th Aviation Regiment, 25th Combat Aviation Brigade, saw the men in a tactical overwatch near a roadside. The team requested Hunter UAV support. The pilots guided the Hunter operator to the scene, where it set up for a strike mission and dropped its precision munition, killing both men and marking a first in Army Aviation history.

"It's very humbling to know that we have set an Army historical mark in having the first successful launch in combat from an Army weaponized UAV," said Capt. Raymond Fields, commander, Unmanned Aerial Surveillance Company. "This would not be possible without my soldiers and civilians working hard day in and day out in Iraq to accomplish this feat."
Fields said he believes the success will set the tone for Army Aviation in years to come. “We will see more weaponized Army unmanned vehicles being used instead of manned platforms to save not only our aviator brethren but (also) our Army ground brethren from enemy contact.”

Army Col. A.T. Ball, 25th Combat Aviation Brigade commander, said the ability to use UAVs provides “a precise and discriminate means for our Army to successfully engage the enemy in counterinsurgency warfare.”
(Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq, Multinational Corps Iraq and Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force Arabian Peninsula news releases.)

Related media sources: CNN World, The Washington Post, Yahoo News - Reuters, AP.

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Hunter UAV Kills Two Insurgents on First Flight

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Soldiers with the 15th Military Intelligence Battalion do maintanence checks with a Hunter Unmanned Aerial Vehicle before it is sent to the skies. Photographer: 27th Public Affairs Detachment, 27th Public Affairs Detachment

Hunter UAV kills two enemy fighters during historic flight
September 8, 2007
Multi-National Division – North PAO


TIKRIT, Iraq -- A Hunter unmanned aerial vehicle engaged and killed two suspected improvised explosive device emplacers overwatching a major thoroughfare for Coalition Forces during a historic flight near Qayyarah, Iraq, in Nineveh province Sept. 1.

A scout weapons team from 2nd Battalion, 25th Aviation Regiment, 25th Combat Aviation Brigade, observed the two unknown enemy fighters in a tactical overwatch near the roadside. The SWT requested support from the Hunter UAV.

The pilots guided the Hunter operator to the scene where it set up for a strike mission and dropped its precision munition, killing both unknown enemies and marking a first in Army Aviation history.

“It’s very humbling to know that we have set an Army historical mark in having the first successful launch in combat from an Army weaponized UAV,” said Capt. Raymond Fields, commander, Unmanned Aerial Surveillance Company. “This would not be possible without my Soldiers and civilians working hard day in and day out in Iraq to accomplish this feat.”
Fields continued, “I think that this success will set the tone for Army Aviation in years to come. We will see more weaponized Army unmanned vehicles being used instead of manned platforms to save not only our aviator brethren but our Army ground brethren from enemy contact.”

“This accomplishment adds a precise and discriminate means for our Army to successfully engage the enemy in counterinsurgency warfare,” said Col. A.T. Ball, commander, 25th CAB.
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Combat Camera: A 9/11 Retrospective, Part 1

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Arlington, Virginia (Sept. 11, 2001) -- Medical personnel and volunteers work the first medical triage area set up outside the Pentagon after a hijacked commercial airliner crashed into the southwest corner of the building. (U.S. Navy Photo by Journalist 1st Class Mark D. Faram.)

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Arlington, Virginia (Sept. 11, 2001) -- Medical personnel load wounded into an ambulance at the first medical triage area set up outside the Pentagon after a hijacked commercial airliner crashed into the southwest corner of the building. (U.S. Navy Photo by Journalist 1st Class Mark D. Faram.)

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Arlington, Virginia (Sept. 11, 2001) -– Smoke and flames rose over the Pentagon late into the night, following a suspected terrorist crash of a commercial airliner into the southwest corner of the Pentagon. Part of the building has collapsed meanwhile firefighters continue to battle the flames and look for survivors. An exact number of casualties is unknown. The building was evacuated, as were the federal buildings in the Capitol area, including the White House. (U.S. Navy Photo by Photographer’s Mate 2nd Class Bob Houlihan.)

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Pentagon, Arlington, Va. (Sept. 11, 2001) – "The Pentagon is functioning" was the message Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, center, stressed during a press conference in the Pentagon briefing room barely eight hours after terrorists crashed a hijacked commercial jetliner into the national military headquarters. Rumsfeld is fland, left to right, by Secretary of the Army Tom White, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Army General Henry Shelton, and Senators John Warner, of Virginia, and Carl Levin, of Michigan. (U.S. Navy Photo by Photographer’s Mate 2nd Class Bob Houlihan.)

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San Diego, Calif. (Sept. 12, 2001) -- A Sailor aboard the auxiliary command ship USS Coronado (AGF 11), command ship for U.S. Third Fleet, keeps a vigilant watch near the entrance of San Diego Harbor. (U.S. Navy photo by Journalist 1st Class Palmer Pinckney.)

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New York, N.Y. (Sept. 14, 2001) -- Rescue workers conduct search and rescue attempts, descending deep into the rubble of the World Trade Center. (U.S. Navy Photo by Photographer's Mate 2nd Class Jim Watson.)

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New York, NY (Sept. 14, 2001) -- What was once a glittering symbol of the financial center of the world now stands blanketed in ash and soot. The World Trade Center was destroyed during a September 11, 2001 terrorist attack. (U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate 2nd Class Jim Watson.)

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New York, N.Y. (Sept. 15, 2001) -- A New York City fireman calls for 10 more rescue workers to make their way into the rubble of the World Trade Center. (U.S. Navy Photo by Journalist 1st Class Preston Keres.)

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Combat Camera: PANAMAX 2007 Ends

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PACIFIC OCEAN (Sept. 2, 2007) – A Canadian CH-124 Sea King takes off from dock landing ship USS Pearl Harbor (LSD 52) while a rigid hull inflatable boat prepares to embark Ecuadorian surface combat ship LAE 11 De Noviembre (LG 40) to conduct a visit, board, search and seizure training exercise during PANAMAX 2007. PANAMAX 2007 is a joint and multinational training exercise tailored to the defense of the Panama Canal, involving civil and military forces from the region. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Alexia M. Riveracorrea (RELEASED)

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PACIFIC OCEAN (Sept. 2, 2007) – A rigid hull inflatable boat prepares to embark Ecuadorian surface combat ship LAE 11 De Noviembre (LG 40) to conduct a visit, board, search and seizure training exercise during PANAMAX 2007. PANAMAX 2007 is a joint and multinational training exercise tailored to the defense of the Panama Canal, involving civil and military forces from the region. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Alexia M. Riveracorrea (RELEASED)

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CARIBBEAN SEA (Sept. 2, 2007) – A visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) team attached to guided-missile frigate USS Samuel B. Roberts (FFG 58) embarks aboard Columbian frigate ARC Antioquia (FM 53) as part of VBSS training during PANAMAX 2007. Civil and military forces from 19 countries are participating in PANAMAX, a U.S. Southern Command joint and multi-national training exercise co-sponsored with the government of Panama, in the waters off the coast of Panama in Honduras. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Todd Frantom (RELEASED)

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COLON, Panama (Aug. 31, 2007) – Lt. Col. Adrian Rene Flores Marcelino, a Honduran police official, talks with other operational planners of the Combined Exercise Control Group during the beginning phase of PANAMAX 2007. Civil and military forces from 19 countries are participating in PANAMAX 2007, a U.S. Southern Command joint and multi-national training exercise co-sponsored with the government of Panama, in the waters off the coasts of Panama and Honduras. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Lolita Lewis (RELEASED)

FA PANAMAX 2007 Ends, Ensures Continued Security of Panama Canal
9/7/2007
By Mass Communciation Specialist 1st Class Barrie Barber, U.S. Fleet Forces Command Public Affairs


PANAMA CITY, Panama (NNS) -- More nations than ever teamed together in Fuerzas Aliadas (FA)PANAMAX 2007 to ensure the continued security of the Panama Canal, signs of both the multinational cooperative spirit and the importance of the waterway to worldwide commerce, high-ranking officials said during a closing ceremony Sept. 7.

“PANAMAX embraces the sense of community in the Americas,” U.S. Navy Adm. James G. Stavridis, commander, U.S. Southern Command said at a closing ceremony for the exercise. “It is a symbol of cooperative approaches to shared challenges in this hemisphere.”

Nineteen nations, in cooperation with the government of Panama, deployed more than 30 ships, a dozen aircraft and 7,000 personnel during Aug. 29-Sept. 7 in the largest naval exercise in the Western Hemisphere this year.

“We aspire towards maintaining the Panama Canal, the neurological center of world commerce, free and safe from emerging threats that may appear in our surroundings,” said Daniel Delgado Diamante, Panamanian minister of government and justice.

“We must remember that PANAMAX was initiated in 2003 with three countries: the United States, Chile and Panama,” he said. “It is significant to note that, in 2007, we incorporate 16 participating nations and three observer nations – all participating in the defense of the Panama Canal.”

PANAMAX this year demonstrated the real-world interoperability of the multinational civil and military forces, Stavridis said. Brazil and Peru Task Force Commanders took over command and control responsibilities when USS Wasp (LHD 1) was diverted to the coast of Nicaragua to offer humanitarian assistance after Hurricane Felix made landfall Sept. 4.

“I congratulate the participants for all of the flexibility they demonstrated in the face of this hurricane,” he said.

The admiral also lauded Honduras for allowing ground forces to participate at Soto Cano Air Base, and Panama for launching PANAMAX ALPHA, a first-ever internal exercise prior to FA PANAMAX 2007 that also ensured the security of the neutral waterway vital to global commerce.

The exercises are more important than ever with an expansion of the canal planned in the years ahead, said Rodrigo Cigarruista, director general of the Panamanian National Maritime Service.

“Every organization that deals with security is expected to test everything through evaluation,” he said through a translator. “The Panama Canal does not escape from this equation.”

Thousands of ships haul more than 200 million tons of cargo through the canal every year.

Panamanian officials noted the final day of PANAMAX marked the 30th anniversary of the Panama Canal Treaties with the United States, which governed the defense and operation of the canal and its permanent neutrality.

FA PANAMAX 2007 participating nations were: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Canada, Columbia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, France, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Netherlands, Panama, Peru, the United States and Uruguay. Three nations acted as observers: El Salvador, Mexico and Paraguay.
(PANAMAX is a U.S. Southern Command joint and multinational annual exercise.)

For more information on FA PANAMAX 2007, go to http://www.southcom.mil/appssc/index.php .

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Friday, September 7, 2007

Combat Camera: Marines Look for Suspicious Activities

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A U.S. Marine assigned to the 4th Marine Reconnaissance Battalion, 4th Marine Division uses binoculars during an operation while looking for suspicious activities and personnel outside Al Qaim, Iraq, Aug. 22, 2007. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Charles S. Howard

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U.S. Marines assigned to the Regimental Combat Team 2 search underneath a railroad car during an operation while looking for suspicious activities outside Al Qaim, Iraq, Aug. 22, 2007. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Charles S. Howard

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U.S. Marines assigned to the Regimental Combat Team 2 and a Marine with 4th Marine Reconnaissance Battalion, 4th Marine Division confer with each other outside an Iraqi railroad station during an operation near Al Qaim, Iraq, Aug. 22, 2007. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Charles S. Howard

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A U.S. Marine assigned to the Regimental Combat Team 2 advances on a railroad station during an operation while looking for suspicious activities and personnel outside Al Qaim, Iraq, Aug. 22, 2007. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Charles S. Howard

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An Iraqi army soldier assigned to the 2nd Brigade, 7th Iraqi Army Division questions an Iraqi girl in an abandoned railroad station in Al Qaim, Iraq, Aug. 22, 2007. The soldier is a part of an operation used to search for suspicious activities and personnel within the area of operations. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Charles S. Howard

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An Iraqi army soldier assigned to the 2nd Brigade, 7th Iraqi Army Division photographs an AK-47 in an abandoned railroad station in Al Qaim, Iraq, Aug. 22, 2007. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Charles S. Howard

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A U.S. Marine assigned to the Regimental Combat Team 2 provides security while looking for suspicious activities and personnel outside an Iraqi railroad station during an operation near Al Qaim, Iraq, Aug. 22, 2007. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Charles S. Howard

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U.S. Marines assigned to the Regimental Combat Team 2 load onto a CH-53E Sea Stallion helicopter after an operation looking for suspicious activities and personnel outside Al Qaim, Iraq, Aug. 22, 2007. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Charles S. Howard

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Petraeus Letter: Surge Gives Coalition Momentum

News in balance

News in Balance:

Writing for The Washington Post, William Branigin says U.S. forces have achieved generally encouraging, though "uneven," results in an offensive aimed at shoring up security in Iraq, but Iraqi leaders have failed to make satisfactory progress on the political reconciliation the military effort was designed to facilitate, the top U.S. military commander in Iraq told his troops in a letter today.

Branigin writes, "Foreshadowing an assessment he will deliver in Washington next week, Army Gen. David H. Petraeus told his 160,000 troops as well as civilian members of the Multi-National Force-Iraq that despite continuing violence and "limited" Iraqi government capabilities, the offensive since mid-June has "helped produce progress in many areas on the ground.""

Putting all the disserving, partisan braying aside, it is important to read Petraeus' words for yourself.

Following the official news report is the text of Petraeus' letter.

In Letter to Troops, Petraeus Says Surge Gives Coalition Momentum
By Jim Garamone


WASHINGTON, Sept. 7, 2007 (AFPS) -- The surge has allowed coalition and Iraqi forces to achieve tactical momentum and has given momentum to local reconciliation efforts, but national efforts still lag, the top coalition commander in Iraq said in a letter to servicemembers and civilians of Multinational Force Iraq today.

“Up front, my sense is that we have achieved tactical momentum and wrested the initiative from our enemies in a number of areas in Iraq,” Army Gen. David H. Petraeus wrote. “The result has been progress in the security arena, although it has, as you know, been uneven.”
Petraeus and U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan C. Crocker will testify before Congress on Sept. 10 and 11 on their assessments of the situation in Iraq.

The Petraeus letter is a straight-forward look at the situation in Iraq. The general said al Qaeda, Iranian-supported militias and home-grown extremists continue to launch attacks against coalition and Iraqi forces, although at a reduced level than in months before. American forces contend with hard combat, a high operations tempo, heat and long separations from family and friends. “And we operate against a backdrop of limited Iraqi governmental capacity, institutions trying to rebuild and various forms of corruption,” the general wrote.

All this is colored by sectarian discord al Qaeda fomented in 2006. “In spite of these challenges, our operations -- particularly the offensive operations we have conducted since mid-June -- have helped produce progress in many areas on the ground,” Petraeus said.

The number of terrorist attacks across Iraq has declined since mid-June, he said. Coalition and Iraqi forces have captured of killed countless terrorists and located a huge number of arms caches.

Local reconciliation is making gains, and local leaders are volunteering to take a stand against extremists. “With growing government of Iraq support, these volunteers are being integrated into legitimate security institutions to help improve local security,” he wrote.

These local initiatives are increasing the momentum toward reconciliation and encouraging more Iraqis to reject extremism. “The popular rejection of al Qaeda and its ideology has for example, helped transform Anbar province this year from one of the most dangerous areas of Iraq to one of the safest,” Petraeus said.

The rejection of extremism in Sunni areas like Anbar is being mirrored in Shiia areas, as well, he said.

While the surge is working to improve security, one reason for the commitment of five more brigades of U.S. troops was to give Iraqi leaders breathing space needed to take on tough political problems that need to be solved. “It has not worked out as we hoped,” Petraeus said in his letter. “All participants, Iraqi and coalition alike, are dissatisfied by the halting progress on major legislative initiatives such as the oil framework law, revenue sharing and de-Baathification reform.”

Iraqi leaders confronted these issues in a summit at the end of August that indicated they are serious about dealing with these problems, but problems persist.

Petraeus urged all members of Multinational Force Iraq to continue their work to sustain a free and stable Iraq. He said he will make his assessment public Sept. 10 and will make those recommendations “conscious of the strain on our forces, the sacrifices that you and your families are making, the gains we have made in Iraq, the challenges that remain and the importance of building on what we and our Iraqi counterparts have fought so hard to achieve,” he wrote.
Text of Petraeus' Letter
Here is the text of the letter Gen. David Petraeus wrote to U.S. forces Friday summarizing the results of the troop increase President Bush ordered last winter:

7 September 2007

Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, Coast Guardsmen, and Civilians of Multi-National Force-Iraq:

We are now over two-and-a-half months into the surge of offensive operations made possible by the surge of forces, and I want to share with you my view of how I think we're doing. This letter is a bit longer than previous ones, since I feel you deserve a detailed description of what I believe we have — and have not — accomplished, as Ambassador Crocker and I finalize the assessment we will provide shortly to Congress.

Up front, my sense is that we have achieved tactical momentum and wrested the initiative from our enemies in a number of areas of Iraq. The result has been progress in the security arena, although it has, as you know, been uneven. Additionally, as you all appreciate very well, innumerable tasks remain and much hard work lies ahead. We are, in short, a long way from the goal line, but we do have the ball and we are driving down the field.

We face a situation that is exceedingly complex. Al Qaeda, associated insurgent groups, and militia extremists, some supported by Iran, continue to carry out attacks on us, our Iraqi partners, and the Iraqi civilians we seek to secure. We have to contend with the relentless pace of operations, the crushing heat, and the emotions that we all experience during long deployments and tough combat. And we operate against a backdrop of limited Iraqi governmental capacity, institutions trying to rebuild, and various forms of corruption. All of this takes place in a climate of distrust and fear that stems from the sectarian violence that did so much damage to the fabric of Iraqi society in 2006 and into 2007, not to mention the decades of repression under Saddam's brutal regime. Tragically, sectarian violence continues to cause death and displacement in Baghdad and elsewhere, albeit at considerably reduced levels of 8 months ago, due, in large part, to your hard work and sacrifice together with our Iraqi counterparts.

In spite of these challenges, our operations — particularly the offensive operations we have conducted since mid-June — have helped produce progress in many areas on the ground. In fact, the number of attacks across the country has declined in 8 of the past 11 weeks, reaching during the last week in August a level not seen since June 2006. This trend is not just a result of greater numbers of Coalition and Iraqi Security Forces; it also reflects your determination, courage, and skill in conducting counterinsurgency operations. By taking the fight to the enemy, you have killed or captured dozens of leaders and thousands of members of Al Qaeda-Iraq and extremist militia elements, you have taken many of Al Qaeda's former sanctuaries away from them, and you have dismantled a number of their car bomb and improvised explosive device networks. By living among the population with our Iraqi partners, you have been holding the areas you have cleared. By helping Iraqis reestablish basic services and local governance, you have helped exploit the security gains. And by partnering closely with Iraqi Security Forces, you have been strengthening Iraqi elements that will one day have sole responsibility for protecting their population. Indeed, while Iraqi forces clearly remain a work in progress, Iraqi soldiers and police are very much in the fight, and they continue to sustain losses that are two to three times our losses.

We are also building momentum in an emerging area of considerable importance — local reconciliation. Local Iraqi leaders are coming forward, opposing extremists, and establishing provisional units of neighborhood security volunteers. With growing Government of Iraq support, these volunteers are being integrated into legitimate security institutions to help improve local security. While this concept is playing out differently in various areas across Iraq, it is grounded in a desire shared by increasing numbers of Iraqis — to oppose extremist elements and their ideologies. This is very significant because, as many of you know first-hand, extremists cannot survive without the support of the population. The popular rejection of Al Qaeda and its ideology has, for example, helped transform Anbar Province this year from one of the most dangerous areas of Iraq to one of the safest. The popular rejection of extremists has helped Coalition and Iraqi Forces take away other areas from Al Qaeda as well, and we are seeing a spread of this sentiment in an ever-increasing number of Sunni areas. Now, in fact, we are also seeing a desire to reject extremists emerge in many Shi'a areas.

The progress has not, to be sure, been uniform across Baghdad or across Iraq. Accomplishments in some areas — for example, in Ramadi and in Anbar Province — have been greater than any of us might have predicted six months ago. The achievements in some other areas — for example, in some particularly challenging Baghdad neighborhoods and in reducing overall civilian casualties, especially those caused by periodic, barbaric Al Qaeda bombings — have not been as dramatic. However, the overall trajectory has been encouraging, especially when compared to the situation at the height of the sectarian violence in late 2006 and early 2007.

Many of us had hoped this summer would be a time of tangible political progress at the national level as well. One of the justifications for the surge, after all, was that it would help create the space for Iraqi leaders to tackle the tough questions and agree on key pieces of "national reconciliation" legislation. It has not worked out as we had hoped. All participants, Iraqi and coalition alike, are dissatisfied by the halting progress on major legislative initiatives such as the oil framework law, revenue sharing, and de-ba'athification reform. At the same time, however, our appreciation of what this legislation represents for Iraqi leaders has grown. These laws are truly fundamental in nature and will help determine how Iraqis will share power and resources in the new Iraq. While much work remains to be done before these critical issues are resolved, the seriousness with which Iraqi leaders came together at their summit in late August has given hope that they are up to the task before them, even if it is clearly taking more time than we initially expected.

In the coming months, our coalition's countries and all Iraqis will continue to depend on each of you and on our Iraqi counterparts to keep the pressure on the extremists, to help improve security and strengthen the rule of law for all Iraqis, to work with the Government of Iraq to integrate local volunteers into local security and national institutions, to assist with the restoration and improvement of basic services, and to continue the development of conditions that foster reconciliation. For our part, Ambassador Crocker and I will continue to do everything in our power to help the Prime Minister and the Government of Iraq achieve the meaningful results that will ensure that your sacrifices and those of your comrades help produce sustainable security for Iraq over the long term. A stable and secure Iraq that denies extremists a safe haven and has a government that is representative of and responsive to all Iraqis helps protect the vital interests of our coalition countries. A stable and secure Iraq will also benefit Iraq's citizens and Iraq's neighbors alike, bringing calm to a region full of challenges and employing Iraq's human capital and natural resource blessings for the benefit of all.

As I noted at the outset of this letter, over the next few days, Ambassador Crocker and I will share with the U.S. Congress and the American people our assessment of the situation in Iraq. I will also describe the recommendations I have provided to my chain of command. I will go before Congress conscious of the strain on our forces, the sacrifices that you and your families are making, the gains we have made in Iraq, the challenges that remain, and the importance of building on what we and our Iraqi counterparts have fought so hard to achieve.

Thanks once again for what each of you continues to do. Our Nations have asked much of you and your families. It remains the greatest of honors to serve with you.

Sincerely,

David H. Petraeus

General, United States Army

Commanding
Related media sources: CNN, AP.

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Transcript: bin Laden Video, 7 Sept. 2007

On the Home Front

On the Home Front:

News outlets report Osama bin Laden appeared for the first time in three years in a video Friday released ahead of the sixth anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, telling Americans they should convert to Islam if they want the war in Iraq to end.

American officials said the U.S. government had obtained a copy even though the video had not been posted yet by al-Qaida - and intelligence agencies were studying the video to determine whether it was authentic and looking for clues about bin Laden's health.

Reporters and pundits quoted a transcript of the 30-minute video.

Rather than digress into boring partisan commentary, I have decided simply to link a to copy of the transcript.

Transcript: bin Laden Video (pdf, 6 pages).

Video Clip: One minute from the video (wmv).

Media sources: AP, CNN, The Washington Post, ABC News, Yahoo News - Reuters, Yahoo News - AP (Bush Responds).

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Combat Camera Video: Iraqi Special Forces, Coalition Forces Conduct Raids

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Video: Iraqi Special Forces and Coalition Forces Conduct an Early Morning Raid
B-roll of Iraqi and Coalition Forces conducting an early morning raid to detain an alleged cell leader. Scenes inlcude Soldiers patrolling the streets, climbing into a home, the finding of bomb making materials, firing weapons at an unseen enemy. Produced by Petty Officer Greg Badger.

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Video: Iraqi Special Operations and Coalition Forces Conduct Early Morning Raid
B-roll of Iraqi and Coalition Special Forces conducting an early morning raid with night vision to detain an alleged terrorist. Scenes include Soldiers entering homes and rooftops. Produced by Petty Officer Greg Badger.

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Video: U.S. and Iraqi Special Operations Forces Search for Terrorist Cell Leader
B-roll of Iraqi and U.S. Special Forces conducting an operation with night vision to detain an alleged terrorist cell leader. Scenes include Soldiers preparing for a mission, pointing their weapons in formation in front of a building. Produced by Petty Officer Michael B. Lewis.

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Video: U.S. Special Forces and Iraqi Forces Search for Insurgents
B-roll of U.S. and Iraqi Special Forces conducting an operation using night vision near Samarra in order to detain known insurgents. Scenes include Soldiers preparing to raid a building, leaving the area and boarding helicopters. Produced by Petty Officer Brett Cote.

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Video: U.S. and Iraqi Special Operations Forces Conduct Night Operations
B-roll of Iraqi Special Forces and U.S. Special Forces conducting an operation with night vision to detain known members of an insurgent force. Scenes include Soldiers raiding buildings and cordoning the area. Produced by Petty Officer Brett Cote.

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Video: U.S. and Iraqi Special Operations Forces Conduct Raid
B-roll of night vision to rescue a hostage in Sadr City. Scenes include Soldiers raiding buildings, taking shelter and cordoning the area, as well as firing weapons from the Humvees. Produced by Petty Officer Brett Cote.

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Thursday, September 6, 2007

Combat Camera: Searching for Insurgents

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U.S. Army Sgt. James Cornett looks for possible insurgents in Rashid, Iraq, July 11. Cornett is with 1st Platoon, Alpha Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division out of Fort Lewis, Wash. Photographer: Spc. Elisha Dawkins, Joint Combat Camera Center

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U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Nick Crosby provides security with soldiers from 1st Company, 3rd Battalion, 1st Brigade, 3rd Iraqi Army Division on the streets of Rashid, Iraq, July 11. Crosby is with 1st Platoon, Alpha Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division out of Fort Lewis, Wash. Photographer: Spc. Elisha Dawkins, Joint Combat Camera Center

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U.S. Army Spc. James Murphy provides security with soldiers of 1st Company, 3rd Battalion, 1st Brigade, 3rd Iraqi Army Division on the streets of Rashid, Iraq, July 11. Murphy is with 1st Platoon, Alpha Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division out of Fort Lewis, Wash. Photographer: Spc. Elisha Dawkins, Joint Combat Camera Center

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U.S. Army Soldiers perform a search mission with soldiers of 1st Company, 3rd Battalion, 1st Brigade, 3rd Iraqi Army Division for possible insurgents in Rashid, Iraq, July 11. The Soldiers are with 1st Platoon, Alpha Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division out of Fort Lewis, Wash. Photographer: Spc. Elisha Dawkins, Joint Combat Camera Center

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U.S. Army Soldiers provides security in Rashid, Iraq, July 11. The Soldiers are with 1st Platoon, Alpha Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division out of Fort Lewis, Wash. Photographer: Spc. Elisha Dawkins, Joint Combat Camera Center

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U.S. Army Spc. Johnathon Stewart searches for insurgents in Rashid, Iraq, July 11. Stewart is with 1st Platoon, Alpha Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division out of Fort Lewis, Wash. Photographer: Spc. Elisha Dawkins, Joint Combat Camera Center

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An Iraqi child listens to music from U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Fernando Santos's Ipod in Rashid, Iraq, July 11. Santos is with 1st Platoon, Alpha Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division out of Fort Lewis, Wash. Photographer: Spc. Elisha Dawkins, Joint Combat Camera Center

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U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Nick Crosby speaks to residents of Rashid, Iraq, July 11. Crosby is with 1st Platoon, Alpha Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division out of Fort Lewis, Wash. Photographer: Spc. Elisha Dawkins, Joint Combat Camera Center

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U.S. Army Sgt. Jake Desmarais and Sgt. James Cornett provide security in Rashid, Iraq, July 11. Desmarais and Cornett are with 1st Platoon, Alpha Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division out of Fort Lewis, Wash. Photographer: Spc. Elisha Dawkins, Joint Combat Camera Center

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