Wire: National Security Adviser Says Iran Building Medium-Range Missiles

Off the Wire:

WASHINGTON, Sept. 19, 2009 -- Newswire services this evening reported that White House National Security Adviser James L. Jones says Iran is further along than previously thought in developing medium-range missiles that could strike Western Europe and the Middle East with nuclear warheads.

"We think they are heading toward weaponiz[ing] these missiles, which obviously we want to dissuade them from doing," the retired four-star Marine general told The Washington Times, explaining why U.S. officials dramatically shifted from years of focus on guarding against longer-range intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs).

In a wide-ranging interview with a reporter from The Washington Times Friday afternoon, Gen. Jones said the government's top national security leaders met about 50 times since March before unanimously agreeing to scrap a 2006 Bush administration plan to put 10 long-range, ground-based interceptor missiles in Poland and a related radar tracking site in the Czech Republic. They are to be replaced by ship-based radar and interceptors better able to protect Europe from shorter-range missiles, he said.

Adapting to counter a changing threat from Iran has been the oft repeated reason for the president's decision to scrap the Bush European missile defense plan. However, there has been no discussion, either by government officials or in the legacy press, of what happened to countering threats from North Korea and other rogue states as a wider part of the Bush plan's rational. See 2007 State Department link for a broad outline.

(Report from newswire sources.)

Source: National security adviser says Iran advancing in building medium-range missiles

Wire: Gen. McChrystal's Afghanistan Troops Request Ready

Off the Wire:

WASHINGTON, Sept. 19, 2009 -- Newswire services this afternoon reported that the commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan has drawn up a detailed request for additional troops but has not yet sent it to Washington, a spokesman said on Saturday.

The spokesman said General Stanley McChrystal completed the document this week, setting out exactly how many U.S. and NATO troops, Afghan security force members and civilians he thinks he needs, Reuters news service reported.

"We're working with Washington as well as the other NATO participants about how it's best to submit this," said the spokesman, Lieutenant-Colonel Tadd Sholtis, declining to give details of the contents.

He said it might be "a few weeks" before McChrystal sent his request to Washington or NATO's Brussels headquarters.

The announcement that Gen. McChrystal has already determined how many troops he wants comes just days after President Barack Obama said he was in no hurry to make a decision about his administration's faltering Afghanistan strategy.

(Report from newswire sources.)

Source: U.S. Afghanistan commander's troops request ready

Pentagon Identifies Army Casualty (OEF)

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Sept. 19, 2009 -- The following news release made available Saturday by the U.S. Department of Defense is the text of a statement identifying a casualty:

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Pfc. Jeremiah J. Monroe, 31, of Niskayuna, N.Y., died Sept. 17 in Kandahar, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 7th Engineer Battalion, 10th Sustainment Brigade, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, N.Y.

(Report from a U.S. Defense Department news release.)

Combat Camera: Aboard USS Nimitz, Sept. 19, 2009

INDIAN OCEAN (Sept. 16, 2009) Alert aircraft aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) move into position for launch. Nimitz and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 11 are underway on a scheduled 2009 deployment to the western Pacific Ocean. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Apprentice Robert Winn.)

PACIFC OCEAN (Sept. 1, 2009) The aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) navigates between thunderstorms during a transit of the western Pacific Ocean. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jason Graham.)

INDIAN OCEAN (Sept. 16, 2009) Sailors aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) recover the flight deck after launching alert aircraft. Nimitz and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 11 are underway on a scheduled deployment to the western Pacific Ocean. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Apprentice Robert Winn.)

INDIAN OCEAN (Sept. 16, 2009) An F/A 18F Hornet assigned to the Tophatters of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 41 launches from the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) to refuel airborne alert fighters. Nimitz and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 11 are underway on a scheduled deployment to the western Pacific Ocean. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Apprentice Robert Winn.)

INDIAN OCEAN (Sept. 16, 2009) Newly pinned chief petty officers stand at attention in the hangar bay aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) during the 2009 chief petty officer pinning ceremony. Nimitz and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 11 are deployed supporting the U.S. Navy maritime strategy. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class John Philip Wagner Jr.)

BAY OF BENGAL (Sept. 14, 2009) Aviation Ordnanceman Airman Seth Houston, assigned to the Tophatters of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 14, inspects and cleans a BRU-32 bomb rack in the hangar bay of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68). Nimitz and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 11 are deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class John Philip Wagner Jr.)

BAY OF BENGAL (Sept. 14, 20009) Sailors assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) fight a simulated fire during a mass causality drill in the ship'shanger bay. Nimitz and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 11 are deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class John Philip Wagner, Jr.)

BAY OF BENGAL (Sept. 14, 2009) Aviation Machinist's Mate Airman Katherine Knipfer and Aviation Machinist's Mate 1st Class Jason Nieva, assigned to the Wallbangers of Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 117, prepare to re-install the propeller assembly of an E-2C Hawkeye in the hangar bay of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68). Nimitz and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 11 are deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Matthew A. Hepburn.)

BAY OF BENGAL (Sept. 12, 2009) Sailors aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) prepare aircraft for flight operations during a transit of the Strait of Malacca. Nimitz and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 11 are deployed to the western Pacific Ocean. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class John Philip Wagner Jr.)

PACIFIC OCEAN (Sept. 1, 2009) Sailors aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) clean the flight deck after a tropical rain shower. Nimitz and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 11 are on a scheduled deployment to the western Pacific Ocean. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class David Mercil.)

YOKOSUKA, Japan (Aug. 28, 2009) The aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) departs from Fleet Activities Yokosuka. Nimitz and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 11 are deployed to the western Pacific Ocean. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Apprentice Michael R. Mulcare.)

PACIFIC OCEAN (Aug. 30, 2009) Two HH-60H Sea Hawk helicopters, assigned to the Indians of Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron (HS 6), fire live AGM-114 Hellfire missiles at Oki Daito Jima range. HS-6 is a part of Carrier Air Wing Eleven (CVW-11) and is embarked aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68). (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jason Graham.)

PACIFIC OCEAN (Aug. 30, 2009) Two HH-60H Sea Hawk helicopters, assigned to the Indians of Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron (HS) 6, armed with AGM-114 Hellfire missiles, fly in formation to a live fire exercise on Oki Daito Jima range. HS-6 is a part of Carrier Air Wing Eleven (CVW-11) and is embarked aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68). (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jason Graham.)

PACIFIC OCEAN (Aug. 28, 2009) Sailors assigned to the colors detail fold the national ensign on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68). Nimitz and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 11 are on a deployment to the western Pacific Ocean. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Apprentice Robert Winn.)

More Combat Camera Imagery on THE TENSION

Pentagon: Gates Defends Missile Plan Decision

News in Balance:

EDITOR'S NOTE: Countering a changing threat from Iran is the rationale for the president's decision to scrap the Bush European missile defense plan. However, there has been no discussion of what happened to the original North Korea threat assessment as part of the Bush plan's rational. See 2007 State Department link for a broad outline.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 18, 2009 -- The new U.S. missile defense plan will offer better protection than a previous proposal even if intelligence forecasts on Iran prove wrong, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said today.

As opposed to earlier plans to build ground-based components in Poland and the Czech Republic, the new sea-based approach is better suited to intelligence on Iranian threats and would provide protection sooner, the secretary said.

Going a step further, Gates -- a former CIA director -- said the new arrangement is preferable even if U.S. intelligence assessments that indicate Iran is more focused on developing short-range missiles over long-range capabilities prove incorrect.

“I probably am more familiar with the risks of over-reliance on intelligence than anybody, because I’ve seen how often it’s wrong,” he said. “If the intelligence is wrong, and the Iranians develop a capability sooner than the intelligence is saying, this architecture gives us a better chance of being able to cope with it than the [previous program], just because of the new technologies that are available that give us more flexibility.”

The defense secretary appeared before Pentagon reporters with his Czech counterpart, Martin Bartak, following a meeting that included discussion of the new missile defense system in Europe that President Barack Obama announced yesterday.

In December 2006, Gates recommended to then-President George W. Bush that the United States should put advanced radars in the Czech Republic and 10 ground-based interceptors in Poland. That was when intelligence officials gauged the development of Iran’s intercontinental ballistic missile as the foremost threat to the United States and its allies.

Now, intelligence reports paint a different picture – that the country is moving faster to develop its shorter-range missiles.

“The original program that I recommended would have had no capability against short- and medium-range missiles until probably 2018,” Gates said today. “What the new system provides is some capability beginning in 2011 that will grow steadily each year in terms of its sophistication and its coverage of Europe. The next phase would begin in 2015.”

A drawback to the previous plan was that ground-based interceptors designed to deal with no more than five enemy missiles at once were prone to being overwhelmed by a larger salvo fired simultaneously, Gates said.

“What we have seen with the Iranians is that they’re producing and deploying significant numbers of short and intermediate missiles, and so [a salvo like that] could overwhelm even when the 10 interceptors were in place,” he said, though he added that research will continue on the ground-based system.

After much deliberation, Gates told reporters, his recommendation to Obama was to begin phasing in a missile defense system that puts radars and missiles in place sooner that are more suited to protect against the current threat. Plans are then to continue building on the system to increase its range of defense capabilities.

Deploying the Navy’s ships equipped with the Aegis weapons system to the region by 2011 drives the new plan’s initial phase. Their Standard Missile 3 interceptor has passed several tests in the past two years, and forward-position Army radar systems will support them.

This will give the military a smaller range of detection and protection, but is enough initially to protect U.S. troops and allies against Iran’s shorter-range missiles, officials said.

(Report by John J. Kruzel, American Forces Press Service.)

Wire: Poles, Czechs See Obama Betrayal in Missile Defense Scrap

Off the Wire:

"Betrayal! The U.S. sold us to Russia and stabbed us in the back."

WASHINGTON, Sept. 18, 2009 -- Newswire services this morning reported that Poles and Czechs voiced deep concern Friday at President Barack Obama's decision to scrap a Bush-era missile defense shield planned for their countries.

"Betrayal! The U.S. sold us to Russia and stabbed us in the back," the Polish tabloid Fakt declared on its front page.

Polish President Lech Kaczynski said he was concerned that Obama's new strategy leaves Poland in a dangerous "gray zone" between Western Europe and the old Soviet sphere, The Associated Press reported.

Recent events in the region have rattled nerves throughout central and eastern Europe, a region controlled by Moscow during the Cold War, including the war last summer between Russia and Georgia and ongoing efforts by Russia to regain influence in Ukraine, AP noted.

A Russian cutoff of gas to Ukraine last winter left many Europeans without heat.

The Bush administration's plan would have been "a major step in preventing various disturbing trends in our region of the world," Kaczynski said in an editorial in the daily Fakt and also on his presidential Web site.

Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said he still sees a chance for Poles and Czechs to participate in a redesigned missile defense system.

The move has raised fears in the two nations they are being marginalized by Washington even as a resurgent Russia leaves them longing for added American protection.

Obama said the old plan was scrapped in part because the U.S. has shifted conclusion about Iran. However, the geographic positioning of the missile defense system would have countered threats closer than those from a very distant Iran.

(Report from newswire sources.)

Wire: Bombs Kill US, Canadian Troops in Afghanistan

Off the Wire:

WASHINGTON, Sept. 18, 2009 -- Newswire services this morning reported that a U.S. servicemember and a Canadian soldier died in separate roadside bomb explosions in southern Afghanistan, officials said Friday, announcing new deaths on a day that claimed the lives of a total of nine international troops.

The Associated Press reported that the American and Canadian died Thursday, the same day a car bomber killed six Italian troops in a brazen attack in the heavily guarded capital of Kabul.

A NATO soldier also died Thursday of wounds from an earlier attack, adding to the toll in the deadliest year yet for the international forces in Afghanistan.

The resurgent Taliban has increased attacks sharply this year ahead of last month's presidential election and with the arrival of 21,000 more American troops. The Islamist extremists run a shadow government in the south and launch guerrilla attacks elsewhere, AP said.

U.S. military spokeswoman Capt. Elizabeth Mathias said the American died when his patrol struck a bomb planted in the road. She did not provide his name.

The U.S. and NATO have a record number of troops in Afghanistan -- nearly 100,000 in total -- and the top commander in Afghanistan, Gen. Stanley McChrystal, AP reported, is likely to soon request thousands more.

President Barack Obama continues to hold off on a decision to send more U.S. troops to Afghanistan, exasperating lawmakers who say his administration's road map for winning the war amounts to too little, too late.

The White House's newly released list of benchmarks for grading U.S. progress in the war focuses heavily on Pakistan, AP said.

(Report from newswire sources.)

Pentagon Identifies Army Casualties (OEF)

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Sept. 17, 2009 -- The following news release made available Thursday by the U.S. Department of Defense is the text of a statement identifying casualties:

The Department of Defense announced today the death of three soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They died Sept. 16 in Helmand province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their vehicle Sept. 15 with an improvised explosive device. They were assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg, N.C.

Killed were:

• Sgt. 1st Class Bradley S. Bohle, 29, of Glen Burnie, Md.;

• Sgt. 1st Class Shawn P. McCloskey, 33, of Peachtree City, Ga.; and

• Staff Sgt. Joshua M. Mills, 24, of El Paso, Texas.

(Report from a U.S. Defense Department news release.)

Pentagon Identifies Army Casualty (OEF)

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Sept. 17, 2009 -- The following news release made available Thursday by the U.S. Department of Defense is the text of a statement identifying a casualty:

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Sgt. Robert D. Gordon II, 22, of River Falls, Ala., died Sept. 16 at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Landstuhl, Germany, from a non-combat related illness, after becoming ill Sept. 11 in southern Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.

The circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation.

(Report from a U.S. Defense Department news release.)

US Chief of Naval Operations Approves Uniform Changes

NORFOLK, Va. (Nov. 7, 2008) In this file photo, a sailor wears the Navy working uniform (NWU) while shopping at the Naval Air Station Oceana Navy Exchange. The NWU is intended for year-round wear and will be the standard working uniform ashore by October 2010. The NWU will replace working utilities, tropical working uniforms, wash khakis, winter working blue, aviation working green, and non-tactical/environmental usage of camouflage utility uniforms. Unless otherwise prescribed by the regional commander, the NWU is authorized to be worn at all facilities on base. (U.S. Navy Photo.)

Focus on Defense:

WASHINGTON, Sept. 17, 2009 -- The Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) approved several uniform policy changes proposed by the Navy Uniform Board in NAVADMIN 271-09.

The changes include authorizing sailors to wear the aviation flight deck boots (non-spark safety boots) with the Navy Working Uniform (NWU) while outside the flight deck or flight line working environment.

Sailors must conform to official NWU manner of wear and the boots must present a well-maintained and professional appearance when worn with the NWU.

Sailors issued aviation flight deck boots are still required to purchase and maintain the black nine-inch NWU boot.

"The Uniform Board considers many suggestions and changes to uniforms and wear regulation," said Capt. Vince Drouillard, branch head within the Navy's personnel, plans and policy division. "These approved changes are the result of fleet feedback and research to ensure uniforms meet mission requirements and uphold Navy traditions."

Beginning Nov. 1, women are authorized cosmetic permanent makeup for eyebrows, eyeliner, lipstick and lip liner. The permanent makeup must be in good taste and blend naturally with the skin tone. Lipstick colors will be conservative and complement the sailor. Still prohibited are exaggerated or faddish cosmetic styles.

The NAVADMIN states permanent makeup is an elective medical procedure accomplished by qualified medical professionals to enhance sailors' natural features. Sailors should carefully consider the risks and liabilities involved with the procedures and ensure they plan and research their options thoroughly.

"Sailors should be very familiar with the extent of the procedure, the possibilities of side affects, the potential need for time off for recovery and having a reputable organization and facility conduct any procedures," said Drouillard.

Guidelines for requesting the procedures and administrative guidance for sailors will be published in an upcoming NAVADMIN before the Nov. 1 implementation date.

In another change, sailors assigned to the staff of United States Africa Command (U.S. AFRICOM) are now authorized to wear the optional AFRICOM staff identification badge during their assignment to the command. The badge may be worn on all uniforms, with the exception of working uniforms.

Women will wear the badge centered one-quarter inch above the left pocket or one-quarter inch above authorized ribbons, medals and breast insignia. Men will wear the badge centered on the left breast pocket. Beginning immediately, the badge will be available for purchase through Navy Exchange Uniform Support Center by calling 800-368-4088 or 757-502-7450.

The NAVADMIN re-designates the Naval Air Crewman Qualification insignia as the Naval Aircrew Warfare Specialist (NAC) insignia. The insignia description and composition remains the same and will be worn in the primary or secondary position as described in Uniform Regulations. Sailors will use NAC following their rate as their warfare designation (e.g. AW1 (NAC) Williams).

Qualified sailors can now wear a maximum of two warfare and qualification devices within a single category such as Enlisted Aviation Warfare Specialist (EAWS), and NAC Warfare Specialist. Warfare insignia will continue to take precedence over qualification insignia as prescribed in uniform regulations.

(From a Chief of Naval Personnel Public Affairs news release.)

Pentagon: Gates Defends Obama, Asks for Patience on Afghan Troop Decision

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Sept. 17, 2009 -- Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates today defended the president’s plan to keep the recent Afghanistan assessment classified and said the decision to send more troops there should be weighed carefully.

There's been a lot of talk this week and the last two or three weeks about Afghanistan,” Gates said during a briefing at the Pentagon. “And frankly, from my standpoint, everybody ought to take a deep breath.”

Gates responded to questions about why the recent assessment by Army Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, commander of NATO and U.S. forces in Afghanistan, has been kept classified and away from the public.

He said the president deserves the right to “absorb the assessment himself” and have his questions answered by top civilian and military officials.

“We need to understand that the decisions that the president faces … on Afghanistan are some of the most important he may face in his presidency, about how we go forward there,” Gates said.

The assessment will be made available to lawmakers, he said.

The secretary already has authorized up to 3,000 additional troops with critical specialties –- as requested by McChrystal -- and is prepared to send more, if needed, before the president makes his decision. No formal request for more has come from McChrystal, but a resource request is expected in the next few weeks.

Gates noted that it is more important now to ensure the right strategy is in place, rather than to simply start sending additional troops.

“I felt a sense of building momentum that's sort of demanding a decision in days, if not a week or two,” Gates said. “And I just think that, given the importance of the decisions that the president faces, we need to take our time and get this right.”

(Report by Fred W. Baker III, American Forces Press Service.)

Pentagon Discuses Scrapping of Bush European Missile Defense Agreement

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Sept. 17, 2009 -- President Barack Obama today fulfilled a campaign promise by announcing that he is scrapping plans for a missile defense system in Europe in favor of one he claims will provide greater flexibility and faster deployment of legacy technologies.

“This new approach will provide capabilities sooner, build on proven systems, and offer greater defenses against the threat of missile attack than the 2007 European missile defense program,” Obama said.

The 2007 plan, put in place by the Bush Administration, called for fixed radars to be positioned in the Czech Republic, and 10 interceptor missiles in Poland.

U.S defense officials said the system would protect its allies in Europe and the United States against ballistic missile attacks launched from the Middle East, specifically Iran.

The new plan is based on recent intelligence reports that reassess Iran's weapons capabilities to show short-and medium-range ballistic missiles to be developing more rapidly than projected, and intercontinental ballistic missile capabilities developing much slower than estimated.

Under the new Obama plan, the United States will begin building the missile defense system in a phased approach. First, by 2011, it will field its current radars and interceptors, such as the Navy's Aegis-equipped ships, with the Standard Missile 3 interceptor. The system has proven its capabilities in the past few years, specifically when it stopped a crippled reconnaissance satellite over the Pacific Ocean before it re-entered Earth's atmosphere in February 2008.

This puts in place a defense system in northern and southern Europe that can protect against the more immediate threats from Iran nearly seven years earlier than the plan for installing the ground-based interceptors in Poland, officials said.

The plan is to then build on the system, eventually installing some ground-based radars and interceptors, enlarging the defense system’s range, and continuing to augment the system with sea-based systems that can position themselves according to the threat.

“To put it simply, our new missile defense architecture in Europe will provide stronger, smarter and swifter defenses of American forces and America's allies,” Obama said. “It is more comprehensive than the previous program; it deploys capabilities that are proven and cost-effective; and it sustains and builds upon our commitment to protect the U.S. homeland against long-range ballistic missile threats; and it ensures and enhances the protection of all our NATO allies.”

The new plan alleviates some concerns of Russian leaders, who strongly opposed the positioning of the ground-based interceptors and radar system so near its borders.

U.S. officials traveled several times to Moscow to discuss the system’s intention with the Kremlin. The United States offered to allow Russia to have representatives at each site, if the host nation agreed, to provide technical monitoring of activities. The United States promised it would not make the sites operational until the Iranians had tested a missile that could reach most of Western Europe, including parts of Russia.

Still, defense officials said it is likely Russia will not fully embrace any U.S. plans for a missile defense system in Europe.

The Associated Press today reported that the the world's top atomic watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, said Iran now has the ability to make a nuclear bomb and is on the way to developing a missile system able to carry an atomic warhead.

(From a report by Fred W. Baker III, American Forces Press Service, and additional newswire sources.)

Wire: Nuke Agency Says Iran Can Now Make Bomb

Off the Wire:

WASHINGTON, Sept. 17, 2009 -- Newswire services this afternoon reported that experts at the world's top atomic watchdog are in agreement that Tehran has the ability to make a nuclear bomb and is on the way to developing a missile system able to carry an atomic warhead, according to a secret report seen by The Associated Press.

The document drafted by senior officials at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is the clearest indication yet that the agency's leaders share Washington's views on Iran's weapon-making capabilities, AP said.

AP also said that it appears to be the so-called "secret annex" on Iran's nuclear program that Washington says is being withheld by the IAEA's chief.

The document says Iran has "sufficient information" to build a bomb. It says Iran is likely to "overcome problems" on developing a delivery system.

This is a developing story.

(Report from newswire sources.)

Pentagon: Head of Joint Chiefs Discuses Complexities of Afghan Mission

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Sept. 17, 2009 -- As the situation in Iraq stabilizes, a variety of factors –- some of long-ago origin -- make the mission in Afghanistan a complex endeavor, the U.S. military’s top officer said here yesterday.

“There are lessons that we’ve learned from Iraq; many of them apply in Afghanistan, many of them don’t,” Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told members of the American Enterprise Institute at the think tank’s kickoff of its new Center for Defense Studies.

The situation in Iraq is much better today, Mullen said.

“We’re on a good path” in Iraq, Mullen said, noting that the Iraqi government and its security forces “are in the lead.” Mullen said he was particularly pleased by how Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and his country’s soldiers and police responded during a recent spate of insurgent bombings.

Afghanistan and Iraq, Mullen said, are different nations -- both geographically and tribally.

Yet, “there are some great similarities” inherent in the missions in Afghanistan and Iraq, Mullen said, in terms of how to implement a counterinsurgency strategy, in which winning the hearts and minds of the people constitutes the prize.

Mullen recalled the 1979-89 Soviet-Afghan War, when the Soviet Union invaded and brutally occupied Afghanistan for a decade.

“There are differences between us and the Soviets, in terms of our goals when we went in there,” Mullen said. “We’re not an occupying force; we’ve never occupied a country and we won’t do it there.”

Many of the Afghan people are now “on the fence,” Mullen said, meaning they’re undecided whether or not they’ll support the central government of President Hamid Karzai or the Taliban insurgents.

The ability of Afghanistan’s central, provincial and local governments to provide essential services for the country’s people remains an imperative if the Taliban are to be defeated, Mullen said.

The U.S. military and Afghan allies kicked the Taliban out of power during Operation Enduring Freedom in the fall and winter following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on America. The Taliban had allowed al-Qaida terrorists to train in Afghanistan and plot attacks.

Fast-forward to March 20, 2003, when the launch of Operation Iraqi Freedom toppled Saddam Hussein’s government. After several years of bitter fighting, the 2007 U.S. troop surge -- overseen by Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, the U.S. commander in Iraq at the time -- defeated insurgent forces lodged in and around Baghdad. Petraeus’ surge campaign has been credited as having helped put Iraq on the path of stability, as its government becomes stronger and Iraqi soldiers and police take up their nation’s security and law enforcement missions.

However, as the U.S. military’s focus was placed on Iraq during the pre-surge years, the mission in Afghanistan took a second seat.

Afghanistan “is a war that has been under-resourced,” Mullen said. The issue, he added, reaches “far beyond” discussions whether or not to increase the U.S. troop presence there.

Prior to President Barack Obama’s directive this spring for a U.S. strategy review on Afghanistan, the issue of Afghanistan had “not been focused on intellectually; it hadn’t been focused on strategically,” Mullen said.

Afghanistan and its neighbor to the east, Pakistan, constitute “an enormously complex region,” Mullen pointed out. Al-Qaida insurgents chased out of Afghanistan are lodged in remote regions of northwestern Pakistan along its border with Afghanistan. Fugitive al-Qaida chieftain Osama bin Laden is believed to be hiding out in Pakistan.

Today, Army Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal is the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, with Army Lt. Gen. David M. Rodriguez as his deputy. Petraeus, the architect of the Iraq surge, is the chief of U.S. Central Command, which has responsibility for U.S. operations in Afghanistan, Iraq and other parts of the region. Navy Adm. James G. Stavridis is commander of U.S. European Command and wears a second hat as NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe. Thousands of NATO troops are deployed in Afghanistan.

The Afghans and Pakistanis, Mullen said, probably are leery of the extent of U.S. commitment to their countries, remembering times in the past when the United States had helped them and then became involved in other endeavors.

Rebuilding Afghan and Pakistani trust of the United States “will only come back over time through, I think, constant engagement and a better understanding,” Mullen said.

The United States, Mullen emphasized, is committed to Afghanistan, as well as Iraq. The 21,000 additional troops sent to Afghanistan earlier this year, he said, are indicative of the depth of that commitment.

And, because of the complexity of the mission in Afghanistan, it is essential to get the strategy right, Mullen said.

President Barack Obama is now studying McChrystal’s recently submitted assessment of Afghanistan operations, Mullen said. Petraeus, McChrystal, Stavridis and Rodriguez, he said, will be heavily involved in the future of Afghanistan.

“Those are the best leaders I’ve got,” Mullen emphasized, “and we should have that kind of commitment” to Afghanistan.

Mullen also praised the efforts and sacrifices of U.S. servicemembers and their families.

“It’s the best military I’ve ever been associated with,” Mullen said, noting today’s servicemembers are among the most combat-experienced ever.

Mullen said he is focused on taking care of servicemembers and military families “who’ve given so much” and retaining junior officers, noncommissioned officers and military families.

(Report by Gerry J. Gilmore, American Forces Press Service.)

Combat Camera: 2/8 Marines Conduct Mentoring Patrol With Afghan Border Police

Police Mentoring Team Marines, along with two Estonian soldiers and four Afghan border police, patrol around the outskirts of a village near Patrol Base Hasanabad, Sept. 6. (Photo by Lance Cpl. Daniel Flynn, Regimental Combat Team 3.)

First Lt. Colin Duffy, Police Mentoring Team commander, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 3 and a Thousand Oaks, Calif., native, leans against a wall and observes the way the Afghan border policemen interact with villagers Sept. 6. (Photo by Lance Cpl. Daniel Flynn, Regimental Combat Team 3.)

Marines with 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment's Police Mentoring Team patrol through a small village Sept. 6 just outside of Patrol Base Hasanabad. Their main purpose is to observe and mentor the Afghan border police. (Photo by Lance Cpl. Daniel Flynn, Regimental Combat Team 3.)

Dispatches from the Front:

HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan, Sept 17, 2009 -- Four Afghan border police, two Estonian service members and 11 Marines conducted a security patrol Sept. 6 through a village the Marines call Little Jugrum.

The patrol was a show of force, to allow the locals around Patrol Base Hasanabad to see the ABP and know they are here to provide security for them according to 1st Lt. Colin Duffy Police Mentoring Team commander, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 3.

The PMT Marines were on the patrol mainly to observe how the Afghan borders policemen interact with the local populace, and give advice when needed.

The two-hour patrol from PB Hasanabad to Little Jugrum started about 5 p.m. Once they got to the village, the ABP started their mission, asking questions and talking with the people about Taliban activity.

According to PMT platoon sergeant Sgt. James Renwand, the ABP are a good paramilitary force, but they still have a lot to learn about being a police force. One simple example is they've been trying to teach the ABP to smile more so civilians are not intimidated by them. But Renwand feels that once the ABP are more comfortable with patrolling, they will be able to interact with the locals better and become a much more effective police force.

After going a little further into the village, the patrol encountered a second, fairly large group of local men, so the ABP spoke with them. A short while later, they came across a building that the ABP searched for weapons or suspicious items after receiving the owner's permission. Overall, it was a relatively uneventful day, but an opportunity for the Marines to observe their charges practicing the new trade of serving and protecting.

According to Cpl. Evan Snead, one of the PMT Marines originally with 2/8's personal security detail, working with the ABP is an enjoyable experience which gives him a sense of accomplishment.

After patrolling through the village and finding nothing out of the ordinary, the patrol turned back to PB Hasanabad.

The job of being the mentors for the ABP is a learning experience for both sides, according to Renward, "Not only does it teach the ABP what they need to know, but it helps our NCO's to learn small unit leadership, and helps to make the Marines really well rounded."

(Report by Lance Cpl. Daniel Flynn, Regimental Combat Team 3.)

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USS Nimitz Relieves USS Ronald Reagan, Launches 1st Sorties in Support of Troops in Afghanistan

In this file photo, the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 11 depart San Diego for a scheduled deployment to the western Pacific Ocean, July 2009. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class John Philip Wagner Jr.)

Dispatches from the Front:

GULF OF OMAN, Sept. 17, 2009 -- The Nimitz Carrier Strike Group (CSG) relieved the Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group as Commander, Task Force 50 September 18 (local date), and launched its first sorties in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.

Aircraft from Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 11 departed the decks of the strike group’s flagship, the USS Nimitz (CVN 68) en route to Afghanistan in support of U.S. and coalition ground forces. Nimitz, like Reagan, will provide 30 percent of all coalition close air support in Afghanistan.

“The Nimitz – Carrier Air Wing 11 team is ready to deliver,” said Capt. Paul O. Monger, Nimitz’s commanding officer. “The Ronald Reagan strike group excelled across the spectrum of operations in the region. Now it’s our turn. Our crew and air wing are poised to carry the fight to the enemy.”

According to Rear Adm. John W. Miller, the strike group commander, the group’s more than 6,000 Sailors are eager to carry out their mission. “The Nimitz Strike Group is looking forward to joining 5th fleet operations, working closely with coalition forces to help bring security and stability to the people of Afghanistan,” Miller said. “We also expect to enhance, through operations and training, cooperative relationships with our regional partners who are key to the maritime strategy.”

The Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group had operated in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations since early July.

“From infrastructure protection in the North Arabian Gulf, air combat operations over Afghanistan, to counter-piracy operations off Somalia and the Horn of Africa, our Sailors performed with distinction,” said Rear Adm. Scott Hebner, Commander, Ronald Reagan Strike Group. “I’m proud of every command and Sailor in the strike group. Their performance across the board has been impressive!”

Ronald Reagan’s embarked air wing, CVW-14, flew more than 1,600 sorties in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Ships of the Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group were also vital in counter piracy operations off of Somalia and the Horn of Africa and Maritime Security Operations to include protecting vital Iraqi infrastructure in the North Arabian Gulf.

“Once again, the Ronald Reagan-Carrier Air Wing 14 team performed brilliantly supporting our troops in contact,” said Capt. Kenneth J. Norton, Ronald Reagan’s commanding officer. “With a high operational tempo, these Sailors woke up every morning and got to work, mindful of the troops on the ground who needed their support. They worked long hours, nonstop, for weeks at a time, and they did it with a smile on their face. This is what they joined the Navy to do—support the mission. I couldn’t be more proud.”

Nimitz CSG, commanded by Rear Adm. John W. Miller, is comprised of USS Nimitz (CVN 68), embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW 11), embarked Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 23, and the Ticonderoga-class cruiser USS Chosin (CG 65). Ships assigned to DESRON 23 include the destroyers USS Pinckney (DDG 91), USS Sampson (DDG 102) and the frigate USS Rentz (FFG 46).

Squadrons from CVW 11 include the “Black Aces” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 41, the “Tophatters” of VFA 14, the “Warhawks” of VFA 97, the “Sidewinders” of VFA 86, the “Indians” of Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron (HS) 6, the “Black Ravens” of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 135, the “Providers” of Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VRC) 30 and the “Wallbangers” of Carrier Airborne Command and Control Squadron (VAW) 117.

Helicopter detachments include the “Easy Riders” of Helicopter Anti-submarine Squadron Light (HSL) 37, the “Battle Cats” of HSL 43, the “Wolfpack” of HSL 45, the “Scorpions” of HSL 49 and the “Wildcards” of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 23. Also accompanying the Nimitz CSG are Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit (EODMU) 11 and the USNS Bridge (T-AOE-10).

The Nimitz Carrier Strike Group is on a routine deployment to the region. Operations in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations are focused on reassuring regional partners of the United States’ commitment to security, which promotes stability and global prosperity.

(Report from a USS Nimitz and USS Ronald Reagan Public Affairs news release.)

Related: Combat Camera: Aboard USS Nimitz, Sept. 19, 2009

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Pentagon: Gates Returns Tanker Selection Authority to Air Force

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Sept. 17, 2009 -- Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates announced yesterday that he has returned selection authority for the Air Force’s next aerial-refueling tanker to Air Force officials.

The Air Force had awarded the contract for what’s known as the KC-X to a Northrop-Grumman/EADS/Airbus consortium, which prompted a protest from rival bidder Boeing. The General Accountability Office found irregularities in the awarding of the contract, and Gates re-opened the bidding process on July 9, 2008, appointing the undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics as source-selection authority.

Gates shelved the process two months later, however, telling Congress that rather than handing the next presidential administration “an incomplete and possibly contested process,” he had decided to defer the procurement decision to the administration that would be elected in November.

In a speech at the Air Force Association’s Air and Space Conference here, Gates said he’s confident that Air Force Secretary Michael B. Donley and Air Force Chief of Staff Norton A. Schwartz will handle the source selection well.

“I don’t need to belabor the importance of getting this done soon and done right,” he said, “and my office will continue to have a robust oversight role. We are committed to the integrity of the selection process, and cannot afford the kind of letdowns, parochial squabbles and corporate food fights that have bedeviled this effort in the past.”

A draft request for proposals for the new tanker will follow, the secretary said.

(Report by Samantha L. Quigley, American Forces Press Service.)

Wire: Russian Victory as Obama Kills Missile Defense for Czech, Poland

Off the Wire:

September 17: Obama kills missile defense for Poland on 70th anniversary of Soviet invasion...

WASHINGTON, Sept. 17, 2009 -- Newswire services this morning reported that President Barack Obama has decided to scrap plans for a U.S. missile defense shield in the Czech Republic and Poland that had angered Russia, the Czech prime minister confirmed Thursday.

The Associated Press reported that a Russian analyst said Obama's decision will increase the chances that Russia will cooperate more closely with the United States in the dispute over Iran's nuclear program.

A Kyivpost.com analysis said the demise of the missile shield may have unintended consequences, serving to embolden Russian hawks.

Russian diplomacy is largely a zero-sum game and relies on projecting hard power to force gains, as in last year's war with Georgia over the rebel regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia or the gas dispute with Ukraine at the start of this year.

Western concepts of "win-win" deals and Obama's drive for 21st century global partnerships are not part of its vocabulary.

Czech premier Jan Fischer told reporters that Obama phoned him overnight to say that "his government is pulling out of plans to build a missile defense radar on Czech territory."

"The same happened with Poland. Poland was informed in the same way about this intention," Fischer said.

See links below for additional details.

(Report from newswire sources.)

Sources:
Obama scrapping missile shield for Czech, Poland
U.S. backs away from missile shield plan
Analysis: Demise of U.S. shield may embolden Russia hawks
Barack Obama surrenders to Russia on Missile Defense
US 'shelves Europe missile plan'

Pentagon: Littoral Combat Ship Down Select Announced

Focus on Defense:

WASHINGTON, Sept. 16, 2009 -- The U.S. Department of Defense in a news release today published a Navy announcement concerning the selection of Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) designs:

The Navy announced today it will down select between the two Littoral Combat Ship designs in fiscal 2010. The current LCS seaframe construction solicitation will be cancelled and a new solicitation will be issued. At down select, a single prime contractor and shipyard will be awarded a fixed price incentive contract for up to 10 ships with two ships in fiscal 2010 and options through fiscal 2014. This decision was reached after careful review of the fiscal 2010 industry bids, consideration of total program costs, and ongoing discussions with Congress.

"This change to increase competition is required so we can build the LCS at an affordable price," said Ray Mabus, secretary of the Navy. "LCS is vital to our Navy's future. It must succeed."

"Both ships meet our operational requirements and we need LCS now to meet the warfighters' needs," said Adm. Gary Roughead, chief of naval operations. "Down selecting now will improve affordability and will allow us to build LCS at a realistic cost and not compromise critical warfighting capabilities."

The Navy cancelled the solicitation to procure up to three LCS Flight 0+ ships in fiscal 2010 due to affordability. Based on proposals received this summer, it was not possible to execute the LCS program under the current acquisition strategy and given the expectation of constrained budgets. The new LCS acquisition strategy improves affordability by competitively awarding a larger number of ships across several years to one source. The Navy will accomplish this goal by issuing a new fixed price incentive solicitation for a down select to one of the two designs beginning in fiscal 2010.

Both industry teams will have the opportunity to submit proposals for the fiscal 2010 ships under the new solicitation. The selected industry team will deliver a quality technical data package, allowing the Navy to open competition for a second source for the selected design beginning in fiscal 2012. The winner of the down select will be awarded a contract for up to 10 ships from fiscal 2010 through fiscal 2014, and also provide combat systems for up to five additional ships provided by a second source. Delivery of LCS 2, along with construction of LCS 3 and LCS 4 will not be affected by the decision. This plan ensures the best value for the Navy, continues to fill critical warfighting gaps, reduces program ownership costs, and meets the spirit and intent of the Weapons System Acquisition Reform Act of 2009.

LCS is a fast, agile and modular warship designed to complement the Navy's multi-mission platforms with warfighting capabilities from littoral irregular warfare to mine, anti-submarine and surface warfare. There are two different LCS hull forms: a semi-planing monohull and an aluminum trimaran. The seaframes are designed and built by two industry teams led by Lockheed Martin and General Dynamics. Of the planned 55-ship program, LCS 1 is commissioned, LCS 2 is undergoing sea trials, and construction has started for LCS 3 and LCS 4.

The Navy remains committed to the LCS program and the requirement for 55 of these ships to provide combatant commanders with the capability to defeat anti-access threats in the littorals, including fast surface craft, quiet submarines and various types of mines. The Navy's acquisition strategy will be guided by cost and performance of the respective designs as well as options for sustaining competition throughout the life of the program.

(Report from a U.S. Defense Department news release.)

Pentagon Identifies Army Casualties (OEF)

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Sept. 16, 2009 -- The following news release made available Wednesday by the U.S. Department of Defense is the text of a statement identifying casualties:

The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They died of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their vehicle with an improvised explosive device Sept. 14 in southern Afghanistan. They were assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.

Killed were:

• 1st Lt. David T. Wright II, 26, of Moore, Okla.; and

• Sgt. Andrew H. McConnell, 24, of Carlisle, Pa.

(Report from a U.S. Defense Department news release.)

Wire: Obama Says Still no Plan for Afghanistan; Admin War Objectives Doc Leaked to Press

Off the Wire:

WASHINGTON, Sept. 16, 2009 -- Newswire services this afternoon reported that President Barack Obama said Wednesday has yet to make a decision on whether to send more U.S. troops into the deteriorating war in Afghanistan.

The president's comments came, The Associated Press reported, one day after Adm. Mike Mullen, his top military adviser as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, endorsed an increase in U.S. forces as likely necessary to battle a deepening insurgency. The U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan, Gen. Stanley McChrystal, also has delivered a grim assessment of the war and is expected to follow up soon with a request for thousands of additional troops.

"I'm going to take a very deliberate process in making those decisions," said Obama, taking questions from reporters as he sat in the Oval Office with visiting Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper. "And so I just want to be absolutely clear, because there's been a lot of discussion in the press about this: There is no immediate decision pending on resources," Obama said, according to press reports.

However, the Obama administration has set objectives for countering al Qaeda in Pakistan and Afghanistan, from boosting Islamabad's counterinsurgency capabilities to building up Afghan security forces so U.S. assistance can be reduced, according to an internal document obtained by Reuters news service on Wednesday.

The administration sent the objectives to U.S. lawmakers ahead of an expected request by Gen. McChrystal for additional forces to counter a resurgent Taliban insurgency.

See links below for details.

(Report from newswire sources.)

Sources:
Obama: No 'pending' decision on troops to Afghan
Obama sets Afghanistan, Pakistan objectives: document

Pentagon Identifies Army Casualty (OEF)

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Sept. 16, 2009 -- The following news release made available Wednesday by the U.S. Department of Defense is the text of a statement identifying a casualty:

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Spc. Demetrius L. Void, 20, of Orangeburg, S.C., died Sept. 15 at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when a military vehicle struck him while conducting physical training. He was assigned to the 57th Expeditionary Signal Battalion, 11th Signal Brigade, III Corps, Fort Hood, Texas.

The circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation.

(Report from a U.S. Defense Department news release.)

Combat Camera: US Soldiers Conduct Operation Champion Spear, Paktia Province, Afghanistan

U.S. Army soldiers rest at a patrol base atop a mountain during Operation Champion Spear outside the village of Marsac in Paktia province, Afghanistan, Sept. 2, 2009. The soldiers are assigned to the 25th Infantry Division's 3rd Battalion, 509th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Christopher Nicholas.)

U.S. Army soldiers make a security stop while pursuing their mission during Operation Champion Spear outside the village of Marsac in Paktia province, Afghanistan, Sept. 2, 2009. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Christopher Nicholas.)

U.S. Army soldiers look on as a supply helicopter brings in water and food to a mountain ridge during Operation Champion Spear outside the village of Marsac in Paktia province, Afghanistan, Sept. 3, 2009. The soldiers are assigned to the 25th Infantry Division's 3rd Battalion, 509th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Christopher Nicholas.)

U.S. Army soldiers plan to move to the next mission objective during Operation Champion Spear outside the village of Marsac in Paktia province, Afghanistan, Sept. 3, 2009. The soldiers are assigned to the 25th Infantry Division's 1st Battalion, 501st Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Christopher Nicholas.)

A Jingle air helicopter delivers supplies to U.S. Army soldiers to a mountain during Operation Champion Spear outside the village of Marsac in Paktia province, Afghanistan, Sept. 5, 2009. The soldiers are assigned to the 25th Infantry Division's 1st Battalion, 501st Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Christopher Nicholas.)

U.S. Army Cpt. Patrick Tabin stands by to move out from a patrol base on a mountain during Operation Champion Spear, outside the village of Marsac in Paktia province, Afghanistan, Sept. 5, 2009. Tabin is the commander assigned to the 25th Infantry Division's 1st Battalion, 501st Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Christopher Nicholas.)

U.S. Army soldiers board a CH-47 Chinook helicopter to be extracted during Operation Champion Spear outside the village of Marsac in Paktia province, Afghanistan, Sept. 5, 2009. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Christopher Nicholas.)

U.S. Army Pfc. Grella, center, prepares a mortar round for Pfc. Wiley, left, while they engage targets on a mountain side during Operation Champion Spear outside the village of Marsac in Paktia province, Afghanistan, Sept. 6, 2009. The soldiers are assigned to the 25th Infantry Division's 1st Battalion, 501st Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Christopher Nicholas.)

U.S. Army Sgt. Morales engages a target cave with an anti-tank, armor-piercing projectile in the mountains during Operation Champion Spear outside the village of Marsac in Paktia province, Afghanistan, Sept. 6, 2009. Morales is assigned to the 25th Infantry Division's 1st Battalion, 501st Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Christopher Nicholas.)

U.S. Army soldiers return to their patrol base after searching caves during Operation Champion Spear outside the village of Marsac in Paktia province, Afghanistan, Sept. 6, 2009. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Christopher Nicholas.)

U.S. Army soldiers await the landing of a CH-47 Chinook helicopter to be extracted during Operation Champion Spear outside the village of Marsac in Paktia province, Afghanistan, Sept. 7, 2009. The soldiers are assigned to the 25th Infantry Division's 1st Battalion, 501st Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Christopher Nicholas.)

U.S. Army soldiers board a CH-47 Chinook helicopter for extraction during Operation Champion Spear outside the village of Marsac in Paktia province, Afghanistan, Sept. 7, 2009. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Christopher Nicholas.)

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