Saturday, September 26, 2009

OIF Summary, Sept. 26, 2009: Forces in Iraq Nab 6 Suspects in Search for al-Qaeda Emirs

Dispatches from the Front

Dispatches from the Front:

BAGHDAD, Sept. 26, 2009 -- Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) arrested six suspected terrorists today during separate security operations in northern Iraq provinces.

The 3rd Brigade Federal Police with U.S. forces advisors apprehended four individuals during a search for an al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) extortion and finance emir in Mosul. After further questioning, the four were identified as suspected AQI associates and arrested.

Near Abassi, located approximately 76 km southwest of Kirkuk, the 3rd Emergency Services Unit with U.S. forces advisors searched for and arrested the AQI military emir of Abassi. The warranted individual was arrested for coordinating and participating in multiple vehicle-borne improvised explosive device attacks targeting the ISF.

The security team also arrested a second suspect during the operation near Abassi. The ISF identified the individual as an associate of AQI operating in the Hawijah area.

These security operations demonstrate the ISF’s capability to weaken AQI’s ability to operate and threaten the security of Iraq.

(From a Multinational Corps Iraq news release.)

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Pentagon Identifies Army Casualties (OEF)

News in Balance

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Sept. 26, 2009 -- The following news release made available Saturday 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. 24 in Omar Zai, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their vehicle with an improvised explosive device. They were assigned to the 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.

Killed were:
  • Sgt. Titus R. Reynolds, 23, of Columbus, Ohio;

  • Sgt. Edward B. Smith, 30, of Homestead, Fla.; and

  • Spc. Joseph V. White, 21, of Bellevue, Wash.

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

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    Wire: MoveOn.org Working Obama on Afghanistan

    Off the Wire

    Off the Wire:

    WASHINGTON, Sept. 26, 2009 -- The liberal group MoveOn.org is urging millions of its members to send a message to President Barack Obama demanding an exit strategy from Afghanistan, according to The Hill Web site.

    The Hill noted that in a Friday e-mail message to almost 5 million members, MoveOn.org said: "Now, the majority of Americans -- those of us who are for as quick and as responsible an end to the war as possible -- need to make our voices heard, too.
    "Can you write to the White House and tell them we need a clear exit strategy -- not tens of thousands more U.S. troops stuck in a quagmire?"
    The Hill said MoveOn.org seized on recent comments by Vice President Joe Biden and White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, who have urged caution on rushing to send more troops to Afghanistan "without a clear strategy."

    (Report from newswire sources.)

    Source: MoveOn working Obama on Afghanistan

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    Wire: Boeing May Offer US Air Force 2 Tankers

    Off the Wire

    Off the Wire:

    WASHINGTON, Sept. 26, 2009 -- Newswire services this morning reported that Boeing Co (BA.N) said it may offer a choice of its aircraft against a rival Airbus model in a renewed competition to build a multibillion-dollar refueling fleet for the U.S. Air Force.

    Reuters news service noted that the Chicago-based aerospace giant said on Friday it was deciding whether to stick with its modified 767 tanker, which lost a previous, canceled competition to an Airbus A330 model, or go with a larger 777-based tanker -- or offer both.

    Boeing is vying against a partnership of Northrop Grumman Corp (NOC.N) and Europe's EADS (EAD.PA), parent of Airbus. The Air Force and the Defense Department jointly spelled out on Thursday how the winner of the deal would be picked, Reuters said.
    The detailed draft bidding rules were published Friday by the Air Force for a contest now said by a senior military official to be potentially worth as much as $50 billion.

    "We want to understand how requirements will be defined and prioritized and how the proposals will be evaluated," William Barksdale, a Boeing spokesman, said in a statement. "That information will help us decide which plane to offer or whether to offer both planes."

    Northrop Grumman, prime contractor for the rival team, is deferring public comment until it has completed a review of the draft request for proposal, said Randy Belote, a company spokesman.
    The companies have 60 days to comment on the draft before final bidding specifications are released, Reuters said.

    See link below for details.

    (Report from newswire sources.)

    Source: UPDATE 3-Boeing may offer US Air Force two tankers

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    Friday, September 25, 2009

    Pentagon Identifies Marine Casualty (OEF)

    News in Balance

    News in Balance:

    WASHINGTON, Sept. 25, 2009 -- The following news release made available Friday 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 Marine who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

    Lance Cpl. John J. Malone, 24, of Yonkers, N.Y., died Sept. 24 while supporting combat operations in Farah province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Fore, based out of Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay.
    (Report from a U.S. Defense Department news release.)

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    Wire: US Military Deaths in Afghanistan Region at 769

    Off the Wire

    Off the Wire:

    WASHINGTON, Sept. 25, 2009 -- Newswire services this evening reported that as of Friday, Sept. 25, 2009, at least 769 members of the U.S. military had died in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan as a result of the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in late 2001, according to the U.S Defense Department. The department last updated its figures Thursday at 10 a.m. EDT.

    Of those, the U.S. military reports 589 were killed by hostile action.

    The Associated Press reported that outside the Afghan region, the U.S. Defense Department reports 70 more members of the U.S. military died in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Of those, three were the result of hostile action. The military lists these other locations as Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, Cuba; Djibouti; Eritrea; Ethiopia; Jordan; Kenya; Kyrgyzstan; Philippines; Seychelles; Sudan; Tajikistan; Turkey; and Yemen.

    There were also four CIA officer deaths and one military civilian death, AP noted.

    (Report from newswire sources.)

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    Wire: White House Admits Guantanamo May Not Close by January

    Off the Wire

    Off the Wire:

    WASHINGTON, Sept. 25, 2009 -- Newswire services late this evening reported that the White House acknowledged for the first time Friday that it may not be able to close the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay by January as President Barack Obama has promised.

    Senior administration officials told The Associated Press that difficulties in completing the lengthy review of detainee files and resolving thorny legal and logistical questions mean the president's self-imposed January deadline may slip. Obama remains as committed to closing the facility as he was when, as one of his first acts in office, he pledged to shut it down, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

    See link below for details.

    (Report from newswire sources.)

    Sources: AP sources: Guantanamo might not close by January

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    Wire: Afghanistan Troop Request Delivered

    Off the Wire

    Off the Wire:

    WASHINGTON, Sept. 25, 2009 -- Newswire services this afternoon reported that the top U.S. military officer has received the eagerly awaited detailed troop request from the top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan, as the Obama administration continues a top-level review of its strategy.

    A military official told VOA news the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, traveled to Germany Friday for an unannounced half-day meeting on a U.S. Air Base with the Afghanistan commander, General Stanley McChrystal.

    The official, who spoke to VOA on condition of anonymity, indicated Admiral Mullen had an idea what the request would be, but wanted to receive the official document in person and hear details directly from General McChrystal. The official could not say specifically how many troops the general wants.
    Analysts have said the request could be in the range of 40,000 troops, on top of increases President Barack Obama authorized earlier in the year, which are moving the U.S. troop level to 68,000.

    There has been tremendous interest in the impending request since General McChrystal's secret assessment of the Afghanistan situation was published Monday by The Washington Post. It paints a grim picture and says the allied mission could fail without more resources. The assessment has become part of a broad Afghanistan strategy review the president has ordered, involving senior civilian and military officials.

    There has been tremendous interest in the impending request since General McChrystal's secret assessment of the Afghanistan situation was published Monday by The Washington Post. It paints a grim picture and says the allied mission could fail without more resources. The assessment has become part of a broad Afghanistan strategy review the president has ordered, involving senior civilian and military officials.

    The Pentagon press secretary, Geoff Morrell, and that the general would present a range of options, discuss the risks associated with each, and conclude with a specific recommendation. But he said it will not become part of the strategy review.

    "Once he has it, he intends to hold on to it until such time as the president and his national security team are ready to consider it," said the press secretary.

    Morrell said there is "no sense in complicating" the strategic review by inserting the troop request.
    The military official who spoke to VOA Friday said a sense of the "manpower needs" would be a component of the strategy review, but that the goals of the Afghanistan mission and what approach will be used to achieve them is the focus of discussions for now.

    The strategy review is expected to be completed in the coming weeks, and to be followed by a decision on General McChrystal's troop request, VOA said.

    (Report from newswire sources.)

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    Pentagon: FBI, Navy Foiled Alleged Terror Plot on Quantico

    News in Balance

    News in Balance:

    WASHINGTON, Sept. 25, 2009 -- An indictment handed down yesterday in a North Carolina federal court charges three men with plotting to attack Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., with the intent to murder U.S. military personnel.

    The men -- two American citizens and a legal U.S. resident from Kosovo -- are Daniel Patrick Boyd, 39; his son, Zakariya Boyd, 20; and Kosovo native Hysen Sherifi, 24, according to Justice Department and Marine Corps news releases.

    The three allegedly were involved in a plot to procure maps of the base and assemble weapons as a precursor to an attack, the releases say. They also are named with four other men -- including another Boyd son, Dylan, 22 -- in a sealed indictment July 22 for alleged involvement in a conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists, as well as conspiracy to murder, kidnap, maim and injure persons abroad, the releases say.

    Agents from the FBI and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service and Quantico's headquarters' staff collaborated on an investigation that uncovered the alleged plot at the base.

    "We have been in close coordination with NCIS and FBI agents and other officials throughout the Boyd investigation," Quantico's base commander Marine Col. Dan Choike said in a Marine Corps news release.

    "We have ensured that the safety and protection of our Marines, their families and civilians who call Quantico home, received our first and absolute attention," Choike said. "That attention in all matters continues to be our main focus."

    Others indicted in the alleged broader terrorism activities include:
    • Anes Subasic, 33, a naturalized U.S. citizen;

    • Mohammad Omar Aly Hassan, 22, a U.S. citizen; and

    • Ziyad Yaghi, 21, a U.S. citizen.

    All seven men are residents of North Carolina.

    The defendants were arrested July 27 at various locations. All are being held without bond.

    "These charges hammer home the point that terrorists and their supporters are not confined to the remote regions of some far-away land, but can grow and fester right here at home," U.S. Attorney George E.B. Holding said in the Justice Department news release.

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

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    OIF Summary, Sept. 25, 2009: Forces Detain Insurgents, Seize Weapons in Iraq

    Dispatches from the Front

    Dispatches from the Front:

    WASHINGTON, Sept. 25, 2009 -- Iraqi troop, aided by U.S. forces, detained suspected insurgents and seized weapons in Iraq in recent days, military officials reported.

    Iraqi and U.S. soldiers detained 14 people yesterday after they attacked a U.S. patrol in Kirkuk province.

    The soldiers were attacked while establishing security positions along a high-traffic route near the town of Shalikh in Rashad Valley district. Soldiers had been observing the attackers for suspicious activity.

    Soldiers pursued the attackers and detained them. No injuries were reported.

    Elsewhere, an Iraqi special weapons and tactics team, with U.S. advisors, served a warrant issued by the Qaim Central Investigative Court for the arrest of a suspected weapons dealer and smuggler Sept. 18 near Ramanah.

    The SWAT team also found ammunition and several rocket motors on the property.

    This successful operation by Iraq's security forces will disrupt the sale and purchase of illegal weapons in and around Qaim, officials said.

    North of Mosul, Iraqi forces and U.S. soldiers seized a weapons cache Sept. 21 containing materials commonly used by insurgents to create homemade bombs.

    U.S. forces discovered the cache in an abandoned home during a reconnaissance patrol. The cache contained grenades, a dual-tone multifunction board, hand-held radios, a blasting cap with wires and a video camcorder cassette.

    (From Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)

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    Wire: Report Says Obama Told Petraeus, McChrystal to "Scrub" Afghan Assessments

    Off the Wire

    Off the Wire:

    WASHINGTON, Sept. 25, 2009 -- Newswire services this afternoon reported that, according to Howard "Buck" McKeon, (R-CA), the new top Republican on the House Armed Services Committee, Obama told Central Command head Gen. David Petraeus and Afghanistan commander Gen. Stanley McChrystal to "scrub" their assessments because he "wasn't inclined to send troops over there."

    If McKeon's claim is true, ForeignPolicy.com said, Obama's instructions, relayed to McKeon through Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, show how resistant the president is to doubling down on the war in Afghanistan and how Republicans are prepared to take their push for an increased commitment of resources to the public.

    See link below for details, additional sources.

    (Report from newswire sources.)

    Source: Report: Obama told Petraeus and McChrystal to "scrub" assessments

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    Wire: Surprise, Iran Has Second Nuke Plant

    Off the Wire

    Off the Wire:

    WASHINGTON, Sept. 25, 2009 -- Newswire services this morning reported that Iran has revealed the existence of a secret uranium-enrichment plant, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said Friday, a development that, The Associated Press noted, could heighten fears about Tehran's ability to produce a nuclear weapon and escalate its diplomatic confrontation with the West.

    President Barack Obama and the leaders of France and Britain plan to accuse Iran of hiding the facility in an address at the opening of the G-20 economic summit Friday, a senior White House official told AP.

    Iran is under three sets of U.N. Security Council sanctions for refusing to freeze enrichment at what had been its single known enrichment plant, which is being monitored by the IAEA.

    Two officials told AP that Iran revealed the existence of the second plant in a letter sent Monday to IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei.

    See links below for details.

    (Report from newswire sources.)

    Sources:
    Officials tell AP Iran has second enrichment plant
    Iran Reveals Existence of Second Uranium Enrichment Plant

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    Wire: "Controlled" Explosion North of Baghdad Kills 11 Iraqi Soldiers

    Off the Wire

    Off the Wire:

    WASHINGTON, Sept. 25, 2009 -- Newswire services this morning reported that a controlled explosion of weapons confiscated by the Iraqi military went awry Friday, killing 11 Iraqi soldiers, Iraqi military officials said.

    The Associated Press said the blast took place in an area where American and Iraqi forces routinely carry out explosions to destroy weapons seized during raids in and around the northern city of Mosul, which the U.S. military has called the last stronghold of al-Qaida in Iraq.

    The incident came as questions continued to be raised about the capabilities of Iraqi security forces a day after 16 prisoners -- including five al-Qaida-linked inmates awaiting execution -- escaped from a jail in Saddam Hussein's hometown of Tikrit, AP said.
    The explosion occurred while the soldiers were preparing the materials for the controlled explosion just east of Mosul, 225 miles (360 kilometers) north of Baghdad, said two military officials.

    One of the officials said at least 11 soldiers were killed in the blast. Another military official said 15 were killed. Conflicting casualty counts are common in Iraq in the wake of explosions.

    Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to release the information.

    Witnesses said American soldiers had cordoned off the area. The U.S. military did not immediately respond to queries for additional details.
    (Report from newswire sources.)

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    Wire: 5 US Servicemembers Killed in Southern Afghanistan Attacks

    Off the Wire

    Off the Wire:

    WASHINGTON, Sept. 25, 2009 -- Newswire services this morning reported that five American servicemembers were killed in attacks in southern Afghanistan, where the U.S. and NATO have ramped up operations against the Taliban and seen casualties rise quickly in what has been the deadliest year of the war for international forces.

    The Associated Press reported that four soldiers died Thursday in the same small district of Zabul province, including three killed when their Stryker vehicle struck a bomb, said U.S. military spokesman Lt. Robert Carr. The fourth was shot to death in an insurgent attack, Carr said. The Stryker brigade in Zabul is part of the influx of U.S. troops sent by President Barack Obama over the summer to try to reverse Taliban gains.

    A U.S. Marine was fatally shot while on foot patrol in Nimroz province and died Thursday, said Capt. Elizabeth Mathias, a military spokeswoman.

    The deaths come as the Obama administration decides whether to send still more forces to Afghanistan, AP said.

    (Report from newswire sources.)

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    Thursday, September 24, 2009

    Pentagon Announces Requirement for New Aerial Tanker Competition

    News in Balance

    News in Balance:

    WASHINGTON, Sept. 24, 2009 -- The needs of warfighters and value for taxpayers are at the heart of the new draft request for proposal for aerial refueling capability, Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn said here today.

    Lynn, Air Force Secretary Michael B. Donley and Ashton B. Carter, defense undersecretary for acquisition, technology and logistics, briefed the Pentagon press on the draft RFP to replace the Air Force’s aging KC-135R tanker fleet.

    This is the second time the contract has been competed. The Government Accountability Office, the investigative arm of Congress, recommended that the Air Force re-bid the contract – originally won by a Northrop-Grumman/EADS/Airbus consortium in February 2008. Boeing protested the decision, and in June 2008 the GAO agreed that there were irregularities in the contracting process.

    The GAO said the previous process for selecting a winner was too subjective. DoD took this to heart, and officials stressed this draft RFP is not a rerun of the last competition.

    “This time we will be crystal clear about what we want and what the bidders need to do to win,” Lynn said.

    Price is important in the competition, but it will not be the only factor, Lynn said. “First of all, we’ll look at price from a broad perspective, not just acquisition cost,” he said. “We’re going to include certain aspects of life-cycle cost, in particular fuel burn and military construction; and we’re going to look at non- price factors, particularly how each aircraft that the companies might bid would meet warfighting requirements.”

    DoD and Air Force officials worked closely together to ensure the process this time will be fair, open and transparent. Air Force and DoD officials developed the source selection strategy and it has been approved by Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates.

    “The Air Force source selection authority will execute this strategy,” Lynn said.

    The warfighter requirements – devised by Air Mobility Command – for the tanker fleet have not changed since the last procurement try. “But the warfighter has specified which requirements are necessary for the tanker to ‘go to war on Day 1,’” he said.

    These requirements are on an acceptable/not acceptable basis, he said. The team has also identified capabilities that would provide some additional value, but are not mandatory.

    The buy is for 179 aircraft valued at around $35 billion. If all goes as planned the contract could be awarded next summer. The draft RFP will hit the streets tomorrow. It will be a fixed-price incentive contract in the development phase, and the first five production lots will be a firm fixed-price contract. The remaining production will be a not-to-exceed contract.

    “This is going to constrain prices considerably, we believe,” Lynn said. “It’s shifting the department from a cost-plus world more towards a fixed-price world, and we think that that’s going to be an important element in avoiding cost overruns.”

    Air Force Secretary Donley said the newest KC-135R entered the Air Force in 1964. The first production model of whatever aircraft is selected would enter the force in 2015 with an initial operating capability set for 2017.

    Donley said the defense and Air Force teams reviewed the 808 requirements the old RFP had.

    “We conducted extensive reviews of the requirements, eliminating duplication, refining definitions, combining where appropriate and ensuring all requirements were measurable,” Donley said.

    The draft RFP has 373 mandatory requirements. Still there is some value in non-mandatory capabilities, and Donley said the team identified 93 of these added-value capabilities and assigned points to them.

    The defense officials said they want to make the selection process as objective as possible. The RFP spells out exactly what warfighting capabilities are needed, but also details what efficiencies are desired, said Undersecretary Carter. To test warfighting effectiveness, evaluators fly each of the offeror’s aircraft against he Integrated Fleet Aerial Refueling Assessment model, Carter said.

    The model posits a situation where the United States is executing several major war plans simultaneously, and tanker demand is at a peak. The model will answer the question of how many tanker aircraft are needed to execute these real-world war plans.

    But there is another consideration: The cost of ownership, Carter said.

    “These are the elements, of the life-cycle cost of the tanker, that are under the control of the offerors and which therefore can fairly be used to discriminate the offerors,” he said. “The vendors do determine the aircraft design, which in turn determines how much fuel they will burn, over the next 40 years, carrying out the day-to-day tasks.”

    Military construction projects needed to accommodate the aircraft are also taken under consideration, he said. Costs to adjust hangars, ramps, taxiways and runways for the aircraft will be taken into account.

    “So both wartime effectiveness and peacetime efficiency we will assess for each aircraft,” Carter said. “We will ‘dollarize’ those assessments and in dollar terms adjust the bid prices.”

    (Report by Jim Garamone, American Forces Press Service.)

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    Pentagon: Leaders Take New Missile Defense Plan to Congress

    News in Balance

    News in Balance:

    WASHINGTON, Sept. 24, 2009 -- President Barack Obama’s decision to restructure a previous missile defense plan designed to protect Europe from a possible ballistic missile attack from Iran provides a more effective, flexible system that will take less time to implement, senior Pentagon officials said on Capitol Hill today.

    “We are confident that our new approach represents a dramatic improvement over the program of old,” Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Michele Flournoy told Senate Armed Services Committee members.

    Under the previous plan developed by the Bush administration in 2007, the United States would emplace missile-tracking radar units in the Czech Republic and 10 interceptor missiles in Poland. The purpose of the system, officials said, is to protect Europe from potential ballistic missile attacks from the Middle East, specifically Iran.

    Obama announced a change in plans Sept. 17. Switching to existing ship- and ground-based radars and using the Standard Missile 3 as an interceptor that can be launched from U.S. Navy Aegis-equipped ships or from land, he said, provides “greater defenses against the threat of missile attack than the 2007 European missile defense program.”

    By implementing the new plan, “we’ll be able to protect vulnerable parts of Europe and the tens of thousands of U.S. troops stationed there by the end of 2011,” Flournoy said. “And, we’ll be creating a far more flexible and adaptive missile defense system, one that can adapt to provide better protection against emerging threats.”

    The previous European missile defense plan couldn’t be put into operation “until at least 2017,” Flournoy said.

    New intelligence data, she said, helped to drive the decision to change the program.

    “The intelligence community now assesses that the threat from Iran’s short- and medium-range ballistic missiles is developing more rapidly than previously projected,” Flournoy said, “while the threat of potential Iranian intercontinental ballistic missiles, or ICBMs, has been somewhat slower to develop than previously estimated.”

    Therefore, Flournoy said, in the near term “the greatest missile threats from Iran will be to our allies and our partners, and U.S. deployed personnel and their families, in the Middle East and in Europe.” That concern, she said, is all the more urgent because of Iran’s continued uranium-enrichment program.

    The new missile-defense system is based on proven Standard Missile 3 interceptors, Flournoy explained, which can be launched from both U.S. Navy Aegis ships and from land.

    “This means greater geographic flexibility, greater survivability and greater scalability in response to an evolving threat,” she said. “That’s exactly what we mean by a phased, adaptive approach.”

    Meanwhile, Flournoy said, the United States has “sufficient capability” to deter any Iranian long-range missile threat for many years to come.

    Obama approved the new European missile-defense program, Flournoy said, upon the unanimous recommendations of Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

    In late 2006, Gates recommended to then-President George W. Bush that the United States place radar units in the Czech Republic and 10 ground-based missile interceptors in Poland. But, that was when intelligence officials had gauged Iran’s work on developing longer-range ballistic missiles as being the greater threat.

    The new missile-defense plan, Flournoy said, also “greatly increases our ability to work with our European allies and our partners to strengthen extended deterrents and our mutual defenses.”

    The United States, Flournoy said, is now consulting with allies Poland and the Czech Republic about their potential roles in the new missile-defense program.

    The Russian government, which had been opposed to the previous European missile-defense plan, seems to like the new one better.

    “While we certainly welcome Russian interest in the new approach, as well as potential Russian cooperation in sharing data from their radars, this is not about Russia,” Flournoy said of the rationale to change the structure of the European missile defense plan.

    “Regardless of Russian reaction, we will continue to do whatever it takes to ensure the security and defense of our European allies,” she said.

    Flournoy was accompanied at the Senate hearing by Marine Corps Gen. James E. Cartwright, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; and Army Lt. Gen. Patrick J. O’Reilly, director of the Defense Department’s Missile Defense Agency.

    Providing an effective overseas-based anti-ballistic-missile deterrent is a necessary requirement, Cartwright said, that’s “emerging as the greatest need that we have today, that we face out there against these short- and medium-range ballistic missiles.”

    O’Reilly attested to the capabilities of the SM-3 interceptor missile that plays such an important role in the new program.

    The SM-3 interceptor “is a very capable weapon due to its high acceleration, burn velocity and its proven track record,” O’Reilly said. Using the SM-3, he said, also provides an “ability to rapidly increase to over 80 interceptors at any one launch site.”

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

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    Wire: US Air Force to Replace Aging Tankers

    Off the Wire

    Off the Wire:

    WASHINGTON, Sept. 24, 2009 -- Newswire services this evening reported that Pentagon officials told lawmakers at a briefing on Capitol Hill Thursday that the Air Force on Friday will re-launch the on-again, off-again program to buy a new fleet of aerial refueling tankers to replace an aging fleet from the Eisenhower era.

    The Politico politics blog said the officials declared the new process would not be "a re-run" of the past two tanker bidding contests, which were plagued with problems, but instead would be a "crystal clear" competition.
    The basic outline of the contract has not changed since the last acrimonious attempt to buy tankers ended in the summer of 2008. The Air Force is looking to award a contract for 179 planes, to be delivered at a rate of 15 per year. The award, to be announced by mid-2010, will be the first of three contracts to eventually replace the services entire 513-plane fleet of KC-135, air-to-air refueling aircraft.
    See link below for details.

    (Report from newswire sources.)

    Source: Air force to replace aging tankers

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    Wire: Gen. McChrystal Says Afghan Violence "Worse" Than Expected

    Off the Wire

    Off the Wire:

    WASHINGTON, Sept. 24, 2009 -- Newswire services this evening reported that Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, in an interview told CBS News National Security correspondent David Martin that the violence in Afghanistan was more than he expected.

    CBN News said Martin spent a week speaking to the general in Kabul and following him on his daily mission overseeing the coalition forces in Afghanistan.
    Asked if things are better or worse than he expected since his arrival a few months ago, the general replies, "They're probably a little worse. I think that in some areas that the breadth of the violence, the geographic spread of violence, is a little more than I would have gathered."

    The increased violence has resulted in 265 civilians killed in U.S. or coalition action in the past 12 months the general says, a situation that must stop if victory is to be attained.

    "This civilian casualty issue is much more important than I even realized. It is literally how we lose the war, or in many ways how we win it," McChrystal explained.

    The general has halted many operations aimed too close to civilians, even if the target area was the source of enemy fire. He believes it's more important to protect civilians than kill Taliban or Qaeda fighters, because not having the support of the Afghan people is a risk he cannot afford.
    McChrystal’s interview will be broadcast on 60 Minutes this Sunday, Sept. 27, at 7 p.m. ET/PT.

    (Report from newswire sources.)

    Related:
    Wire: US Commanders Back Afghan Troop Hike Assessment
    Wire: White House Declassified McChrystal Afghan Report for Washington Post
    Wire: Admin Rebuffs Congress Over Afghan War

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    Combat Camera: Aboard USS Nimitz, Sept. 24, 2009

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    (Sept. 24, 2009) Airman Robert Johnson, assigned to the "Indians" of Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron 6, stands next to a SH-60F Seahawk helicopter during flight operations aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz. 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. (Photo by Seaman John Wagner, Navy Visual News Service.)

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    (Sept. 24, 2009) Seaman Brandon Hartman operates the Integrated Launch and Recovery Television Surveillance camera during flight operations aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz. (Photo by Seaman John Wagner, Navy Visual News Service.)

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    (Sept. 24, 2009) Members of the ship's Flying Squad take part in a Rescue and Assistance team drill on the port boat davit aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz. (Photo by Seaman John Wagner, Navy Visual News Service.)

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    (Sept. 24, 2009) Airman Angelo Graham, assigned to the "Sidewinders" of Strike Fighter Squadron 86, performs maintenance on the brake system of a F/A 18C Hornet on board the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz. (Photo by Seaman John Wagner, Navy Visual News Service.)

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    (Sept. 24, 2009) Sailors assigned to the "Warhawks" of Strike Fighter Squadron 97 conduct a cavity cleaning of an F/A-18C Hornet before re-inserting the engine in the hangar bay of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz. (Photo by Seaman John Wagner, Navy Visual News Service.)

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    (Sept. 24, 2009) Airman Andres Garcia, left, instructs Airman Tony Gallegos on how to maneuver a AS3-32A "Spotting Dolly" properly in the hangar bay of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz. (Photo by Seaman John Wagner, Navy Visual News Service.)

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    (Sept. 20, 2009) Maj. Gen. Stephen Mueller, director of Air Component Coordination Element, Air Force Central Command in Kabul, Afghanistan, arrives through rainbow sideboys for a visit to the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz. (Photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Eduardo Zaragoza, Navy Visual News Service.)

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    (Sept. 21, 2009) Seaman Derek Bush, aviation structural mechanic, assigned to Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron 6 greases the tail disconnection unit of an HS-60F Sea Hawk helicopter in the hangar bay of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz. (Photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Peter Merrill, Navy Visual News Service.)

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    (Sept. 17, 2009) A C-2A Greyhound aircraft assigned to the Providers of Carrier Logistics Support Squadron 30 launches from the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz. (Photo by Seaman John Wagner, Navy Visual News Service.)

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    (Sept. 17, 2009) Air department Sailors prepare to launch a C-2A Greyhound aircraft assigned to the Providers of Carrier Logistics Support Squadron 30 aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz. (Photo by Seaman John Wagner, Navy Visual News Service.)

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    Wire: Zazi Indicted for Conspiring to Detonate WMD on US Soil

    Off the Wire

    Off the Wire:

    WASHINGTON, Sept. 24, 2009 -- Newswire services this morning reported that Najibullah Zazi, the Denver man believed to be the central figure in a terror plot against the New York City transit system, has officially been indicted on charges of conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction against persons or property in the United States, according to a WCBS TV news report.
    According to the Department of Justice, a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of New York returned a one-count indictment alleging that between Aug. 1, 2008 and Sept. 21, 2009, Zazi knowingly and intentionally conspired with others to use one or more weapons of mass destruction, specifically explosive bombs and other similar explosive devices, against persons or property within the United States. The indictment also alleges that Zazi and others traveled in interstate and foreign commerce, used email and the Internet, and that this offense and the results of the offense would have affected interstate and foreign commerce.
    The 24-year-old Zazi -- whom authorities have linked to al-Qaeda -- his father and Afzali have already been charged with lying to FBI investigators trying to uncover the terror plot. Zazi met with his attorneys in Colorado on Wednesday. His father, Mohammed Zazi, was expected to be freed on $50,000 bail after Thursday's hearing.

    See links below for details.

    (Report from newswire sources.)

    Source: Zazi Indicted For Conspiring To Detonate WMD

    Download: Zazi's complete indictment (pdf)

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    OIF Update, Sept. 24, 2009: Cavalry Trooper Survives Sadr City Sniper

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    Pfc. James Freed, of Odon, Ind., points to the exit hole a bullet made through his helmet when a sniper attacked him while on patrol in the Sadr City area in June. Freed, a tanker assigned to Company A, 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, was wounded by the shot, which grazed his scalp. "It's still hard for me to fathom that it actually happened," said Freed, who has been in the Army for 18 months. "I got shot in the head and walked away." (Photo by Sgt. Jon Soles, Multi-National Division Baghdad.)

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    An early morning finds Pfc. James Freed (left) pulling security while on patrol in Sadr City, here, Sept. 18. Freed, a native of Odon, Ind., survived a sniper attack in June in which a bullet tore through his helmet, but only grazed his scalp. (Photo by Sgt. Jon Soles, Multi-National Division Baghdad.)

    Dispatches from the Front:

    BAGHDAD, Sept. 24, 2009 -- Pfc. James Freed was pulling security by a brand-new soccer field near Sadr City on June 5, 2009. Like on other missions, his eyes were constantly darting from the streets to the buildings, the rooftops and the corners. And then it happened so fast he didn't hear the shot.

    "I was down on a knee and I had just been scanning the rooftops and something caught my eye," said Freed, a tanker assigned to Company A, 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division. "Right when I turned my head, that's when it hit me. It felt like someone [rifle] butt stroked me."

    At first, Freed thought one of his fellow soldiers had slapped the back of his helmet as some kind of juvenile prank. But the orange flash he saw above his left eye and the ringing in his ears indicated it was no prank.

    "I turned around and there was nobody behind me and that's when I realized I had been shot," Freed said. "I dropped and found cover. I knew I had to get as low as I could."

    Suddenly, everything seemed to be in slow motion. Freed's training kicked in and as he sought cover, an incredulous thought went through his head.

    "When I dropped down and started low crawling, I could feel the blood coming down everywhere," Freed said. "I asked 'Am I crawling with a bullet in my head?'"

    A medic rushed to Freed's aid and stopped the bleeding with a bandage, while Freed's comrades – a mixture of infantrymen and tankers – scrambled to provide security.

    Freed was rushed back to Joint Security Station Ur. The prognosis was good. The bullet that tore through Freed's helmet mowed down a path of flesh from his scalp, but did not cause any serious injury.

    "They kept me up [at the first-aid station] overnight to make sure [the bullet] did not hit my skull," said Freed, a native of Odon, Ind. "They looked it over and said it took the flesh off, but it never hit the skull."

    Freed only spent two weeks on the mend, during which time he was frustrated that he was not on patrol with his comrades in Co. A.

    "I didn't feel right, just sitting around while everybody else was working," said Freed, who is on his first deployment. "I was ready to go back out as soon as possible."

    Things returned to normal, as Freed got back into his routine of going out on patrols, helping to keep the Sadr City area safe and secure. But he hasn't forgotten that day in June, and the spot where he was standing, which he often passes on patrols.

    "I do know God had a hand in it that day," Freed said. "I was looking up and then I turned and looked down at the same time as if the angel said, 'Hey, look here.' "

    Freed is due to receive the Purple Heart and Combat Action Badge for that day, but medals don't mean much. Rather, his gauge of accomplishment is getting back on patrol, completing the mission. Freed also said the sniper attack has not spooked him.

    "It doesn't really bother me," he said, standing by the red, purple and yellow painted bleachers of the soccer stadium where the attack happened. "I actually feel proud to go back there and stand."

    The sniper got away that day, but Freed said if he ever had a chance to meet the insurgent who tried to kill him, he would have just two words for him.

    "It would be a fun thing for me to meet the guy who took the shot, face to face, and say, 'You missed.'"

    (Report by Sgt. Jon Soles, Multi-National Division Baghdad.)

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    Combat Camera: Aboard USS John C Stennis, Sept. 24, 2009

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    PACIFIC OCEAN (Sept. 19, 2009) An EA-6B Prowler assigned to the Eagles of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 129 prepares to launch from the flight deck aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74). John C. Stennis is underway conducting fleet replacement squadron carrier qualifications off the coast of Southern California. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Walter M. Wayman.)

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    PACIFIC OCEAN (Sept. 19, 2009) Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Handling) 3rd Class Gregory Scott, from Irvington, N.J., guides an F/A-18C Hornet assigned to the Rough Raiders of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 125 onto catapult two during flight operations aboard the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74). John C. Stennis is underway conducting fleet replacement squadron carrier qualifications off the coast of Southern California. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Walter M. Wayman.)

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    PACIFIC OCEAN (Sept. 19, 2009) Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Fuels) Airman Jacob Welch, from Dallas, Texas, stands the aviation fuels representative watch in flight deck control aboard the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74). John C. Stennis is underway conducting fleet replacement squadron carrier qualifications off the coast of Southern California. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Walter M. Wayman.)

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    PACIFIC OCEAN (Sept. 19, 2009) Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Handling) 3rd Class Cory Stallings, from Chicago, Ill., uses yellow flashlights to signal an aircraft to hold position prior to launching from the flight deck aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74). John C. Stennis is underway conducting fleet replacement squadron carrier qualifications off the coast of Southern California. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Walter M. Wayman.)

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    PACIFIC OCEAN (Sept. 19, 2009) A C-2A Greyhound assigned to the Providers of Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VRC) 30 prepares to land on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74). John C. Stennis is underway conducting fleet replacement squadron carrier qualifications off the coast of Southern California. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Walter M. Wayman.)

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    PACIFIC OCEAN (Sept. 19, 2009) An F/A-18C Hornet assigned to the Rough Raiders of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 125 launches from the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74). John C. Stennis is underway conducting fleet replacement squadron carrier qualifications off the coast of Southern California. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Walter M. Wayman.)

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    PACIFIC OCEAN (Sept. 18, 2009) Quartermasters aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) mark and report the distance between John C. Stennis and the Military Sealift Command fleet replenishment oiler USNS Guadalupe (T-AO 200) before an underway replenishment. John C. Stennis is underway conducting fleet replacement squadron carrier qualifications off the coast of Southern California. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Walter M. Wayman.)

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    PACIFIC OCEAN (Sept. 18, 2009) Aviation Structural Mechanic 2nd Class Evan Young, from Sonora, Calif., stabilizes a rotor blade on an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter, assigned to the Eightballers of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 8, during preflight checks aboard the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74). John C. Stennis is underway conducting fleet replacement squadron carrier qualifications off the coast of Southern California. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Walter M. Wayman.)

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    PACIFIC OCEAN (Sept. 19, 2009) Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Equipment) 2nd Class Teguh Santoso, from Anderson, S.C., signals the weight board operator as a C-2A Greyhound from the Providers of Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VRC) 30 is guided to a catapult on the flight deck aboard the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74). John C. Stennis is underway conducting fleet replacement squadron carrier qualifications. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Walter M. Wayman.)

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    PACIFIC OCEAN (Sept. 17, 2009) Sailors take the fleet-wide E-4 advancement exam in the aft mess decks aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74). John C. Stennis is underway conducting fleet replacement squadron carrier qualifications off the coast of Southern California. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communications Specialist 3rd Class Kevin Murphy.)

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    PACIFIC OCEAN (Sept. 19, 2009) Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Handling) 3rd Class Scott Gray, from Salt Lake City, Utah, guides a C-2A Greyhound assigned to the Providers of Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VRC) 30, onto catapult one during flight operations aboard the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74). John C. Stennis is underway conducting fleet replacement squadron carrier qualifications off the coast of Southern California. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Walter M. Wayman.)

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    PACIFIC OCEAN (Sept. 19, 2009) Sailors man their watch stations in the air traffic control center during flight operations aboard the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74). John C. Stennis is underway conducting fleet replacement squadron carrier qualifications. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Josue L. Escobosa.)

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    PACIFIC OCEAN (Sept. 16, 2009) Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Handling) Airman Nathan Wiuff, from McKinney, Texas, observes an F/A-18C Hornet from the Rough Raiders of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 125 as it lands aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74). John C. Stennis is in transit to Southern California to participate in fleet replacement squadron carrier qualifications. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Walter M. Wayman.)

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    PACIFIC OCEAN (Sept. 15, 2009) Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Handling) Erik Marquez, left, from Houston, Texas, and Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Handling) James Bergerson, from Modesto, Calif., fight a simulated aircraft fire in hangar bay two aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74). Stennis is in transit to Southern California to participate in fleet replacement squadron carrier qualifications. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communications Specialist 3rd Class Kevin Murphy.)

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    PACIFIC OCEAN (Sept. 19, 2009) Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Handling) 2nd Class Raul Barrios, from Los Angeles, Calif., guides an F/A-18C Hornet assigned to the Rough Raiders of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 125 onto catapult one during flight operations aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74). John C. Stennis is underway conducting fleet replacement squadron carrier qualifications off the coast of Southern California. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Walter M. Wayman.)

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    Wednesday, September 23, 2009

    Pentagon: Resource Decision on Afghanistan to Follow Strategy Review

    News in Balance

    News in Balance:

    WASHINGTON, Sept. 23, 2009 -- A deliberative approach is best for everyone as President Barack Obama and his national security team grapple with the way forward in Afghanistan, the Pentagon spokesman said today.

    Press Secretary Geoff Morrell urged reporters during a Pentagon press briefing to respect deliberations on how to move forward in Afghanistan.

    No one understands the urgency of the war in Afghanistan better than Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, Morrell said. Gates “signs the deployment orders, he signs the condolence notes,” he said.

    Still, Gates believes “that what is ultimately in the best interest of our troops, what will ultimately provide for their well-being and their safe return, is to make sure we have a strategy that is working,” Morrell said.

    Army Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, the U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan, delivered his assessment of the situation in the country in late August.

    Afghanistan is at a crossroads now, and it makes sense for the president and the rest of the national security team to carefully examine the general’s assessment, and look at the strategy behind the U.S. and NATO effort, Morrell said. McChrystal is expected to deliver his estimate of additional resources -- troops and money -- to Gates by the end of the week, he said.

    The secretary will hold that estimate until discussions on the assessment are over, Morrell said. “It is simply premature to consider additional resources until General McChrystal’s assessment has been fully reviewed and discussed by the president and his team,” he said.

    The resource request would complicate the discussion about the strategy, Morrell said. The process is to discuss the strategy and then move to the resources.

    Currently, some 68,000 U.S. servicemembers serve in Afghanistan, including 21,500 troops that have deployed since Obama announced the new Afghan strategy in March.

    The McChrystal assessment is part of the periodic review that commanders will make to ensure the strategy is still correct. Since Obama’s announcement in March, there have been Afghan elections, a new commander and an increased emphasis on training Afghan security forces..

    Given the stakes, officials do not think it has taken too long, Morrell said.

    “I think the secretary is very comfortable, as is the commander downrange, at how this is progressing,” he said. “And it’s going in order; it’s going according to everybody’s prescribed methods; and we’ll get there.”

    U.S. casualties in Afghanistan have increased, partly because more servicemembers are in the country. Other reasons for increased casualties are because they are going into areas previously unoccupied and because of increased enemy operations. More than 85 percent of the casualties are the result of roadside bombs.

    “That is why the secretary has been so determined to get thousands more enablers, experts and route clearance and explosive ordnance disposal and intelligence, and in addition to this, thousands of new armored vehicles over and [intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance], to make sure we can defeat this [improvised explosive device] network just as we did in Iraq,” Morrell said.

    There is a lot of sound and fury in American newspapers and over the airwaves on Afghanistan and the McChrystal assessment. But action in Afghanistan doesn’t stop for strategy discussions in Washington or Brussels, the press secretary said.

    U.S., NATO and Afghan troops are probably at the highest operational tempo since the conflict began, he said. The 82nd Airborne Infantry Division’s 4th Brigade Combat Team is finishing its deployment to the country, and enablers are flowing in.

    Troops in Afghanistan are making life-and-death decisions and their focus is on the mission -- not the discussion inside the Beltway, Morrell said.

    The troops “know that there is a chain of command and that there are people at that top of the chain of command whose job it is to deal with those kinds of issues,” he said. “And so I don’t think it is a distraction.”

    (Report by Jim Garamone, American Forces Press Service.)

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    Pentagon Identifies Air Force Casualty (OEF)

    News in Balance

    News in Balance:

    WASHINGTON, Sept. 23, 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 an airman who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

    Tech Sgt. James R Hornbarger, 33, of Castle Rock, Wash., died Sept. 12 as a result of a non-hostile incident in the Mediterranean. He was assigned to the 9th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Beale Air Force Base, Calif.
    (Report from a U.S. Defense Department news release.)

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