Pentagon: Leaders Discuss Iraq Election, Issues With Iran

News in Balance:

BAGHDAD, Dec. 19, 2009 -- Iraq “is not going to be pushed around” by Iran, the U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Christopher Hill said here today.

Hill and Gen. Ray Odierno, the commander of Multinational Forces Iraq, spoke to reporters traveling with Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Iranians moved onto a disputed oil well in southern Iraq and placed an Iranian flag on the facility. They have since left the facility, which is clearly in Iraqi territory. “It like a game of capture the flag,” said an American spokesman in southern Iraq yesterday. “It has been going on for years.”

“This is not something new, and it’s been dealt with in a good manner by the Iraqis,” Odierno said. “They contacted the Iranians and they just left.”

The general said Iran and Iraq has disputed this oil well since 1975.

Odierno spoke about the security portion of the agreement between Iraq and the United States that calls for all U.S. troops to leave the country at the end of 2011.

“We can do security operations in Iraq through the end of 2011,” he said. “But what we’ve done is, President Obama has made the decision that we will end combat operations on 1 September 2010. The bottom line is the Iraqis are doing a very good job of security.”

The number of incidents in the country is the lowest its been since 2003 and normalcy has returned for most citizens. “What’s happening though is that al-Qaida has changed from a broad-based insurgency to a covert terrorist organization that is attempting to conduct high-profile attacks to go after the legitimacy of the government of Iraq,” Odierno said. Al-Qaida wants to attack the government and disrupt the elections now set for March 7.

Iranian influence in Iraq is a question. For the elections, Iran has “some ideas of how the Shias should be organized,” Hill said. “I don’t think the Iranians have prevailed in their view, I think the Iraqis will do it the way they plan to do it.”

The Iraqis worked their way painfully through the Election Law, “but ultimately it was an Iraqi solution,” Hill said.

Odierno said that Iran continues to train surrogates and send weapons and ammunition across the border. “It’s less that what it was, but they are still doing it,” Odierno said.

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

OEF Update, Dec. 19, 2009: Forces Strike Haqqani Militants in Paktika; US Casualty

Dispatches from the Front:

KABUL, Afghanistan, Dec. 19, 2009 -- An international security force air strike killed several militants at a mountaintop fighting position in Paktika province yesterday while pursuing a Haqqani commander responsible for attacks in the area.

The security force targeted the militants after intelligence sources indicated they were in a remote area away from buildings and other structures. A security detachment searched the fighting position after the strike to assess damage and recovered a machine gun, an RPG launcher with rounds, an AK-47 rifle and a pistol. No Afghan civilians were harmed during this operation.

In a separate operation, an Afghan-international security force detained a couple of suspected militants in Kandahar province today while pursuing a Taliban commander responsible for attacks in the area.

The joint force targeted a compound near the village of Koor Balaygh in Ghorak district where intelligence sources reported militant activity. During the operation, the joint force observed the individuals quickly leave the compound. An element of the joint force pursued the individuals and detained them without incident. No shots were fired and no one was harmed.

ISAF Casualty:

ISAF suffered a fatality yesterday when a U.S. servicemember died as a result of an IED strike in southern Afghanistan.

(Compiled from NATO International Security Assistance Force news releases.)

Wire: Iraqi, Iranian Forces in Standoff at Oil Well

Off the Wire:

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19, 2009 -- Newswire services today reported that Iraqi troops massed Saturday near an oil well on the border in a standoff with Iranian forces that seized control of the site.

The Associated Press reported that the top U.S. diplomat in Iraq said Baghdad's speedy response to the border incursion showed that Iraq is "not going to be pushed around" by Iran.

The Iraqi troops and border guards were waiting for further orders at a staging ground about a kilometer from oil well No. 4 at the al-Fakkah oil field, said an Interior Ministry official at the site who was not authorized to talk to the media.

The Iranian military, meanwhile, denied they had violated Iraq's sovereignty since the oil well was part of Iranian territory according to a 1975 border agreement, in a statement carried by the Arabic language Iranian news station al-Alam.

The field is located about 200 miles (about 320 kilometers) southeast of Baghdad.

[. . .]

The diplomatic and security standoff began late Thursday, when Iranian forces crossed into Iraq and seized the well that sits just over the border in the southern Maysan province. It was a dramatic display of the occasionally tense relations between the wary neighbors.

The takeover — which included planting an Iranian flag on the well — was met by protests from Baghdad and an emergency meeting of Iraq's national security council that denounced it as a gross violation of Iraqi sovereignty.

Iraqi officials said the well was clearly in Iraqi territory and demanded that the Iranians leave immediately. High-level diplomatic talks between Iraq and Iran are continuing, said Iraqi deputy foreign minister Labid Abbawi.

"The situation this morning is the same: the Iranians have not withdrawn from the well," Abbawi told The Associated Press. "We are still sticking to our position in demanding an immediate withdrawal of Iranian forces from the oil well."

AP noted that Army Gen. Ray Odierno, commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, told reporters that the Iranian forces had withdrawn from the oil well as of Saturday morning. But an oil worker at the field said five Iranians remain inside the well, and the Iranian flag still flew above it.

This is a developing story.

(Report from newswire sources.)

OIF Summary, Dec. 18, 2009: Forces in Iraq Target Assassination Cell

Dispatches from the Front:

BAGHDAD, Dec. 18, 2009 -- Iraqi security forces arrested two suspected members of an al-Qaida in Iraq cell responsible for making bombs and attacking government officials during a combined security operation today in western Baghdad.

Iraqi forces and U.S. advisors searched a building for a suspected terrorist who allegedly is part of a cell that manufactures magnetic bombs and attaches them to vehicles to kill government officials and those who oppose al-Qaida in Iraq. The security team found a fully assembled bomb, several bomb components and a weapon equipped with a suppressor.

Following a preliminary examination of the evidence at the scene, Iraqi forces arrested two suspected criminal associates of the warranted al-Qaida in Iraq member without incident.

(From a Multinational Force Iraq news release.)

Terrified by Santa 2009

Here's a seasonal reprise of a wildly popular article:

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18, 2009 -- Nothing says Merry Christmas quite like a photo of sweet little toddlers screaming at Santa.

A few years ago the Chicago Tribune asked readers to send in their "Scared of Santa" photos. Those photos are included at the Web site linked below, including additional photos sent in by SouthFlorida.com, Sun-Sentinel.com and Chicago Tribune readers in subsequent years.

Enjoy!

Link: Click here to see the Scared of Santa gallery.

Wire: Iranians Seize Iraqi Oil Well

Off the Wire:

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18, 2009 -- Newswire services this morning reported that Iranian troops have crossed into Iraqi territory and seized an oil well that lies in a disputed area along the two countries' southern border, Iraq's deputy foreign Minster said Friday.

The Associated Press reported that the deputy minister, Mohammed Haj Mahmoud, said Iranian troops seized oil well No. 4 Thursday night in the al-Fakkah oil field, located about 200 miles (about 320 kilometers) southeast of Baghdad. The oil field is one of Iraq's largest.

AP also noted that oil prices rose slightly after news of the incident.

"We are coordinating with the Oil Ministry regarding this issue. This is not the first time that the Iranians have tried to prevent Iraqis from investing in oil fields in border areas. Tomorrow, we might summon the Iranian ambassador to discuss this issue," Mahmoud told The Associated Press.

The al-Fakkah field is considered a shared field between Iran and Iraq, meaning both nations are able to pump oil from it, but the Iraqis consider oil well No. 4 theirs.

In Washington, a U.S. official said that although Iranians have crossed the border before, they had not previously ventured this far.

Iraqi security forces were in the area, but there are no reports of any fighting or that any shots were fired, he said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak on the record.

No U.S. troops were in the area. And the Iranians are believed to have left the area, he said.

AP attempted to downplay the act, saying such incidents have happened before along the Iran-Iraq border, which was never clearly delineated after the war between the two countries in the 1980s.

This is a developing story.

(Report from newswire sources.)

Combat Camera Video: Terrain Denial Mission (OEF)

NOTE: News readers click here to watch the video.

Dispatches from the Front:

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18, 2009 -- Embedded above is a b-roll video of soldiers using mortars in a terrain denial mission designed to make the Afghanistan terrain unsafe for insurgents. (Produced by Sgt. Wyatt Harper, American Forces Network Afghanistan. Length: 00:02:26.)

More Combat Camera Imagery on THE TENSION

Combat Camera: US Marines Clear Taliban Stronghold During Operation Cobra's Anger

Marines from Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, provide security over an alleyway during a security halt while patrolling the region of Now Zad, Afghanistan, known as "The Greens," Dec. 9. Lima Company cleared the area as part of Operation Cobra's Anger, to wrest control of the area away from Taliban fighters in the Now Zad region. (Photo by Cpl. Zachary Nola, Regimental Combat Team-7, 1st Marine Division Public Affairs.)

Marines from Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, hand a pressure plate found inside a compound in the area of Now Zad, Afghanistan, known as "The Greens," to an explosive ordnance disposal technician, Dec. 8. The Marines cleared the area as part of Operation Cobra's Anger, to remove any Taliban presence in Now Zad and other nearby regions. (Photo by Cpl. Zachary Nola, Regimental Combat Team-7, 1st Marine Division Public Affairs.)


Lance Cpl. Luke McDonell, a rifleman with Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, scans the tree line during a security halt while patrolling the area of Now Zad, Afghanistan, known as "The Greens," Dec. 9. The Marines cleared the area as part of Operation Cobra's Anger, an operation aimed at removing the Taliban's stronghold of the area. McDonnell is a 28-year-old from Chippewa Falls, Wis. (Photo by Cpl. Zachary Nola, Regimental Combat Team-7, 1st Marine Division Public Affairs.)

Lance Cpl. David D. Gressley, a team leader with Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, kicks in a wall while searching a compound in the area of Now Zad, Afghanistan, known as "The Greens," Dec. 8. The Marines cleared the area as part of Operation Cobra's Anger, to wrest control of the area away from Taliban fighters in the Now Zad region. Gressley is a 21-year-old from Pickrell, Neb. (Photo by Cpl. Zachary Nola, Regimental Combat Team-7, 1st Marine Division Public Affairs.)

Dispatches from the Front:

HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan, Dec. 18, 2009 -- Once an urban district and home to thousands, "The Greens," an area within the Now Zad region of Afghanistan quickly became a ghost town, when Taliban fighters procured the area from which to launch combat operations.

With the Taliban in control and the civilian population gone, the area's alleyways were quickly laced with improvised explosive devices, its orchard's filled with bunkers and fortified fighting positions, and its adobe homes stocked with weapons caches and enemy fighters.

While few coalition units have dared to enter The Greens, the Marines and sailors of Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, did exactly that Dec. 8-9 as part of Operation Cobra's Anger.

The Marines of Lima Co. moved swiftly to clear compounds, homes, alleyways and orchards, and it quickly became clear the Taliban had become complacent in the safety they believed The Greens provided them and were unprepared to deal with such an assault.

"We went in there for our first time and there wasn't anybody occupying the area, but we did find a lot IED making facilities, [homemade explosives], pressure plates and stuff like that," said Lance Cpl. Stewart Heim, 20, a rifleman with Lima Co. "It definitely showed us the Taliban were occupying [the Greens], and using it as a centralized place between towns."

Lima Co. also confiscated illegal drugs, Taliban propaganda and uncovered tunnel systems used by enemy fighters.

"We found their tunnel systems which pretty much run throughout the whole Greens," said Heim, a native of Staunton, Ill. "So we've definitely seen that they have the capability to survive us dropping bombs on them."

Lima Co. came to the area expecting their Taliban rivals to defend the ground they've controlled for many months. With the Marines rapidly chipping away at Taliban caches and exposing fighting positions, an attack by Taliban forces to save what supplies remained, seemed even more imminent.

"Walking through The Greens was kind of iffy. You didn't know where you wanted to step, where to step, where not to step. You never knew what to expect around a corner," said Lance Cpl. Michael R. Evans, 19, a combat engineer attached to Lima Co., 3/4. "You'd open up a door and might see a chicken or a dog and it would surprise you since you knew there was nothing out there."

Enemy fighters chose not to engage the Marines and instead left the dirty work for the many IEDs positioned throughout the area.

While the IEDs were numerous, the Marines' sharp eyes, training and metal detectors were able to locate all devices encountered before they could inflict casualties.

"We found them the way we should find them, instead of having someone stepping on them and having to be [medically evacuated]," said Evans, from McKenzie, Tenn.

The Marines continued to push farther into the area, destroying IEDs along the way, gathering information and slowly but surely, breaking the Taliban's reign over the area.

After two days of defying Taliban threats and venturing farther and farther into the area, the Marines returned to friendly lines to refit and resupply.

While many alleyways in the area remain to be negotiated, the Marines set an example for Afghan national security forces and coalition forces to follow, and energized the mission to rid Now Zad of Taliban influence and return it to the Afghan people.

(Report by Cpl. Zachary Nola, Regimental Combat Team-7, 1st Marine Division Public Affairs.)

More Combat Camera Imagery on THE TENSION

OEF Update, Dec. 18, 2009: NATO Assesses Claims of Civilian Casualties; Operational Update

Dispatches from the Front:

KABUL, Afghanistan, Dec. 18, 2009 -- ISAF is sending a team who will assess, with Afghan officials, reports of civilian casualties as a result of an ISAF operation in the Shah Wali Kot district of Kandahar yesterday.

Initial operational reports indicate that men were emplacing an IED next to the road. After firing on the men from a helicopter, ISAF forces discovered civilians in a car adjacent to the IED site.

ISAF goes to great lengths to avoid, and deeply regrets, any harm to civilians.

Operational Update:

In other operations, an Afghan-international security force detained a few suspected militants in Wardak province while pursuing a Taliban facilitator linked to several local militant leaders and commanders today.

The joint force searched compounds near the village of Chaghara in the Nerkh district where intelligence sources reported militant activity.

In another operation today, a joint security force detained a sought after Haqqani IED facilitator along with a few other militants in Khowst province after searching suspected compounds. The facilitator is heavily involved with distributing weapons to other militant elements and increasing the IED network in the area.

The joint force searched compounds near the village of Paro Kheyl in the Sabari district where intelligence sources reported the facilitator to be and detained the militants, one of whom identified himself as the Haqqani facilitator. In a fourth operation today, a joint security force detained a few suspected militants in Kandahar province while pursuing a Taliban commander responsible for manufacturing IEDs and several attacks in the area.

The joint security force searched a compound near the village of Adiran in the Arghandab district after intelligence sources reported militant activity. The joint force searched the compound and detained the suspected militants.

No shots were fired and no one was harmed during these operations.

In an operation yesterday, a joint security force engaged militants in Kandahar province while pursuing a Taliban commander. The joint force searched a location near the village of De Chenartu Tangay in Shah Wali Kot district after intelligence indicated militant activity. While the joint force was searching the area, a group of suspected militants was observed maneuvering around a nearby ridgeline.

As the force departed the area after completing their search, the suspected militants fired on them from the ridgeline. The force returned fire and left the area without further incident.

No civilians or members of the joint force were injured during the operation.

ISAF Casualties:

There were no ISAF fatalities in the last 24 hours in Afghanistan.

(Compiled from NATO International Security Assistance Force news releases.)

Wire: Iranian-Backed Insurgents Hack US Drones

Off the Wire:

WASHINGTON, Dec. 17, 2009 -- Newswire services today reported that militants in Iraq have used $26 off-the-shelf software to intercept live video feeds from U.S. Predator drones, potentially providing them with information they need to evade or monitor U.S. military operations.

FOX News and the Wall Street Journal reported that senior defense and intelligence officials said Iranian-backed insurgents intercepted the video feeds by taking advantage of an unprotected communications link in some of the remotely flown planes' systems. Shiite fighters in Iraq used software programs such as SkyGrabber -- available for as little as $25.95 on the Internet -- to regularly capture drone video feeds, according to a person familiar with reports on the matter.

U.S. officials say there is no evidence that militants were able to take control of the drones or otherwise interfere with their flights. Still, the intercepts could give America's enemies battlefield advantages by removing the element of surprise from certain missions and making it easier for insurgents to determine which roads and buildings are under U.S. surveillance.

The drone intercepts mark the emergence of a shadow cyber war within the U.S.-led conflicts overseas. They also point to a potentially serious vulnerability in Washington's growing network of unmanned drones, which have become the American weapon of choice in both Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The Obama administration has come to rely heavily on the unmanned drones because they allow the U.S. to safely monitor and stalk insurgent targets in areas where sending American troops would be either politically untenable or too risky.

The stolen video feeds also indicate that U.S. adversaries continue to find simple ways of counteracting sophisticated American military technologies.

Follow the link below for more details.

(Report from newswire sources.)

Source: Insurgents Hack U.S. Drones

OIF Summary, Dec. 17, 2009: Forces in Baghdad Crack Down on al-Qaida

Dispatches from the Front:

BAGHDAD, Dec. 17, 2009 -- Iraqi security forces with U.S. advisors arrested a suspected leader of a terrorist group operating in southern Baghdad yesterday and followed up overnight with four more operations targeting the Baghdad al-Qaida in Iraq network.

All of the operations were conducted with warrants issued by Iraqi courts for the arrest of suspected terrorists.

Acting on intelligence gathered by Iraqi and U.S. sources, Iraqi forces and U.S. advisors stopped an alleged Aisha Battalion cell leader as he was driving on a public roadway west of Baghdad. Aisha Battalion is an al-Qaida in Iraq proxy group. The driver and passenger were positively identified and arrested without incident.

The suspected terrorist is believed to be involved in kidnapping Iraqi civilians for ransom and using the money to fund attacks against security forces. He allegedly is associated with senior al-Qaida in Iraq leaders who coordinate large-scale vehicle-bomb attacks targeting civilians and government buildings in Baghdad.

The follow-up operations conducted overnight targeted suspected associates of the two men arrested yesterday.

Iraqi forces and U.S advisors searching a building found evidence of terrorist activity, including a large amount of metal wiring and traces of explosives powder on components that could be used to make improvised explosive devices. Based on this evidence and preliminary questioning conducted on the premises, Iraqi forces arrested a suspected terrorist without incident.

The second overnight operation took place in western Baghdad. Based on information collected during their search of a building, Iraqi forces arrested three suspected terrorists.

The third overnight operation also took place in western Baghdad, where Iraqi forces and U.S advisors searched a building and found devices that could be used to make explosives. Iraqi forces arrested a suspected terrorist without incident.

In the fourth overnight operation, Iraqi police and U.S. advisors searched two buildings in southern Baghdad and found evidence that led Iraqi police to arrest three suspected terrorists.

(From a Multinational Force Iraq news release.)

Report: White House Threatens Closure of Offutt AFB in Pursuit of Health Care Vote

Off the Wire:

WASHINGTON, Dec. 17, 2009 -- Over the past few days, some news outlets have reported that Michael Goldfarb, writing at the conservative Weekly Standard Web site, revealed a quote from a Senate source which said the White House is blackmailing Senator Ben Nelson (D-NE) with the threat of putting Offutt Air Force Base in his home state on the next Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) list if Nelson doesn’t support the government health care bill in the Senate.

While the Democrats appease Senator Lieberman, they still have to worry about other recalcitrant Democrats including Nebraska Senator Ben Nelson. Though Lieberman has been out front in the fight against the public option and the Medicare buy-in, Nelson was critical of both. Now that those provisions appear to have been stripped from the bill, Lieberman may get on board, but Nelson's demand that taxpayer money not be used to fund abortion has still not been met. According to a Senate aide, the White House is now threatening to put Nebraska's Offutt Air Force Base on the BRAC list if Nelson doesn't fall into line.

Offutt Air Force Base employs some 10,000 military and federal employees in Southeastern Nebraska. As our source put it, this is a "naked effort by Rahm Emanuel and the White House to extort Nelson's vote." They are "threatening to close a base vital to national security for what?" asked the Senate staffer.

Indeed, Offutt is the headquarters for US Strategic Command, the successor to Strategic Air Command, and not by accident. STRATCOM was located in the middle of the country for strategic reasons. Its closure would be a massive blow to the economy of the state of Nebraska, but it would also be another example of this administration playing politics with our national security.

The Dakota Voice newspaper reported this morning that, in the wake of the news, 20 senators, including Senator John Thune (R-SD), are calling for a probe into the allegations.

These 20 senators have sent a letter to Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin (D-MI) asking for this to be investigated.

According to Action 3 News out of Omaha where the base is located, Nelson says his vote is not for sale.

And of course, both the White House and Nelson are saying the threat never happened.

This is certainly understandable; the White House doesn’t want people openly realizing the kind of Chicago politics they play, and Nelson doesn’t want people thinking he’s vulnerable. And if he gives in and votes for this assault on the American way of life, he doesn’t want people thinking he did it because of the threat.

Writing at the Weekly Standard, Goldfarb isn't buying the denial and said late yesterday:

They protest a little too much. I do not know this story is “absolutely false.” To the contrary, I’m confident it’s true. Twenty senators are now calling for an investigation, and each is presumably pretty well sourced in the Senate. If the charges are “absolutely false,” maybe the White House will encourage Senate Democrats to call this Republican bluff. I won’t hold my breath.

(Report from newswire sources.)

Sources:
Weekly Standard report
20 GOP Senators Call for Investigation of Offutt Threat

OEF Update, Dec. 17, 2009: Forces in Afghanistan Nab Militants

Dispatches from the Front:

KABUL, Afghanistan, Dec. 17, 2009 -- An Afghan-international security force detained a handful of suspected militants in Paktya province today while pursuing a Taliban commander responsible for weapons facilitation and several attacks in the area.

The joint force searched a compound near the village of Payandegi in the Zurmat district where intelligence sources reported militant activity. They recovered several AK-47 rifles, chest racks, grenades, blasting caps and other IED-making materials.

In another operation today, a security force detained a Taliban facilitator and other militants in Nangarhar province. This facilitator is responsible for supplying IED materials to other militants in the area.

The joint force searched a compound near the village of Duzalakheyl in the Hesarak district where intelligence sources reported the facilitator to be located. The force detained the militants, one of whom identified himself as the Taliban commander.

In a third operation, a security force detained a suspected militant in Wardak province while pursuing a Taliban commander heavily involved with IED activity in the area.

The joint force searched a compound near the village of Zamooch in the Sayed Abad district and detained the suspected militant.

No shots were fired and no one was harmed in these operations.

Paktya Regional Hospital Clinic Cares For ANA Families:

Afghanistan National Security Forces and their dependents are entitled to no-cost military health care throughout the country, but families don’t often use this service because they don’t know about the program, or the nearest military facility is still too far away. The Paktya Regional Military Hospital, a 50-bed inpatient facility in Paktya province, treats hundreds of outpatients daily and it is spreading the word about the program.

The Medical Embedded Training Team at Forward Operating Base Lightning is helping the hospital raise awareness of this resource. The goal of the program, named Women’s and Children’s Clinic, is to provide ANSF family members with medication, prescriptions, immunizations and health education. FOB Lightning’s Medical ETT assisted with the availability of appropriate medication, consultation and educational materials.

"We’re hoping it’s an all-ANA operation – Afghans taking care of Afghans," said Air Force Capt. Tess Marcial, a logistics and patient administrator with the METT. "We offer suggestions and provide materials, but the patients need to trust and gain confidence in the medical professionals available to them."

The clinic is primarily directed by the Poly Clinic, consisting of three physicians with backgrounds in treating women and children. They offer medical examinations, immunizations, hygiene education and prescriptions, including prenatal and children’s vitamins, birth control pills and other over-the-counter medications. "My hope for this program is that families become aware of this benefit as an entitlement and get the feeling there is an extended military family here to meet their medical needs," said Marcial.

ISAF Casualties:

There were no ISAF fatalities in the last 24 hours in Afghanistan.

(Compiled from NATO International Security Assistance Force news releases.)

Pentagon Discuses Iranian Missile Test

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Dec. 16, 2009 -- Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell today expressed concern over Iran’s reported test-fire yesterday of a medium-range missile, saying it undermines Tehran’s claim of peaceful intentions regarding its nuclear program.

Morrell said Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has seen the intelligence on the launch, which reportedly involved a Sajjil-2 rocket that has the range to hit Israel and U.S. bases in the Persian Gulf.

“This is just the latest in a series of provocative actions by Iran, all seemingly oblivious to the scrutiny of the international community, or perhaps more likely, in spite of it,” Morrell told Pentagon reporters today.

The test-fire comes after President Barack Obama last month underscored that the government in Tehran must provide assurances to the international community that Iran’s nuclear program is peaceful and transparent.

Obama said the so-called P5-plus-1 partners are unified on the position, referring to the five permanent U.N. Security Council member nations of Great Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States, plus Germany. The International Atomic Energy Agency also rebuked Iran last month after it failed to provide information about the purpose of a previously secret nuclear site.

“I think there's no doubt that given this environment, missile tests do nothing but undermine Iranian claims,” White House Spokesman Robert Gibbs said today. “They're not productive. The Iranians still have the opportunity to live up to their responsibilities. If they don't, then time will run out, and we will move to the next step.”

Morrell said the missile test subverts Iran’s credibility. “At a time when the international community has offered Iran opportunities to begin to build trust and confidence, Iran's missile test only undermined Iran's claims of peaceful intentions,” he said.

The provocation yesterday strengthens the resolve of the international community, including China and Russia, to pursue sanctions on Iran if it fails to show progress by the year’s end, in keeping with deadline Obama laid out, Morrell said.

“So we are we're watching closely,” he added, “and we are concerned.”

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

Wire: House Democrats Complain About Soldiers' Combat Gear

Off the Wire:

WASHINGTON, Dec. 16, 2009 -- Newswire services today reported that two senior Democratic lawmakers complain troops are being sent to war zones without proper training and suitable gear, saying they've been told by soldiers about problems ranging from their backpacks to their rifles.

The Associated Press noted in a story published yesterday that, in a Dec. 10 letter to the Pentagon's top leaders, Rep. Ike Skelton, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, and Rep. Solomon Ortiz, who heads the subcommittee on military readiness, said they are "greatly troubled" by what they learned as the Obama White House begins escalating the U.S. presence in Afghanistan.

Soldiers are being issued a rucksack made of plastic that is not comfortable or effective in combat situations, Skelton and Ortiz found during a recent trip to Germany and Italy where they met with members of the 503rd Infantry Regiment and the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team.

Troops carry heavy loads on their backs and the plastic straps cut off circulation to their hands and arms, "making it virtually impossible to fire their weapons," they told Mullen and Defense Secretary Robert Gates.

Skelton and Ortiz said many of the soldiers they talked to are using their own money to buy better packs from commercial suppliers.

The M4 carbine, a shorter, lighter version of the M16 rifle, was also criticized. Skelton and Ortiz said they've had long-standing concerns with the M4. Those worries mounted after a study by a military historian found the rifle failed at critical moments during a July 2008 firefight in Afghanistan that left nine U.S. soldiers dead.

"Even though these weapons routinely rank lower than other military weapons in testing, they are still being issued as the Army's weapon of choice," the letter says.

[. . .]

The lawmakers said they were told troops are being taken straight from boot camp and being sent to Afghanistan and Iraq without extensive training at stateside bases.

[. . .]

There were also complaints about the camouflage pattern of the combat uniforms they wear, the lawmakers say. The current pixielated pattern of green, tan and gray doesn't work well in Afghanistan and "does more to put our soldiers in harm's way than to protect them," they said.

The uniforms also aren't durable enough to handle Afghanistan's harsh environment, according to Skelton and Ortiz. That means soldiers again have to dip into their own pockets to buy multiple replacements, they wrote.

(Report from newswire sources.)

OIF Summary, Dec. 16, 2009: Forces Target Terrorists in Baghdad

Dispatches from the Front:

BAGHDAD, Dec. 16, 2009 -- Iraqi security forces arrested two suspected terrorists today during a combined security operation targeting the Kataib Hezbollah terrorist network in northeastern Baghdad.

Iraqi forces and U.S. advisors searched for a suspected leader of a cell believed to conduct rocket attacks on security forces and military installations in and around Baghdad.

They searched two buildings for the warranted terrorist leader and questioned several people at the scene. Based on preliminary questioning, Iraqi forces arrested two people suspected of terrorist activity.

(From a Multinational Force Iraq news release.)

Pentagon Identifies Air Force Casualty (OEF)

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Dec. 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 an airman who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Tech. Sgt. Anthony C. Campbell Jr., 35, of Florence, Ky., died Dec. 15 of wounds suffered from the detonation of an improvised explosive device in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. Campbell was assigned to the 932nd Civil Engineer Squadron, Scott Air Force Base, Ill.

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

OEF Update, Dec. 16, 2009: Forces Detain Taliban Commanders; 3 ISAF Casualties

Dispatches from the Front:

KABUL, Afghanistan, Dec. 16, 2009 -- An Afghan-international security force detained two Taliban commanders and another suspected militant in Wardak province today. These commanders are involved with IED activity and responsible for several attacks in the area.

The joint force searched compounds near the village of Bhardokheyl where intelligence sources reported militant activity. The militants were detained without incident.

In another operation, security forces detained a Taliban commander and a few other militants in western Kandahar province today. This commander has led a sizable militant element and is responsible for a number of IED attacks in the area.

The joint force searched a compound near the village of Haji Abdourraf in the Zhari district where intelligence sources reported the Taliban commander to be located. The militants were detained without incident.

In a third operation, a security force detained another sought after Taliban commander and other militants in central Kandahar today. This commander is responsible for several attacks in the area and has links to other militant elements.

The joint security force searched compounds near the village of Pitaway in the Arghandab district where intelligence sources reported the commander to be located. The joint force searched the compound without incident and detained the militants.

No shots were fired and no one was harmed during these operations.

Afghans Attend Writing Seminar:

Ghazni Provincial Reconstruction Team engineers combated accusations of favoritism and corruption by establishing a technical proposal writing workshop held Dec. 3.

The workshop, created to educate local companies regarding the requirements mandated by the U.S. Government for the awarding of contracts, is led by Engineer Mohammad Kareem, Director of Technical and Sectorial Service for Ghazni province.

The perception of corruption and favoritism in the contract award process was partially due to the limited number of companies who can be awarded contracts. Another part of the negative perception was due to a number of companies not fully understanding the bidding requirements.

"The main focus of the program is to increase Afghan engineering capacity by having Afghan engineers teach their counterparts how to write high-quality technical proposals for projects," said Navy Lt. James Bowen, Ghazni PRT engineer from Naval Air Station North Island, Calif. "This training will help Afghan contractors improve the quality of their technical proposals, thereby making them more competitive for not only PRT projects, but commercial projects as well."

The course included examples of the details found in properly written proposals such as cost estimation, technical drawings and designs, construction schedules and proposal package contents.

"The contractors were happy with what they learned at the seminar," Kareem said. "They would like to have more seminars so they can learn more about the process."

ISAF Casualties:

Two ISAF servicemembers from the United Kingdom were killed in an IED strike and one servicemember from Estonia was killed in a separate IED strike in southern Afghanistan yesterday.

(Compiled from NATO International Security Assistance Force news releases.)

Pentagon Discuses Transfer of Guantanamo Detainees to Illinois Prison

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Dec. 15, 2009 -- President Barack Obama's administration plans to transfer a limited number of detainees held at the detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to a prison in rural western Illinois, senior administration officials said here today.

The federal government plans to acquire Thomson Correctional Center, a 10-year-old maximum security prison in Thomson, Ill., a farming community about 150 miles west of Chicago, officials said in a background briefing.

The administration would need to work with Congress to amend the law related to the pending transfer and to seek necessary funding, officials said.

Some of the detainees affected by the transfer will be tried under the military commission process at the prison. Five detainees held at Guantanamo, including 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, are slated to be transferred to New York for trial in a civilian court.

Obama announced shortly after taking office that he would close the Guantanamo facility, citing its use as a terrorist recruiting tool.

Upgrades to Thomson, a maximum-security prison currently underused due to Illinois state budget woes, will include additional perimeter security, officials said.

More than 200 detainees are being housed at the Guantanamo facility, which was opened shortly after the start of Operation Enduring Freedom.

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

OIF Update, Dec. 15, 2009: 5 US Command Groups in Iraq to Merge as USF-I

Dispatches from the Front:

BAGHDAD, Dec. 15, 2009 -- A new era in Operation Iraqi Freedom will begin Jan. 1, 2010, when the combining of five different U.S. command groups here into one single headquarters will be complete.

Charles A. Musante, Multi-National Corps - Iraq strength management chief, said the new United States Force – Iraq headquarters will oversee all operations throughout Iraq.

"It combines the three major commands here, Multi-National Force - Iraq, Multi National Corps - Iraq and Multi-National Security Transition Command - Iraq, into one single command underneath the four star commander," Musante said.

"USF-I is a result of a success and evolution of our mission here in Iraq, it's a natural step," Brig. Gen. Peter C. Bayer, chief of staff, Multi-National Corps - Iraq, said. "If we do it right, our subordinates get the same level of support without even realizing a change has occurred."

The merger will accomplish different purposes once fully operational, one being streamlining.

"This is the headquarters drawdown," Musante said. "We are streamlining in line with the rest of the other units. By merging redundant positions we will streamline operations which in turn will reduce the total number of people that are required to fill these positions."

With multiple headquarters in Iraq, there has been a high demand placed on the services for individual augmentees.

"We should be mirroring the units on the ground in their effort to reduce their footprint," Musante said. "Our charge is to reduce and create a reduction."

During the planning process of the merger, the command came up with a reduction of 41 percent in requirements once USF-I is fully operational.

"This is significant because it saves the services and allows them to utilize their people in other places that may need them," Musante said.

In planning for the merger, there have been a few challenges that the command and control transition team, the C2T Tiger Team, has faced.

"This process is not easy, it has never been done before," Musante said. "Merging and restructuring in peace time is difficult, but we are trying to do it transparent and in a warzone while trying to maintain current operations with a lot of challenges coming up here with the elections."

Musante went on to say that the biggest challenge for him has been the personnel piece of the transition.

"Making sure we have a good accountability for where everyone is situated, what we are doing to make sure we have the right people in the right position and then doing all that coordinating with the services to make sure they are in line with all of that," he said.

Another challenge that has been difficult is trying to bring three separate distinct commands together.

"It was difficult to get people on board," U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Jurgen W. Smith, C2T Tiger Team strategic planner, said. "People naturally want to keep doing things the way they have been; three hardest elements where the large ones," Smith said, referring to the three main elements, Corps, Force and Security Transition Command.

The command and control transition team focused on the easier elements to transition first.

"We have got what I consider some of the easier mergers done," Smith said. "We are getting into a period where some of the harder mergers are going to be happening, like the J3, operations. Theirs is going to be a little more challenging because they have to continue operations throughout Iraq and it is rather difficult to do that with so much going on."

Bayer said a critical aspect to merging five major commands is maintaining and continuing to grow the U.S. forces' partnership and relationship with Iraq. The Combined Partnership Operations Center will continue to be resourced as will the continued partnering between Iraqi Ground Forces Command and MNC-I.

"The level and amount of energy we put into partnering with them [Iraqi Security Forces] will remain the same," he said. "It's about creating conditions for a long term, enduring, positive relationship between our nations, forged by our day to day interactions with them."

(Report from a 114th Public Affairs Detachment news release.)

OIF Summary, Dec. 15, 2009: Forces in Iraq Arrest 9 Terrorism Suspects

Dispatches from the Front:

WASHINGTON, Dec. 15, 2009 -- Iraqi security forces arrested nine suspected terrorists in four operations today, military officials reported.

In a rural area north of Baghdad, an Iraqi emergency response unit and U.S. advisors searched a home for a suspected al-Qaida in Iraq member who is believed to make and distribute bombs for use in attacks throughout the Tarmiyah and Baghdad region.

Preliminary questioning and evidence collected at the scene led Iraqi police to identify and arrest the warranted man and a suspected criminal associate.

During a second security operation near Beiji in Salahuddin province, police and U.S. advisors searched several buildings for a suspected al-Qaida in Iraq member believed responsible for rocket attacks and kidnappings in the area. They arrested two suspected criminal associates of the warranted man based on evidence discovered at the scene.

In eastern Mosul, Iraqi forces and U.S. advisors searched several buildings for a suspected al-Qaida in Iraq leader for Salahuddin province believed to oversee terrorist activities throughout the region. Two suspected criminal associates of the warranted man were arrested without incident.

Based on intelligence and warrants issued by the Central Criminal Investigation Court of Karkh, Iraqi special operations forces and U.S. advisors arrested three alleged al-Qaida in Iraq members.

One of the suspects is believed to be a high-level terrorist financier with direct ties to Dec. 8 attacks in Baghdad that resulted in numerous deaths and injuries, as well as other violence.

The other suspects arrested with him are believed to be associated with multiple sectarian killings and attacks on Iraqi security forces and U.S. forces in the Abu Ghraib area.

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

Combat Camera Video: Marine Life on a Combat Outpost in Afghanistan (B-Roll)

NOTE: News readers click here to watch the video.

Dispatches from the Front:

WASHINGTON, Dec. 15, 2009 -- Embedded above is a b-roll video of life on a combat outpost in Afghanistan. Scenes include a Marine shaving by a bucket, Marines cutting their hair, Marines eating, Marines working out, Marines on patrol, Marines sleeping and an interview with a Marine discussing life on the combat outpost. (Produced by Marine Gunnery Sgt. Jimmy Stare, American Forces Network Afghanistan. Length: 00:05:18.)

More Combat Camera Imagery on THE TENSION

Combat Camera: US Marines Take Now Zad During Operation Cobra's Anger, Part 1

Marines with 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, conduct combat operations in Now Zad, Afghanistan, during Operation Cobra's Anger, Dec. 4. Operation Cobra's Anger disrupted enemy supply lines and communication in Now Zad, once a safe haven for Taliban forces. (Photo by Lance Cpl. Walter Marino, Regimental Combat Team-7, 1st Marine Division Public Affairs.)

Marines with 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, conduct combat operations in Now Zad, Afghanistan, during Operation Cobra's Anger, Dec.4. Operation Cobra's Anger disrupted enemy supply lines and communication in Now Zad, once a safe haven for Taliban forces. (Photo by Lance Cpl. Walter Marino, Regimental Combat Team-7, 1st Marine Division Public Affairs.)

A Marine with 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, conducts combat operations in Now Zad, Afghanistan, during Operation Cobra's Anger, Dec. 4. Operation Cobra's Anger disrupted enemy supply lines and communication in Now Zad, once a safe haven for Taliban forces. (Photo by Lance Cpl. Walter Marino, Regimental Combat Team-7, 1st Marine Division Public Affairs.)

Marines with 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, breach Now Zad, Afghanistan, during Operation Cobra's Anger, Dec. 4. Operation Cobra's Anger disrupted enemy supply lines and communication in Now Zad, once a safe haven for Taliban forces. (Photo by Lance Cpl. Walter Marino, Regimental Combat Team-7, 1st Marine Division Public Affairs.)

Marine with 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, conduct combat operations in Now Zad, Afghanistan, during Operation Cobra's Anger, Dec. 4. Operation Cobra's Anger disrupted enemy supply lines and communication in Now Zad, once a safe haven for Taliban forces. (Photo by Lance Cpl. Walter Marino, Regimental Combat Team-7, 1st Marine Division Public Affairs.)

Marines with 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, conduct combat operations in Now Zad, Afghanistan, during Operation Cobra's Anger, Dec. 4. Operation Cobra's Anger disrupted enemy supply lines and communication in Now Zad, once a safe haven for Taliban forces. (Photo by Lance Cpl. Walter Marino, Regimental Combat Team-7, 1st Marine Division Public Affairs.)

Marines with 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, conduct combat operations in Now Zad, Afghanistan, during Operation Cobra's Anger, Dec. 4. Operation Cobra's Anger disrupted enemy supply lines and communication in Now Zad, once a safe haven for Taliban forces. (Photo by Lance Cpl. Walter Marino, Regimental Combat Team-7, 1st Marine Division Public Affairs.)

Marines with 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, conduct combat operations in Now Zad, Afghanistan, during Operation Cobra's Anger, Dec. 4. Operation Cobra's Anger disrupted enemy supply lines and communication in Now Zad, once a safe haven for Taliban forces. (Photo by Lance Cpl. Walter Marino, Regimental Combat Team-7, 1st Marine Division Public Affairs.)

Marines with 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, conduct combat operations in Now Zad, Afghanistan, during Operation Cobra's Anger, Dec. 4. Operation Cobra's Anger disrupted enemy supply lines and communication in Now Zad, once a safe haven for Taliban forces. (Photo by Lance Cpl. Walter Marino, Regimental Combat Team-7, 1st Marine Division Public Affairs.)

Marines with 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, conduct combat operations in Now Zad, Afghanistan, during Operation Cobra's Anger, Dec. 4. Operation Cobra's Anger disrupted enemy supply lines and communication in Now Zad, once a safe haven for Taliban forces. (Photo by Lance Cpl. Walter Marino, Regimental Combat Team-7, 1st Marine Division Public Affairs.)

Dispatches from the Front:

Marines Blast Through Now Zad With Assault Breacher Vehicles

HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan, Dec. 15, 2009 -- A vehicle that looks like a hybrid of a tank and bulldozer comes to a stop. An enormous blast shrieks through the air and delivers 1,750 pounds of C4 on the road ahead.

The Marine Corps newest vehicle, an assault breacher vehicle, has detonated a route clearing, line charge, making its first combat assault in Marine Corps history.

The Marine Corps prepared the ABV crew and the vehicle for combat for approximately two years. On the morning of Dec. 3, the ABV fired its first line charge during Operation Cobra's Anger in Now Zad, Afghanistan.

Due to mass amounts of roadside bombs expected around Now Zad, ABV's led the way for the operation by detonating numerous line charges on the path to the Taliban stronghold, Now Zad.

Pride in the ABV's development and capability was obvious amongst the Marines.

"There was no guidebook for this vehicle. We've had to develop our own tactics and procedures. I think that's awesome. It's very rewarding. This project is kind of like our baby. It's pretty amazing to see it all come together," said Sgt. Jeremy A. Kinsey, an ABV vehicle commander for 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion.

ABV's played a pivotal role in the mission. Its demolition capabilities eliminated the Taliban's IED threat on the foot mobile Marines' breach into the city.

"A lot of people say the engineer community is the tip of the spear," said Kinsey, from Sunnyside, Wash. "We have a saying: 'if we can't breach it, you can't reach it.' This operation is proving that. 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, said that if they didn't have our support, that this mission was a no go."

The Marines of 2nd CEB referred to the front end of the vehicle as 'Shredder' from the cartoon series, "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles," because of the vehicles pointed edges.

"We heard that the Taliban's radio communication said, 'get out, because the big boom is coming,'" said Kinsey. "I'd have to say; just the intimidation factor is enough to make anyone run. I know I wouldn't want 1,750 pounds of C4 blowing up were I'm at."

A moral affect on the enemy was realized by the ABV Marines.

"I know the Taliban didn't want to give up this position and we took it very quickly," said Kinsey. "All they really have left is Marjeh. To take something so important to the Taliban, so quickly, is like a big slap in the face for them."

The Marines successes in Now Zad opened doors for future operations for the ABV and confirmed what they already believed.

"I believe our actions have proven our capabilities and will result in us employed more frequently," Kinsey said. "Before this mission, they didn't know what we were capable of. Now that the Marine Corps knows we can [fight], I think we will be used more."

"I was proud and excited to do something that's never been done before in the Marine Corps," said Lance Cpl. Randy J. Davis Jr., an ABV operator for 2nd CEB. "Hopefully it helped the Marine Corps grow. This vehicle allows us to go through rougher terrain faster and I think the percentage of IED's will go down with the use of this vehicle."

Although the Marines engaged in combat, many wished they could have done more.

"I was actually hoping for more resistance, said Davis. "I think our explosion ran them all off. I was happy to fight for my country. We came out here to kill Taliban and liberate the peaceful people of Now Zad. All the Taliban kicked out the Afghan civilians. Now were just trying to give them back what's theirs."

The Marines could not be more pleased with the ABV's performance.

"The performance of the new ABV's was outstanding to say the least and I couldn't be happier with the mission and the opportunity," said Davis Jr. "We paved the way for 3/4 Lima Company to clear the city. I feel it's an honor to fight with my brothers in battle."

"These vehicles have been doing great," said Lance Cpl. Brian S. Rutledge, an ABV mechanic for 2nd CEB. "We haven't needed to do much maintenance with these vehicles. We were right there in case anything broke down, but it didn't. We've done more work for other units than our own."

The tight knit family of the ABV Marines suffered a loss before their deployment. Out of love and respect, they dedicated their first vehicle to their fellow Marine.

"I dedicated this vehicle in honor of 2nd Lt. Mevey, our first platoon commander who died in a motorcycle accident," Kinsey said. "I think it would mean a lot to him that this ABV was the first to fire a line charge in combat, breach in combat, plow through a compound, and survive an IED blast. I think he would be very proud."

(Report by Lance Cpl. Walter Marino, Regimental Combat Team-7, 1st Marine Division Public Affairs.)

More Combat Camera Imagery on THE TENSION

OEF Update, Dec. 15, 2009: Forces Nab Taliban Commander in Zabul, Kill Militants in Kandahar; US Casualty

Dispatches from the Front:

KABUL, Afghanistan, Dec. 15, 2009 -- An Afghan-international security force detained a Taliban commander and other militants in Zabul province today. The Taliban commander is linked to IED facilitation and is responsible for several attacks in the area.

The joint security force searched a compound in the provincial capital of Qalat where intelligence sources reported the commander to be located. The joint force searched the compound without incident and detained a few militants, one of whom identified himself as the targeted individual in the operation. No shots were fired and no one was harmed.

In another operation, security forces killed four militants Monday after observing the men emplacing an IED near the village of Charhar Bagh in Kandahar.

The ISAF unit ended the engagement when two insurgents fled into the village. ISAF believes no civilians were injured or killed in this operation but is investigating claims made to the contrary.

ISAF Casualty:

An ISAF servicemember from the United States was killed today in an IED strike in southern Afghanistan.

(Compiled from NATO International Security Assistance Force news releases.)

US Military Meets, Exceeds Most Recruiting Goals for November 2009

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Dec. 15, 2009 -- The The Department of Defense announced today its recruiting and retention statistics for the active and reserve components for the month of November 2009.

Active Component:

Recruiting. All four active services met or exceeded their accession goals for November 2009.

• Army – 7,063 accessions with a goal of 6,858; 103 percent
• Navy – 3,291 accessions with a goal of 3,291; 100 percent
• Marine Corps – 1,789 accessions with a goal of 1,780; 100 percent
• Air Force – 2,894 accessions with a goal of 2,894; 100 percent

Retention. The Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps all continue to exhibit strong retention over the first two months of fiscal 2010.

Reserve Component:

Recruiting. Four of the six reserve components met or exceeded their accession goals for November 2009. The Army National Guard and the Air National Guard are currently projected to come in over their budgeted strengths, and have reduced their November accessions accordingly.

• Army National Guard – 3,335 accessions with a goal of 4,322; 77 percent
• Army Reserve – 2,741 accessions with a goal of 2,009; 136 percent
• Navy Reserve – 631 accessions with a goal of 597; 106 percent
• Marine Corps Reserve – 727 accessions with a goal of 579; 126 percent
• Air National Guard – 534 accessions with a goal 700; 76 percent
• Air Force Reserve – 758 accessions with a goal of 457; 166 percent

Attrition. Losses in all reserve components are within acceptable limits.

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

US Airpower Summary, Dec 15, 2009

Dispatches from the Front:

SOUTHWEST ASIA, Dec. 15, 2009 -- Coalition airpower integrated with ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan in the following operations, Dec. 14, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials.

Air Operations in Afghanistan:

Kabul
Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft provided armed overwatch for a friendly forces convoy and dismounted patrol. A request for a show of force was made to deter potential enemy action. The show of force was performed, with flares expended, and was considered successful when no enemy action was noted.

Morghab
Air Force B-1B Lancer aircraft provided armed overwatch for friendly forces assisting an Afghan national police patrol. The patrol reported being hit by enemy fire and a show of force was requested to deter the enemy aggression. The show of force was successful and stopped the enemy fire. A second show of force was requested to deter any further enemy action while finishing the patrol route. The show of force was considered successful as no further enemy action was noted.

Konduz
F-15E aircraft flew armed overwatch and area surveillance for friendly forces. The aircraft was requested to perform a show of force for the friendly forces. When performed, the show of force was considered successful.

Later, F-15E aircraft again flew armed overwatch for friendly forces. The aircraft was requested to perform shows of force for the friendly forces. When performed, the shows of force were considered successful.

F-15E aircraft provided armed overwatch for a friendly forces convoy. The convoy requested a show of force to deter any potential enemy action while enroute to its destination. The show of force was successful as no enemy action was noted.

Tarin Kowt
Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft provided armed overwatch a friendly forces convoy. The aircraft provided route reconnaissance for the convoy and then the friendly forces requested shows of force to deter any enemy activity. The shows of force were successful in deterring any potential enemy action as none was noted.

Lashkar Gah
Navy F/A-18C Hornet aircraft provided armed overwatch and reconnaissance for friendly forces. A show of force was requested over a known enemy fighting position to deter any potential enemy action. The show of force (with flares expended) was successful in deterring enemy action in the area as none was noted.

Gardez
Air Force F-16C aircraft provided armed overwatch for friendly forces. Shows of force were requested to deter possible enemy action during an infiltration operation. The shows of force were successful in deterring enemy action in the area.

Chahar Bagh
Coalition aircraft provided armed overwatch and reconnaissance for friendly forces. A show of force to deter any potential enemy action was requested. The show of force was successfully performed when no enemy action was noted.

Coalition aircraft provided armed overwatch for friendly forces. When the friendly forces reported taking suspicious activity in and around a compound, a show of force to deter any further enemy action was requested. The show of force was successfully performed when no further enemy action was noted.

Sangin
Navy F/A-18F Super Hornet aircraft provided armed overwatch for coalition forces. The coalition forces reported receiving indiscriminant enemy fire from a compound in the area and requested a show of force to deter the enemy action. The show of force (with flares expended) was successful in deterring any further enemy action.
`
Air Operations in Iraq:

No significant action to report in the last 24 hours.

Air Power Statistics:

Air Mobility:
U.S. Air Force airlift sorties: 163
Short tons of delivered cargo: 680
Passengers: nearly 3,700
Airdropped cargo: nearly 205,000 pounds

Close Air Support:
Sorties flown to support ISAF & Afghan security forces: 76
Sorties flown to support Operation IRAQI FREEDOM: 22

Surveillance & Reconnaissance:
Sorties flown in Afghanistan: 24
Sorties flown in Iraq: 28
Tactical reconnaissance sorties flown in Afghanistan: none
Tactical reconnaissance sorties flown in Iraq: 2 (USAF)

Medical Evacuation:
On Dec. 13, Air Force HH-60 aircrew and Pararescue Airmen transported 9 patients

Aerial Refueling:
Sorties flown: 38
Fuel delivered: nearly 2.1 million pounds
Aircraft refueled: 185

(Report from a U.S. Air Force news release.)

Combat Camera Video: US Marines Clear Now Zad in Operation Cobra's Anger

NOTE: News readers click here to watch the video.

Dispatches from the Front:

WASHINGTON, Dec. 14, 2009 -- Embedded above is a video package about Marines and International Security Forces clearing Now Zad of insurgents during Operation Cobra's Anger and residents returning to their homes and shops in Afghanistan. (Produced by Marine Staff Sgt. Clinton Firstbrook, American Forces Network Afghanistan. Length: 00:01:33.)

More Combat Camera Imagery on THE TENSION

Pentagon Identifies Army Casualty (OIF)

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Dec. 14, 2009 -- The following news release made available Monday 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 Iraqi Freedom.

Pvt. Jhanner A. Tello, 29, of Los Angeles, Calif., died Dec. 10 in Baghdad, Iraq, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the 3rd Aviation Support Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

The circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation.

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

OIF Summary, Dec. 14, 2009: Forces in Iraq Arrest 4 Terrorism Suspects

Dispatches from the Front:

WASHINGTON, Dec. 14, 2009 -- Iraqi soldiers and police arrested four terrorism suspects in two operations yesterday, military officials reported.

Iraqi soldiers arrested a suspect yesterday during an operation in northeastern Baghdad targeting the Promised Day Brigade terrorist network.

The soldiers and U.S. advisors searched a home for a suspected leader of the group believed to be responsible for attacking security forces in the Baghdad region. Preliminary questioning and evidence collected at the scene led the soldiers to arrest a suspected criminal associate of the leader.

In a separate operation, Iraqi constables, with U.S. advisors, arrested three alleged terrorist cell members under the authority of warrants issued Dec. 12.

The three are suspected of operating within a terrorist group, with two of them suspected of playing roles in the media cell responsible for propaganda, distribution of terrorist procedures, and tactics and subversion of the Iraq government.

One suspect allegedly produced and gathered media designed to showcase various attacks. Another allegedly is a high-ranking member within the terrorist media cell responsible for coordinating media efforts. The third allegedly is a former media manager responsible for distributing the cell's propaganda.

(Compiled from Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)

Pentagon Identifies Army Casualty (OIF)

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Dec. 14, 2009 -- The following news release made available Monday 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 Iraqi Freedom.

Pfc. Jaiciae L. Pauley, 29, of Austell, Ga., died Dec. 11 in Kirkuk, Iraq, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga.

The circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation.

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

OEF Update, Dec. 14, 2009: Forces Nab Militants in Khost, Kandahar

Dispatches from the Front:

KABUL, Afghanistan, Dec. 14, 2009 -- An Afghan-international security force detained a Haqqani weapons facilitator and a small group of other militants in Khost province today. The facilitator is responsible for the supply and distribution of weapons to several militant elements in the area.

The joint force searched a compound near the village of Paru Kheyl in the Sabari district where intelligence sources reported the facilitator to be located. The Haqqani facilitator confirmed his identity and surrendered.

In another operation today, an Afghan-international security force detained a Taliban weapons facilitator and a couple of other militants in Kandahar province. This facilitator is responsible for the supply and shipment of weapons to other militant elements in the area. The force searched a compound near the village of Belanday in the Panjwayi district where intelligence sources reported the facilitator to be located.

No shots were fired and no one was harmed in either operation.

ISAF Casualties:

There were no ISAF fatalities in the last 24 hours in Afghanistan.

(Compiled from NATO International Security Assistance Force news releases.)

US Airpower Summary, Dec. 13, 2009

Dispatches from the Front:

SOUTHWEST ASIA, Dec. 13, 2009 -- Coalition airpower integrated with ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan in the following operations, Dec. 12, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.

Air Operations in Afghanistan:

Surkhabad
Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft were providing armed overwatch for coalition forces. When the coalition forces reported taking enemy fire, a request for air power support was made. The enemy fire points of origin were confirmed and passed to the aircraft. Rockets were fired on the coordinates to mark the enemy fighting positions for cannon fire strafing runs and release of precision guided munitions. The precision guided munitions destroyed the enemy positions and allowed the coalition forces to extract themselves from the location.

Oruzgan
Air Force B-1B Lancer and Coalition aircraft were providing armed overwatch for a friendly forces foot patrol and convoy. The convoy reported being hit by an improvised explosive device that disabled a vehicle. Enemy forces were observed massing for possible attack on the disabled vehicle when shows of force were performed to deter any potential enemy action. Then rockets were released on the enemy, all were successful in eliminating a threat to the friendly forces.

Asadabad
Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft flew armed overwatch for a friendly forces dismounted patrol. When the patrol reported taking enemy small arms fire, precision guided munitions were employed on the enemy position. The enemy position was destroyed and the threat to friendly forces eliminated.

Air Force F-16C aircraft provided armed overwatch and surveillance for friendly forces. The aircraft were requested to observe enemy positions. Coordinates for a possible enemy weapons cache were passed to the aircraft for observation. The aircraft observed enemy forces utilizing this position and requested permission to eliminate the enemy target. Precision guided munitions were released on the site destroying the enemy arms cache.

F-15E aircraft provided armed overwatch for friendly forces. Friendly forces reported intermittent small arms fire and requested air power assistance in stopping the enemy fire. Precision guided munitions were released on the enemy positions destroying the positions and stopping the enemy fire.

Chahar Bagh
A-10 aircraft provided armed overwatch and reconnaissance for a friendly forces patrol. When a vehicle in the area was hit with an improvised explosive device and disabled, a show of force to deter any potential enemy action was requested. The show of force was successfully performed when no enemy action as noted against the disabled vehicle.

A-10 aircraft provided armed overwatch and reconnaissance for a friendly forces patrol. When the friendly patrol reported taking enemy fire, shows of force to deter any further enemy action were requested. The shows of force were successfully performed when no enemy action was noted. The aircraft observed an enemy vehicle trailing the friendly patrol and performed another show of force. The show of force successfully deterred any potential enemy action as the enemy vehicle ceased following the friendly patrol.

Sangin
Navy F/A-18F Super Hornet aircraft provided armed overwatch and surveillance for friendly forces. The friendly forces reported unusual enemy activity in the area and requested a show of force to deter potential enemy action. The show of force was successful in preventing enemy action.

Lashkar Gah
Marine AV-8B Harrier aircraft were providing armed overwatch for a friendly forces convoy. A show of force was requested when the convoy was to pass by a known enemy fighting position. The show of force (with flares expended) was successful in deterring enemy action in the area.

Soltani
F-16C aircraft provided armed overwatch friendly forces. The friendly forces requested a show of force for reassurance that air power was in the area and to deter any enemy activity. The show of force was successful in deterring any potential enemy action as none was noted.

Air Operations in Iraq:

No significant action to report in the last 24 hours.

Air Power Statistics:

Air Mobility:
U.S. Air Force airlift sorties: 142
Short tons of delivered cargo: 607
Passengers: nearly 4,700
Airdropped cargo: nearly 185,000 pounds

Close Air Support:
Sorties flown to support ISAF & Afghan security forces: 67
Sorties flown to support Operation IRAQI FREEDOM: 16

Surveillance & Reconnaissance:
Sorties flown in Afghanistan: 29
Sorties flown in Iraq: 24
Tactical reconnaissance sorties flown in Afghanistan: none
Tactical reconnaissance sorties flown in Iraq: 2 (USAF)

Medical Evacuation:
On December 11, Air Force HH-60 aircrew and Pararescue Airmen transported 8 patients

Aerial Refueling:
Sorties flown: 31
Fuel delivered: nearly 1.9 million pounds
Aircraft refueled: 131

(Report from a U.S. Air Force news release.)

OEF Update, Dec. 13, 2009: Forces Kill 5 Militants, Detain 1 in Laghman Province

Dispatches from the Front:

KABUL, Afghanistan, Dec. 13, 2009 -- An Afghan-international security force killed five enemy militants and detained one in Laghman province today while pursuing a Taliban IED facilitator who is linked to several IED and suicide bomb attacks in the area.

The joint force targeted a compound near the village of Tingawar in Alingar district where intelligence sources reported militant activity. During the operation, several militants threatened the force with AK-47 rifles and shotguns and were killed. The joint force searched the compound without further incident.

ISAF Casualties:

There were no ISAF fatalities in the last 24 hours in Afghanistan.

(Compiled from NATO International Security Assistance Force news releases.)