Flashback, Dec. 2008: Bush Signs Iraq Security Pact, Sets Troop Withdrawal Deadlines

News in Balance:

EDITOR'S NOTE: As President Barack Obama prepares to claim the fulfillment of his campaign promise to bring the Iraq war to an end, it is important to recount the facts surrounding the story. In December 2008, President George W. Bush, at the request of the the Iraqi government, signed the Status of Forces agreement that set the troop withdrawal timeline to end the war.

Reprinted below is a news article discussing the details of the agreement.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 15, 2008 -- With fewer than 40 days left in office, President George W. Bush signed a security pact in Baghdad yesterday, putting an end in sight for the Iraq war after nearly six years of fighting.

“The war is not over yet,” Bush said, “[but] it is decisively on its way to being won.”

During a surprise farewell visit to Baghdad yesterday, Bush met with Iraq Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki for a signing ceremony, affirming the two landmark agreements to withdraw U.S. troops and formalizing a long-term relationship between the two countries.

“[The agreements] cement a strategic partnership between our two countries, and they pave the way for American forces to return home as the war in Iraq approaches a successful end,” Bush said. “They represent a shared vision on the way forward in Iraq.”

Two years ago, such an agreement was unimaginable, Bush said. Violence and attacks in Iraq were rising, and sectarian lines were dividing much of the Iraqi people. Terrorism and fighting in many regions proved difficult to overcome. The Iraqi people have suffered greatly, he added.

“[The Iraqi people] suffered car bombings and suicide attacks and [improvised explosive devices], and desperate efforts by terrorists to destroy a young democracy,” he said. “Hundreds of thousands of Iraqis have stepped forward to defend this democracy, and many have paid a dear price.”

Bush said the American people sacrificed a great deal for Iraq to reach this point too, as fighting there has required large amounts of time, resources and American lives. More than 4,000 U.S. servicemembers have been killed in Iraq since March 2003. More than 300 coalition troops also have been killed.

The agreements honor all those who have sacrificed by building a freer, safer and more hopeful world, Bush said.

“In terms of the agreements, this is a major achievement,” Bush told reporters. “Is it the end? Absolutely not. There is more work to be done.”

The strategic framework agreement provides the underpinning for a U.S.-Iraq trade and investment relationship as well as diplomatic, cultural and security cooperation. It sets the foundation for a long-term bilateral relationship between the two countries.

The status-of-forces agreement outlines the framework for American forces withdrawal while providing authorization and protections for U.S. troops to continue support operations after the United Nations mandate expires Dec. 31.

Although the pace of meeting those agreements depends on the Iraqi government and military, Bush said, the SOFA acknowledges that U.S. combat forces in Iraq are required to withdraw from Iraqi cities, villages and localities no later than June 30, and it calls for a complete withdrawal of forces by Dec. 31, 2011.

Both agreements were passed by Iraq’s parliamentary councils Nov. 27 and by the presidency council Dec. 4. Both take effect Jan. 1.

(Report by Army Staff Sgt. Michael J. Carden, American Forces Press Service.)

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Pentagon Identifies Army Casualty (OIF)

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Feb. 26, 2010 -- 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 soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Sgt. William C. Spencer, 40, of Tacoma, Wash., died Feb. 25 at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Landstuhl, Germany, of wounds sustained Feb. 20 while supporting combat operations at Combat Outpost Marez, Iraq. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 146th Field Artillery Regiment, Olympia, Wash.

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

NOTE: Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) will be renamed to Operation New Dawn (OND) effective September 1, 2010.

Pentagon Identifies Army Casualty (OIF)

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Feb. 26, 2010 -- 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 soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Cpl. Daniel T. O'Leary, 23, of Youngsville, N.C., died Feb. 23 in Fallujah, Iraq, of injuries sustained during a vehicle roll-over. He was assigned to the 307th Brigade Support Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.

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

NOTE: Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) will be renamed to Operation New Dawn (OND) effective September 1, 2010.

Pentagon Discuses First Female Submariners

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Feb. 26, 2010 -- Female sailors will begin serving on submarines by the end of next year, with Naval Academy graduates leading the way, Navy leaders told a Senate committee yesterday.

Navy Secretary Ray Mabus told the Senate Armed Services Committee that the Navy is in a good position to move forward with integrating women onto submarines.

“We think we learned a lot about integrating women in the services years ago, and those lessons are relevant today,” Mabus said. Those lessons, he said, include having a “critical mass” of female candidates, having senior women to serve as mentors, and having submarines that don’t require modifications: the SSBN ballistic missile and SSGN guided-missile subs.

Finally, Mabus said, “We have the lesson learned to make sure any questions are answered, … and we’re very open and transparent on how we’ll do this. We think this is a great idea that will enhance our warfighting capabilities.”

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates notified Congress on Feb. 19 of the intended change to Navy policy. Mabus had pushed for the change since taking office in May. Adm. Gary Roughead, chief of naval operations, endorsed the change, saying in a statement released in September that his experience commanding a mixed-gender surface-combatant ship makes him “very comfortable” integrating women into the submarine force. The Navy changed its policy to allow women to serve on combatant ships in 1993.

“We have a great plan, and we’re ready to go for the first women to come aboard in late 2011,” Roughead told the Senate committee yesterday. In a prepared statement to the committee, he said the change would enable the submarine force “to leverage the tremendous talent and potential of our female officers and enlisted personnel.”

Besides the incoming officers from the academy, the first women submariners will include female supply corps officers at the department head level, Roughead said. The change will be phased in over time to include enlisted female sailors on the SSBN and SSGNs, he said. Women will be added to the Navy’s SSN fast-attack submarines after necessary modifications can be determined, he said.

“This initiative has my personal attention, and I will continue to keep you informed as we integrate these highly motivated and capable officers into our submarine force,” Roughead told the committee.

(Report by Lisa Daniel, American Forces Press Service.)

Pentagon Discuses Operations in Marja, Afghanistan

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Feb. 26, 2010 -- Operations in Marja, Afghanistan, are transitioning from the clearing to the holding phase, as yesterday's turnover of the government center there marks a symbol of progress, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said yesterday.

Twelve days into Operation Moshtarak, the offensive in the former Taliban stronghold is "trending in a very positive direction," Morrell said, on both the military and governance fronts.

The new Afghan government raised its flag over Marja yesterday, with Abdul Zahir Aryan installed as its administrator. Morrell called the transfer of the government center "symbolic of where we are in this operation."

Much of the city is now under Afghan and coalition control, and many of its citizens are returning to their homes, Morrell reported. Bazaars have reopened, and they're full of goods that demonstrate the freedom of movement needed to promote commerce.

Meanwhile, the Afghan government is extending its reach to ensure the clearing and subsequent holding phases of the counterinsurgency strategy successfully lead to building good governance and quality-of-life improvements.

"Yesterday, there were more shuras taking place in Marja than there were troops in contact," Morrell said yesterday, referring to government-sponsored citizens' meetings. "That's the kind of progress ... that we've been looking for and that we are heartened to see."

Morrell took care not to sugarcoat the operation. "Although signs point to progress, it is still clearly a very dangerous situation," he said. "We're still losing troops," with improvised explosive devices remaining the biggest threat.

"So we have to be very careful about how we progress into those areas that are not under Afghan and coalition control," he said. "We're doing so in a very thorough, methodical way so as to alleviate any potential for civilian or coalition force casualties."

The United States has suffered more casualties than Afghan security forces in the operation only because they tend to conduct high-risk missions such as route-clearing operations, and because enemy forces see them as more prized targets, Morrell said.

Morrell conceded that the Afghan security forces will need help "for some time," particularly in the intelligence and logistics arenas. But he dispelled reports that Afghan security forces aren't carrying their load in the fight.

"No one has ever questioned their willingness or their ability to fight," he said. "These guys are every bit in the midst of this operation. ... They match us one for one on the ground."

Meanwhile, across the border, the Pakistani government continues to show leadership in its own offensive on Taliban and al-Qaida leaders. Morrell said it's too soon to tell if these activities will prove to be game-changers. But he said there's hope among the Pakistanis that the dynamics are beginning to change in their country, as in Afghanistan, to favor the people rather than the Taliban.

"We are hopeful that our combined efforts on both sides of the border will undermine the confidence and the capability of the Afghan Taliban and of the Pakistan Taliban," Morrell said, with more of their members laying down their weapons and reintegrating into society.

The key, he said, is to reverse the downward slide that had become apparent in both countries to put the momentum with their governments and pressure the enemy to want to rejoin society.

While not addressing specific reports of high-value targets the Pakistanis have captured or killed, Morrell praised the ongoing effort and reiterated U.S. support to help as needed.

"We are here to help them in any way they are comfortable as they continue to pursue this enemy that's a threat not just to us and/or efforts in Afghanistan, but obviously to the Pakistani people as well," he said.

(From a report by Donna Miles, American Forces Press Service.)

Pentagon Identifies Army Casualty (OEF)

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Feb. 26, 2010 -- The following news release made available Thursday by the U.S. Department of Defense is the text of a statement identifying a casualty:

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

Sgt. Marcos Gorra, 22, of North Bergen, N.J., died Feb. 21 at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained while supporting combat operations. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.

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

Pentagon Identifies 2 Army Casualties (OEF)

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Feb. 24, 2010 -- The following news release made available Tuesday by the U.S. Department of Defense is the text of a statement identifying casualties:

The Department of Defense announced today the deaths of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died Feb. 21 in Qayyarah, Iraq, of wounds suffered when their OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopter had a hard landing. The soldiers were assigned to the 1st Squadron, 230th Cavalry Regiment, Louisville, Tenn.

Killed were:

• Capt. Marcus R. Alford, 28, of Knoxville, Tenn.

• Chief Warrant Officer Billie J. Grinder, 25, of Gallatin, Tenn.

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

Pentagon Identifies Army Casualty (OEF)

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Feb. 24, 2010 -- The following news release made available Tuesday by the U.S. Department of Defense is the text of a statement identifying a casualty:

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

Pfc. JR Salvacion, 27, of Ewa Beach, Hawaii, died Feb. 21 at Senjaray, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.

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

Pentagon Identifies Marine Casualty (OEF)

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Feb. 23, 2010 -- The following news release made available Tuesday 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. Eric L. Ward, 19, of Redmond, Wash., died Feb. 21 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

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

Pentagon Identifies Marine Casualty (OEF)

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Feb. 23, 2010 -- The following news release made available Tuesday 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. Matthias N. Hanson, 20, of Buffalo, Ky., died Feb. 21 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

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

Pentagon Identifies Marine Casualty (OEF)

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Feb. 23, 2010 -- 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 Marine who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Lance Cpl. Adam D. Peak, 25, of Florence, Ky., died Feb. 21 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

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

Pentagon Identifies Marine Casualty (OEF)

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Feb. 23, 2010 -- 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 Marine who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Staff Sgt. Christopher W. Eckard, 30, of Hickory, N.C., died Feb. 20 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 8th Engineer Support Battalion, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

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

Pentagon: Helmand Start of Broader Offensive

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Feb. 22, 2010 -- The coalition’s operations in Helmand province are the first stage of a broader offensive to change the course of the fight in Afghanistan, Defense Department leaders told the Senate Armed Services Committee today.

Operation Moshtarak, as the offensive launched Feb. 13 is known, is “going well so far,” Michele Flournoy, undersecretary of defense for policy, said in a briefing to the committee. “This really is the first large-scale effort to change how we’re doing business.”

Flournoy and Marine Corps Lt. Gen. John M. Paxton Jr., director of operations for the Joint Staff, said Moshtarak is a joint operation with Afghan security forces to secure and hold control of the Helmand River Valley, to stamp out the Taliban insurgency and to allow the legitimate government, on the national and local level, to take hold.

Asked by senators why the campaign began in Helmand instead of Kandahar, the birthplace of the Taliban, Paxton replied that Army Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, commander of U.S. and international forces in Afghanistan, concluded in his assessment in September that Helmand was at the heart of the coalition’s four-point mission to protect the Afghan people, enable Afghan security forces, neutralize the insurgency and allow for governance.

“General McChrystal’s plan was for Kandahar to be a place we would go, but central Helmand is where the insurgency had the most-safe haven,” Paxton said. “I think you’ll see Kandahar will closely follow, but central Helmand had to come first.”

In Helmand, Flournoy said, “are the seeds for transforming a very tough environment for developing Afghanistan more broadly.” The Afghan government, she said, has made improvements in increasing pay and benefits to its forces, and it is improving much-needed infrastructure.

Flournoy noted that even the Soviets during their 10-year occupation avoided the southern region known as “the heart of darkness.” Taliban in the area have proven to be “cunning, tenacious and adaptable,” she said.

Still, Flournoy added, she is cautiously optimistic. “There will be challenges,” she said, “but we will continue to adjust and make progress.”

The coalition’s major challenges include the recruitment, training and retention of Afghan troops, she said.

“Inevitably, we will face some setbacks even as we make progress,” the undersecretary said. “And, we need to be prepared for the possibility that things will get harder before better.”

The Helmand operation is the first fully joint offensive campaign with the Afghans, who are integrated at all levels and include civilian government workers as well as security forces, Paxton said. It includes a thousand Afghan national police, and another thousand are in training to join the effort, he said, adding that Afghans have more forces on the ground in the offensive than the coalition.

And the Afghan forces are willing to engage the enemy, Paxton said. “All indications are that they are every bit as engaged as U.S. and coalition forces,” he said, although he acknowledged they are not as well trained. Still, he added, it’s important to keep the Afghan national security forces forward in the fight “to convince local people that this is not just the coalition.”

Citing “extensive interaction” with local tribal leaders in Helmand, Paxton said more than 60 percent of uncovered roadside bombs have been found due to reports from residents.

“The population is broadly on our side,” he said, “and it will continue to be so long as we prove we can provide them long-term security.”

Paxton said “isolated incidents of regrettable human casualties” have taken place, but he added that the Taliban sometimes use civilians as shields.

“In spite of recent successes, we know this is going to be a hard fight,” Paxton said. “But we’re committed to the process and the work that lies ahead.”

(Report by Lisa Daniel, American Forces Press Service.)

Pentagon Identifies Marine Casualty (OEF)

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Feb. 22, 2010 -- 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 Marine who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Cpl. Gregory S. Stultz, 22, of Brazil, Ind., died Feb. 19 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Okinawa, Japan.

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

Pentagon Identifies Marine Casualty (OEF)

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Feb. 22, 2010 -- 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 Marine who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Lance Cpl. Joshua H. Birchfield, 24, of Westville, Ind., died Feb. 19 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, Calif.

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

Pentagon Identifies Marine Casualty (OEF)

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Feb. 20, 2010 -- The following news release made available Saturday by the U.S. Department of Defense is the text of a statement identifying a casualty:

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

Sgt. Jeremy R. McQueary, 27, of Columbus, Ind., died Feb. 18 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

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

US Military Meets, Exceeds Recruiting Goals for January 2010

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Feb. 20, 2010 - All four active services and the six reserve components met or exceeded their recruiting goals for the month of January, Defense Department officials said today.

At the same time, the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force retained near or above mission goals through the first four months of fiscal 2010, a Pentagon news release says. Attrition in all reserve components is within acceptable limits.

Here is the recruiting breakdown for January:

• Army: 8,513 accessions, with a goal of 8,393 for 101 percent;

• Navy: 3,012 accessions, with a goal of 3,012 for 100 percent;

• Marine Corps: 3,035 accessions, with a goal of 3,024 for 100 percent;

• Air Force: 2,593 accessions, with a goal of 2,593 for 100 percent;

• Army National Guard: 4,402 accessions, with a goal of 4,100 for 107 percent;

• Army Reserve: 2,272 accessions, with a goal of 2,229 for 102 percent;

• Navy Reserve: 511 accessions, with a goal of 511 for 100 percent;

• Marine Corps Reserve: 1,130 accessions, with a goal of 819 for 138 percent;

• Air National Guard: 563 accessions, with a goal of 470 for 120 percent; and,

• Air Force Reserve: 772 accessions, with a goal of 772 for 100 percent.

(From a U.S. Defense Department news release.)

Pentagon Identifies Marine Casualty (OEF)

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Feb. 20, 2010 -- 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. Kielin T. Dunn, 19, of Chesapeake, Va., died Feb. 18 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

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

Pentagon Identifies Marine Casualty (OEF)

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Feb. 20, 2010 -- 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. Larry M. Johnson, 19, of Scranton, Pa., died Feb. 18 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

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

Pentagon Identifies Marine Casualty (OEF)

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Feb. 20, 2010 -- 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.

Pfc. Kyle J. Coutu, 20, of Providence, R.I., died Feb. 18 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

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