An Iraqi army soldier with the 55th Brigade, 17th IA Division, patrols the streets and checkpoints, Dec. 26, around the Karb de Gla community of the Rashid District in southern Baghdad. The 55th Bde. is partnered with the 2nd Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, attached to the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad, which is scheduled to redeploy upon completing its 14-month mission early next month. The 1st “Panther” Bn., 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, part of the 3rd BCT, 82nd Airborne Div., out of Fort Bragg, N.C., is scheduled to replace the “Warriors” Bn.

Photo By: Staff Sgt. Brent Williams – 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division Public Affairs

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. James Gautier reviews the operating manual for a hand-held mine detector. U.S. Soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, 8th Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, and Iraqi soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 19th Brigade, 5th Division, are preparing palm groves around Naqib, Iraq, for a controlled burn that will expose or detonate the massive amounts of booby traps, improvised explosive devices and weapons caches that are hindering local Iraqi’s attempts to farm this al-Qaida stronghold on Dec. 20.

Photo By: Petty Officer 2nd Class Walter Pels – Joint Combat Camera Center Iraq

Drugs and Weapons in the Middle East

Over the weekend, both Iraqi and coalition forces have uncovered several enemy weapons stockpiles in recent operations, according to U.S. military officials.

On December 28, 2008, southeast of Baghdad, Iraqi police seized a weapons cache while conducting a dismounted patrol. The cache contained 36 100mm illumination mortar rounds, two 120mm mortars, five unserviceable rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) launchers, a mortar bipod and an unserviceable machine gun barrel. The munitions were transported to a joint security station and destroyed by an explosive ordnance detachment.

Also on Sunday, in Baghdad’s Rashid district, Iraqi security forces and U.S. soldiers confiscated eight assault rifles. Iraqi soldiers also found and cleared a homemade bomb. An Iraqi explosives ordnance disposal team dismantled the bomb.

In addition to that, Iraqi soldiers found a cache in Baghdad’s Mansour district that included three propane tanks rigged as bombs, 40 pounds of ball bearings, seven rocket-propelled grenade heads, six cell phone chargers, two mortar rounds, two license plates, two 45 pound bags of explosives, a pressure plate, four sniper rifles, a cell phone, three light switches and a spool of copper wire. Earlier, U.S. soldiers found a cache of 16 mortar rounds northwest of Baghdad.

On Saturday, December 27, 2008, in the Rashid district, Iraqi soldiers found two 120mm mortar rounds and U.S. soldiers confiscated five assault rifles, two rifles and an ammunition magazine while enforcing the Baghdad Weapons Free Zone Policy.

Coalition Ships Seize 20 Tons of Drugs

In Manama, Bahrain, on December 29, 2008 coalition warships, while operating in the North Arabian Sea and Gulf of Aden as part of Combined Task Force 150, have seized more than 20 tons of narcotics since October 2008. The drugs have an estimated value of more than $100 million, according to U.S. officials.

CTF 150 is part of a continual presence in the region committed to creating and maintaining a lawful maritime order that is also tasked with conducting counter-piracy operations. The task force has seized more than 53 tons of narcotics during 2008, officials said. The drugs, seized by U.S. and Royal Navy forces, otherwise could have been used to help fund the insurgency fighting coalition forces in Afghanistan and contributed to instability in the region, officials said.

“The seizure of these drugs cuts off a vital lifeline of funds to those conducting destabilizing activities in the region,” said Royal Navy Commodore Tim Lowe, deputy commander of Combined Maritime Forces. “By stemming the flow of these drugs, we play a crucial role in providing security and stability to the entire region.”

Sailors discovered hidden drugs in vessels operating along the so-called “Hash Highway.” They destroyed large quantities of narcotics, but always ensured sufficient evidence was gathered to aid in subsequent investigations by local authorities after the drug smugglers were handed over for prosecution, officials said.

“The smugglers need to know there are consequences for their actions,” Lowe said. “By aggressively patrolling these waters, we send a message to all would-be smugglers that we are here, and we won’t tolerate drug trafficking in international waters.”

CTF 150 is a multinational task force that conducts maritime security operations in and around the Strait of Hormuz, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman, Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean and the Red Sea.

Whether it’s guns or drugs that the terrorists are using, our men and women are out there denying them over and over again.

This is Sgt. Stryker signing out.

Capt. David Peyok with the 1-158th Field Artillery Battalion does not let a lack of snow dampen his spirits as he makes a “Sand Angel” in the dirt while celebrating Christmas at Camp Ramadi, Iraq.
Photo By: Staff Sgt. Matthew Lima – 1st Battalion, 158th Field Artillery

Iraqi and U.S. soldiers apprehended suspected criminals and seized weapons caches in operations in Iraq December 23, 2008 according to U.S. military officials. The soldiers nabbed five suspected criminals with outstanding warrants during a combined operation in Baghdad’s Rashid district. They also seized 153 AK-47 assault rifles, two submachine guns, two rifles and two pistols in the Saydiyah community.

Other December 23, 2008 Iraq Operations:

Iraqi and U.S. soldiers seized and destroyed a weapons cache north of Baghdad that included 99 37 mm high-explosive projectiles, 400 empty rocket tubes and two 155 mm illumination rounds.

A local resident’s tip led U.S. soldiers to a cache west of Baghdad consisting of five 82 mm mortars, a mortar tube and a tripod.

Iraqi soldiers seized two rocket-propelled grenades in northwestern Baghdad’s Ameriyah district. They gave the weapons to U.S. soldiers for disposal.

Iraqi and coalition forces in Baghdad yesterday captured a man suspected in a grenade attack against a “Sons of Iraq” civilian security group, military officials said. U.S. soldiers responded with Iraqi National Police to the homemade-grenade attack against a Sons of Iraq combat outpost in Baghdad’s Rashid district last night. The soldiers detained one suspect.

An Iraqi police emergency response battalion discovered about 150 pounds of homemade explosives early today in the Wahda neighborhood of Mosul and removed them from the neighborhood.

Other Recent Operations in Iraq:

Coalition and Iraqi forces seized multiple weapons caches in Baghdad in recent days that included an 82 mm mortar system, four 60 mm mortar rounds, a high-explosive projectile, 15 AK-47 assault rifles, a homemade rocket and three fuses.

On Dec. 21, Iraqi soldiers discovered and dismantled a homemade explosive known as a “sticky bomb” secured to the door of a Baghdad business.

Coalition and Iraqi forces detained four suspects in the Baghdad area Dec. 21 and served court-issued warrants on them.

General Notes Progress With Iraqi Security Forces, Interior Ministry

The military command charged with training Iraq’s security forces and the Iraqi Interior Ministry continue to make progress in the development of the Iraqi security forces and the ministry, a senior military official said earlier this month.

Army Maj. Gen. James M. Milano, deputy director of interior affairs for Multinational Security Transition Command Iraq, told bloggers and online journalists during a Dec. 18 teleconference that Iraqi Interior Minister Jawad al-Bulani wants a corruption-free ministry.

“One of Minister Bulani’s strategic priorities, both this year and for 2009, is increasing professionalism [and] ethics-based behavior, eradicating corruption from the ministry,” Milano said.

Because the ministry has grown at such a rapid pace in the past five years, it has been challenging to make sure everyone is trained properly and professionally, the general added.

“My mission is to assist the Ministry of the Interior to complete the generation of professional, credible police forces while at the same time developing institutional capacity to acquire, train, develop, manage, sustain and resource those forces, leading to self-reliance and maintenance to the rule of law,” he said.

The ministry is focused on the transition to “police primacy,” making the police responsible for maintaining internal security in Iraq while the military focuses on external threats, Milano said.

“This transition to police primacy and emphasis on the rule of law and the corresponding transition from a confessions-based system to an evidentiary-based criminal justice system … has yet to be fully developed,” he said. “It is making progress now.”

Before 2003, the police were one of several security agencies in Iraq whose sole purpose was to keep Saddam Hussein in power and protect his regime, the general explained. “Today, we’re trying to flip that around and elevate the police to a position of primacy here in the country, to where the populace has confidence in them [and] they trust them,” he added. Milano said trends are positive in terms of the public’s perception of the Iraqi police.

The Interior Ministry also is in the process of training and transitioning the “Sons of Iraq” citizen security groups to the Iraqi army and police force.

“The government of Iraq is fully committed to the Sons of Iraq program, as is the coalition,” he said. Roughly 10,500 Sons of Iraq have transitioned to the Iraqi police force, which is in the process of hiring another 12,500, Milano said.

“We’re having logistics issues across the board, in terms of fuel distribution, ammo distribution and maintenance,” he acknowledged, attributing the difficulty to the size of the ministry.

“Logistically, they have some work to do,” he said. “But by and large, I’m seeing improvement.”

This is Sgt Stryker Signing Out.

Iraqi Col. Ali Sabah, commander of the Basra Emergency Battalion, displays ancient artifacts Iraqi Security Forces discovered Dec. 16, 2008, during two raids in northern Basra.
U.S. Army photo by Multi-National Division South East PAO

Earlier this month, Iraqi Security Forces uncovered hundreds of historical artifacts during two raids in northern Basra. The 228 ancient artifacts included Sumerian and Babylonian sculpture, gold jewelry and other items from ancient Mesopotamia.

“This is my favorite item,” said Iraqi Col. Ali Sabah, commander of the Basra Emergency Battalion that led the operation, holding a piece of gold jewelry. “It’s gold from the Babylon ages and about 6,000 years old. It doesn’t have a price.”

The Basra Emergency Battalion led raid operated from tips that smugglers intended to remove the treasure from the country.

“I’m very happy because this is my civilization’s heritage,” he said. “We got information that there were important Iraqi monuments that were going to be smuggled outside of Iraq,” Sabah said.

After verifying a tip, the operation kicked off with a house raid that recovered 160 pieces of Iraqi monuments that were found in the yard. “We arrested five of the guys and they admitted to the crime,” he said. These arrests led to a second raid on in al-Ayaqub in northern Basra. The monuments were found in a box in a corner of the yard covered with blocks. “We knew what we were looking for because we had pictures,” Sabah said.

“We will send it back to Baghdad via the Ministry of Defense to action moving it to the Iraqi Museum,” he said.

Sabah said he hopes Iraqi authorities will get more information of this kind. “The soldiers are very, very proud to conduct this operation,” he said. “I can’t describe how happy we were when the soldiers found it.

“Each of the soldiers will be very proud when they visit the museum with their families and their wives and they can say ‘I brought it back’.”

Army Chief of Staff Assesses Iraq Situation, Notes Future Goals

As part of a week-long tour to visit soldiers around the world in Korea, Japan, Kuwait, Afghanistan and Iraq, Army Chief of Staff Gen. George W. Casey made a stop in Iraq to assess the current situation in country and speak with troops.

“I really just wanted to look as many of our men and women in the eye as I can and thank them for what they’re doing and for the sacrifices that they and their families are making here around the holidays,” Casey said.

In an interview with American Forces Network during his visit to Victory Base Complex, Iraq, Dec. 22, Casey, who previously served as the commanding general of Multi-National Force – Iraq, spoke of the immense progress he’s witnessed in Iraq in comparison to previous visits to the country.

“I’ve seen huge progress here in Iraq since July of 2004,” Casey said. “What I saw in Basrah and on the streets of al Amarah was a real vitality among the Iraqis. When I looked at the security forces, I saw confidence and a commitment that I didn’t necessarily see when I was here before.”

Casey addressed the goal of balancing the force in coming years to accommodate proper recuperation and preparedness of Soldiers and their families between deployments.

“While this is the most resilient, professionally seasoned combat force that I’ve been associated with in the 38 years of my own service, we’re stretched, and we’re deploying at a rate we can’t continue and still sustain the all-volunteer force, and we don’t have enough time at home to prepare for other things,” Casey said. “Probably the most significant progress has been in our [the Army's] growth. In 2007, the president directed we grow the Army by about 74,000, and originally, plans were to complete that growth by 2012.”

Casey said the increase in the force could happen much sooner than initially anticipated. He pointed out that the uptick in troop strength would make deployments much easier on soldiers.

“With (Defense) Secretary (Robert M.) Gates’ help, we accelerated the growth to 2010 and I’ve been told recently by our personnel folks that we except to bring in the people we were looking for by the end of 2009, so that’s three years faster than we thought,” Casey said.

“If we hold the demand for our forces relatively steady – about where we are now – and we grow, what that means to our soldiers is they’ll spend more time at home between missions because we have more units to go,” Casey said. “So, we expect in 2009 to get almost an average of 18 months home between deployments, in 2010 to get into 18 months and in 2011 to get almost 24 months between deployments.”

According to Casey, the Army that can be expected in future years is the force America needs with the conditions soldiers want.

“The Army we’re trying to build by the end of 2011 is an expeditionary Army that deploys on a rotational cycle,” Casey said. “We believe that’s the Army the country needs for 21st century challenges. And when we get there, we want to be able to deploy that Army without a stop loss.”

The probability of stop losses in the Army should significantly wane within the next one to two years and soon be nonexistent.

“I directed my personnel folks to begin weaning ourselves off of stop loss as soon as we can, but no later than the first of January 2010,” Casey said. “I want to be able to start deploying units without stop loss.”

Casey did note, however, that the transition would likely take about two years to come full circle.

This is Sgt. Stryker Signing out.

President George W. Bush sent his best wishes for the holiday season and those of first lady Laura Bush to servicemembers around the world in a message broadcast on the Pentagon Channel.

President George W. Bush shakes hands with U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Kyle Stipp of Avon, Ind., after presenting him with two Purple Hearts Monday, Dec. 22, 2008, during a visit to Walter Reed Army Medical Center where the soldier is recovering from wounds suffered in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Looking on are his wife, Megan, and father, Mitch Stipp. White House photo by Eric Draper

Here is the text of the president’s holiday message:

“Laura and I send greetings to all the men and women of the U.S. military this holiday season.

“This time of year, our thoughts turn to rejoicing and reflection, gratitude and cheer, love and peace.

“Throughout our history, love of country and the hope of peace on earth have inspired America’s armed forces, from the frozen fields of France to the jungles of Southeast Asia. Around the globe, today’s men and women in uniform are carrying on that noble tradition. You are helping bring freedom, security and peace to millions in Iraq and Afghanistan and elsewhere, and you are helping to protect the American people here at home.

“Many of you are spending this holiday season far from home, but you are close in our thoughts and prayers.

“I am sometimes asked what I will miss most about being president. Above all, I am going to miss being your commander in chief. Every one of you volunteered to serve the United States, and in this dangerous time, I thank you for making the world freer, our country safer and all Americans proud.

“Happy holidays and may God bless you.”

The President also visited Walter Reed Hospital.

President George W. Bush paid a call to Walter Reed Army Medical Center on Monday, December 22, 2008 to visit with wounded warriors, extend holiday greetings to them and their families and check up personally on the care and support they are receiving.

“Every time I come here, I get amazed at the quality of care, the professionalism and the courage of our troops,” Bush told reporters after the visit.

“I can say with certainty that the health care that our troops get in military medical facilities is excellent,” the president said. “I am so pleased to hear from spouses and other loved ones about the care they get, as well, when they come to visit their … wounded child or wounded husband or wounded spouse.”

Noting that the visit is likely to be his last before leaving office, Bush said he took “great pleasure” in thanking those who serve at Walter Reed and other military medical facilities.

He reiterated his sentiment that he’ll miss his role as commander in chief more than any other part of the presidency. “The military is the thing I’ll miss the most, and coming here to Walter Reed is a reminder of why I’ll miss it,” he said.

“This is my duty,” he said. “The president is commander in chief, but the president is often ‘comforter in chief,’ as well. It is my duty … to try to comfort as best as I humanly can a loved one who is in anguish.”

Comfort can come in many different forms, the president said. “Comfort means hug, comfort means cry, comfort means smile, comfort means listen,” he said. “Comfort also means, in many cases, assure the parent or the spouse that any decision made about troops in combat will be made with victory in mind, not about my personal standing in the polls or partisan politics.”

Full Transcript of George W. Bush Walter Reed Statement 3:03 P.M. EST:

THE PRESIDENT: Every time I come here, I get amazed at the quality of care, the professionalism, and the courage of our troops. I can say with certainty that the health care that our troops get in military medical facilities is excellent. I am so pleased to hear from spouses and other loved ones about the care they get, as well, when they come to visit their wounded — wounded child or wounded husband or wounded spouse.

And so this will probably be my last time coming here as the Commander-in-Chief. It gave me a great pleasure to thank all those who serve here, and all those who serve throughout our military, military medical facilities. You know, I oftentimes say being the Commander-in-Chief of the military is the thing I’ll miss the most, and coming here to Walter Reed is a reminder of why I’ll miss it.

Thank you very much.

This is Sgt. Stryker signing out.

Since the beginning of warfare, dogs have been used for military purposes. They’re being put to good use in Iraq to help patrol and make sure things are safe for the soldiers and Iraqi citizens.

Army Sgt. James Harrington, a military policeman and dog handler assigned to Multinational Division Baghdad, poses with Ryky, a Belgian Malanois, while out on mission Nov. 24, 2008, in southern Baghdad’s Rashid district.
U.S. Army photo by Sgt. James Harrington

It’s not only humans that are working to make the fledgling Democracy in Iraq work. Army Sgt. James Harrington, a military policeman and dog handler attached to the 1st Special Troops Battalion of the 4th Infantry Division’s 1st Brigade Combat Team, along with Ryky, his canine partner, patrol the streets and communities of southern Baghdad’s Rashid district to search for weapons and make soldiers a more effective force.

Harrington is assigned to the 947th Military Police Detachment, part of the 3rd Infantry Regiment “The Old Guard,” stationed out of Fort Myer, Virginia. He and his 3-year-old Belgian Malanois partner, completed more than 50 missions and uncovered more than 25 finds since arriving to Rashid, Iraq in October.

According to Harrington, Ryky has made several significant finds since beginning her mission in Baghdad, including an AK-47 assault rifle hidden in a false ceiling and four mortar rounds that led to the discovery of a large mound of hollowed-out munitions. Ryky detects odors from many types of munitions, such as ammunition, weapons, mortar rounds, artillery rounds, homemade explosives and trigger devices with residue on them.

“Ryky is a very friendly dog,” Harrington, a former Marine Corps infantryman, said. “She is not a trained attack dog, so I allow her to be sociable with soldiers. I let others pet her, because it is a big morale booster.”

Army Sgt. James Harrington, a military policeman and dog handler assigned to Multinational Division Baghdad, poses with Ryky, a Belgian Malanois, in front of a weapons cache they discovered Oct. 26, 2008, in southern Baghdad’s Rashid district.
U.S. Army photo by Sgt. James Harrington

The two met at the Specialized Service Dog School at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio.

“At the school, the dogs are exposed to helicopter rides, simulated gunfire and simulated mortars to see how they react,” said Harrington, a 14-year military service veteran with six deployments since 1995. “The dogs must be confident around the noises; they can’t just take off running.”

Because they are capable of detecting 19 separate odors on the battlefield and able to run off of a leash, the specialized service dogs have a distinct advantage, Harrington said.

“Having Sergeant Harrington and the [specialized-service] dog gives me the extra capability to unleash the dog into an open area,” said Army Staff Sgt. Christopher Ogle, who hails from Dayton, Ohio, and is the kennel master for the Falcon 40th Military Police Detachment from Fort Sill, Okla., attached to the 1st STB. “It is that off-leash capability that puts the handler out of danger.”

Harrington said he believes the ability to multitask while operating in sector and conducting weapon searches is an important quality dog handlers should possess.

“I have to be able to watch for my security, watch for the dog’s security, watch what she is searching, and finally lead the dog in the direction I want her to search in next,” he explained. “I always have to be two steps ahead.”

Recently, Harrington and Ryky cleared a 600-meter portion of a main thoroughfare in Baghdad for a distinguished visitor; it took them about an hour.

“It would take another dog three hours to complete that stretch of road, because they would be on a six-foot leash and the handler has to present everything to the dog,” Harrington said. Usually, the team uses a leash while out in sector due to stray dogs and small confined areas, he added, but, if needed, Ryky could be up to 200 yards away and still effectively search an area.

“It takes me out of the equation in case something was to go wrong; we lose a dog, but we don’t lose a handler,” Harrington said.

Harrington has worked with dogs for about two years. He noted the specialized-service dog program quickly is becoming more widespread across all facets of the military. The dog graduates ready to deploy right after completing the school, he explained, while other working dogs leave their school able to detect nine odors and receive additional training by their handlers in the combat theater.

“I think Ryky and I make soldiers’ jobs easier because we can search faster, the dog can smell better and she leads from the front,” Harrington said.

There are currently seven dogs in Iraq that are used to support military operations in southern Baghdad.

I don’t know about you, but this gives another meaning to the phrase “man’s best friend.”

This is Sgt. Stryker signing out.

Iraq Update

According to U.S. officials, three terrorists were killed and 14 suspects were detained as coalition forces continued to degrade al-Qaida in Iraq facilitation and leadership networks during multiple operations.

December 17th, 2008.

A wanted man assessed to be an al-Qaida military leader was captured by coalition forces in Mosul.
Also, two terrorists believed to be linked to Samarra al-Qaida in Iraq leaders were killed during an operation early December 17, 2008, near Tikrit, which is north of Baghdad. When the assault force entered a building believed to be the location of a wanted terrorist operative, two men grabbed AK-47 assault rifles and attempted to engage forces. Acting in self-defense, the assault force engaged and killed the two. In addition to the two rifles, forces found multiple grenades and AK-47 magazines in the house. Forces detained a total of two suspects during the operation.

Also on December 17, 2008:

One terrorist was killed during an operation targeting a wanted man believed to be responsible for smuggling foreign terrorists into Mosul and other places in Iraq. After the assault force detained one terrorist, the man broke his restraints and attacked a member of the assault force. Perceiving hostile intent, forces engaged and killed the man. Forces detained two additional suspects without further incident.

A wanted man who reportedly has connections to al-Qaida foreign terrorist facilitators was captured in Talbah, northeast of Mosul. Three suspects assessed to be associates of the man also were detained.

Two suspects believed to be associates of a regional al-Qaida in Iraq leader were detained near Ramadi, northwest of Baghdad.

In Baghdad, forces detained a man believed to have ties to an al-Qaida weapons facilitator and car bomb operative.

December 16, 2008 in Iraq:

Coalition forces captured a wanted man in Beiji, south of Mosul. The suspected terrorist is believed to be an al-Qaida cell leader in the city.

Near Abu Mariyah, north of Mosul, coalition forces detained a suspect believed to have connections to a suspected al-Qaida foreign terrorist facilitator.

In other operations, tips from concerned citizens led Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers to weapons caches in the Baghdad area:

A citizen turned in unexploded ordnance to U.S. soldiers north of Baghdad that included a 120 mm projectile and a hand grenade.

A citizen’s tip guided soldiers to a hand grenade and a trip flare north of Baghdad.

U.S. soldiers found a weapons cache west of Baghdad that included two OS-56 projectiles, a 122 mm projectile, a 130 mm projectile, a 155 mm projectile and a 462 projectile.

Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers found a weapons cache south of Baghdad. A citizen led U.S. soldiers to a cache consisting of 23 57 mm projectiles, an 82 mm mortar and four bottles of bulk explosive material south of the Mahmudiyah area of Baghdad. (Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq and Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)

The Sirius Star at anchor off the coast of Harardhere, Somalia, as seen by a U.S. Navy aircraft flying overhead. The ship was attacked Nov. 15 more than 450 miles off the East coast of Africa, and was forced to proceed to an anchorage in Somali territorial waters
Photo By: Petty Officer 2nd Class William Stevens – U.S. Naval Forces, 5th Fleet Public Affairs

Pirates in Somalia

A resolution passed December 16, 2008 by the United Nations Security Council authorizes foreign forces to pursue pirates inside Somalia. In a unanimous vote, the 15-nation U.N. Security Council approved the U.S.-sponsored resolution. The language authorizes nations to use “all necessary measures” to stop anyone using Somali land or sea to plan or carry out piracy.

“We welcome the passing of the resolution,” Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said. “We will continue to work with our allies and partners to address this troublesome problem.”

This emphasis on the need for commercial shippers to take more responsibility echoes comments Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates made last week in Manama, Bahrain. He suggested owners train boat captains on maneuvers for evading or defending against pirate attacks.

“We’ve seen news reports the other day of a cruise ship that actually — once it realized it was under attack — simply outran the pirates. The truth of the matter is most ships can do that,” he said. “But too many just stop.

“But at the end of the day, [piracy] has become a very good business,” he added. “The first thing we need is better intelligence on who’s behind it.”

Gates said some intelligence suggested that several Somali-based clans might be responsible for a substantial amount of piracy.

“If we can identify who those clans are, then we can potentially target them under the auspices of the U.N., and do so in a way that minimizes the collateral damage, that minimizes hurting innocent people in Somalia,” he said.

“I think it’s actually a combination of the measures that are taken on the water, and then, under the auspices of the U.N., seeing if we can develop the kind of information that would make possible going after some of these groups in Somalia that would seem to be the source of most of these attacks,” the secretary continued.

Following the U.N. Security Council meeting in New York City on December 16, 2008, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the talks included discussion of intelligence sharing, the need for commercial shipping to deter hostage situations and the importance of stabilizing Somalia.

She added that the United States is going to lead a Contact Group on Piracy on the Somali Coast.

“But ultimately, all members spoke to the need to deal with the root cause of the problem, which is the instability in Somalia,” she said. “There is great support, as the United States supports the Djibouti process and the hopes for peace as Somali factions begin to try and chart a course ahead.”

This is Sgt Stryker Signing out.

Bush Pays Final Visit to Deployed Troops in Iraq, Signs Security Pact with Maliki

U.S. President George W. Bush spent some of his final 40 days in office visiting troops in both Iraq and Afghanistan in a surprise visit. While in Iraq seeing the troops, Bush also signed an important and historic security pact with Iraq Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. The pact affirms two landmark agreements to withdraw U.S. troops and formalize a long-term relationship between the two countries.

In his final trip to Iraq as commander in chief of the United States, President George W. Bush brought season’s greetings from “a proud and grateful nation” to deployed U.S. troops on December 14th and early December 15th. He thanked them for their service.

“Merry Christmas to you, happy holidays,” Bush told troops during his first stop of the trip, Al Faw Palace on Camp Victory in Baghdad. “This is a time of year to give thanks for our many blessings, and the greatest blessing we have is freedom and the fact that we’ve got a United States military to defend that freedom.”

“…thanks to you, the Iraq we stand in tonight is dramatically freer, dramatically safer, and dramatically better than the Iraq we found eight years ago,” Bush said. “I doubt in [Saddam’s] worst nightmares he ever would have dreamt that we’d be standing in one of his palaces.”

“The dramatic turnaround you led in Iraq culminated in the two agreements,” he told the troops. “These agreements show the way forward toward a historic day — when American forces withdraw from a democratic and successful Iraq, and the war in this land is won.”

On Sunday December 14th, President George W. Bush signed a security pact in Baghdad, 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. [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.”

U.S. President George W. Bush meets with U.S. military personnel during a surprise visit to Al Faw Palace, Camp Victory, Iraq, Dec. 14. Photo By: Spc. Brandon Price – Joint Combat Camera Center 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.

You can say what you want about George W. Bush, but it’s good of him to not forget the troops who have sacrificed so much. By visiting them around the world, putting himself in danger, he shows that he does care for all the men and women who have sacrificed so much to follow his orders to go to war.

This is Sgt Stryker Signing out.

The 2nd Squad of 1st Platoon, 191st Military Police Co., 91st MP Battalion, 8th MP Brigade, Multi-National Division – Baghdad from left to right: Spc. Justin Valenti of Fargo, N.D., Sgt. Justin Lindteigen, a native of Fargo, N.D., and Spc. Michael Jordheim from Thompson, N.D., recall events on Dec. 3, where they identified an improvised explosive device. Through a controlled detonation, and explosive ordnance disposal team eliminated the threat to the Iraqi people and coalition forces. Less than ten days before the incident, the same squad was the target of an IED in the same area. Photo By: Ray McNulty – Multi-National Division Baghdad

Coalition and Iraqi forces detained eight suspected terrorists and seized weapons in Iraq over the weekend according to US officials.

During operations in Iraq December 13:

– Sons of Iraq and Iraqi national police turned over munitions to Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers in the Kadamiyah and Sadr City sections of Baghdad. The two caches contained an automatic rifle and ammunition, bomb-making materials and mortars.

– Iraqi national police and Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers found weapons caches in the East Rashid district, in New Baghdad and elsewhere in the Iraqi capital. The stockpiles contained mortars, bomb-making materials and other military equipment.

– Iraqi army soldiers found a homemade explosive in Baghdad’s Rashid District. The bomb was attached by magnets to a gate surrounding the residence of a neighborhood advisory councilman in the Saydiyah community. The Baghdad explosive ordnance disposal unit detonated the device on site.

In December 12 Iraq Operations:

– Coalition and Iraqi security forces detained six suspected terrorists in Mosul’s Shuada neighborhood around 4 a.m. Coalition Spokesman Army Maj. Gary Dangerfield said: “Our focus has not changed. We will continue to pursue terrorists were they live and try to conduct operations.”

– Soldiers assigned to 10th Mountain Division’s 4th Brigade Combat Team captured two suspects in eastern Baghdad’s Rusafa district around 3 a.m. Army Maj. Joey Sullinger, spokesman for 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division thanked Iraqi
citizens for assisting in establishing security and stability. “As long as these criminals choose to keep bringing death and destruction to the people of eastern Baghdad, we will help Iraqi security forces hunt them down,” he said.

– Iraqi army and Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers found weapons caches in the Mahmoudiya section of Baghdad. A tip from a local Iraqi guided soldiers serving with 3rd Battalion, 23rd Brigade, 17th Iraqi Army Division to three 120 mm rounds, 40 fuses and three mortar tubes.

(Compiled from Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)

Christmas Tree Programs Brighten Holidays for Military Families

A Christmas tree farm in White house, Ohio, is celebrating the holiday season by giving away 100 Christmas trees to military families.

“We’ve been giving trees to military families since the war started,” Duke Wheeler, owner of White house Christmas Tree Farm, said. “We feel it’s important to let these families know that we appreciate their sacrifices. We’re grateful for all that they do.”

The tree farm is giving away 7-foot Christmas trees through Dec. 20 to military families who have a service member overseas or a service member who recently returned from duty. Family members can cut down their own tree at the farm or have it cut down while they wait.

Wheeler also participated in the annual “Trees for Troops” weekend, which took place Dec. 5 to 7. For each Christmas tree bought at participating Christmas tree farms, another tree was donated to a military family.

“Trees for Troops,” a Christmas Spirit Foundation and FedEx Corp. program, has delivered more than 34,000 real Christmas trees to military families since it began in 2005. The program has grown from about 400 Christmas tree farms and retailers participating to more than 850. Nearly 17,000 families at more than 40 military bases received a Christmas tree in 2007 through this program.

As a member of the Ohio Christmas Tree Association, White house Christmas Tree Farm also takes part in “Operation Evergreen,” a 12-year-old program that allows American service members to celebrate Christmas with a live Ohio tree.

For the program, trees are cut and collected from several Christmas tree farms around Veterans Day, and transported by the growers to the Ohio Department of Agriculture in Reynoldsburg to be inspected, packed into boxes and put on a FedEx truck for overseas shipment.

“This year alone, with 20 growers, we had 30 high school and middle school students come and help us pack 325 trees,” Amy Galehouse, Operation Evergreen coordinator for OCTA, said.

Galehouse said the trees were shipped out Nov. 12 and arrived in Kuwait on Nov. 18. “It usually takes two weeks for the trees to get all the way to Afghanistan,” she said. “Seventy-five went into Iraq, 100 into Kuwait and 150 into Afghanistan.”

Wheeler says he is happy to be a part of all three programs that reach out to service members and their families during the holidays.

“This is just a small token, a simple ‘thank you,’” Wheeler said.

This is Sgt Stryker Signing out.

Left to right, Army 2nd Lt. Brian Callahanleader of the Civil Affairs Team 33; Lt. Col. Rod, an officer in the Iraqi Ministry of Science and Technology; Fadil Mottleck, assistant chairman of the Jisr Diyala Council; and Assum Abed, project contractor, cut a ribbon to signify the opening of the Ishtar electric and water substations southeast of Baghdad, Dec. 7, 2008.
U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Evan Loyd

Today I want to talk about the Disability Awards in Washington DC recently and also successful efforts to restore water and electricity in Iraq.

Disability Awards Shed Light on Underrepresented Workers

“People with disabilities are much more likely to be unemployed than to be hired by the federal government. And there’s something wrong with that picture,” said Christine M. Griffin, commissioner of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and keynote speaker at a ceremony put on by the U.S. Department of Defense.

At the ceremony, the Defense Department recognized some of its outstanding disabled employees. The ceremony also doubled as a way to advance the cause of disabled workers.

Though federal employers should focus on disabled workers’ abilities, not their limitations, that’s more wishful thinking than reality, a government official said.

Of the 6,000 federal senior executives, only 35 are severely disabled, Griffin said. And disabled federal employees endure pay gaps compared to the salaries of their counterparts, she added.

“This doesn’t reflect the public we serve,” said Griffin, who was paralyzed in a car crash while in college and uses a wheelchair. “This is not what society looks like.”

Griffin said employment correlates to one’s level of life satisfaction, and she stressed that champions of disabled workers must emerge to change employers’ perceptions and hiring practices.

“I know that self worth and net worth are linked together,” she said. “To deny that to millions and millions of people with disabilities is wrong.”

David S.C. Chu, undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, said the Defense Department employs about 5,000 disabled workers, or 1 percent of its civilian work force.

“While that percentage may be higher than some other agencies, we know we can do better,” Chu said. “The emphasis should not be on what you can’t do; the emphasis should be on what you can do.”

Dinah F.B. Cohen directs the Defense Department’s Computer/Electronic Accommodations Program, which has provided technical assistance to disabled employees for nearly 20 years. In fiscal 2008, she said, the program filled more than 10,000 requests for accommodations, almost half of which supported wounded servicemembers.

“When you see that 44 percent of those accommodations were directly related to support our men and women with devastating injuries, I feel we are making a difference,” Cohen said. “We have gotten rid of that excuse, ‘I can’t afford to accommodate [disabled employees].”

On behalf of the Defense Department, Chu presented awards to the following outstanding employees with disabilities:

* Gary Szymanski, Department of the Army;
* Dierdre McVoy, Department of the Navy;
* Joanne Jordan, Department of the Air Force;
* Darrell H. Gates, Army and Air Force Exchange Service;
* Frank William Jenkins, Jr., Defense Commissary Agency;
* Yvonne E. Brauer, Defense Contract Management Agency;
* Richard Allen Larue, Defense Finance and Accounting Service;
* Michael D. Martin, Defense Information Systems Agency;
* David E. Anders, Defense Logistics Agency;
* Georgia Williams-Fitzpatrick, Department of Defense Education Activity;
* Dorthea Barbour, National Guard Bureau; and
* Paul W. Kahn, National Security Agency.

Coalition Troops Provide Water, Electricity, Befriend Iraqis

Here’s a type of story you don’t hear a lot about in the “mainstream media.”

In the town os Ishtar, near Baghdad, a new water and electric substation has brought basic services to people who have long gone without them on any regular basis.

“Before this project, the villagers used to be indifferent to us,” said Army 2nd Lt. Brian Callahan, leader of Civil Affairs Team 33, part of the 1st Armored Division’s 35th Armored Regiment, 1st Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team. “But now they are happy to see us and thankful for our help.”

Though $166,000 in coalition funds paid for the project, one of the biggest contributors to getting the substation up and running was Assum Abed, the contractor who oversaw the project and lives in Ishtar.
“He went above and beyond the scope of the work,” said Army Sgt. Christopher Nishio, team sergeant of the civil affairs team. “I think he took extra pride in his work since he was working for his community’s water and electric supplies.”

Thanks to Abed, the substations have roofs that do not leak, sturdy new walls and cement walkways connecting the two buildings. To top everything off, he gave everything a wash and a fresh coat of paint.

“I am really happy and excited for my village. We now have running water and electricity that works,” Abed said at the ceremony. “I would like to thank the coalition forces for their support in funding this project, and I look forward to working with them again in any future projects.”

This is Sgt Stryker Signing out.

Staff Sgt. Monwell Chassion pressure washes a sweeper at Joint Base Balad, Iraq, Dec. 5. The sweepers pick up foreign object debris on runways and taxiways and are emptied at the end of each shift. Monwell, a 332nd Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron heating, ventilation and air conditioning technician, is deployed from Hurlburt Field, Fla. His hometown is New Orleans.
Photo by: Airman 1st Class Jason Epley – 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing

Coalition forces are keeping the enemy busy this winter in Iraq.

On Sunday December 7, 2008, coalition troops apprehended an alleged key member of the Kataib Hezbollah network and two other suspects during an operation in Baghdad’s Adhamiyah district. It is believed by some that Kataib Hezbollah is a surrogate group for the Quds Force of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard.

After getting tips from locals, coalition forces approached a residence in search of the suspected terrorist. The wanted man identified himself to forces, and was apprehended without incident along with two other suspected Kataib Hezbollah network members.

During the search of the residence, a fire accidentally started as forces entered one of the houses. Iraqi and coalition firefighters responded, extinguished the fire, and evacuated nearby residents for their safety. No one was harmed in the incident.

Other Iraq Operations Sunday December 7, 2008

Coalition and Iraqi forces in Jaykanah, about 100 miles northeast of Baghdad, captured an alleged courier believed to have ties to al-Qaida leaders in northern Iraq. Three additional suspects believed to be associates of the wanted man were detained for further questioning.

Al-Qaida communication networks also were disrupted today in Sadiyah, about 11 miles northeast of Baghdad, where forces detained a suspect believed to be associated with a Diyala area al-Qaida courier.

Two wanted men were captured near Karmah, about 25 miles west of Baghdad. Reports suggest the two suspected terrorists are linked to al-Qaida supply and facilitation networks in Iraq’s Anbar province.

Another wanted man was captured in Baghdad as coalition forces continued to pressure al-Qaida bombing networks. Reports suggest the suspected terrorist is involved in suicide-bomber and homemade-bomb attacks in the city, officials said. He surrendered himself to coalition forces during the operation. Three others determined to be his associates also were detained.

Forces detained two suspects in Mosul during an operation targeting al-Qaida foreign-terrorist and suicide-bomber networks.

In Iraq Saturday December 6, 2008

Forces detained a suspect during an operation targeting roadside-bomb facilitator in Sharqat, about 160 miles south of Mosul.

Members of the local “Sons of Iraq” citizen security group and Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers recovered an AK-47 assault rifle and magazines north of Baghdad.

A tip led soldiers to a weapons cache north of Baghdad that included 57 mm mortars, 60 mm mortars and an anti-personnel mine.

Iraqi police, along with coalition soldiers, followed up on a tip from a citizen and seized a rocket-propelled grenade launcher and RPG warheads in Risalah.

U.S. soldiers detained a man suspected of transporting rockets into northwestern Baghdad’s Ameriyah district.

U.S. soldiers and Iraqi police detained a suspected criminal based on an arrest warrant issued by Iraqi authorities.

Coalition forces captured a suspected terrorist in Mosul. He was believed to coordinate the movement of foreign terrorists in western Anbar province and the northern Jazeera Desert. Three other men wanted in connection with the facilitation network were discovered at the residence. All four wanted men and an additional suspect were detained without incident.

An operation in Beiji netted a suspect believed to be associated with a local al-Qaida leader. Two AK-47 assault rifles were found buried in the courtyard of the home, where the suspect was detained.

A wanted man was captured during an operation in Baghdad. Reports suggest the suspected terrorist is a leader in al-Qaida’s Baghdad network and facilitates bombing operations in the city.

Coalition forces captured a wanted man believed to have ties to terrorist leadership in the region and an additional suspect believed to be his associate. Forces also recovered three pistols and an AK-47.

A suspected terrorist believed to be associated with anti-coalition activities in Anbar province was captured in Hit. The suspected terrorist, who officials said may have links to al-Qaida, surrendered himself to the ground force without incident. A man determined to be an associate of the wanted man also was detained.

U.S. soldiers detained a suspected Iranian-backed criminal group cell leader in the Aamel community. The individual is believed to be responsible for facilitating attacks against coalition and Iraqi security forces. He also is alleged to be responsible for rocket attacks against local citizens and crimes of extortion. An additional individual was detained for questioning.

Iraqi soldiers discovered a 107 mm rocket, assault rifles and a machine gun during a routine security patrol in the Jihad community.

Friday December 5, 2008 in Iraq:

Coalition forces targeted an alleged al-Qaida in Iraq bomb facilitator in Sharqat, south of Mosul. The assault force stopped a vehicle associated with the wanted man. The driver initially complied with the assault force’s orders to stop, but then began to move again. Perceiving hostile intent, forces engaged the vehicle and stopped it. The assault force detained one of the passengers for further questioning.

Forces in Mosul captured a suspected suicide-bomber facilitator. The wanted man, who was detained with an additional suspect, was believed to be coordinating with a potential suicide bomber at the time of his capture. The suspected terrorist also is believed to be involved in al-Qaida’s foreign-terrorist facilitation networks, officials said.

Forces in Beiji detained a suspect during an operation targeting an al-Qaida leader in the city. Reports suggest the wanted man and his associates were planning an attack in the area and had been gathering a weapons cache. The assault force was led to three suspected cache sites south of Beiji, where they found 155 mm artillery rounds, ammunition rounds, bags of detonation cord, a mortar, mortar rounds and rockets. The materials were safely destroyed.

Coalition forces captured a suspected terrorist allegedly linked to al-Qaida in Iraq leadership.

During an operation in Hit, forces captured a wanted man believed to be associated with regional al-Qaida leaders. Another man was detained for further questioning.

Responding to a tip, U.S. soldiers detained a man suspected of coordinating weapons trafficking in southern Baghdad’s Abu Tshir community.

Iraqi National Police discovered a roadside bomb consisting of an 82 mm mortar round and TNT in Rashid’s Jazair community. The police contacted U.S. soldiers, who contacted a coalition explosives ordnance disposal unit to handle the bomb.

U.S. soldiers reported finding rocket-propelled grenades and mortar rounds in Abu Tshir.

Patrolling in the Aamel community of southern Baghdad, U.S. soldiers discovered a 60 mm mortar round in an abandoned building.

Iraqi National Police discovered rocket-propelled grenades with motors, rocket-propelled grenades without motors and 57 mm projectiles in the Ghartan community. U.S. soldiers verified the contents, which the police officers moved to their headquarters and turned over to an explosives disposal team for disposal.

U.S. soldiers found an assault rifle and four full magazines north of Baghdad.

A tip led U.S. soldiers to two RPG warheads in Baghdad’s Rashid district.
In western Rashid, U.S. soldiers found a 60 mm mortar round in an abandoned building.

This was compiled from Multinational Force Iraq and Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.

This is Sgt Stryker Signing out.