A Soldiers Blog: 11/01/2003

Sunday, November 30, 2003

Newsday.com - Losing Battle for City's Heart

Samarra, Iraq - In a city seething with discontent, Adnan Maher held up a yellow plastic bag bulging with 6 pounds of rice, lentils, flour and sugar. "This is Mr. Bremer's Ramadan gift to the people of Samarra," he said, grinning.

Maher, chairman of the U.S.-backed city council here, distributed 3,000 such bags to Samarra's poor on Nov. 22. In each sack was a greeting from Paul Bremer, the top U.S. administrator in Iraq, marking the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

As Maher's men loaded the food into pickup trucks and jeeps, Capt. David Johnson looked pleased. "We're trying to win the hearts and minds of Iraqis," said the civil affairs officer with the 4th Infantry Division. "We're doing it in small steps."

Less than half a mile away, at a soccer field riddled with American bullets, few Iraqi hearts were won. The athletic club's president, Jamal Jassem, said U.S. helicopters have fired on the field four times over the past month in their hunt for Iraqi insurgents. The stadium lights have all been blown out, and machine-gun fire punctured the water tanks and pipes.

Pointing to the bullet holes in the goalposts, Jassem asked, "Is this what the Americans mean by winning our hearts?"

This city offers a window into how the U.S.-led occupation is losing ground in Iraq. Unlike most Sunni Muslim cities in central and western Iraq, Samarra was a place that U.S. forces had a shot at winning over. The city of 200,000 was one of the few Sunni-dominated areas that suffered under Saddam Hussein's rule, mainly because Samarra and its leading tribes were regional rivals to Hussein's hometown, Tikrit.

But the Americans have been unable to capitalize on Samarra's hatred for Hussein and his ruling Baath Party. Since arriving in mid-April, U.S. forces have carried out dozens of nighttime raids, detained hundreds of people and imposed a nighttime curfew. They have also painted schools, put up blackboards, distributed food and repaired water stations in an effort to soothe the anger in this city 60 miles north of Baghdad.

"The Americans made serious mistakes from the very beginning," said Shaker Mohammed, the city's U.S.-appointed mayor and a former Iraqi army general. "When U.S. soldiers search houses at night, they tie up the men and they frighten the women and children. This breeds resentment."

Akram Shouk is just the kind of person that the Americans could have won over in Samarra. One of his older brothers was executed by Hussein's regime in the early 1990s. Two of his other siblings were imprisoned for six years for working against the Baath Party, and Shouk lost his grocery store under the regime's policy of collective punishment.

"I hated Saddam because of all the pain he caused my family," said Shouk, 43, who now tries to earn a living as a laborer. "I was very happy when the Americans got rid of him. I thought they would help us improve our lives."

But Shouk turned against the U.S. occupation after troops raided his home one night last month. As he tells it, about 20 soldiers surrounded his house, broke down the metal door, took him and his two teenage sons outside, put sacks on their heads and tied their arms with plastic handcuffs. The soldiers then spent two hours searching the three-room house for weapons and pro-insurgent material.

"They broke some of my dishes, damaged my furniture and they dragged mud all over my floor," said Shouk's wife, Nabiha, pointing to a broken wooden dresser.

Shouk thinks the Americans were tipped off by a neighbor who holds a grudge against him. "They didn't find anything, so they just left," he said. "They terrorized us and they didn't even apologize."

Samarra is part of the so-called Sunni Triangle, a region stretching west and north of Baghdad that formed the foundation of support for Hussein. U.S. forces have faced the stiffest resistance in these areas.

Two weeks ago, U.S. fighter jets and artillery pounded empty farmhouses at the city's outskirts - places that military officials said had provided shelter to insurgents. The bombing was part of an offensive in central Iraq that began Nov. 2 after guerrillas shot down a U.S. Chinook helicopter near the western city of Fallujah, killing 16 soldiers.

"We are sending a message. We are showing that we are here," said Maj. Gordon Tate, a spokesman for the 4th Infantry Division, which is based in Tikrit.

As much as the people of Samarra hated Hussein, they are now livid at the Americans.

"No matter how much food they hand out or how many schools they say they're going to build, we're never going to accept the Americans here," said Ali Abdullah, 31, a guard at the soccer field that was attacked by U.S. helicopters. "They are occupiers and we will drive them out."

Even Maher, a tribal leader who was appointed by the Americans to head the newly formed city council in April, speaks of the potential for widespread resistance.

"As politicians, we want to have a dialogue with the Americans," said Maher, 61, a former Iraqi air force general who was imprisoned by the Baathist regime for six years. "We want to resist their occupation politically, but if we find that road is closed, then we will have to resist them another way."

The U.S. Army withdrew most of its troops from Samarra on Nov. 15 and moved them to a garrison about six miles outside the city. The redeployment is part of a wider effort by U.S. commanders to turn over security inside cities and towns to Iraqis. But in Samarra, guerrillas attacked one of the U.S. bases just hours after it was handed over to Iraqi forces.

Maher is worried that the ill-equipped Iraqi police and civil defense corps will not be able to handle security inside the city on their own. The police are still short of weapons, patrol cars and radios. And they're anxious about being targets of suicide attacks like those on police stations in other parts of Iraq.

"Some people do want the Americans to stay here, and are willing to work with them," said Mohammed, the mayor. "But they can't say that publicly because they're afraid of retribution."

History weighs heavily on Samarra, and most conversations with residents frequently drift into how, in the ninth century, the city became capital of the Abbasid dynasty that ruled the Muslim empire. The Abbasid seat of power remained in Samarra for 50 years before it was moved back to Baghdad.

More than 1,100 years later, that history became a threat to Hussein. The dictator hailed from a village near Tikrit - a small city about 30 miles north of Samarra - best known as the birthplace of the Muslim warrior Salahuddin. Because Hussein tried to portray his right to rule as a revival of Salahuddin's legacy, he had to sideline Samarra.

As soon as he became president in 1979, Hussein moved the capital of Salahuddin province from Samarra to Tikrit. He relocated the university, government offices and the regional Baath Party headquarters. Hussein also executed dozens of Baath activists in Samarra and marginalized army officers from the city.

"Saddam hated this city because he was from a small village that felt inferior and poor in comparison to Samarra," Mohammed said. "He prevented the government from spending any money to improve the agriculture or infrastructure here."

For centuries, the people of Samarra have eked out a modest living by growing date palms, citrus groves, olives and lentils. Under Hussein's rule, farmers suffered because government grants went to Tikrit.

Hussein also imposed restrictions on Samarra's other main source of income, religious tourism. Even though it is a predominately Sunni city, Samarra is home to a major Shia Muslim shrine: the gold-domed Imam Al-Hadi Mosque. Hussein's regime considered the Shia religious pilgrims a potential danger, and his security services built elaborate networks of spies to monitor the visitors.

In December 1994, there was a final rupture between Hussein and Samarra, when Wafiq al-Samarrai, the head of Iraqi military intelligence at the time, defected to the West. Hussein launched another purge of the Baath Party in Samarra and removed many military officers who came from the city.

With this history of neglect and constant purges, the Baath Party lost its roots in Samarra. The city began to draw Islamist groups that flourished even under Hussein's rule. Today, these puritanical Sunni movements are encouraging the local resistance.

Their message can be found in a row of cramped shops hawking religious tapes and CDs in the city's center. Mahmoud Hassan does a brisk business selling recordings of militant Sunni preachers, including Sheik Ahmed Koubaisi, a cleric exiled by Hussein and banned by U.S. officials from returning to Iraq.

Hassan also sells CDs about Osama bin Laden, the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and Chechen guerrilla commander Khattab, a Saudi-born militant killed last year.

"All the mosques here talk about fighting the Americans," said Hassan, 28. "No one in Samarra has anything good to say about the Americans, unless he's a collaborator."
Newsday.com - Losing Battle for City's Heart

Iraq war news updates
Two U.S. soldiers killed in western Iraq: "Guerrillas ambushed a military convoy in western Iraq near the border with Syria, killing two American soldiers, the military said Sunday."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

CIA admits lack of specifics on Iraqi weapons before invasion: "The US Central Intelligence Agency has acknowledged it "lacked specific information" about alleged Iraqi weapons of mass destruction when it compiled an intelligence estimate last year that served to justify the US-led invasion of Iraq. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Japan Diplomats Slain in Iraq, Tokyo Says Undaunted: "Unknown assailants ambushed and murderedtwo Japanese diplomats in northern Iraq, piling new pressure onthe Tokyo government as it weighs a decision on sending troopsto help rebuild that country. (Reuters)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Seven Spanish intelligence officers killed in Iraq attacks: "Seven Spanish intelligence agents were killed in a mortar and grenade attack on their convoy near Baghdad, the deadliest such incident to hit Spanish troops since they deployed in Iraq in August, Spain's defence minister said. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Iraq attacks leave 11 dead in CNN - War in Iraq

Two U.S. Soldiers Killed in Western Iraq: "Guerrillas ambushed a military convoy in western Iraq near the border with Syria, killing two American soldiers, the military said Sunday. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Two U.S. Soldiers Killed in Ambush West of Baghdad: "Guerrillas attacked an American convoywest of Baghdad with small arms and rocket-propelled grenadeson Saturday, killing two U.S. soldiers and wounding one, theU.S. Army said on Sunday. (Reuters)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Japan vows to "never give in" to terrorism after two diplomats shot in Iraq: "Japan said it will "never give in" to terrorism after two of its diplomats were shot dead in Iraq, but stopped short of saying whether the attack would affect a plan to send troops to the war-torn country. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Iraq deaths won't deter Japan in CNN - War in Iraq

Japan Diplomats Slain in Iraq, Japan Says Undaunted: "Unknown assailants ambushed and murderedtwo Japanese diplomats in northern Iraq, piling new pressure onthe Tokyo government as it weighs a decision on sending troopsto help rebuild that country. (Reuters)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

7 Spaniards Killed in Iraqi Ambush: "LATIFIYA, Iraq, Nov. 29 -- More than a dozen insurgents ambushed and killed seven Spanish intelligence officers on Saturday on a highway near this town south of Baghdad, according to witnesses and Spanish officials. (washingtonpost.com)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

S.Korea Team Says Need Combat Troops in Iraq -Yonhap: "A South Korean fact-finding team fromIraq would probably suggest the government also needs combattroops to help rebuild the country, the Yonhap News agencyreported on Sunday. (Reuters)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Spain Unites to Mourn Seven Killed in Iraq: "Spain put aside political divisions onSunday to mourn seven intelligence agents killed in thedeadliest single attack on Spanish personnel in Iraq. (Reuters)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Spanish agents, Japanese diplomats killed in Iraq in CNN - War in Iraq

Turks capture synagogue bombing suspect: "A central figure in the suicide bombing of an Istanbul synagogue was captured while trying to slip into Iran, police said Saturday. He was charged with trying to overthrow Turkey's "constitutional order" - an offense equivalent to treason."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

Iraqi Leaders Say U.S. Was Warned of Disorder After Hussein, but Little Was Done: "More than a dozen Iraqi exile leaders said that they had warned the Bush administration about the chaos that could follow after Saddam Hussein was toppled."

In New York Times: World Special

Iraqis Learn Bureaucracy at Town Hall Meetings: "Local council members are the vanguard of democracy in Iraq; and they are a most unhappy lot."

In New York Times: World Special

'A Time of Our Choosing': Masters of War: "Based on reporting from The Times, Todd S. Purdum has written a guide to understanding the causes, conduct and consequences of the war in Iraq."

In New York Times: World Special

War is our Common Enemy: "Launched in February 2003 to "offer a humanitarian perspective during the then-looming conflict" in Iraq, Electronic Iraq (eIraq) is the project of two groups who will be familiar to many PN readers - Voices in the Wilderness (US) and Electronic Intifada. Peace News caught up with Nigel Parry, co-founder of both projects, to discuss the ethos behind this online information project. Peace News is a progressive publication that has been publishing since 1936."

In Electronic Iraq

Operation Iron Hammer assessed: "With the US pounding Iraqi towns with bombs and artillery in an effort to step up raids to catch oppositionists, human rights groups have expressed concern over the impact 'Operation Iron Hammer' could be having on local populations."

In Electronic Iraq

Fears of drop in school attendance due to insecurity: "As the school day comes to an end in the southern city of Basra, parents hurry to collect their children, especially if they are girls, from school gates for fear of them being kidnapped or attacked."

In Electronic Iraq

CIA admits lack of specifics on Iraqi weapons before invasion: "The US Central Intelligence Agency has acknowledged it "lacked specific information" about alleged Iraqi weapons of mass destruction when it compiled an intelligence estimate last year that served to justify the US-led invasion of Iraq. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

November Is Deadliest Month: "Seventy-seven U.S. troops died in November, the worst month for the U.S. so far. Seven Spaniards and two Japanese were killed in separate ambushes Saturday. The American military says some U.S.-trained police may be helping the insurgents."

In CBS News: Iraq Crisis

New Command Post Poll ...: "... over there on the right (below the ol' Ace of Spades)."

In Command Post: Irak

Spain's opposition: Get troops out of Iraq: "Hours after seven Spaniards were killed in an Iraqi ambush, the government doggedly promised Saturday to keep its troops in Iraq. But opposition politicians renewed demands for the soldiers to be returned home."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

Hillary Clinton Meets With Iraq Officials: "U.S. senators Hillary Rodham Clinton and Jack Reed met in this oil-rich northern city Saturday with local officials who urged the visitors to raise the problems of their city with U.S. officials back home. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Saturday, November 29, 2003

Tim Robbins Shames Himself Again

'Embedded' by Tim Robbins Opens; Actor's Play Portrays Journos in Fictional War
'Embedded' by Tim Robbins Opens; Actor's Play Portrays Journos in Fictional War: "Robbins told the Los Angeles Times' Richard Stayton last week that vicious attacks on him and his family (especially his 13-year-old son) after he and Susan Sarandon came out against the war in the spring motivated him to write the play, which 'came really fast.' Among other things, Robbins was accused of being a traitor and his appearance at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown to honor Bull Durham was cancelled. "

So in order to assuage his bruised ego he demoralizes the troops, emboldens the terrorists, and crushes the hearts of thousands of military familys with what is truly a pack of lies and calls it art.
Do you feel better Tim?
Art is great, timing is everything, and this isn't the time for that kind of art.
Tom Hanks where are you? We need you.
A Soldier's Mom
Patti Patton-Bader
Posted by: Patti / 1:45 PM
Iraq War News

KRT Wire | 11/28/2003 | Toll on U.S. troops in Iraq grows as wounded rolls approach 10,000

Toll on U.S. troops in Iraq grows as wounded rolls approach 10,000
BY ROGER ROY
The Orlando Sentinel

ORLANDO, Fla. - (KRT) - Nearly 10,000 U.S. troops have been killed, wounded, injured or become ill enough to require evacuation from Iraq since the war began, the equivalent of almost one Army division, according to the Pentagon.

Unlike the more than 2,800 American fighting men and women logged by the Defense Department as killed and wounded by weapons in Iraq, the numbers of injured and sick have been more difficult to track, leading critics to accuse the military of under-reporting casualty numbers.

Military officials deny they are fudging the numbers. But the latest figures show that 9,675 U.S. troops have been killed, wounded, injured such as in accidents, or become sick enough to require airlifting out of Iraq.

"I don't think even that is the whole story," said Nancy Lessin of Boston, the mother of an Iraq war veteran and co-founder of Military Families Speak Out, a group opposed to the war in Iraq.

"We really think there's an effort to hide the true cost in life, limb and the mental health of our soldiers," Lessin said. "There's a larger picture here of really trying to hide and obfuscate what's going on, and the wounded and injured are part of it."

The number of sick and injured is almost certainly substantially higher, because the figures provided by the military last week include totals only through Oct. 30.

Virginia Stephanakis, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Army surgeon general, said there has been no effort to manipulate the casualty statistics.

"I can reassure you that these are the best figures we have," Stephanakis said. "We're certainly not playing with the numbers or trying to downplay them."

As of Friday, 2,401 U.S. troops were listed as wounded in Iraq since the war began in March. At least 424 have died in combat or in accidents.

Another 2,464 suffered nonbattle injuries, which would include everything from accidental gunshots to broken bones and vehicle accidents, Stephanakis said.

And another 4,397 troops have been evacuated from Iraq to U.S. military hospitals - usually in Germany - for treatment of medical problems not related to wounds or injuries.

They include 290 treated for urological problems such as kidney stones - thought by many soldiers to be caused by drinking large quantities of high-mineral bottled water during the blistering summer in Iraq. Another 299 were treated for heart problems and 249 for gastrointestinal illnesses.

Another 504 troops were evacuated for treatment of psychiatric problems.

Stephanakis could not say how many of the psychiatric cases have been diagnosed as post-traumatic stress disorder, a debilitating mental condition that can strike troops who have been in combat or a war zone.

"I have no breakdown," she said. "Most are related to what people call combat stress, depression, anxiety."

The Pentagon is not expected to release any updated figures on noncombat wounded, sick and injured until early next month.

Some critics accuse the military of low-balling its figures to curb criticism of the war.

"I think it's a general reluctance to be forthcoming," said Wilson "Woody" Powell, a Korean War veteran and executive director of Veterans for Peace, a St. Louis antiwar organization.

"There are ways of shaping numbers," Powell said. "You can do a lot just by omitting a few things now and then."

For example, critics said, the figures released by the Army do not include men and women whose injuries or illnesses were treated in Iraq, but only those who required transfer to medical facilities outside Iraq.

Some troops who have been wounded in bomb or mortar attacks have been awarded the Purple Heart, but their wounds were not serious enough to require them to be evacuated.

And Lessin said the reported number of troops treated for psychiatric problems does not include those who didn't seek treatment until they returned home.

Since April, the military says, at least 17 U.S. troops have committed suicide in Iraq, and the cause of at least two dozen other noncombat deaths had not been determined.

Stephanakis acknowledged the figures don't include every troop injury and illness from the war in Iraq. But because the military medical system was designed to give only enough treatment in Iraq to stabilize patients, then transfer them to facilities in Europe or the United States, virtually every serious injury or illness is included in the numbers, she said.

And some troops were taken to medical facilities in Europe for minor procedures not available in Iraq, Stephanakis said.

For example, 319 troops were evacuated for gynecological treatments, some of which may have been minor procedures, she said.

"It's easier for us to evacuate them to Germany than to keep a gynecologist in Baghdad," Stephanakis said.

And although accidents have killed and seriously injured hundreds of troops in war-time Iraq, even in peace time, military accidents claim many lives.

In 1999, the latest year for which statistics were available, 761 U.S. troops died around the world out of a military population of about 1.4 million, according to the Defense Department. Most of those deaths - 411 - were caused by accidents, with illness claiming another 126 lives and self-inflicted wounds, 110.

Even so, according to the Defense Department statistics, the death rate among troops that year was less than half the death rate in 1980.

---

© 2003, The Orlando Sentinel (Fla.).

Visit the Sentinel on the World Wide Web at http://www.orlandosentinel.com. On America Online, use keyword: OSO.

KRT Wire | 11/28/2003 | Toll on U.S. troops in Iraq grows as wounded rolls approach 10,000

US press divided on appraisal of Bush's stealth visit to Baghdad: "President George W. Bush's surprise holiday visit to Baghdad was the main course in US newspapers' post-Thanksgiving issues Friday, but the dailies diverged in their assessments of the trip's outcome. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

New purported Bush tape raises fear of new attacks (28 Nov 03) in Radio Free USA

Paper: Israel weighs removing settlements: "Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is considering dismantling Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip while simultaneously annexing blocs of West Bank settlements if peace efforts fail, an Israeli newspaper reported Friday."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

Analyst defends prewar spy data on Iraq: "A top U.S. intelligence analyst who supervised the production of the U.S. government's key prewar findings on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction programs says he believes those conclusions were sound, even though many have not been validated."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

Suspected Iraq Attack Recruiters Caught: "Three North African men were arrested in Italy and Germany as part of efforts to smash a network seeking to recruit Islamic militants for suicide attacks against coalition forces in Iraq, officials said Friday. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Pentagon funds pro-U.S. network in Iraq: "One of the chief U.S. weapons in the battle to win Iraqi hearts and minds is Al-Iraqiya - a Pentagon-funded TV station with an optimistic, pro-American slant."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

Rice defends Bush trip to Iraq: "President George W. Bush's national security adviser defended his lightning trip to Baghdad, denying it was a political stunt that inadvertently highlighted the chaos still blighting Iraq. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Analyst Defends Prewar Spy Data on Iraq: "A top U.S. intelligence analyst who supervised the production of the U.S. government's key prewar findings on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction programs says he believes those conclusions were sound, even though many have not been validated. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Friday, November 28, 2003

Iraq war news
Bush wows troops with secret visit to Iraq: "US President George W. Bush was headed back to the United States after braving the threat of missiles over Baghdad to join 600 troops for an emotional Thanksgiving dinner in Iraq, in a trip arranged under strict secrecy. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Iraqi oil close to pre-war levels in IraqWar.ru (English)

A Paper Trail Follows Iraqi Merchants of Tyranny in IraqWar.ru (English)

Bush makes surprise visit to Iraq for Thanksgiving holiday in IraqWar.ru (English)

Bush's Iraq coup unlikely to boost US polls in IraqWar.ru (English)

Iraq's scientists get a new academy in IraqWar.ru (English)

Not enough troops in Iraq: Garner in IraqWar.ru (English)

US 'won't seek Iraq resolution' in IraqWar.ru (English)

Russia Praises IAEA Iran Resolution in IraqWar.ru (English)

Roadside bomb hits convoy outside Baghdad in IraqWar.ru (English)

Ex-U.S. general recalls mistakes made in Iraq in IraqWar.ru (English)

Bush visit underlines commitment to Iraq in IraqWar.ru (English)

On Secret Iraq Trip, Bush Pays Holiday Visit to G.I.'s: "In one of the most secretive presidential trips in American history, George W. Bush visited U.S. troops in Baghdad."

In New York Times: World Special

Meeting of Iraqi Leaders Gives Lift to U.S. Plan on Power Shift: "The Iraqi Governing Council's president and a senior cleric appeared to be moving toward a compromise on a new government."

In New York Times: World Special

Guarding the Gaudy, G.I.'s Gorge Near a Hussein Palace: "Soldiers in the First Armored Division shared Thanksgiving dinner by the bombed-out palace of Saddam Hussein's youngest son."

In New York Times: World Special

Police ID explosives from Turkish attacks: "Ammonium nitrate-based explosives were used in four deadly suicide truck bombings in Istanbul, police said Thursday, as the bodies of two British diplomats were flown home after a somber ceremony."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

Italy arrests five suspected terrorists: "Five people led by a suspected senior al-Qaeda operative were arrested late Thursday by Italian anti-terror police on suspicion of having recruited suicide attackers for strikes in Iraq, the Milan prosecutors office said. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Ex-Iraqi General Dies During Interrogation: "A former Iraqi general died while under American interrogation, the U.S. military said Thursday. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Bush stuns troops with Iraq visit: "It was the biggest of holiday surprises."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

U.S. Wanted to Avoid Label of Occupiers: "American military commanders did not impose curfews, halt looting or order Iraqis back to work after Saddam Hussein's regime fell because U.S. policymakers were reluctant to declare U.S. troops an occupying force, says an internal Army review examined by The Associated Press. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Turkish town in shock after attacks: "His path to radicalism began four years before he blew himself up in front of a synagogue, part of what appeared to be a coordinated chain of deadly suicide attacks."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

Secrecy Key to Bush Mission to Baghdad: "Behind President Bush'sextraordinary visit to Baghdad -- the first by any U.S.president -- was an elaborate plan that called for absolutesecrecy. (Reuters)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

U.S. Didn't Want to Be Called Occupiers: "American military commanders did not impose curfews, halt looting or order Iraqis back to work after Saddam Hussein's regime fell because U.S. policymakers were reluctant to declare U.S. troops an occupying force, says an internal Army review examined by The Associated Press. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Bush's Iraq coup unlikely to boost US polls: "US President George W. Bush's surprise visit to troops in Iraq was a public relations coup, but is unlikely to boost sagging domestic support for US involvement in Iraq, analysts said. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Inside Bush's Secret Trip to Baghdad: "Slouched in the back of a nondescriptvehicle with a baseball cap pulled over his face, PresidentBush sneaked out of Texas on the first leg of his bold trip toBaghdad. (Reuters)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

President Travels to Baghdad and Addresses Soldiers at Airport: "International Herald Tribune"

In New York Times: World Special

Iraqis May Be Moving Toward a Compromise on Government: "The head of the Iraqi Governing Council met with the senior cleric who has raised objections about a provisional government."

In New York Times: World Special

Wednesday, November 26, 2003

Iraq War News

Our thoughts go out this Thanksgiving to all our Armed Forces near & far away from home, and all our brave Allies who have stood strong.
Our hearts hold so tightly the families who have lost their heroes,
and our wishes go out to all peoples in hopes of world peace and tolerance.

Happy Thanksgiving
Patti Patton-Bader

Iraq War News

Iraq war news
U.S. arrests wife of Saddam deputy: "U.S. troops arrested the wife and daughter of a top Saddam Hussein deputy suspected of masterminding attacks on U.S. troops, and a major pipeline linking northern Iraqi oilfields to the country's biggest refinery was ablaze Wednesday."

In JuneauEmpire.com: Associated Press

Palestinians salute U.S. on Israeli loan: "Palestinian officials on Wednesday welcomed a U.S. decision to deduct $289.5 million from loan guarantees to Israel, but said the penalty was insufficient to force Israel to stop building a security barrier or to end continued settlement building."

In JuneauEmpire.com: Associated Press

Yemen arrests leading al-Qaida member: "Yemeni security forces captured a man described as one of the country's top al-Qaida leaders and the suspected mastermind of the suicide bombing of the USS Cole, after surrounding his hide-out west of the capital."

In JuneauEmpire.com: Associated Press

U.S. troops get taste of home on holiday: "Far from the family Thanksgiving table and miles from Mom's turkey and stuffing, American troops deployed overseas during the holidays can still get a taste of home on Thanksgiving."

In JuneauEmpire.com: Associated Press

Iraq war news
Large explosions are heard in Baghdad: "Large explosions were heard after sundown Tuesday in central Baghdad but the precise location was unclear."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

Eid Al-Fitr Reflects Iraq's Fragmentation: "For Sunni Muslims, it began Monday. Some Shiites started celebrating Tuesday. Others will wait until Wednesday. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Baghdad rattled by mortar attack: "Two mortars are fired in the centre of the Iraqi capital, sparking a security alert at the US-led administration."

In BBC: Conflict with Iraq (UK Edition)

Video Shows Iraqi Firing at Cargo Plane: "

A homemade videotape given to a French journalist showed a man firing a surface-to-air missile at a DHL cargo plane, moments after a U.S. helicopter flew overhead - apparently without noticing him.

The tape appeared to record the insurgent operation Saturday in which a missile struck the wing of a DHL cargo plane, forcing the aircraft to make an emergency landing at Baghdad's airport. It was the first time insurgents struck a civilian plane in Iraq. The U.S. military said there were no injuries to the three-member crew.

Full story...."

In Command Post: Irak

Tuesday, November 25, 2003

S.A. soldier gets a hero's welcome home

S.A. soldier gets a hero's welcome home

By Vincent T. Davis
San Antonio Express-News

Web Posted : 11/25/2003 12:00 AM

After completing a seven-month tour of duty, Staff Sgt. Gilbert Ytuarte was looking forward to spending time with his wife, Rose, and their three daughters at their home in Fort Sill, Okla.
The 12-year Army veteran, who returned from Iraq two days ago, planned to visit his parents and brothers in San Antonio at a later date.

But his mother, Angelita, and older brother, Santiago, had other plans.

They persuaded him to drive his family back home, and when he turned into his mother's driveway Monday night, he found a hero's welcome waiting for him. A shocked look registered on his face as he walked up a pebble path lined with a dozen miniature flags that led to steps decorated with red, white and blue balloons.

Peeking from her half-opened door, his mother shouted, "He's here!"

"Well, hello!" Ytuarte, 36, said, surprised at the sight of old high school friends, relatives and friends gathered to greet him. "I just expected to see my mother and stepfather, but lo and behold!"

On the dining room table, he found a large frosted cake with the words "Welcome Back Home, Son!"

Before he sat down, his high school friend Mark Zamorra thrust a cold beer into his hand, a drink he hadn't tasted in eight months.

Ytuarte, wearing a long-sleeved brown shirt and bluejeans, spoke of the people and sights he witnessed in Bilad, Iraq. Ytuarte, an information systems operator analyst, said one of his jobs was guarding Iraqi people working for the Army.

"A lot of the people were glad we were there," he said. "But then there were times we didn't know if they were behind the mortar attacks on us at night."

He said most of the people he worked with were genuine. Several of his co-workers gave him a mattress to place on his cot.

In his e-mails and phone calls, he left out details about injured soldiers. He said it is a common routine for people to drive up to the compound perimeter and make threatening gestures toward tower guards.

But when he talked of having soldiers still in Iraq, he stopped to gather his thoughts.

"I'm just glad to be home. It's been difficult," Ytuarte said, pausing to fight back tears. "I've got a large mix of emotions. I had to leave early, and my troops are on my mind often."

Handing his brother a tissue, Santiago said: "We still meditate and pray for those who lost their lives. Every moment, it's in the back of your head."

Ytuarte's wife said e-mails, phone calls and a post support group helped her deal with her husband's absence. While her husband was deployed, she avoided the news on television.

"I'm just happy he's back, safe and in one piece," she said, watching their youngest daughter, 18-month-old Alexandria, wave miniature flags above her head.

With a smile, Ytuarte's mother complimented Rosa for her strength in her son's absence.

"I feel like my daughter—in-law is as much a hero as he is," his mother said. "She kept the house in order all of this time. Even though my son is home, my heart still hurts for our children we're losing over there."

Ytuarte pulled a silver cross, a lucky charm Santiago gave him for protection, from his wallet. "I never went anywhere without it," Ytuarte said, rubbing the cross.

"We used to fight all of the time," Santiago said. "I never thought our paths would bring us where we are now."

Ytuarte said he's at a crossroads trying to decide whether to re-enlist or try something new.

I've got plenty of reasons to stay," Ytuarte said, "and plenty of reasons to go."

MySA.com: Metro | State

KRT Wire | 11/25/2003 | Homemade bombs make Iraq deadlier for soldiers

Homemade bombs make Iraq deadlier for soldiers
BY ED TIMMS
The Dallas Morning News

DALLAS - (KRT) - Iraq's mean streets have become even more dangerous because of homemade bombs that are easy to make, easy to conceal - and deadly.

"Improvised explosive devices," as they are called by the military, are the preferred weapon for many Iraqi insurgents who cannot compete with the superior firepower and technology of U.S. forces. U.S. service members may never see who detonates a bomb by wire or remote control; the perpetrators may be miles away if a pressure switch is used to activate the devices.

Military officials say that U.S. forces increasingly are encountering the homemade bombs, and that the devices are taking a toll. Since President Bush declared major combat operations over on May 1, at least 60 U.S. service members have been killed in incidents involving homemade bombs, including one Sunday.

"The attacks have become more stand-off," said Maj. Gen. Raymond Odierno, commander of the 4th Infantry Division, in a recent teleconference.

"They try to avoid direct contact. … What we have seen is more mortar attacks and more … improvised explosives," he said.

The raw materials for making the explosive devices are abundant in Iraq. Massive quantities of munitions were stored in military facilities. And weapons caches are still being discovered in abandoned homes, remote fields or buried in containers. One Army demolition expert has estimated that roughly 600,000 tons of ordnance is still on the ground in Iraq.

Just one buried container located by 4th Infantry Division soldiers earlier this year was filled with more than three dozen assault rifles and submachine guns, rocket-propelled grenade launchers and rounds, surface-to-air missile launchers, a substantial quantity of ammunition, 45,000 sticks of dynamite, 11 improvised explosive devices and 80,000 feet of detonation cord.

On Friday, 16 Iraqis were caught trying to plant improvised devices; soldiers with the 10th Mountain Division obtained information that led them to a large weapons cache that included 28 prepared IEDs.

On a larger scale, truck and car bombs have been used in a number of high-profile attacks. In August, a truck filled with military munitions devastated the United Nations' headquarters in Baghdad, killing the top U.N. official in Iraq and 16 others. More recently, truck bombs killed more than two dozen Italian peacekeepers and Iraqis earlier this month in the southern city of An Nasiriyah.

There is, however, a notable distinction between these incidents - typically suicide attacks - and placing a roadside improvised explosive device, possibly while unobserved and not facing certain death.

KRT Wire | 11/25/2003 | Homemade bombs make Iraq deadlier for soldiers

Iraq war news updates
Iraq shuts down Arab satellite channel; Muslim leader urges ceasefire: "Iraq's interim Governing Council said it was banning the Al-Arabiya satellite channel from working in Iraq for incitement to murder as a Sunni Muslim leader called for a week-long ceasefire to celebrate the feast marking the end of Ramadan, during which violence had surged. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Iraq roadside bomb hurts one U.S. soldier: "Gunmen ambushed U.S. soldiers on patrol with a roadside bomb then opened fire on them in Mosul on Monday, wounding one, as fears grew that the anti-coalition insurgency was spreading north a day after two American soldiers were killed here and their bodies mauled."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

Iraq Roadside Bomb Hurts One U.S. Soldier: "Gunmen ambushed U.S. soldiers on patrol with a roadside bomb then opened fire on them in Mosul on Monday, wounding one, as fears grew that the anti-coalition insurgency was spreading north a day after two American soldiers were killed here and their bodies mauled. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Pentagon now considering "post-war" Peacekeeping units in IraqWar.info

The Baath Party faithful were just in it for the money in IraqWar.info

Chirac meets Blair in first Franco-British summit since Iraq war: "French President Jacques Chirac met Prime Minister Tony Blair in London as the two leaders tried to repair a relationship severely strained by the US-led invasion of Iraq in March. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Secret Pentagon memo details Saddam-bin Laden ties: "A conservative US magazine said it had obtained a classified US government memo purporting to prove that the Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussein had contacts with al-Qaeda and was implicated in the September 11, 2001 attacks. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Iraq interim leadership bans al-Arabiya over Saddam broadcast: "Iraq's US-installed interim Governing Council announced it was banning Dubai-based satellite television al-Arabiya from working in Iraq for incitement to murder after it broadcast a Saddam Hussein tape calling for attacks on the council's members. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Monday, November 24, 2003

Associated Press : Family of dying GI battles bureaucracy

Family of dying GI battles bureaucracy
Associated Press

KARNACK - By the time he shipped out for the war in Iraq in January, Special Forces Sgt. James Alford was a wreck of a soldier.
For five months, he had been doing odd things. He disappeared from Fort Campbell, Ky., for several days. He lost equipment and lied to superiors. In December, he was demoted from staff sergeant to sergeant.

In the Kuwaiti desert, he came apart. The hotshot Green Beret, who a year earlier ran circles around his team members and earned a Bronze Star in Afghanistan, was ordered to carry a notepad to remember orders. By March, he was being cited for dereliction of duty, larceny and lying to superiors. He couldn't even keep up with his gas mask.

Finally, in April, his commanders had had enough. They ordered him to return to Fort Campbell to be court-martialed and kicked out of the Special Forces.

"Your conduct is inconsistent with the integrity and professionalism required by a Special Forces soldier," Lt. Col. Christopher Conner of the 2nd Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group Headquarters in Kuwait wrote April 10.

Confused and disgraced, the soldier moved back into his off-base home, where he ate canned meat and anchovies, unaware of the day, the month or the year.

Sensing something was wrong, a neighbor called Alford's parents. They drove 600 miles from East Texas to find a son who had lost 30 pounds and could no longer drink from a glass, use a telephone, button his shirt or say "Amber," the name of his soldier wife, who was still stationed in the Middle East.

They rushed him to an emergency room. A month and several hospitals later, Alford's family learned that he was dying of a disease eating away his brain. He had Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, an extremely rare and fatal degenerative brain disorder akin to mad cow disease that causes rapid, progressive dementia.

Now, as the 25-year-old soldier wastes away in his boyhood home, his parents and his wife are struggling to understand how the military could have misdiagnosed Alford's erratic, forgetful behavior as nothing more than the symptoms of a sloppy, incompetent soldier.

"He had to hold his hands to keep them from shaking, but they saw nothing wrong with my child," his mother, Gail Alford, a nine-year Army veteran, said recently from her home in Karnack, a rural community near Marshall.

Alford's parents say Special Forces staff members told them that a doctor in Kuwait had found nothing wrong with him and that a psychiatrist there had said Alford was "faking it."

Army officials have acknowledged that the 5th Special Forces Group erred and, more than eight months after Alford's demotion, they reinstated his staff sergeant rank.

But the dying soldier's family members want more. They want a public apology for the ridicule and disgrace that they say filled Alford's final days of service.

"They called him stupid, told him he was lazy, he was a liar, that he wasn't any good, that he was a faker," his mother said, recalling what little her son could tell her about his time in Kuwait. "I want them shamed the way they shamed my son."

And they want his pay restored and his medical benefits maintained. The Army declared Alford medically incompetent, placed him on retirement status and froze his pay this month until his parents can prove in court that they are his legal guardians. His mother said she was given power of attorney long ago.

Special Forces blamed

Alford's father, retired Army Command Sgt. Maj. John Alford, who served 34 years, said that Army doctors have been caring and professional and that commanders stationed his son's wife, Spc. Amber Alford, in Texas near her husband.

He mainly faults the Special Forces.

"I think they did everything they could to break him, mentally and physically," he said.

A Special Forces spokesman did not respond to phone messages and an e-mail request for an interview with The Associated Press.

In a July 30 letter responding to an inquiry by U.S. Rep. Max Sandlin, D-Marshall, Army Lt. Col. Johan Haraldsen wrote that the Special Forces group to which Alford belonged expressed "its deepest concerns" to the soldier and his family.

"All actions taken ... involving Sergeant Alford were appropriate based on the best information available at that time," Haraldsen wrote.

Alford himself may have tried to conceal his symptoms, said Dr. Steve Williams, a clinical fellow in the division of infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn.

"He was capable of masking the symptoms because he was resourceful and he was a smart guy," said Williams, who diagnosed Alford with Creutzfeldt-Jakob. "I'd ask him what floor he was on, and I could catch him looking outside and counting the number of windows."

Doctors believe that Alford has the classic form of the disease, which develops spontaneously. It affects one in 100 million people under 30, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Col. David Dooley, an infectious-disease doctor at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, said Special Forces staff members shouldn't take the blame for missing Alford's illness. A delayed diagnosis is "typical and classic"; the average lag time for the disease is five to seven months, he said.

"If I'm going to hold anything against them, they might have come around a little faster when a medical problem was recognized," Dooley said. "The Special Forces group was fairly inert to the face of data that we medics were showing them."

Alford's parents believe that he has the variant form of the disease, caused by eating brains or nervous-system tissue from an infected cow. They worry that he may have gotten it from eating sheep brains locals served to soldiers as an honor in Oman two years ago.

But there is no evidence that people can get the disease from sheep.

Doctors also note that Alford didn't have the outbursts of anger and depression usually associated with the variant form and that the fast progression of his illness is more consistent with the classic form.

Losing everything

Alford was the youngest man in the 5th Special Forces Group, and his wife says some of his team members resented his promotion. At least one said Alford seemed a bit immature and made a few bad decisions when he first joined, but military records show that he earned decorations.

He was awarded the Bronze Star in May 2002 for "gallant conduct" in leading reconnaissance patrols in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar and helping capture Iranian terrorism suspects.

Staff Sgt. Miguel Fabbiani, a friend of Alford's and a member of the same team based at Fort Campbell, said Alford's symptoms escalated during wartime when he was working with a new group that didn't know him as well.

Alford's parents said they didn't see him enough to detect a problem. His wife was stationed near him for a while in Kuwait, but she chalked up his odd behavior to stress.

Alford's father said the actions of his son's superiors broke the spirit of a young man who had wanted to become a soldier since he was 4.

He now lies in pastel sheets next to a wall painting of John Wayne. Wearing a Houston Texans T-shirt that hangs like a hospital gown, he stares absently into a television that glows 24 hours, his hands gripping stuffed animals to keep them from clenching shut.

"He knows his name, sometimes," says his wife, a tiny woman in sneakers who helps tend to her husband as she ponders a life alone. "Sometimes I'll go up to him, wink at him and make kissy faces, and he laughs."

Her eyes well up as she remembers the handsome, arrogant boy she met as a teen-ager at a barrel-racing contest in Texas.

As his brain deteriorates, his organs will fail.

"He will go blind, he will go deaf, he will lose everything," his father said.

He stopped walking more than a month ago, mumbles when he tries to speak, is fed intravenously and takes medicine for insomnia, pain and tremors. Doctors have told the family that he probably won't live to see Christmas.

The Army has said that the issues over Alford's pay could be resolved within weeks, but the family members are skeptical. They aren't sure how they will pay his bills and maintain his 24-hour care without his salary.

"It's very sad when the people who are putting their life on the line for this country should be treated like this," Alford's father said. "This has been a bureaucratic nightmare. We've got enough to deal with on a daily basis, caring after our son and dealing with our pain and weariness and our suffering to have to fight the U.S. Army."

They fought for four months before his rank was reinstated in September.

John Alford knew his son might not live long enough to get the good news, so he had already told him a "white lie" that he had been vindicated.

"It was very important to him because he kept saying, 'I didn't do anything wrong, Daddy.' "

Associated Press : Family of dying GI battles bureaucracy

Sgt. Anthony Pierce and eight members of his platoon

Luck saved them

11/24/03

By MIKE MARSHALL
Mobile Register Editor

BAGHDAD -- Just before dawn on Aug. 19, Sgt. Anthony Pierce and eight members of his platoon were headed back to Camp Graceland on the south side of Baghdad. They had just been relieved after pulling the night shift at Balad Police Station, where they supervise and train Iraqi police officers.

"I turned 45 that day," said Pierce. "It's a birthday I won't soon forget."

Pierce was sitting in the front passenger seat of the last of three Humvees returning to camp, normally a five-minute drive from the station.

They had not gotten far when an improvised explosive device, known by troops as an IED, was detonated just off the highway. In quick succession, four rocket-propelled grenades, or RPGs, hit the Humvees. Then AK-47s opened fire from several directions.

One of the RPGs ripped through the rear door of Pierce's Humvee, striking the radio console before lodging in the dashboard, blowing the driver, Spc. Josh Yoder, 22, of Brewton, clear out of the vehicle. Shrapnel hit Pierce in the arm. The turret gunner, Spc. Charles Williams, 38, a nurse's assistant from East Brewton, was hit in the legs. His pants caught fire.

A second RPG pierced the Humvee's rear quarter panel, but injured no one.

The lead Humvee was also struck by two RPGs, one exploding beneath it and knock ing out the tires, the other hitting the turret ring on top of the Humvee before slamming into the back of the gunner, Sgt. Dustin Andrews, 24, of Mobile.

The University of South Alabama senior was incredibly lucky. The RPG failed to detonate, only cracking the armor plating inside Andrew's flak jacket.

Despite flat tires and a damaged suspension, the first Humvee continued on toward Graceland, followed by the relatively unscathed second vehicle. But the third Humvee was without a driver. Pierce used his hands to pat out Williams flaming pants, then grabbed Yoder's M-16 -- his own had been blown out of the Humvee -- leaped from the vehicle and returned fire with the rifle as well as his 9 mm pistol.

The insurgents slipped away. Amazingly, Yoder got up and ran back to the Humvee. From IED explosion to retreat, the ambush had taken about a minute. The attackers were never found.

Andrews, the gunner hit by the RPG, was treated for back spasms but otherwise was unharmed. Four other soldiers with the Alabama National Guard's 1165th Military Police Company were treated for minor bruises and cuts. No one from the Fairhope-based company was admitted to a hospital.

"These were the smaller, anti-personnel RPGs," said Pierce, who is in the auto parts supply business in Pensacola. "If they had been the big anti-tank RPGs, we'd have been goners for sure."

As lucky as the members of Third Platoon were, they would have been even more fortunate inside "up-armor" Humvees, which are reinforced on all sides by thick steel plating. The RPGs likely would have exploded harmlessly against the skin of such armored vehicles, and no one would have been hurt, except perhaps for the gunner. The net damage from the attack would have been a couple of flat tires.

Up-armor Humvees are much more suited to urban warfare, and therefore much in demand by soldiers stationed in Iraq. They shield occupants against rifle fire, shrapnel and all but the larger RPG rounds.

The extra armor adds about 5,000 pounds to the weight of a conventional Humvee, which is already about 6,000 pounds. To carry that additional weight, the engine is turbocharged. That creates additional engine noise, so the up-armor Humvees come equipped with an intercom as part of the radio system. Occupants wearing headsets can easily communicate with one another and with other Humvee crews.

Unlike the bare-bones version used by the 1165th, armored Humvees are also air conditioned, so occupants can keep the thick, "ballistic" windows closed no matter what the weather. All of this costs money, of course. The Army pays about twice as much for the armored Humvee, around $100,000.

When I recently visited MPs with the Alabama Guard's 1166th Military Police Company at their camp near Baghdad International Airport, they had just been issued 10 of the up-armored Humvees. The soldiers told me that the vehicles are better in just about every way, even traveling faster than the plain Humvee.

I can tell you that the extra inch of steel plate sure made me feel cozier.

Capt. Chris Butler of Auburn, Ala., commander of the 1165th, said his company has more than 30 of the regular Humvees, but hopes to be equipped with at least some of the sturdier models soon. It's what all of his soldiers would like for Christmas.

al.com: News

Iraq war news updates
Chirac meets Blair in first Franco-British summit since Iraq war: "French President Jacques Chirac met Prime Minister Tony Blair in London as the two leaders tried to repair a relationship severely strained by the US-led invasion of Iraq in March. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Secret Pentagon memo details Saddam-bin Laden ties: "A conservative US magazine said it had obtained a classified US government memo purporting to prove that the Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussein had contacts with al-Qaeda and was implicated in the September 11, 2001 attacks. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Iraq interim leadership bans al-Arabiya over Saddam broadcast: "Iraq's US-installed interim Governing Council announced it was banning Dubai-based satellite television al-Arabiya from working in Iraq for incitement to murder after it broadcast a Saddam Hussein tape calling for attacks on the council's members. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

'More difficult than originally planned': "Read the grim litanyof a single weekend's violence in Iraq: Two U.S. soldiers pummeled by crowds with their throats already slit; another killed by a roadside bomb; successful rocket attacks on an airplane and the suspension of civilian flights; 12 police officials illed in three different incidents; and so on. It makes this understatementseem like a sick joke: "Army planning for Iraq currently assumes keeping about 100,000 United States troops there through early 2006, a senior Army officer said Friday. The plans reflect the concerns of some Army officials that stabilizing Iraq could be more difficult than originally planned.""

In Alternet: War On Iraq

Hezbollah, in Iraq, Refrains From Attacks on Americans: "Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed Shiite group, has established a significant presence in Iraq, but is not taking part in attacks on American forces inside the country."

In New York Times: World Special

2 G.I.'s, Throats Slashed, Found Dead in Iraq: "Three American soldiers were killed in Iraq on Sunday, including two whose throats were slashed after they came under attack in the city of Mosul with rocks and gunfire."

In New York Times: World Special

A Paper Trail Follows Iraqi Merchants of Tyranny: "Documents from the Baath Party's headquarters show that the common passion that drove its members was money."

In New York Times: World Special

Of bombs and bombast (23 Nov 03) in Radio Free USA

A High Price for Speaking Up (22 Nov 03) in Radio Free USA

Canada's egomaniacal king of corporate excess comes a cropper: Lord Black's ignoble fall from grace (23 Nov 03) in Radio Free USA

Three U.S. troops killed in Iraq: "Attackers slit the throats of two American soldiers who were waiting in traffic in this northern Iraqi city on Sunday, witnesses said. Another soldier was killed in a roadside bombing north of Baghdad."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

IRAQI POLICE STATIONS ATTACKED in CENTCOM: News Release

IRAQIS PREVENT IED ATTACK IN 82ND AIRBORNE DIVISION?S AREA OF OPERATION in CENTCOM: News Release

TASK FORCE ?ALL-AMERICAN? OPERATIONS CONTINUE TO MAKE IRAQ SAFER in CENTCOM: News Release

US warns of worldwide terrorism risk (23 Nov 03) in Radio Free USA

Canada's egomaniacal king of corporate excess comes a cropper: Lord Black's ignoble fall from grace in Radio Free USA

Sunday, November 23, 2003

Iraq War News
British troops in Iraq arrest Australian man suspected of ties to Saddam: "Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer said an Australian man, suspected of being a Saddam Hussein loyalist, had been arrested by British troops in Iraq. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Republican Governors Voice Concerns on Iraq: "Republicans at a governors' association meeting raised concerns about the Bush administration's ability to communicate its policies on Iraq."

In New York Times: World Special

Iraq Picks American as Ambassador to U.S.: "BAGHDAD, Iraq, Nov. 22 ? An Iraqi-American activist whose foundation has spent much of the last decade devising visions of democratic rule for Iraq and lobbying for a war crimes trial of Saddam Hussein, will become the country's diplomatic representative in Washington, Iraqi political leaders said Saturday."

In New York Times: World Special

Iraqi Town Relishes Freedom, but Resentment Runs Beneath: "Kifl, a small, dusty village on the Euphrates, is one measure of America's halting progress since Saddam Hussein's overthrow."

In New York Times: World Special

Saturday, November 22, 2003

WFAA.com | Dallas-Fort Worth | State/Regional News

At least 17 U.S. troops have committed suicide in Iraq

11/22/2003

By RANDALL RICHARD / Associated Press

Rebecca Suell wants answers, and not the ones the U.S. Army is giving her.

Why does the Army keep calling the last letter her husband sent to her, the one he mailed from Iraq on June 15, a suicide note? Can taking a bottle of Tylenol really kill you? And how did he get his hands on a bottle of Tylenol in the middle of the desert anyway?

The questions may differ, but experts say the desperate search for answers — and the denial — are usually the same.

Since April, the military says, at least 17 Americans — 15 Army soldiers and two Marines — have taken their own lives in Iraq. The true number is almost certainly higher. At least two dozen non-combat deaths, some of them possible suicides, are under investigation according to an AP review of Army casualty reports.

No one in the military is saying for the record that the suicide rate among forces in Iraq is alarming. But Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, the top American military commander in Iraq, was concerned enough, according to the Army Surgeon General's office, to have ordered a 12-person mental health assessment team to Iraq to see what more can be done to prevent suicides and to help troops better cope with anxiety and depression.

Army spokesman Martha Rudd said the assessment team returned from Iraq two weeks ago, but that it will take several weeks to come up with recommendations. Until then, she said, no one on the team will have anything to say to the press.

Whether the suicide rate among the troops should be considered high is impossible to say because there is nothing to compare it with, experts say. What would be considered a "normal" rate for an all-voluntary military force of men and women on extensive deployments to the Middle East, under constant pressure from guerrillas who use terror tactics?

Rudd said that by the Army's calculations, its suicide rate in Iraq is roughly 12 per 100,000 — well below the civilian suicide rate for U.S. men of 17.5 suicides per 100,000. The comparison is misleading, however.

The civilian rate is an annual figure, and the Iraq figure covers only about seven months. Furthermore, the troops have not yet spent their first holiday season in Iraq — a time when the risk of suicide is traditionally at its highest.

The troops in Iraq include thousands of women, who typically have a lower suicide rate than men. And the Army figure does not include possible suicides among the non-combat deaths yet to be explained.

Whatever the 12-month suicide figure turns out to be, the Army is not satisfied that it is low enough. The Army has an extensive suicide prevention program, with soldiers "all the way down the chain" of command trained to recognize the warning signs of suicide and how best to intervene, Rudd said.

"Zero suicides is our goal," she said. "We may not get there, but we're going to try."

In all, 422 U.S. troops have died in Iraq. The military has characterized 129 of the deaths as "non-hostile," including 105 since President Bush officially declared major hostilities over on May 1. Most if not all the confirmed suicides occurred after May 1, according to the military. According to an AP analysis of military reports, non-combat deaths include 13 caused by a weapons discharge, two from drowning, one from breathing difficulties and one described only as "medical." An additional 13 are listed with no cause given.

For Rebecca Suell and many of the families of soldiers who are believed to have killed themselves in Iraq, answers are as hard to come by as sleep.

Night after night, Suell said, she lies awake asking herself the same questions.

Why, as sad and as tired of Iraq as he said he was, would her husband take his own life when she had just told him how much she loved him, how much the kids missed him and needed him?

Why would a man who loved the Lord so much — who told her on the day he died that he felt he was getting closer and closer to God every day — defy his Lord's strictures against taking his own life?

But the more she sobs, the clearer it becomes that Joseph D. Suell, posthumously promoted to sergeant, was in crisis the day he died — so desperate to come home that he even asked his wife to talk to his commanding officer.

And she did.

She told him, she said, how life was so hard without her husband, how going to nursing school and working at Wal-Mart and trying to raise three children, all at the same time, was too much for her to bear alone.

She told him how her husband had no sooner finished serving a year and half in Korea than he was sent to Iraq, that in five years as a soldier she had been with him less than 18 months.

She told his commanding officer that their youngest daughter didn't even know her father, that he was away the day she was born, and that all her husband really wanted was to be at home with his family in Lufkin, Texas, for Christmas.

Just a month or two, she begged, and then you can have him back.

His commanding officer, she said, told her that the Army was doing everything it could to get him back to her but that he couldn't promise it would happen in time for Christmas.

The Army will not talk about Suell's death, nor does it publish, out of concern for the families, the names of soldiers who have killed themselves in Iraq.

But Rudd, the Army spokesman, said it is not unusual for family members to question whether a loved one's death was a suicide. It is for that reason, she said, that it often takes months to complete an investigation into a soldiers death.

For the sake of the family, Rudd said, "we need to be absolutely certain."

In many respects, Joseph Suell does not fit the profile of a soldier who commits suicide. Typically, mental health experts said, such suicides are triggered by a "Dear John" message from home.

Even among civilians, one of the common triggers "is a rupture of a relationship," said David Shaffer, a Columbia University psychiatrist and former consultant for the Department of Defense.

But there are always deeper reasons, usually far murkier and far more complex, experts said. Like the wars they fight, no two soldiers who commit suicide face the same mix of potentially deadly stress.

"In most previous conflicts you went, you fought, you came home," Rudd said. "In this one they went, they fought, they're still there."

Rudd said she knows of no studies that show a definitive correlation between length of deployment and military suicide rates. But Michelle Kelley, a psychiatrist who studies deployment-related stress for the Navy, said the longer the deployment, the greater the strain on a relationship with a loved one.

The military, she said, needs to be especially watchful for anxiety and depression among its troops in the weeks ahead. For civilian and soldier alike, the Christmas season and depression go hand in hand, Kelley said. But for a soldier, she added, a weapon is always at hand.

Soldiers, she said, must be encouraged to seek help when they need it. For that reason, she expressed concern about the case of Pfc. Georg-Andreas Pogany.

The soldier, assigned to a Green Beret interrogation team, began throwing up after seeing the severed body of an Iraqi civilian three days after being deployed to Iraq. After seeking help for a self-described anxiety attack, he was ordered back to the United States and became the first soldier since Vietnam charged with cowardice — a charge later reduced to dereliction of duty.

That, Kelley said, is "the last thing you want to do" if you want soldiers to seek help in times of stress.... You need to make it clear to those people who have witnessed something traumatic that they need to talk about it — that they won't be stigmatized for doing so and that it's not going to follow them through their military career."

Shaffer, the Columbia University psychiatrist, said it is not that simple. A commanding officer's decision to file a cowardice charge might, in some circumstances, even be a morale boost for the soldiers under his command, he said.

Shaffer warned against drawing any conclusions based on the number of suicides in Iraq.

Suicide rates vary greatly over time, he said, and also vary with race, ethnicity, religion and other factors. African Americans, for example, have a lower suicide rate than the general U.S. population. So do those who describe themselves as deeply religious. Drug use, alcoholism and a low education level, on the other hand, are correlated with higher suicide rates.

A comparison of the suicide rate among troops in Iraq with troops in other wars such as Vietnam are meaningless, he said, because the makeup of the fighting forces were so different. (According to the Army, there are no reliable statistics on the suicide rate during the Vietnam War.)

Shaffer said there is also some evidence that those who serve in the Army for a long time have a higher suicide rate than civilians. This is probably because "some longstanding servicemen do develop alcohol problems over time, and alcohol use is very strongly related to suicide," he said.

Rudd, the Army spokesman, also adds something else to the mix:

"Technology today allows people to connect with the home front much more quickly and intimately and often than in previous conflicts," she said. That's not necessarily a good thing if the news from home is bad. Young people can be impulsive, she said, "and Dear John letters and things like that can be very upsetting to a young soldier."

For Rebecca Suell, who so badly wanted her husband back, there are still only questions.

Why, she demands to know, her voice rising in anger, did the Army send her husband to Iraq after he had mangled his arm in Korea? After they discovered that his asthma was getting worse?

She has taken her 4-year-old daughter, Jada, to the cemetery, she said. "I've told her, 'That's where your daddy lives now — right next to your grandfather. And that's where we will all live someday, next to the people we love most.' But she doesn't understand."

So what is she supposed to tell Jada, Rebecca Suell said, the next time she asks: "When is my daddy coming home?'"
WFAA.com | Dallas-Fort Worth | State/Regional News

Iraq War News
U.S. rips Iran for nuke program 'lies': "The United States assailed Iran on Friday for "lies" about its nuclear program and voiced unprecedented criticism of the U.N. atomic agency chief, suggesting he glossed over 18 years of deception that included enriching uranium and processing plutonium."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

Militants call Palestinians traitors: "A leader of the Hamas militant group told thousands at a rally Friday that Palestinians who negotiated a symbolic peace agreement with Israel are traitors."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

U.S. Has Too Few Informants in Iraq: "The U.S. military still has too few trained intelligence specialists and Arabic interpreters in Iraq, despite stepped-up efforts, as it works to find out who's behind a surge of guerrilla attacks, the Pentagon's intelligence chief said Friday. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

NATO Chief Hopeful on Afghan Aid, Seeks Iraq Talks: "NATO chief George Robertsonvoiced confidence Friday that allies would offer resources toextend Afghan peacekeeping beyond Kabul and called successthere a requirement before discussing any NATO role in Iraq. (Reuters)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Guerrillas Fire Rockets at Fortified Baghdad Sites: "Guerrillas fired rockets from donkeycarts at Iraq's Oil Ministry and two Baghdad hotels used byWesterners on Friday in audacious strikes on heavily fortifiedsites linked to the U.S.-led occupation. (Reuters)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Iraqis Shut Out of Lucrative Rebuilding Deals: "BAGHDAD, Nov 21 (IPS) - U.S. officials have shut Iraqis out of the business of reconstruction contracts, many local businessmen say. (OneWorld.net)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Iraqis on Iraq: "A fascinating journey through Iraq written up in the Israeli newspaper Haaretzexamines the question of Iraq's future through conversations and encounters with Kurds, Shiites and Sunnis, concluding that "The longing of the Iraqi people for a society based on basic human rights sometimes appears strong enough to overcome fragmentation into ethnic groups and religious differences, but at other times seems fragile and tentative.""

In Alternet: War On Iraq

Friday, November 21, 2003

Iraq War News

Cyber cafes bringing Iraq closer to home

SPAWAR-developed systems give soldiers an instant link to loved ones

BY TERRY JOYCE
Of The Post and Courier Staff
HANAHAN--In the old days, roughly two months ago in an ever-changing Iraq, American GIs had to be assigned to or stationed near a headquarters unit to have any practical chance of getting an e-mail through to the folks back home.

YALONDA M. JAMES/STAFF
Field Engineer Frederick Bellamy sets up laptops Wednesday in a cyber cafe similar to those being sent to troops in Iraq.

But as a series of portable, wireless "cyber cafes" goes up across Iraq, the days of the old snail-mail military are drawing rapidly to a close.

These modern communications stations feature Internet e-mail access and satellite telephones and were developed as a morale support tool through a crash program at the high-tech Space and Naval Warfare Systems center at the Charleston Naval Weapons Station. Pentagon plans call for 145 of the stations to serve U.S. forces deployed to Iraq.

Each cafe boasts 20 laptop computers and eight satellite phones that provide instant, low-cost, global communications.

More than 40 of the cafes already have been set up in Iraq, military and SPAWAR spokesmen say, and they have been an instant hit.

"We've lost track of how many (military members) told us they hadn't talked with their wives or parents in months," said Ken Crawley of Summerville, a lead engineer with the SPAWAR project in Iraq.

Crawley, together with SPAWAR's Steve Nielsen of Goose Creek and Jim Watson of Pensaco-la, Fla., spoke Wednesday by satellite phone from Anaconda base, about 40 miles north of Baghdad. As they spoke, Brad Hoisington of Goose Creek, a SPAWAR logistics manager, demonstrated a model of the cyber cafe installed inside a 32-foot by 20-foot tent at the weapons station.

Crawley, Nielsen and Watson have been setting up the cafes since last month.

The cyber cafe nickname is misleading -- there's no espresso being served here.

Instead, GIs will see a simple, functional layout. Twenty laptops sit on a row of tables down the center of an air-conditioned tent.
Iraq War News

PittsburghLIVE.com - Seward Family Mourns Its 'Gentle Giant'

Seward Family Mourns Its 'Gentle Giant'

By Jeff Himler
Staff writer
Friday, November 21, 2003

SEWARD--Rick Hafer Jr. had planned to surprise his father for Thanksgiving, showing up on the doorstep of his home here unannounced. The reunion would have ended more than 10 months the 2001 Laurel Valley High School graduate spent overseas, serving with the U.S. Army in Iraq.
Instead, on Saturday night, it was three Army officials who knocked at the door of Rick Hafer Sr. They delivered the heart-shattering news that his son was among 17 soldiers killed that same day, when two Black Hawk helicopters crashed in the Iraqi city of Mosul.

"I was in shock, I couldn't say anything for five minutes," the elder Hafer said Monday, recalling his reaction when the Army contingent arrived at about 10 p.m., escorted by a local police officer. "It's something I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy."

The incident in Mosul marked the greatest one-day loss of U.S. troops since the war in Iraq began on March 20.

Sixteen of the soldiers belonged to the 101st Airborne Division based at Fort Campbell, Ky. That includes Hafer, 21, who handled field artillery for his unit.

Early this week, conflicting reports about the deadly episode over Mosul had yet to be resolved.

Hafer said Army representatives told him his son's death resulted from an accident: the helicopters collided while flying on a night maneuver over Iraq's third largest city. "One went the wrong way when they turned" and "flew into the other," according to the account he received.

Military officials said one of the helicopters carried a quick reaction force and the other was ferrying soldiers on a transport mission in northern Iraq. But there was no official word Monday on the cause of the 6:30 p.m. collision of the aircraft.

Some witnesses reported hostile fire from the ground, and an Iraqi group claimed responsibility for shooting down the helicopter. The two choppers reportedly crashed onto two rooftops about 250 yards apart.

Hafer took one consolation in his son's death: "He died a hero," continuing a family tradition of service in the armed forces. But "I'd rather have him alive."

Hafer said "There are more casualties now than during the war; that's not right," indicating American troops should be brought home. "With the war over, none of this should have happened. Other families are going through the same thing I am."

An all-star defensive end with the Laurel Valley football team, the younger Hafer also took part in the school's Junior ROTC program, making staff sergeant. He competed in junior wrestling in his native Blairsville and jv wrestling in Ligonier after his family moved to the Laurel Valley area.

He also studied welding at the Eastern Westmoreland Career and Technology Center near Latrobe.

Jerry Page, longtime coach of the Ram football team and a neighbor of the Hafers when they resided in New Florence, remembered Rick Jr. as a "gentle giant."

At 6-5, 265, Page said, "He was an imposing figure" who played havoc with opposing offenses. But, "He never threw his weight around other than on the football field."

When stopping an opponent with a tackle, "He'd hit them and then pick them up," Page said. "He had such a pleasant outlook on life. He always seemed to have a smile on his face."

Page also recalled that Hafer Jr. was "respectful" and a hard worker, helping his father maintain the family vehicles and offering to assist neighbors with chores. "He was just an outstanding personality," Page said.

"He would help you faster than anybody I know," his father agreed. "He'd give you the shirt off his back."

"It certainly is a sad day for this community," the coach said of the younger Hafer's demise.

Page, who has seen hundreds of his players enter the military, added, "I really appreciate what these young people are doing for their country. You have to feel proud."

Sgt. Rick Lambing, one of Hafer's ROTC instructors at Laurel Valley, said the former cadet "was the nicest kid you'd ever want to talk to. Society lost his contribution."

In memory of Hafer, Lambing said, the school's flag was flown at half mast and students met to share their memories of the recent graduate.

One student saud Hafer used his strength to help free a fire truck stuck in some mud. "He was strong as an ox," Lambing said; he is planning to install a remembrance of Hafer in the ROTC classroom.

Though the younger Hafer's first love was football, he was planning to study business at Marshall University. After graduating from high school, he went to the neighboring state, where he got a job painting houses and stayed with his former step-mother, Sherry Barclay, and younger half-sisters, Holly, now 17, and Heather, 16.

"He was very protective of his sisters," Rick Sr. said.

According to his father, Rick Jr. eventually decided to delay his college plans, opting to enlist in the Army so he could later take advantage of the educational benefits.

Said Hafer, "I tried to talk him out of it." But, "He made his own decision. He was going to join the Army like I did and his grandfather did."

William R. Hafer served three years in the Marine Corps and four years in the Air Force before being killed in an automobile accident when his son, Rick Sr., was 18.

In response to the loss of his own father, Hafer senior formed an especially close bond with his own son: "He was my best friend, too. We did a lot of hunting and fishing together. We had a camp in Bedford where we'd go on weekends."

From shooting at wild game, the younger Hafer would take aim at different targets when he trained for a field artillery position. "He would ride around on trucks with big guns mounted on them," said his father, who received weekly calls from his son once his unit had settled into Iraq.

Father and son also regularly exchanged letters, and he sent care packages of his son's favorite snacks: cashews, peanuts and powdered grape Gatorade.

Also, to keep track of news from Iraq, Hafer watched CNN every morning before work. He bought a t-shirt with a map showing Iraq and the names of its major cities.

Hafer tried to dissuade his son from his choice of specialty. While field artillery positions are among the best paid in the Army, his father noted the danger also is high.

"The most dangerous places to be are with the field artillery or infantry," he said. "I knew it would be on the front line."

His unit shipped out of Kentucky in late December of last year, spending a period in Afghanistan before joining the conflict in Iraq. He had been stationed at Mosul, near the Turkish border, for at least four months.

According to his letters, Hafer was assigned to reconnaissance missions, to search and seize weapons which might be used against Americans.

During one such mission, "He got caught in a sandstorm. He said it felt like thousands of little bees stinging you in the face."

The younger Hafer also saw inside some of Hussein's palaces. He told his father, "Everything was made of gold. Then, when he stepped outside, he would see that the people in the street were all poor."

Iraqis' reactions to the American soldiers were mixed: "Some people viewed them as saviors and others would throw apples and tomatoes at them."

One young Iraqi girl was particularly grateful to Rick Jr., his father related. He said his son rescued the girl from an Iraqi man who was trying to rape her in a back street.

To thank her defender, "Two days later she came back and gave him a string of beads she had made."

Overall, his son "liked doing his job" in Iraq. "When he accomplished a goal they set for him, he was excited."

At the same time, noted his grandmother, Ellen Cameron of Derry Township, "He was so looking forward to coming home" for a two-week leave this Thanksgiving, after two previous stateside visits had been cancelled.

Hafer learned from a friend in the younger Hafer's unit that his son had planned to surprise his family with a reunion this month.

But in his last phone conversation with his son, on Nov. 7, he kept his plan under wraps. "He said, 'I'll see you when I get home in March,' " adding that "he had a surprise for me. I told him seeing him was the only thing I wanted."

In August, the family received a final photo e-mailed from Iraq. Though sunburned, "He looked good," his father said.

The elder Hafer noted his son was "into extreme things," enjoying training which involved rappelling.

Due to his strength, he was nicknamed "Superman" by his fellow trainees.

In an example of the affectionate humor father and son shared, Hafer sent his son some briefs bearing the "S" logo of the famous superhero: "He had to do some push-ups for that, but he thought it was funny."

The last time his father and grandmother saw Rick Jr. in person was when he graduated from basic and advanced individual training at Ft. Sill, Okla., shortly after Thanksgiving last fall. "He grinned all over, he was so happy to see us," his grandmother recalled.

Shortly after Christmas, his unit was activated for duty in the Middle East. He never had the chance to meet the newest Hafer, a two-month-old half-brother, Nicholas.

Now the family is waiting to reclaim the remains of the newest member to make the ultimate sacrifice.

Herbert Goff, a great-great-uncle of Rick Jr., was shot down and killed while serving with the Air Force in World War II.

Four other great-uncles also served: Reid Goff of Morgantown, W. Va., and Russ Hafer of Blairsville, both served with the Army in Vietnam; Ronald Hafer of Hampton, Va., a retired sergeant major with 30 years of service in the Army.

On Tuesday, Hafer learned his son's body had been returned to the states, taken to the Air Force base in Dover, Del. He wasn't sure how long it would be before the family could claim their loved one.

Funeral arrangements were indefinite but were expected to be under the supervision of Ferguson Funeral Home, with interment in Blairsville Cemetery.
PittsburghLIVE.com - Seward Family Mourns Its 'Gentle Giant'

U.S.-Backed Mayor of Fallujah Resigns: "Taha Bedawi, the U.S.-backed mayor of this volatile city west of Baghdad, resigned Thursday amid mounting criticism of his performance, the local U.S. military commander said. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Scholars discover parts of New Testament: "A barely legible clue - the name "Simon" carved in Greek letters - beckoned from high up on the weather-beaten facade of an ancient burial monument."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

Bomb Attack in Iraq Kills U.S. Soldier, Army Says: "A bomb detonated as a U.S. convoy drovepast Thursday killed one American soldier and wounded two nearthe restive Iraqi town of Ramadi, a military spokeswoman said. (Reuters)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

US forces arrest Saddam's brother-in-law: Iraqi police: "US forces have arrested Arshad Yassin, a brother-in-law of Saddam Hussein who was also his personal helicopter pilot and a senior figure in his close protection force until the early 1990s, a high ranking Iraqi police officer said. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Bush Says Will Send More Troops to Iraq if Needed: "President Bush left open the possibilityon Thursday of sending more American troops to Iraq but saidsecurity on the ground would be the deciding factor. (Reuters)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Arab countries condemn Turkey blasts: "Arab countries joined the rest of the world in condemning Thursday's suicide bombings in Istanbul, Turkey, with the Syrian information minister calling the attacks "a barbarous crime.""

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

HSBC bank says it won't leave Turkey: "HSBC Holdings PLC, the London-based bank targeted in one of Thursday's deadly terrorist bombings in Istanbul, said the attacks wouldn't force it to leave Turkey."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

Thursday, November 20, 2003

Iraq war updates
Six arrested for Turkey synagogues blast: "Authorities arrested six people in connection with the suicide bombings of two Istanbul synagogues as opposition leaders accused Turkey's government on Wednesday of being too lenient toward Muslim radicals."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

Bush Acknowledges Iraq Gesture to Iran: "The Bush administration confirmed on Wednesday that Iraq has made overtures to Iran and said it was up to Baghdad to work out its relations with its neighbors. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Accused U.S. commander at pretrial hearing: "An Army officer fought back tears Wednesday as he acknowledged threatening to shoot an Iraqi detainee to extract information about a planned attack, saying that to protect his troops, he would "go to hell with a gasoline can in my hand.""

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

Child killed in Iraq car bomb attack: "A car bomb exploded outside the home of a tribal leader in a city west of the capital on Wednesday, killing one child in yet another attack aimed at a U.S. ally."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

Rumsfeld: NATO help in Iraq not expected: "More direct help from NATO in Iraq would be welcome but is unlikely, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said Wednesday."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

Ramadi car bomb kills child, hurts others: "A car bomb exploded late Wednesday outside the home of a pro-American tribal leader in Ramadi, killing one child, a resident said."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

U.S. Changes Military Strategy in Iraq: "The U.S. military's counteroffensive in Iraq features a major shift in tactics: aggressive combat against guerrilla hide-outs and training camps using American precision bombs and missiles rarely seen since the war last spring. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Iraq blast targets pro-US leader: "A bomb explodes near the home of a tribal leader in central Iraq, as US forces tackle insurgents in the area."

In BBC: Conflict with Iraq

Protests hit Iraq 'Coalition TV': "Iraqis protest against "immodest images" on the coalition-run national television station, reports say."

In BBC: Conflict with Iraq

TF ?ALL AMERICAN? CAPTURES ATTACKER OF POLICE CHIEF?S SON in CENTCOM: News Release

Vaccines Eyed In GIs Death: "One health panel says it suspects vaccines may have played a role in the death of a 22-year-old Army medic, but another board disagrees. It's the latest development in a running debate over vaccine safety."

In CBS News: Iraq Crisis

Bush issues Iraq peace vow in London: "George Bush has told an audience of foreign policy and defence experts in London's Banqueting House that he is still determined to bring democracy to Iraq and the wider Middle East."

In Ananova: War In Iraq

US pounds Iraqi targets with massive bombs: "The US Air Force has used some of the largest weapons in its inventory to attack targets in central Iraq as part of the escalating crackdown on suspected guerrilla strongholds."

In Ananova: War In Iraq

Wednesday, November 19, 2003

Iraq War News
Japan PM Set for Re-Election, Iraq Dispatch on Hold: "Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi was setto be re-elected on Wednesday at the start of a briefparliamentary session as Japan grappled with the touchyquestion of when to send non-combat troops to help rebuildIraq. (Reuters)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

US says new UN resolution on Iraq could be a "possibility": "The United States said that a new UN Security Council resolution on Iraq's accelerated transition to self-rule could be a "possibility," but officials underlined the US is not actively seeking such a measure. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

List of Victims in Iraq Copter Collision: "Two Black Hawk helicopters collided Saturday in Iraq, killing 17 soldiers from the 101st Airborne based in Fort Campbell, Ky. The Department of Defense and family members have identified those killed as: (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

U.S. Plans New U.N. Iraq Resolution: "The United States wants a new U.N. resolution to endorse the agreement between the Iraqi Governing Council and the U.S.-led coalition for a handover of power to a provisional Iraqi government in June 2004, U.N. diplomats said Tuesday. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

A Look at U.S. Daily Deaths in Iraq: "As of Tuesday, Nov. 18, 422 U.S. service members have died since the beginning of military operations in Iraq, according to the Department of Defense. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Mosul's pacification messages: "Mosul could have been a firecracker in post-war Iraq, but understandings on both sides have allayed trouble."

In BBC: Conflict with Iraq (UK Edition)

Italy honours its Iraq dead: "A final tribute has been paid to the 19 Italians killed in Iraq last week with a state funeral and a national day of mourning."

In Ananova: War In Iraq

Bush flies in to Fortress London (18 Nov 03) in Radio Free USA

82D AIRBORNE DIVISION CONTINUES CRACK DOWN ON INSURGENTS in CENTCOM: News Release

101ST AIRBORNE DIVISION DISCOVERS WEAPONS CACHES in CENTCOM: News Release

101ST ROUNDS UP EIGHT SUSPECTS, WEAPONS DURING SEARCHES in CENTCOM: News Release

International seminar on the Role of the Media in Peacebuilding in RISQ

Tuesday, November 18, 2003

Sharon says he'll meet Palestinian PM: "Israeli and Palestinian premiers will meet soon, Israel's prime minister said Monday, opening prospects for talks to end more than three years of conflict as a top Egyptian official came to the West Bank to promote a cease-fire."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

Brit Envoy: We Warned U.S.: "A former British ambassador to the United States says British officials warned their American counterparts that more postwar planning was needed, but were ignored."

In CBS News: Iraq Crisis

Did Saddam Dupe His Generals?: "Writing in The Weekly Standard, former CIA director James Woolsey says U.S. intellgence may have thought Saddam had WMDs because that's precisely what Saddam's own generals thought."

In CBS News: Iraq Crisis

CIA: Not Sure Saddam Tape Real: "An audiotape supposedly made by Saddam Hussein urged Iraqis to escalate attacks against the occupation and "agents brought by foreign armies." The CIA says it can't tell whether that's really Saddam on the tape."

In CBS News: Iraq Crisis

Bush to find warmth, antagonism in London: "President Bush is joining with America's staunchest ally in the war in Iraq for a state visit that promises contrasting pictures of elegant ceremonies at Buckingham Palace and noisy street protests by thousands of anti-war demonstrators."

In JuneauEmpire.com: Associated Press

Muhammad seeks to avoid death sentence: "Was John Allen Muhammad a man who tenderly looked after his children while they lived in a shelter, or a callous killer who deserves to die for masterminding the Washington area sniper shootings?"

In JuneauEmpire.com: Associated Press

U.N. agency begins Afghan withdrawl: "The U.N. refugee agency began pulling foreign staff out of large swaths of southern and eastern Afghanistan on Tuesday in the wake of the killing of a French worker, a decision that could affect tens of thousands of Afghan returnees."

In JuneauEmpire.com: Associated Press

Bomb blast wounds 2 U.S. troops in Mosul: "A bomb blast wounded two U.S. soldiers Tuesday in the northern city of Mosul while U.S. aircraft and tanks blasted trees and abandoned buildings along a road north of Baghdad to deny insurgents cover for rocket attacks."

In JuneauEmpire.com: Associated Press

Monday, November 17, 2003

The Sun Newspaper Online - UK's biggest selling newspaper

Nut 'dies in Iraq battle'
By MARTYN SHARPE

A MARTIAL arts instructor with a pregnant wife and baby son in Sheffield is thought to have been killed trying to blow up US troops in Iraq.

Black belt Wail al Dhaleai left his family in the South Yorkshire city five weeks ago, telling friends he had landed a job teaching Tae Kwon Do in Dubai.

The 22-year-old, who came to Britain from Yemen seeking political asylum and married a British woman, allegedly died attacking Americans earlier this month.

Islamic fighters are said to have phoned his parents in Yemen with the news.

Yesterday his martial arts pals back in Sheffield were stunned.

Fellow instructor Andy Hill said: “It’s incredible, he was so friendly — the last man you’d think was involved with fanatics.”

Andy, 43, added: “He was a very good teacher — all the youngsters used to get on well with him.

“His religion was very important. We once took him to a pub, but he said he couldn’t go in because he couldn’t drink.

“His wife is a Sheffield girl and she converted to his religion after they married two years ago.”

Sources believe a number of men have been recruited in Britain to attack coalition forces.

American troops in Iraq yesterday continued their offensive against terror groups.

They shelled enemy positions near Saddam’s home town of Tikrit and destroyed extremists’ homes, killing six.

Two US soldiers were killed and two wounded in attacks near the town of Balad, near Baghdad.
The Sun Newspaper Online - UK's biggest selling newspaper

The Record

For this Cohoes family, duty calls

By: Robert Cristo , The Record 10/14/2003

COHOES - Bolstered by the support of both friends and strangers, a city family is torn between the pride of having their 19-year-old son fighting for freedom in Iraq and the anguish of knowing that on his mission, danger lurks at every turn.

The last time Dan Forant III saw his father, Dan Forant Jr., and his grandmother, Connie, was two months ago when he
got the call that sent him to join his comrades with the U.S Army's Charlie Company, First Brigade, in Iraq.
"I was absolutely mortified, terrified. ... I told him 'I wish I could go in your place,'" said his grandmother, a retired graphic artist. "But he's still such a hero to me. ... I remember him telling me that this was the job he had to do, even though he didn't have to go."
Since then, communication between Dan and his close-knit family has consisted of one phone call and the occasional e-mail.
"He was saying positive things, but his voice sounded down and he wasn't himself. He knows it's a very dangerous place," said Forant's father.
During the past few weeks, Forant's unit has moved west of Baghdad to the deserts of Ar Ramedi, where soldiers in his unit have been killed in roadside ambushes.
"We worry every day, especially when you watch the news and see the car bombings and the soldiers getting ambushed and killed," said Dan's father, 39, a financial marketer who served in the military in the mid-'80s.
"You never know what's going to happen, but I support the war and I'm proud of my son and I believe in the job all the soldiers are doing over there.
"When you think about how we have 150,000 troops in Iraq holding down a population of 21 million with less than 400 deaths ... that's definitely an overwhelming military success," he added.
Just a few weeks ago, Forant's family read letters sent from Iraq to local elementary school children and also initiated a campaign to send care packages to soldiers overseas.
The Forants also set up a Web site designed to allow supporters to learn more about their son and the war in Iraq. A banner with a photograph of Dan can also be seen stretched across the family's home on Columbia Street.
The overwhelming response from the community has already produced more than a dozen care packages of everything from paperback books, magazines and games to toiletries, candy and cameras.
"They (soldiers) really only get ammo, water and meals, so this outpouring from the public really gives them a good feeling of home and it boosts morale," said Forant Jr., "and that's really all they have to hold onto while they're there."
Both father and grandmother are praying every day that their pride and joy will return home in 12 months without a scratch to his body, mind or spirit.
"Being over there is such a tremendous burden, especially for someone so young," said Forant Jr. "I just hope he can go on with his life and is not psychologically damaged by what he's seen and done."
The Forant family wants to thank the city of Cohoes mayor's office and many schools and churches throughout the Capital District, including the Cohoes school district and St. Ambrose Church in Latham, for their support.
Anyone interested in learning more can check out www.danforantiniraq.com.

The Record

Iraq War Updates
What Iraq will get isn't self-rule (17 Nov 03) in Radio Free USA

Questions for President Bush's next press conference (17 Nov 03) in Radio Free USA

Bush pulls out of speech to Parliament (17 Nov 03) in Radio Free USA

Top Iraqi Scientist Flees to Iran: "The Iraqi scientist who headed Saddam Hussein's long-range missile program has fled to neighboring Iran, a country identified as a state sponsor of terrorism with a successful missile program and nuclear ambitions, U.S. officers involved in the weapons hunt told The Associated Press.
Dr. Modher Sadeq-Saba al-Tamimi's departure comes as top weapons makers from Saddam's deposed regime find themselves eight months out of work but with skills that could be lucrative to militaries or terrorist organizations in neighboring countries. U.S. officials have said some are already in Syria and Jordan.
Full story at Fox"

In Command Post: Irak

Iraq war news
U.S. Launches "Massive" Offensive: ""The 4th Infantry Division and Task Force Ironhorse has launched a series of combined arms operations to include air and ground strikes against identified targets," a statement from U.S. Central Command said, "along with precision raids against non-compliant groups and individuals focused on neutralizing paramilitary, former regime loyalists, foreign fighters and other extremist and subversive elements with task force area of responsibility."
More at CNN"

In Command Post: Irak

U.S., Canadian Jews head to Jerusalem: "More than 4,000 U.S. and Canadian Jews on Sunday began a four-day convention in Israel, the largest of its kind, planning to discuss issues like immigration and anti-Semitism and show support for the embattled country."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

Palestinian groups seem ready for truce: "Palestinian militants are sending "very positive" signals that they are ready for a cease-fire with Israel, a top aide to the Palestinian prime minister said Sunday, a day before Egypt's intelligence chief arrives for truce talks."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

U.S. troops take on guerrillas in Iraq: "Troops flooded a Baghdad neighborhood in a new U.S. military offensive against guerrillas Sunday, as an audiotape purportedly made by Saddam Hussein urged Iraqis to escalate their fight against the occupation."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

Iraq handover too slow - France: "The French foreign minister urges the US to act sooner on the creation of a provisional Iraqi government."

In BBC: Conflict with Iraq (UK Edition)

Sunday, November 16, 2003

French U.N. worker killed in Afghanistan
JuneauEmpire.com: Associated Press: "One of two Afghan men on a motorcycle opened fire Sunday on a marked United Nations' car, killing a French aid worker, the first international U.N. staff member slain in postwar Afghanistan. Police identified the captured assailants as Taliban militants."

Iraq War News
'Saddam' tape taunts US military: "A recording purportedly of Saddam Hussein says the occupying forces in Iraq have reached "a dead end"."

In BBC: Conflict with Iraq (UK Edition)

Bremer: US in tough fight in Iraq: "America's top man in Iraq says the US is in "a tough fight" there and its forces will stay on after political power is handed over."

In BBC: Conflict with Iraq (UK Edition)

Gambling on Plan B: "The US decision to hand over power by the end of June is a recognition that its policy has failed, writes Paul Reynolds."

In BBC: Conflict with Iraq (UK Edition)

Unreported attacks: "The BBC's Martin Asser sees victims of violent crime at a Baghdad hospital."

In BBC: Conflict with Iraq (UK Edition)

US To Help Ink Iraqi Constitution: "Iraq?s new constitution will embody American values, including a bill of rights, says America's chief postwar administrator, L. Paul Bremer. Enemy fire may have caused the crash of two U.S. helicopters Saturday that killed 17 American soldiers."

In CBS News: Iraq Crisis

Ledger-Enquirer | 11/16/2003 | Struggling for answers

Posted on Sun, Nov. 16, 2003

Struggling for answers
BY MURIEL TAN
Staff Writer

ST. CHARLES, Mo. - The card with the floral bouquet on its cover is postmarked July 3, 2003.

Dear Rich,

How are you? Iraq is dominating the news... the government realizes you guys need to come home. The military analysts say, 'The military is undermanned and over committed.' Please be patient and take care. Never let your guard down. We are looking forward to your safe return.

Much love and prayers, Mom, Dad, and Lisa.

(P.S.) I'm sorry to see you in this position. I wish you will have children and grandchildren to tell your war stories to some day and to bake some 'wartime' cookies with. Stay strong for mom, OK?

A little more than a week after that postmark, having returned from Iraq, 25-year-old Army Spc. Richard T. Davis would be lying dead in a wooded area, 40 yards off a busy commercial strip in Columbus, killed not by the Iraqi enemy, but by his fellow soldiers, police and military investigators allege.

He had been stabbed multiple times, his body doused with lighter fluid, then set on fire.

Nearly four months later, on the afternoon of Nov. 7, investigators found his remains beneath a piece of blackened log scattered among some leaves. Davis was later positively identified by his dental records.

Three of his fellow soldiers, all originally charged with murder, remain jailed on $25,000 bond each on charges of concealing the death of another. They may still face indictment on murder charges, according to the district attorney's office. A fourth soldier, who is being extradited from California, awaits a preliminary hearing on a murder charge.

The Army brat

On Thursday, at her home in St. Charles, Mo., Remy Davis' hands shook as she tried to stuff that card, the one postmarked July 3 and returned unopened, back into its envelope.

He was her baby, her only son.

A child of military parents -- his mother a medic at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C.; his father a retired military police sergeant and 20-year veteran -- Rich Davis wound up carrying the "Army brat" mantle.

Born in Germany where his father, Lanny Davis, was stationed at the time, Rich Davis would attend schools in Kansas, Missouri and California before settling in the early '90s with his parents in the city of St. Charles, Mo., population of about 200,000 at that time. The family bought a three-bedroom, ranch-style brick home in the oldest city along the Missouri River.

Though he didn't especially like school, he excelled in reading and painting. Photo albums showcase his accomplishments: the "Junior Author" blue ribbon from sixth grade, for example, and the A+ he got for a drawing project at Francis Howell Central High. He was suspended for a day after some classmates scribbled obscenities on that drawing project, said his mother.

"Back then, there weren't many kids like him in town," said Remy Davis, 53, who is of Filipino-Chinese descent. "He looked different."

In high school, Rich Davis went through the normal rebellion period, spending his after-school hours with the skateboarding crowd and his cousins. Dyeing his hair with blond streaks, wearing pants that swept the floor. Racking up speeding tickets in his pride and joy -- the electric-blue Honda Civic that still sits in the driveway of the family's home.

At 16 he joined Weekend Warrior, a reserve program that entailed training a few weekends during the year. He also worked part-time. Remy Davis remembers when he came home one afternoon, ecstatic over a promotion he got at the Gingham Restaurant, a family diner nearby.

"Mom, Mom, guess what!" he screamed to her. "I got promoted!" The raise was from dishwasher to busboy, Remy Davis recalled last week, sighing.

Upon high school graduation, Rich Davis joined the Army. After training at Fort Jackson, S.C., he was stationed at Fort Hood, Texas, in a field artillery unit. In the late '90s, he served in wartime Bosnia as a driver for the battalion commander and as a machine gunner.

Rich's entry into the Army brought pride to the family, relatives said. "Richard knew it pleased his dad, and knowing that it did made him happy," said Martha Green, Rich's aunt. Green recalled a visit home after he'd been in Bosnia, when Rich arrived at his Uncle Tom's home and introduced his father.

"They came in together, with their arms on each other's shoulder," Green said. "You know, my brother Lanny is not the affectionate type. And then Rich, holding his dad's shoulder, announces, 'This is my best friend.' Lanny just smiled and said, 'We've been talking.' "

When his son came home from Bosnia, Lanny Davis, 54, says, he noticed a change in him. There was hurt in his son's eyes.

"Dad, how can people treat people like that -- babies, women and children -- and just throw them in graves," Lanny Davis remembers his son asking. A veteran of three tours in Korea and a year in Vietnam, Lanny Davis said he tried to sympathize with his son.

By Sept. 11, 2001, Rich Davis had decided to leave the Army. He went home, but it didn't take long before he got restless. He rejoined the Army and by January 2002 had arrived at Fort Benning.

Last year, as the United States prepared for war with Iraq, he was sent to Kuwait. His unit -- the 3rd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division's 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment -- returned home in the fall of 2002. Rich returned to Kuwait in November 2002. During the next several months his unit would engage in some of the bloodiest battles in the Iraq war.

'Mom... Mom... Mom'

In February 2003, the Davises received a card from Rich. It would be the last they received from him. On the cover of it was a cartoon of a smiling camel with a holiday recipe inside, titled "How to Stuff a Camel."

Inside, Rich wrote:

"I live in a 60-man tent with no heat or electricity... get to take a cold shower every 4 days. It is only going to get worse from here. They don't know when we're coming home. Rumor is we're moving north on Feb. 12. All I'm doing now is training, that is all we do. The only thing keeping me going is watching all the REMFs complain about the living conditions. You can send me a package no bigger than a shoebox. Well that's all for now."

His parents got no more mail from Rich, but they did get three phone calls.

The first one, on May 5, lasted a few minutes, Remy Davis recalled. It was 12:49 p.m. in St. Charles and she was home taking care of Lisa, Richard's 21-year-old sister who has Down syndrome. "They had just reached Baghdad," Remy Davis recalled. She remembers doing most of the talking, but Rich talked about coming home in 10 to 15 days.

Two days later, on May 7 at 2:23 p.m., another call came. Her son seemed more talkative, Remy Davis said. "He was talking about his car, about his trip from Kuwait to Baghdad, that he was wearing the same clothes and had not taken a bath from the beginning of his trip from Kuwait to Baghdad and to the end of the war," his mother said. "I think it was something like 25 days. They just got used to each other's smell."

Morale, he told her, was very low. They were still eating MREs and sleeping in the dirt.

"He said that when he got home all he wanted to do was work on his car," Remy Davis said. When she told her son she would meet him at Fort Benning, Rich said that wouldn't be necessary.

"He said he'd just fly home and then I could bring him anywhere I wanted," Remy Davis said. She planned on a trip to her native Philippines, where Rich had expressed a desire to visit.

The lengthiest call came May 20, around 6 p.m. This time Lanny Davis was home and able to talk with his son for about 30 minutes while his wife listened in on another line in the bedroom. The call was markedly different from the first two, each parent said. Richard sounded "in distress" and was talking "irrationally," they said.

They were now going to be in Iraq indefinitely, Rich told his parents. He talked about holes in his boots, said he could no longer stand the MREs and that they were waiting for drinking water. His rucksack, which had been hanging outside a Bradley Fighting Vehicle, was blown up by a rocket propelled grenade. Rich mentioned seeing a lot of dead bodies, his father said.

"Everyone was quiet and keeping to themselves," Lanny Davis recalled his son saying. "He said he didn't trust friendly people -- I didn't know if he was talking about Iraqis or his fellow soldiers."

When the Davises told their son that Saddam Hussein still hadn't been found, he was in disbelief. At one point during that third phone call he cried, pleading with his father to "get me outta here."

A brief exchange of goodbyes and I-love-yous followed. It was the last time Lanny and Remy Davis would speak to their son.

On May 23, the couple got a letter from MCI threatening to disconnect their long-distance service. Lanny Davis did not understand. They had not been late on any bills and had received only a handful of calls from overseas. A few days later, their long-distance service was interrupted. It took a week before MCI restored the service.

In the meantime, two more calls came -- they believe were from their son -- but the connection was cut, Remy Davis said. During the last call she picked up, she heard a voice saying, "Mom, Mom, Mom," before the line went dead.

After that, there were no more calls from Rich.

Despite their son's wishes, the Davises planned for a surprise visit to Fort Benning for Rich's homecoming. They continued to follow national coverage of the war, scanning the news ticker on CNN for news of the 3rd Brigade's return home.

'It's about Richard'

On July 14 or July 15 -- they aren't certain -- the Davises got a call that was noteworthy only for its brevity and for the unknown person on the other end. It was a woman's voice. She called in the morning, sometime between 9 and 10 a.m.

"Hello, is this Mrs. Remedios Davis?" the woman asked.

Thinking it was a telemarketer, Remy Davis answered with a curt "yes."

"It's about Richard," the woman began. She sounded anxious and nervous, Remy Davis recalled.

"I said well, 'What about Richard?' " Remy Davis said. "Richard is not here."

Annoyed at what she thought was a sales call, Remy Davis then hung up, believing that her son was still in Iraq with the rest of his unit.

In fact, he had returned to Fort Benning a couple of days earlier, and may already have been dead.

A diary begins

It was July 21 before the Davises heard any more about their son. That's when Remy Davis started a diary. Inside a green notebook, she began making daily entries of times, dates, names and phone numbers. All of it documenting the Davises' effort to find Richard.

It was around 9 a.m. that day when a sergeant from Fort Benning called their Missouri home.

"Where's Richard?" he asked Lanny Davis.

"Richard?" Davis responded. "He's in Baghdad Airport. That's the last we've heard from him." Lanny Davis explained he knew this with some certainty since his son had called on May 20 after borrowing a phone from a group of reservists guarding a water purification plant in Baghdad.

It was then that the Davises learned their son had already returned to the United States. The sergeant told them the group had returned July 13 and that their son was last seen on July 14.

As of July 16, he was listed as AWOL, absent without leave, they were told.

"I thought he probably went and blew some steam off, called a girlfriend or whatever," Lanny Davis said. "They had just come back from a war, so that wouldn't be that surprising. I've done it myself."

It wasn't until the next day, July 22, that Lanny Davis began to feel uneasy. During a conversation with another sergeant, he learned that his son was last seen on July 14, shopping at the PX on post. His clothes, his toothbrush, his shoes -- all remained untouched inside his room. His father wondered, why would he go AWOL without all these things and the stuff he had just bought?

He wasn't the type to leave the military, his father reasoned. Plus, he hadn't called home, hadn't asked about his car or his mother, with whom he was extremely close.

"He would've called or contacted us in some way, even if it was just a card," Lanny Davis said. It was beginning to look like a missing person situation, he thought to himself.

The Davises made a slew of calls to Fort Benning, then to the Veterans Administration. Lanny Davis asked if anyone had checked the hospital, the morgue, the police station, the airports and bus stations. He asked if anyone had filled out a missing person's report.

On July 30, one sergeant promised him he would file a missing person report with the Columbus Police Department.

"I don't know if he ever did," Lanny Davis said.

Contacted by phone Thursday, Columbus Police Maj. Russell Traino said he believed no report had been made with the department's investigative unit, though any soldier listed as AWOL would have been automatically entered into a national crime database.

The Davises' calls in search of their son stretched into August. Fort Benning officials continued to tell them that Rich Davis was AWOL, and that they had no news of him.

On Aug. 19, a frustrated and very worried Lanny Davis got into his 2000 Silverado pickup truck and drove 700 miles until he reached Fort Benning. There he would spend two days and two nights in search of answers.

Two days, two nights at Benning

Upon arriving on post, Lanny Davis met with a sergeant he had spoken to during previous phone conversations.

"Really nice man," Lanny Davis said. "They were all very nice, very polite fellows."

But the sergeant could offer him nothing new. Rich was a good soldier, he explained, but no one really knew anything about him.

When Lanny Davis asked to meet or talk with anyone who might have known his son, he was told that his son was "a loner." During the two-day visit, everyone he asked to see -- any squad leaders, a captain, an executive officer, a platoon sergeant, assorted squadmates or roommates -- seemed to have been unavailable or busy. "So they're going to tell me that he's been there since last year, with them in Kuwait then in battle in Iraq, and no one knows him?" Lanny Davis said. "You don't go through combat with people and not become close if you're under life-and-death situations. It's just part of human nature."

Though the sergeant said he would try to find someone Lanny Davis could speak with, no one in a position of authority ever materialized.

"I guess it didn't matter that I was retired military and a concerned parent who drove 700 miles to find out about my son," Lanny Davis said. "Maybe they thought I just fell off a turnip truck and didn't understand."

One conversation stood out, Lanny Davis said.

Spotting a corporal standing near a row of offices on the first day of his visit, Lanny Davis approached.

"Do you know my son, Specialist Davis?" he asked.

"You mean Richard?" the corporal asked. "Well, yes of course, sure." The corporal began to tell Lanny Davis what a good man his son was when a voice from the first sergeant's office rang out.

"I need to see you in here," the voice urged.

"Then the corporal double-times it over there and the door is closed behind him," Lanny Davis said. "Just like that."

The exchange only reinforced the uneasy reception Lanny Davis felt he was receiving at this point.

On the second day of his visit, Lanny Davis stopped by the military police unit, then placed a call to the Army's Criminal Investigations Division from the station. On both counts, he said, he was told that no investigation had been started. According to a computer check, his son was still listed as AWOL. Furthermore, no one was available at CID to talk to him.

Because of privacy rules, Fort Benning officials could not release his son's personal effects for Lanny Davis to inspect. A sergeant instead promised to re-check the items and look into whether there was any activity on his son's bank account.

Appeals for assistance

On Aug. 23, Lanny Davis was back at home in Missouri. A couple of weeks later, after driving 127 miles to Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., for legal assistance, and after contacting a local congressman, he appealed to a friend in the FBI.

From him, Lanny Davis learned a bit of worrisome information: His son's bank account had remained untouched in recent weeks.

On Sept. 16, the congressman's secretary placed a call to the Davis family, informing them that the case had been reported to the Department of Defense in Washington, D.C. That same day, Lanny Davis received a call from a CID agent at Fort Benning. After hearing the family's story, the agent told Lanny Davis, "that definitely sounds like a missing person."

Weeks later, on Oct. 29, a second CID agent assigned to the case informed the family that Rich had been placed on a national missing persons' list.

A tip, then a discovery

On Nov. 7, acting on what they learned from an informant, CID investigators called Columbus Police to a wooded area along the 4400 block of Milgen Road.

There they discovered skeletal remains of a young white male in his 20s, believed to have been in the woods for at least a month. He had been stabbed multiple times, said Muscogee County Coroner James Dunnavant. Court testimony would later indicate that his body was set on fire.

Within hours of the discovery, three soldiers were transported from military police headquarters at Fort Benning to the Columbus Police Department. The men -- Jacob Burgoyne, Mario Naverette and Douglas Woodcoff, all 24 -- were from Rich Davis' unit and were the last men he had been seen with.

The knock on the Davis family's door came the following day, Nov. 8. Silver oak leaves on his jacket sleeves indicated the man was an Army lieutenant colonel.

Lanny Davis answered the door. "Is this bad news or good news?" he asked. "They said it was bad news."

The lieutenant colonel told the family he had been contacted by the Secretary of Defense's office and asked to come to their home. Their son was dead, and his body had been found.

The accused

Burgoyne, Naverette and Woodcoff were initially charged with murder. In their first hearing, police detectives said the three men, in addition to a fourth, later identified as Alberto Martinez, had gone with Rich Davis to a Columbus strip club one day in mid-July. All the soldiers were kicked out, detectives testified, after Davis allegedly insulted a dancer. The soldiers fought. Davis was stabbed and died.

Recorder's Court Judge Michael Cielinski reduced the murder charge, but found probable cause to bind Burgoyne, Naverette and Woodcoff over to Superior Court on charges of concealing the death of another. Martinez is in California, and has waived extradition to Columbus, where he's expected to appear in court on a murder charge.

The Army addressed Davis' murder in a news conference Thursday. Col. Steven Salazar, 3rd Brigade commander, expressed "deepest sorrow and condolences" over Davis' death, saying it had a "profound effect" on the 3rd Brigades' 4,000 soldiers. Salazar said unnamed members of the 1-15 "went above and beyond those required by Army regulations" in assisting investigators on the case.

At home, grief

Back in St. Charles, Mo., Lanny and Remy Davis are grieving. They've each lost 30 pounds. Relatives tell them they're loved, but their loss is devastating. They talk of a future without their son, a future without grandchildren. A few days ago, a relative took Remy to a shoe store to distract her. After a few minutes browsing in the store, the relative heard Remy screaming, "My son, my son."

Lanny Davis doesn't know why his son died, but he doesn't believe it was because of an insult in a strip club.

"He wasn't even afforded an honorable death, after going through all that anguish," Lanny Davis said. "Instead, he comes home and is killed like an animal."

Ledger-Enquirer | 11/16/2003 | Struggling for answers

Two Black Hawks Down; 17 Dead: "Five troops were hurt and one was unaccounted for, military officials said. One chopper was said to have been hit by a rocket-propelled grenade, and witnesses reported the two aircraft collided in mid-air."

In CBS News: Iraq Crisis

Timetable set for Iraq transfer: "The US-led coalition in Iraq will hand over power to a transitional government by next June, it is announced."

In BBC: Conflict with Iraq (UK Edition)

CIVIL AFFAIRS, PATROLS MAKE IRAQ BETTER PLACE FOR RESIDENTS in CENTCOM: News Release

PROGRESS MADE IN AL ANBAR PROVINCE in CENTCOM: News Release

101ST RAIDS NET ALLEGED TERRORISTS OPERATING IN NORTHERN IRAQ in CENTCOM: News Release

US to hand over power by mid-2004: "The US-led coalition will hand power to a transitional Iraqi government by June, the Iraqi Governing Council says."

In BBC: Conflict with Iraq (UK Edition)

Saturday, November 15, 2003

Iraq War News
US works on power transfer to Iraqis under alarming violence surge: "The United States has moved to speed up the handover of power to the Iraqis by mid-2004, amid an alarming surge of violence that left another four more Americans dead despite a new US offensive to quell resistance to the occupation. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Bomb kills US soldier in Baghdad, wounds two: military: "A roadside bomb exploded as an army convoy drove by in Baghdad, killing one US soldier and wounding two, the US military said. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Bremer, Iraq Council Meet; Soldier Killed: "Chief U.S. administrator L. Paul Bremer on Saturday presented Iraq's Governing Council with Washington's new policy proposals aimed at speeding up Iraq's sovereignty, officials said. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

'US offering Iraq independence by summer': "The US is prepared to grant Iraq independence by next summer."

In Ananova: War In Iraq

Friday is gloomy memo day: "A new CIA memo says that resistance to the US occupation in Iraq is clearly increasing. A new Israeli memo admits that the country has done anything but comply with the "road map" for peace, constructing more settlements and trying to "whitewash their existence". Yesterday British..."

In Catalyzer Newsroom

US steps up assault on Iraqi foes: "US forces step up air and ground attacks on Iraqi insurgents, killing seven after two more US soldiers died."

In BBC: Conflict with Iraq

Centcom boosts Qatar HQ: "US Central Command sends up to 300 extra staff to its forward HQ in Qatar to help support its operations in Iraq."

In BBC: Conflict with Iraq

Iran leader rips U.S. occupation of Iraq: "Iran's supreme leader said Friday that America's military occupation of Iraq was failing and criticized President Bush's call for greater democracy in the Middle East."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

U.S. general treads carefully in Iraq: "The tribal sheiks in Anbar had a clear message for Maj. Gen. Charles H. Swannack Jr. - the detention of Iraqi women is only creating new enemies for America."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

Coalition steps up security in Basra to ward off attacks: "Coalition forces heightened security in the southern Iraqi city of Basra, temporarily confining coalition civilian staff to their headquarters following a string of bomb blasts here and a deadly suicide attack in Nasiriyah, officials said. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Busy News Day in Iraq: "An Apache helicopter killed seven suspected "insurgents" who were preparing to launch a rocket attack in Tikrit. 600 rockets were found at the scene.
One civilian contracter was killed an another injured when gunmen opened fire on a convoy in Balad.
Gunmen injured a Porteguese reporter and kidnapped another in Basra.
A roadside bomb exploded in Baghdad, injuring three."

In Command Post: Irak

Friday, November 14, 2003

Sound familiar?: "According to the New York Observer, the Coalition Provisional Authority has "severely limited" journalists access to newsworthy people and places in Iraq, including provisional government authorities. "In an effort to stanch the flow of reporting on small-scale terrorist activity and the resulting injuries to U.S. troops, sources said, morgues and hospitals in Baghdad have become impenetrable to reporters. Reporters have found their access to police stations cut off. When access is granted, reporters said, the C.P.A. often assigns 'minders' to accompany them," reports the Observer. Continue »"

In Alternet: War On Iraq

Give a hoot, don't salute: "While a group of women representing the Hooters restaurant chain were allowed to keep marching, a group of 30 military veterans critical of the war in Iraq who had properly registered were forcibly removed from a Veterans Day parade in Tallahassee. "Honor the Warrior, Not the War," read their banner. Continue »"

In Alternet: War On Iraq

More mayhem: "Reports on the latest bombing in Iraqhave 17 Italians and possibly eight Iraqis slain in Nasiriyah. The attack on one of the United State's few coalition partners instantly fuels controversy back in Rome, since the Italy's involvement in the war was opposed by most Italians but pushed through by staunch Bush ally Silvio Berlusconi, the country's billionaire prime minister."

In Alternet: War On Iraq

Documenting the carnage: "A British medical charity, MedAct, has produced an Oxfam-funded study titled "Continuing Collateral Damage: The health and environmental costs of war on Iraq," which calculates the toll of the war, both in terms of casualties and "how the general state of health of the Iraqi people, already poor by international standards, has been compromised further." According to the study, between 21,700 and 55,000 Iraqis died between March 20 and October 20 because of the conflict."

In Alternet: War On Iraq

Iraq War News
Saudi blast drives push for democracy: "The bombing that killed 17 people in the Saudi capital is intensifying pressure for democratic reform in Saudi Arabia, and is likely to undercut the militants' support among Arabs who previously sympathized to some degree with their goals."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

Bush changes Iraqi election plan: "Under pressure from Baghdad and U.S. allies, the Bush administration is rewriting its political plan for Iraq to speed the transfer of power with elections in the first half of next year and formation of a new government before a constitution is written, officials said Thursday."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

US army brushes off Iraq attacks: "The head of US Central Command puts the number of militants in Iraq at no more than 5,000."

In BBC: Conflict with Iraq

Bush to speed up Iraqi handover: "President Bush says steps are being taken to speed up transferring power to Iraqis, amid mounting casualties."

In BBC: Conflict with Iraq

France urges policy shift on Iraq: "The French foreign minister calls for a change of American strategy in Iraq to end a spiral of violence in the country."

In BBC: Conflict with Iraq

Italy blames al-Qaeda for blast: "Silvio Berlusconi says his country will not be deterred by a bomb in Nasiriya which killed 18 Italians."

In BBC: Conflict with Iraq

Baghdad HQ in fresh attack: "The coalition base in Iraq comes under fire as the top US civil administrator goes home to discuss the spate of attacks."

In BBC: Conflict with Iraq

Handing over the keys: "The US is ready to speed up a handover of power, writes Paul Reynolds."

In BBC: Conflict with Iraq

Thursday, November 13, 2003

ABCNEWS.com : Rabbis Protect What Jewish Settlers Attack

Hillside Heartbreak
Palestinian Harvest Protected by Rabbis, Attacked by Jewish Settlers

By Courtney Kealy

A I N A B B U S, West Bank, Nov. 13 — It was meant to be a fruitful day. Rabbis for Human Rights had organized police protection and a group of determined volunteers to hike up a West Bank hillside and help local Palestinians harvest their olives.

Radical Jewish settlers claim the the hilltops above the Arab village of Ain Abbus as their own. Palestinians say the settlers have resorted to both threats and violence to prevent them from picking their olives. The settlers say God has called on them to settle there.

Ironically, it's another Jewish group — Rabbis for Human Rights — that often intervenes to help the Palestinians.

Founded during the first intifada in 1988, Rabbis for Human Rights is comprised of more than 90 Reform, Orthodox, Conservative and Reconstructionist rabbis and rabbinical students, all of them Israeli citizens.

The rabbis believe that their organization must uphold the Jewish tradition of human rights and teach moral responsibility and biblical concern for "the stranger in your midst," even if it means in the face of danger.

And danger is omnipresent. Just the previous week, members of the rabbis' group and other volunteers said they were attacked by settlers.

‘It’s the End of the World’

Arriving at the top of the hillside on this day, the rabbis and their group of volunteers were greeted by a shocking, unexpected scene. Hundreds of olive trees had been hacked apart. There was nothing left to pick.

All of Fawzi Houssein's trees had been destroyed. "Look at this!" he cried. "This is all my land. It's the end of the world."

While Israeli police took a statement from Houssein, a settler the rabbis suspected of being one of last week's attackers came down to watch. Members of the rabbis' group, which believes in nonviolent confrontation, walked away from the scene.

"The Torah that I read from says do not trespass, it says do not cut down the fruit trees," said the director of the group, Rabbi Arik Ascherman. "Specifically, we're taught not to act with violence."

ABCNEWS.com : Rabbis Protect What Jewish Settlers Attack

Iraq War News
U.S. Troops More Hostile With Reporters: "With casualties mounting in Iraq, jumpy U.S. soldiers are becoming more aggressive in their treatment of journalists covering the conflict. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Bush, Bremer discuss speeding Iraqi self-rule: "US President George W. Bush moved to accelerate the shift to self-rule in Iraq, stepping up pressure on its US-anointed Governing Council as a massive bombing struck an Italian base. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Sharon signals willingness to compromise: "Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said Wednesday he is prepared to make compromises for the sake of peace but would not make concessions on security issues."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

White House rethinks rejected Iraq advice: "After largely ignoring advice from Europeans, the United Nations and members of Congress, President Bush and his inner circle now must sift through some of those very suggestions in search of a way to kick-start the transfer of power in Iraq before the country spins out of control."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

Wednesday, November 12, 2003

AP Wire | 11/12/2003 | A mother fights to learn details of her son's death

A mother fights to learn details of her son's death
ANDREW KRAMER
Associated Press

PORTLAND, Ore. - Believing her son's heroics have been mistaken for those of Pfc. Jessica Lynch, an Oregon mother has filed a Freedom of Information Act request to learn details of his death at the hands of Iraqi soldiers.

Arlene Walters said she believes her son, Sgt. Donald Walters, fought alone on a dusty street in Nasiriyah until he was overrun, shot and stabbed to death on March 23, in the same battle that injured Lynch.

Walters, 66, filed the request for documents or interview transcripts that contributed to a 15-page Army report on the ambush released in July.

"He stayed out there and gave up his life for his country," she said in a telephone interview from her home in Salem.

"I want him to have credit for it. I want them to say, 'yeah, that was Donald Walters out there,'" she said.

Her questions about Donald Walters' death have gone unanswered, she said, although she believes details of how he went down shooting were earlier leaked by the U.S. military and erroneously described as a heroic stand by Lynch. Lynch has since said she did not fire a shot.

The Army has not intentionally withheld details of Walters' death, said spokeswoman Jean Offutt at Fort Bliss, Texas, where the 507th Maintenance Company was based.

"The fact is, nobody really knows," how Walters died, she said. "You can't say something is true unless you have a reliable eyewitness."

Arlene Walters said the autopsy of her son led her to believe he had been mistaken for Lynch. Donald Walters died from gunshots and two stab wounds to the abdomen, his mother said. Lynch was initially said to have gone down shooting and to have suffered stab wounds.

Arlene Walters said Sgt. Major David Seibel at Fort Bliss acknowledged in private telephone conversations that the Lynch reports may have been based on information about her son.

He said, however, that because there were no American witnesses to his death, the military cannot be certain and cannot issue a formal report, according to Arlene Walters.

"All they kept saying was 'ma'am, we don't have an American witness to what went on," said Arlene Walters, a retired typist.

A telephone request to speak with Seibel was not immediately answered Wednesday.

Army spokesman Lt. Col. Kevin Curry in Washington said he did not know specifically what Walters' family was told.

"It's Army policy to present as much detail as possible to next of kin, so they get the official word rather than hear it from the media," he said.

Donald Walters was a passenger in a supply truck that was the first in the convoy to be disabled, according to the Army report on the ambush that killed 11 American soldiers and left six as captives in the opening days of the war last spring.

Another truck, a water carrier, pulled alongside. Pvt. Brandon Sloan climbed into that truck, but Walters remained behind on the dirt road, the Army report said. He was alone and swarmed by Iraqi attackers, but apparently did not surrender.

"There is some information to suggest that a U.S. soldier that could have been Walters fought his way south on Highway 16 toward the canal and was killed in action," the Army report said.

In the Freedom of Information Act request, Arlene Walters asked for the source of that information, because Army officials have said no U.S. soldiers saw Walters after he was left on the street.

Walters said she filled out a form she downloaded from an American Civil Liberties Union Web site and mailed it to several military addresses. One copy was returned as improperly addressed, she said.

Offutt, the Fort Bliss spokeswoman, said the information may have come from an Iraqi source, such as a fighter who witnessed the battle and was later captured by U.S. forces.

She said no one has officially said that Donald Walters and Lynch maybe have been confused for one another.

Arlene Walters lives with her husband Norman in a one-story house with a flag pole in the front yard. She said she has a gold star in her window with her son's name on it.

She said she is angered that the military released information gleaned from Iraqi sources to the public - to provide alleged details of Jessica Lynch's ordeal - but will not release what she believes is the same information to a mother about her son's death.
AP Wire | 11/12/2003 | A mother fights to learn details of her son's death

Governor of Oregon: Speech - Memorial Service for Sgt. Donald Walters

Memorial Service for Sgt. Donald Walters
Governor Theodore R. Kulongoski
Salem Armory
Saturday, April 19, 2003

Thank you Colonel Meyers for your introduction and for the spiritual comfort you give to our soldiers and their families. I remember from my own experiences as a soldier how important it was to hear from - and talk to - a chaplain, and to know that even in a war zone God's grace is all around.

Sgt. Donald Walters was not even born when President Kennedy told this nation: "Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country." Forty years and a handful of months after President Kennedy spoke those words, terrorists struck the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

Most of us will always remember where we were on September 11th. Many of us will remember what we did on September 11th. But very few of us will ever be able to say what we did for our country after September 11th.

Not Sgt. Walters.

Until he died on the battlefield, he could - if he chose to - say to his loved ones and this grateful nation that he was not only moved to mourn that sad day, he was moved to act. And now that we - his family, friends, and fellow citizens - mourn him, we can say to each other that history will continue to tell his heroic story - even if Donald Walters can no longer tell it himself.

Sgt. Walters served his nation with courage and honor before September 11th. He went into harms way during the first Gulf War - and came back from that war to raise a family and share the fruits of this bountiful land. So if after the Gulf War, Sgt. Walters decided to never again leave his home and family to defend freedom in a faraway place, no one would ever complain. He had already given more, risked more and sacrificed more than all but a small percentage of Americans.

But Donald Walters was a patriot who did not measure the debt he owed his country by how much he had already paid. He measured what owed by a different standard. His own standard - rooted in duty, love of country, and service to others. And so he went off to war a second time, with the same courage, the same valor, and the same commitment to defending freedom.

But not the same homecoming.

We now know that Sgt. Walters died by ambush, along with other soldiers from the 507th Maintenance Company. This is the terrible price - the unforgiving price - of war. But I don't think Donald Walters would want us to dwell on how he died. Although I never had the honor of meeting Sgt. Walters, I believe deeply that he would want us to focus on how he lived - and the principles he lived by.

They were the principles that made him stand out from the crowd because they were all about standing up. Standing up for his country - and its values. Standing up for his fellow soldiers. Standing up for the oppressed. And doing all of this while leading by example and encouraging everyone he knew and loved to be strong in character - and strong in the belief that American values are worth fighting for.

I pray that these principles - and Sgt. Walters' devotion to them - will help sustain his wife, Stacie, his parents, Arlene and Norman, his sister Kimberly, and his three young daughters. To each of you I say: Donald Walters was the very best this state had to offer. And today - although you can no longer hold him - we hold you in our collective arms, and pray with our collective voices that you will find some measure of peace in knowing that he died a hero, but did not die in vain.

In life Donald Walters was a father, son, friend and member of the heroic - and now legendary - 507th Maintenance Company. Except in memory, he cannot be these things anymore. Yet it's easy to think of Sgt. Walters and the other fallen soldiers of the 507th as - in the words of the Bible - 'lions in secret places.' Like a lion, Donald Walters was a fighter and watchful guardian - a true brave heart who was forever willing to serve his country, just the way President Kennedy asked. But unlike the lion - Donald Walters is not in a secret place.

We know exactly where he is. He is in our hearts. He is in our prayers. He is in God's hands. And he is certainly at peace.

Thank you.

Governor of Oregon: Speech - Memorial Service for Sgt. Donald Walters

Iraq War News
US Commander in Iraq Outlines Get-Tough Strategy for 'War' in IraqWar.ru (English)

Senate Follows House and Votes to Impose Sanctions Against Syria in IraqWar.ru (English)

US Aide in Iraq in Urgent Talks at White House in IraqWar.ru (English)

US Syria bill could lead to invasion in IraqWar.ru (English)

Iraqi mayor backed by US is killed in dispute with guard in IraqWar.ru (English)

Iraq: Two Red Cross Bombers Were Saudis in IraqWar.ru (English)

Rockets Hit US Compound in Baghdad in IraqWar.ru (English)

CIA: Iraq security to get worse in IraqWar.ru (English)

Iraqis killed in Basra bombing in IraqWar.ru (English)

Bush advisers question Bremer on Iraq: "Frustrated with the U.S.-picked Iraqi Governing Council, President Bush's national security advisers questioned the top American administrator in Iraq on Tuesday about how to break a political logjam in Baghdad and speed planning for the nation's political future."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

Saudi rejects word of car bomb arrests: "Saudi Interior Minister Prince Nayef on Tuesday denied reports of arrests in a car bombing that killed at least 17, while a purported al-Qaida claim of responsibility blamed Arab victims of the attack for working with the Americans."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

Urgent Iraq talks in Washington: "US administrator in Iraq Paul Bremer attends an emergency meeting at the White House, as attacks continue."

In BBC: Conflict with Iraq (UK Edition)

General Vows to Intensify U.S. Response to Attackers: "The top U.S. military commander in Iraq outlined a new get-tough approach to combat operations in strongholds for loyalists of Saddam Hussein."

In New York Times: World Special

Blair Expresses Support for Bush and Cautions Demonstrators: "Prime Minister Tony Blair urged demonstrators mounting street protests against President Bush's visit next week to focus on the future."

In New York Times: World Special

General: Saddam fear impairs cooperation: "America's top soldier in Iraq said Tuesday a "blanket of fear" that Saddam Hussein will return prevents Iraqis from giving U.S. troops intelligence vital to curb the growing insurgency - stepped up attacks underlined by a late night barrage on the heart of Baghdad."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

A Look at U.S. Daily Deaths in Iraq: "As of Monday, Nov. 10, 394 U.S. service members have died since the beginning of military operations in Iraq, according to the Department of Defense. The department did not provide an update Tuesday. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Grief Over Iraq Deaths Marks Veterans Day: "President Bush gave a broad defense for the war in Iraq as he marked Veterans Day on Tuesday, while ceremonies nationwide reflected both grief over recent deaths and opposition to war. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

More Explosions in the Green Zone: "CNN:
U.S. military officials said at least two mortar shells or rockets hit Tuesday night within the Iraqi capital's "Green Zone," the center of most of the U.S.-led Coalition Provisional Authority's activities.
Lt. Col. George Krivo said there were two explosions in the vicinity of a parking lot near Saddam Hussein's former palace in Baghdad that now serves as the headquarters of the Coalition Provisional Authority.
He said the origin of the explosions was not known.
"Crater analysis is going on at the moment. There are no reports of casualties. There are reports of damage to an unknown number of vehicles in the parking lot," Krivo said. "As far as I know, these are the only explosions that happened in the Green Zone tonight."
Shortly after the explosions, U.S.-led troops sealed off a school west of the Green Zone. Witnesses there told CNN the soldiers found rocket launchers at the school.
DJ News reports that there were no injuries in the explosion."

In Command Post: Irak

Tuesday, November 11, 2003

Iraq war updates
US has enough troops in Iraq: Rumsfeld: "US commanders say they have enough troops to carry out their mission in Iraq effectively, top military officials insisted. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

US eyes Iraq wheat market dominated by Australia: "The US will aggressively pursue wheat export opportunities to Iraq, to which Australia has been a major exporter since the 1991 Gulf War, US Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman said in Kabul. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

U.S. Military Chief Vows to 'Get Tough' in Iraq: "The top U.S. military commander in Iraqsignaled on Tuesday his forces would take tougher actionagainst insurgents, warning he would not hesitate to use anyweapon at his disposal to defeat them. (Reuters)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

U.S.: Enemy attacks escalate in Iraq in CNN - War in Iraq

US admits it shot Iraqi mayor: "The US military confirms that one of its soldiers shot dead the mayor of one of Baghdad's most volatile districts."

In BBC: Conflict with Iraq

US-led coalition is holding 20 suspected Qaeda members: "The US military has detained 20 men thought to have ties with Osama bin Laden's Al-Qaeda terror group, the top US ground commander in Iraq told reporters. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Al-Qaeda suspects quizzed in Iraq: "The US military in Iraq is questioning about 20 people suspected of links with Osama Bin Laden's network."

In BBC: Conflict with Iraq

Bomb Blast in Baghdad Wounds 6: "A bomb blast outside a court in theIraqi capital Baghdad wounded six people Tuesday, police said. (Reuters)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

IAEA says Iran produced plutonium: "A U.N. nuclear agency report said Iran produced small amounts of plutonium as part of covert nuclear activities. While finding "no evidence" that Tehran tried to make atomic arms, it said such efforts cannot be ruled out."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

Four Iraqis killed in Basra bomb: "A bomb blast in the southern Iraqi city of Basra kills four civilians, police say."

In BBC: Conflict with Iraq (UK Edition)

PM thanks Polish Iraq peacekeepers in CNN - War in Iraq

US soldier killed in Iraq as Rumsfeld seeks international troops: "US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has called for "a lot of troops" from other countries to help stabilize Iraq, after the deaths of a US soldier and a Kurdish fighter working with Iraq's border guard. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Iraq Updates
Iraq Tribes Where G.I.'s Ask Help Say They Can't: "In Falluja and other places in central Iraq, no one group has been able to fill the vacuum left by the collapse of Saddam Hussein's government."

In New York Times: World Special

Cheney Theme of Qaeda Ties to Bombings in Iraq Are Questioned by Some in Administration: "Vice President Dick Cheney has repeatedly sought to cast the Iraq war and its aftermath as part of the broader campaign against terror."

In New York Times: World Special

Rice confronts rising Iraq casualty toll: "The Bush administration, confronting a rising casualty toll in Iraq, said Monday that "nothing of value has ever been won without sacrifice.""

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

Iraqis Warned Attacks on U.S. Must Stop: "America's top general in the Middle East has warned community leaders the U.S. military will use stern measures unless they curb attacks against coalition forces, an Iraqi who attended the meeting said Monday. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Twenty-Six House Democrats Push to Fire Rumsfeld: "A group of more than two dozen Houseof Representatives Democrats on Monday said they had introduceda resolution urging President Bush to fire Defense SecretaryDonald Rumsfeld. (Reuters)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

U.S. Colonel: We don't need any more troops in Iraq: "Colonel Haight, 2nd Brigade Combat Team (2BCT) of the US Army's 82nd Airborne Division, says we don't need any more troops in Iraq, as reported in Janes Magazine :
* * *
"In terms of troop numbers, Col Haight says "We will never need more than we have," while his soldiers remain dismissive of the threat they face. "Everything they [the enemy] do is bad," said one. "The only reason they're killing people is because there are so many people out here."
* * *
More:
* * *
While the troops of the 2BCT can expect occasional attacks by RPGs, hand grenades and mortars, sometimes in concert with small arms fire, the primary threat in this area of operations remains the roadside bomb, or IED (improvised explosive device). The most obvious reason for this is the sheer abundance of ordnance available to those inclined to use it.
The planting of IEDs is not necessarily the work of Saddam loyalists, although they probably do fund such operations. According to Sgt Luetzow, there will usually be two payments: one to the bomb-maker, and one to whomever places the device. Given that any Iraqi prepared to plant a bomb can make enough money to buy a car after placing just two devices, there is no shortage of takers from among the criminally inclined, although many 17- and 18-year-olds have killed themselves trying to make what they saw as easy money.
* * *
"

In Command Post: Irak

Monday, November 10, 2003

Iraq War News
AWOL Mom: I Can't Go Back To Iraq: "Army medic Simone Holcomb knows she's supposed to return to duty in Iraq, as her husband, Sgt. Vaughn Holcomb, already has. But the mom in this military couple is refusing - citing the welfare of the seven children who'd be left behind."

In CBS News: Iraq Crisis

Jessica Lynch's Hero: "Pfc. Patrick Miller risked his life to save Private Jessica Lynch and several others near her during fighting in Iraq. But his Silver Star-winning efforts have gone mostly unsung. Mike Wallace reports."

In CBS News: Iraq Crisis

Mosques on Front Line of Battle With U.S.: "It was Friday prayers at Haibat Khatoun mosque, and the imam faced worshippers to deliver a fiery sermon accusing American troops of insulting the Muslim holy book and trampling the honor of women. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

New Cabinet casts doubt on mideast peace: "Mideast peace moves were thrown into disarray by the makeup of a new Cabinet announced by Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia, as Yasser Arafat maintained indirect control of Palestinian security forces despite Israeli and U.S. demands that he step aside."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

Hezbollah prisoner swap may still unravel: "Israel's Cabinet narrowly approved a prisoner swap with Hezbollah after eight hours of anguished debate, but the deal could still come apart in disagreement over releasing a Lebanese-Palestinian man responsible for the deaths of an Israeli and his two children in 1979."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

U.S. Opposes Money for Troops Jailed in Iraq: "The Bush administration is seeking to block a group of U.S. troops who were tortured in 1991 from collecting any of the frozen Iraqi assets that they won in a court ruling."

In New York Times: World Special

U.S. Arrests Suspects in Rashid Hotel Attack: "American forces have detained 18 people in connection with a rocket attack two weeks ago on the hotel where Deputy Defense Secretary Paul D. Wolfowitz was staying."

In New York Times: World Special

U.S. Aides Acknowledge String of Missteps With Turkey: "Even inside the Bush administration, few foreign policy aides say relations with Turkey have been a great success."

In New York Times: World Special

A Look at U.S. Daily Deaths in Iraq: "As of Friday, Nov. 7, 388 U.S. service members have died since the beginning of military operations in Iraq, according to the Department of Defense. The department did not provide an update Saturday or Sunday. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Iraq war news
U.S. disappointed in Palestinian Cabinet: "The United States expressed disappointment Sunday with the announcement of a new Palestinian Cabinet that leaves Yasser Arafat in control of security forces."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

US 'wants Iraq council scrapped': "The US has become so frustrated with the Iraqi Governing Council that it may be looking to dismantle it, says a newspaper report."

In BBC: Conflict with Iraq (UK Edition)

Kosher infant formula recalled after 3 die: "An Israeli company partly owned by American food giant H.J. Heinz Co. has recalled a kosher infant formula after three babies died and 10 others were hospitalized with nervous system disorders that the Health Ministry said were linked to the product."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

US 'wants Iraq council scrapped': "The US has become so frustrated with the Iraqi Governing Council that it may be looking to dismantle it, says a newspaper report."

In BBC: Conflict with Iraq

Sharon cleared in corruption case: "Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon violated "accepted norms of behavior" in a land compensation deal, but his actions didn't constitute corruption, the Israeli Justice Ministry said Sunday."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

18 Arrested in Oct. Attack on Iraq Hotel: "Soldiers arrested 18 people in a deadly missile barrage last month that Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz narrowly escaped, officials said Sunday. U.S. warplanes bombed near a center of Iraqi resistance, and the military said it was intensifying the fight against insurgents after increasingly bloody attacks. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

U.S. Warplanes Renew Bombing of Iraq Targets: "U.S. warplanes bombed targets in Iraqon Sunday in air strikes that resumed last week for the firsttime in more than six months after the shooting down of threeU.S. helicopters. (Reuters)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

U.S. Democratic Lawmaker Calls for Summit on Iraq: "A top U.S. Senate Democrat urgedPresident Bush on Sunday to call a summit on Iraq seekinginternational troops and assistance in exchange for a greatersay in operations. (Reuters)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

U.S. lecturer is freed on bail in Iran: "Iranian authorities freed on Sunday an American university lecturer jailed since July on suspicion of espionage, a prosecutor's office spokesman said."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

Sunday, November 09, 2003

Talk of a draft grows despite denials by White House (08 Nov 03) in Radio Free USA

View from Canada: We used to feel protected by the law (9 Nov 03) in Radio Free USA

In Iraq, it's security Rambo-style (9 Nov 03) in Radio Free USA

Americans sow seeds of hatred (9 Nov 03) in Radio Free USA

What World War I's greatest poet would say about hiding our war dead (9 Nov 03) in Radio Free USA

US soldier killed in Baghdad, British attacked in Basra: "A US soldier was killed in a bomb blast in Baghdad and British troops came under attack in the southern port of Basra as a deadly surge in violence showed no sign of letting up. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

U.S. general was aboard downed helicopter: "An American major general was aboard a military helicopter that flew with the Black Hawk that crashed here last week, a U.S. officer said Sunday. The Black Hawk was apparently shot down by insurgents here in Saddam Hussein's hometown."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

Iraq war news
Taliban demand hostage swap in IraqWar.ru (English)

British embassy warns of possible terror attacks in Bahrain in IraqWar.ru (English)

US warns of attacks with hijacked cargo jets in IraqWar.ru (English)

Lynch struggled with Iraqi doctors who wanted to amputate her leg in IraqWar.ru (English)

US Retaliates For Latest Deaths in IraqWar.ru (English)

State Dept. Worker Found Dead Outside Agency in IraqWar.ru (English)

Saturday, November 08, 2003

Iraq war updats
Armitage: U.S. walks 'fine line' in Iraq in CNN - War in Iraq

Bomb blast kills two US soldiers in Iraq as insurgents flex muscle: "Two US soldiers died when a bomb ripped their military vehicle, apparently a heavily armored Bradley personnel carrier, as insurgents escalated their attacks on the Americans. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

US Troops Grab Iraq Hotel Attack Suspects in Raids: "U.S. troops in overnight raids captured12 people in Iraq suspected of involvement in a deadly attackon a Baghdad hotel where U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary PaulWolfowitz was staying, a top commander said on Saturday. (Reuters)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Syria says Bush sincere at Mideast effort: "Syria does not doubt that President Bush is sincere in his urging a more stable Middle East but believes his policies are spoiling American relations with Arabs and Muslims worldwide, a Syrian Cabinet minister said Saturday."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

Iraq Today: Retribution, More Dead GIs, Red Cross Pull Out, No Troops from Turkey (8 Nov 03)
In Radio Free USA

Iraq war news
Attacks continue as U.S. raids Tikrit: "Insurgents kept up attacks on U.S. troops and their allies across Iraq on Saturday despite a show of force in Saddam Hussein's hometown following the crash of a Black Hawk helicopter that apparently was shot down."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

Arafat, prime minister meet over Cabinet: "Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat met Saturday with Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia in an effort to finalize a new Palestinian Cabinet, which has been in limbo for weeks amid a dispute between the two leaders."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

Attacks on Iraqi oil facilities on rise, MEES says, blaming new Baath: "Attacks on Iraq's oil pipelines and installations are on the increase, the Middle East Economic Survey (MEES) reports in its Monday edition, blaming a reorganised Baath party. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

U.S. Warplanes Bomb Targets in Saddam's Hometown: "U.S. warplanes and armoredvehicles battered suspected guerrilla hideouts in SaddamHussein's hometown Saturday after six soldiers were killed whena Black Hawk helicopter was shot down. (Reuters)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

US military probes Blackhawk crash near Saddam Hussein's hometown: "The US military was probing the crash of a Blackhawk helicopter, which killed six soldiers, as insurgents demonstrated their growing strength seven months after American troops entered Baghdad. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

U.S. hits area of helicopter crash in CNN - War in Iraq

S.Korea Combat Iraq Troops Seen as Still Possible: "The Bush administration hasreaffirmed its interest in having South Korea send combattroops to Iraq and believes Seoul is still actively consideringthe deployment, a senior U.S. official said. (Reuters)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Slowdown: " My updates will likely be less frequent than usual for the next few weeks or so; I am doing lots of stuff for school, applying to colleges, etc. Lucky for you, lots of new blogs keep cropping up, and some of them are really good. Two new additions to the blogroll recently: Dohiyi Mir and Mercury23x, both worth bookmarking. And..."

In Catalyzer Newsroom

Copter Crashes Reflect a Growing Threat: "The crash of a copter, coupled with two other attacks in the last two weeks, reflects a growing threat against American aircraft."

In New York Times: World Special

With a U.S. Nod, Turkey Says It Won't Send Force to Iraq: "The decision ended an effort by the Bush administration to solicit large numbers of foreign troops."

In New York Times: World Special

Mideast View: Bush Spoke More to U.S. Than to Us: "Commentators across the Middle East dismissed the speech by President Bush calling for wider democracy in the region."

In New York Times: World Special

U.S. Discussing New International Peacekeeping Force: "The U.S. government has beguninternal discussions about the possible creation of a U.S.-ledinternational force capable of taking on peacekeeping duties inworld hot-spots such as Iraq and Afghanistan, a senior Armyofficer said. (Reuters)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

"Old Guard" ceremonial unit being deployed to Iraq. in IraqWar.info

Doctors Dismiss Lynch Bio's Rape Claims: "Iraqi doctors who treated former prisoner of war Jessica Lynch dismissed on Friday claims made in her biography that she was raped by her Iraqi captors. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

U.S. Retaliates For Latest Deaths: "Six soldiers died when their Black Hawk helicopter crashed, apparently shot down. Hours later, American troops swept through Iraqi neighborhoods, blasting suspected insurgent hideouts. This week's death toll was 32."

In CBS News: Iraq Crisis

Two-star general ahead of Black Hawk crash in CNN - War in Iraq

In Mideast, Reaction to Bush Speech Is Dismissive: "Commentators across the Middle East today labeled the speech something for domestic consumption to justify the war in Iraq rather than signaling a real change in United States policy."

In New York Times: World Special

Friday, November 07, 2003

Iraq War Updates
Poland's Iraq Doubts Grow After Soldier's Death: "Poland's leaders faced tough questionson the troop deployment in occupied Iraq on Friday from anation preparing to bid a hero's farewell to the first Polishsoldier killed there. (Reuters)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Israelis try to block prisoner swap: "The daughter of missing Israeli air force navigator Ron Arad accused Prime Minister Ariel Sharon of abandoning her father as the family made a last-ditch effort to block a prisoner swap with Lebanese guerrillas that does not address Arad's fate."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

Turkey 'will not send Iraq troops' in CNN - War in Iraq

Jordan's Noor says women key to peace: "Queen Noor of Jordan believes women are key to peace-building efforts in the Middle East."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

This is what they did to me (06 Nov 03) in Radio Free USA

When Did "Arab" Become a Dirty Word? Smearing Said and Hanan Ashrawi (4 Nov 03) in Radio Free USA

Saddam 'offered Bush a huge oil deal to avert war' (06 Nov 03) in Radio Free USA

Jessica Lynch Criticizes U.S. Accounts of Her Ordeal: "From the NY Times :

n her first public statements since her rescue in Iraq, Jessica Lynch criticized the military for exaggerating accounts of her rescue and re-casting her ordeal as a patriotic fable.
Asked by the ABC News anchor Diane Sawyer if the military's portrayal of the rescue bothered her, Ms. Lynch said: "Yeah, it does. It does that they used me as a way to symbolize all this stuff. Yeah, it's wrong," according to a partial transcript of the interview to be broadcast on Tuesday.

After months of retreating from the news media, Ms. Lynch will be a ubiquitous presence next week. In addition to her appearance on ABC, she will be on the cover of Time magazine, and NBC will broadcast a movie based on an Iraqi's account of her ordeal. On Tuesday, the book publisher Knopf will release an account of her experience, "I Am a Soldier, Too," written with her cooperation by a former reporter for The New York Times, Rick Bragg.
The book and the movie are unrelated and tell different versions of Ms. Lynch's story, but the publisher has timed the book to capitalize on publicity from the television movie.

Media and entertainment: In what other industries can the public be so easily treated to unrelated and different versions of a particular story, with no apparent self consciousness or shame? Oh yeah, I forgot: Finance and accounting. Oh ? and law. Well ? never mind."

In Command Post: Irak

Bomb Attack on U.S. Convoy in Iraq Kills Soldier: "A U.S. soldier was killed and twowounded Thursday morning in a bomb attack on their convoy on ahighway east of the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, the U.S.military said Friday. (Reuters)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Iraq Updates
Secret Israel missile-test video breached: "In a rare breach of military security, portions of a secret Israeli missile test could be seen on television across the Arab world after the company conducting the exercise apparently failed to encrypt its video transmission."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

A Look at U.S. Daily Deaths in Iraq: "As of Wednesday, Nov. 5, 379 U.S. service members have died since the beginning of military operations in Iraq, according to the Department of Defense. The department did not provide an update Thursday. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Death Toll in Iraq Helicopter Attack Rises to 16: "The U.S. military said the deathtoll of Sunday's downing of an American military Chinookhelicopter in Iraq had risen to 16 after a soldier seriouslywounded in the attack died on Thursday. (Reuters)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Army: Helicopter Had Defensive System: "The Army helicopter shot down over Iraq last weekend apparently had a last-second warning of an approaching missile and managed to launch flares designed to draw the heat-seeking missile away, a senior Army official said Thursday. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Bush Asks Lands in Mideast to Try Democratic Ways: "President Bush challenged Iran, Syria and Middle East allies of the U.S. to begin embracing democratic traditions."

In New York Times: World Special

Pentagon Says a Covert Force Hunts Hussein: "A U.S. commander has created a commando force to hunt Saddam Hussein, Osama bin Laden and key terrorists in the Middle East."

In New York Times: World Special

At a Base in Iraq, American Troops Honor Victims of Copter Attack: "The memorial for troops who died after their helicopter was struck came on a day when three allied soldiers died in new attacks."

In New York Times: World Special

Bush Aides Play Down Effort to Avert War at Last Minute: "Officials played down the significance of Iraq's negotiations with Washington in the weeks before the war began in March."

In New York Times: World Special

Jessica Lynch Criticizes U.S. Accounts of Her Ordeal: "In her first public statements since her rescue in Iraq, Jessica Lynch criticized the military for exaggerating accounts of her rescue and re-casting her ordeal as a patriotic fable."

In New York Times: World Special

US says it will cut troop strength in Iraq as two more US soldiers die: "The United States has unveiled plans to cut its troop strength in Iraq next year to about 105,000, as two more US soldiers were reported dead and Polish forces suffered their first fatality. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Iraq proves no vote-winner in Koizumi's election battle: "Faced with public opposition to his plan to send troops to volatile Iraq, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi is playing down his controversial foreign policy before Sunday's Japanese general election. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Troops Gather to Honor Comrades in Iraq: "Fifteen rifles stood in a row with their barrels down, each topped by a U.S. military helmet and framed by an empty pair of combat boots. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Army Dismisses Soldier Cowardice Charge: "The Army dismissed a cowardice charge and filed a lesser count against an Army interrogator who sought counseling after he saw the body of an Iraqi man cut in half by American fire. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Iraq Tried Last-Minute Deal to Avoid War: "Negotiators for Saddam Hussein tried to strike a last-minute deal with the Bush administration to avoid an invasion after realizing "the threat was real," a Lebanese-American businessman who tried to serve as a go-between said Thursday. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

US soldiers mourn their brothers-in-arms lost on Iraqi battlefield: "US troops mourned the 153rd Armoured Cavalry Regiment soldiers who died when their Chinook transport helicopter was downed outside Iraq's flashpoint town of Fallujah last weekend. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Thursday, November 06, 2003

Iraq war updates
U.S. Alerting More Troops for Iraq Rotation Duty: "The Pentagon will immediately beginordering thousands of additional active-duty and reserveAmerican troops, including Marines, to prepare to serve in Iraqearly next year, defense officials said on Wednesday. (Reuters)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

L.A. Times Bans 'Resistance Fighters' in Iraq News: "The Los Angeles Times has orderedits reporters to stop describing anti-American forces in Iraqas "resistance fighters," saying the term romanticizes them andevokes World War II-era heroism. (Reuters)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Why America's plutocrats gobble up $1,500 hot dogs (5 Nov 03) in Radio Free USA

Pentagon will call up thousands more troops to go to Iraq (5 Nov 03) in Radio Free USA

Bush in Iraq: A B-School Case Study: " (BusinessWeek Online)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Iraq war news
Syria Blames U.S. 'Terrorism' in Iraq: "The Syrian foreign ministry called on the United States to pull its troops out of Iraq, saying their presence has led to chaos and terrorism, according to remarks published Wednesday. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Annan welcomes Mideast peace plan draft: "U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Wednesday welcomed an informal Mideast peace plan drafted by prominent Israelis and Palestinians, calling it a "courageous" attempt to break the stalemate on both sides."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

U.S. ponders forming Iraq security force: "The U.S. administrator of Iraq agrees in principle with the idea of creating an Iraqi security force, but doesn't know if Iraqi advocates of the plan will agree to his terms, a coalition spokesman said Wednesday."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

Army eyes replacing Halliburton in Iraq: "The Army said Wednesday it is negotiating to replace Vice President Dick Cheney's former company as an importer of oil products into Iraq, but denied that the talks were related to Democratic allegations of price gouging by Halliburton."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

Rumsfeld signs rotation orders, Marines to go back to Iraq: defense officials: "US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld signed orders to set in motion a force rotation in Iraq next year that will send back US Marines along with active duty army and national guard and reserve units, a senior defense official said. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

U.S. Plans for Marines to Return to Iraq: "The Marine Corps, which played a central role in toppling Saddam Hussein last spring, will return to Iraq as part of a U.S. troop rotation approved by Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld on Wednesday, officials said. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

U.S. to Call Up Thousands of Troops for Iraq Duty: "U.S. defense officials said onWednesday the Pentagon would begin ordering thousands of freshtroops to prepare for service in Iraq, on a day guerrillaslaunched a series of attacks on U.S. troops on northern Iraq. (Reuters)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Senator Says Downed Chopper Lacked Protective Gear: "Many U.S. helicopters in Iraq lackroutine anti-missile equipment that might have thwarted lastweekend's attack on a Chinook helicopter that killed 15 U.S.troops, a Democratic senator said on Wednesday. (Reuters)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Wednesday, November 05, 2003

Iraq War News

A Mother's Plea to all Americans
A Mother's Plea to all Americans
To all Americans,

Soldiers are dying and we debate, soldiers are suffering and we throw anti-war protests, soldiers are hungry and we criticize our President. Soldiers are truly enduring the horrible. We must pull together as a country. I ask, you no I get down on my knees and I beg you support a soldier TODAY. Today, contact this site, or contact operationac.com or any adopt-a-soldier program. Write a letter, go to your local veterans association, see if there is a wife with a husband deployed and mow her lawn, watch her children, give her a hug. DO SOMETHING to support these precious heroes. I need you, they need you for this is the type of person a soldier is
"I was with that which others did not want to be,
I went to where others feared to go, and did what others failed to do.
I asked nothing of those who gave nothing,
and reluctantly accepted the thought of eternal loneliness that I feel.
I have seen the face of terror, felt the stinging cold of fear,
And enjoyed the sweet taste of a moments love.
I have cried pain and hope,
But most of all I have lived times others would say were best forgotten.
At least some day I'll be able to say,
That I was proud what I was, A Soldier."
anonymous
If you do not realize it yet let me clue you in. WE ARE AT WAR There is a war effort going on be a part of it's success.
Patti Patton-Bader
A Soldier's Mom
Iraq War News Iraq War News

Iraq war news
U.S. Revises Iraq Copter Death Toll to 15: "Fifteen U.S. soldiers were killed in Sunday's Chinook helicopter shoot-down in Iraq, not 16 as widely reported, the Pentagon said Tuesday. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

U.S. Faces Troop Pressure As Turkey Balks: "In a major setback to U.S. efforts to attract military help in Iraq, a Turkish official said Tuesday his country won't send peacekeeping troops without a significant change in the situation there. That makes it virtually certain the United States will have to send thousands more U.S. reservists early next year. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Bush: Saddam 'Trying to Stir Up Trouble': "Facing rising casualties in Iraq, President Bush said Tuesday that Saddam Hussein is "trying to stir up trouble" for the American-led occupation but vowed that the United States will track him down. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

UN Iraq envoy, security chief put on leave: "The UN's top envoy in Iraq and its global security chief have been relieved of their duties pending a review of security lapses before the August bombing of UN headquarters in Baghdad, a spokesman said. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Three Killed In Baghdad Attack: "Nov. 4 -Guerrillas fired mortars into the Baghdad neighborhood that houses the U.S.-led occupation headquarters, wounding three people Tuesday."

In War In Iraq from www.FeedRoom.com

Baghdad blasts wound three coalition members: "Three members of the US-led coalition in Iraq, probably Americans, were wounded in three explosions in Baghdad, US Defence Department officials said. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Egyptian Students Protest Iraq War: "More than 3,000 university students on Tuesday held Egypt's largest protest since the end of major fighting in Iraq, denouncing the U.S. occupation of Iraq and Israeli policies toward the Palestinians. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

US vows to improve Iraq security: "The US deputy defence secretary says continuing violence threatens American-led efforts to rebuild Iraq."

In BBC: Conflict with Iraq (UK Edition)

Where The Wounded Go: "Since the war started, a busy military hospital in Germany has treated more than 7,700 U.S. troops wounded in Iraq. And, as CBS News' Mark Phillips reports, the casualty rates haven't fallen off ? they just keep coming."

In CBS News: Iraq Crisis

Marines Win Top Unit Award for Iraq Fight: "The Navy has awarded its highest unit honor to the Marines who invaded Iraq, pushed north to Baghdad and helped Army troops liberate the capital. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Death rate of Iraq mothers triples, UN survey finds: "The number of women in Iraq who die of pregnancy and childbirth has almost tripled since 1989 according to a new survey, the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) said. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Iraqi judge probing former regime officials killed in Mosul: "A judge investigating members of Saddam Hussein's ousted regime was shot dead in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, in the second such killing in as many days, police said. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Another anti-Saddam judge shot dead in Iraq: "An Iraqi judge tasked with investigating officials of the ousted regime of president Saddam Hussein was shot dead in the northern city of Mosul, in the second such killing in 24 hours, Iraqi police said. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Tuesday, November 04, 2003

TheSanDiegoChannel.com - News - San Diego Soldier Dies In Iraq Helicopter Crash

San Diego Soldier Dies In Iraq Helicopter Crash
Crash Kills 15 Soldiers, Injures 20

POSTED: 11:15 a.m. PST November 4, 2003

SAN DIEGO -- A San Diego native was among the soldiers killed during Sunday's deadly helicopter attack in Iraq, 10News reported.

Staff Sgt. Paul Velazquez was one of 15 soldiers who died when their Chinook helicopter was shot down by a missile in Fallujah.

In San Diego, Velazquez's father, John D. Velazquez, expressed frustration and grief over the death of his 29-year-old son, who was looking forward to seeing his wife and meeting his 4-month-old daughter for the first time.

"He was anxious to come home and see his baby and family. They were real important to him," Velazquez said.

Velazquez, one of four children, grew up in San Diego's Mira Mesa neighborhood and joined the Army in 1992. He recently re-enlisted for four years and was stationed at Fort Sill, Okla.

The elder Velazquez said his son's death has changed his views about the war.

"Right now they are hunting us down one at a time," he said. "We should get the heck out of there. ... If they want to kill each other, why should we care? They don't want our help. I didn't feel this way before. But now it's different."

The soldiers' remains will be flown home Tuesday.

Twenty other soldiers were wounded in the accident.TheSanDiegoChannel.com - News - San Diego Soldier Dies In Iraq Helicopter Crash

Iraq war news
Congress passes Iraq budget: "The US Senate approves $87.5bn for Afghanistan and Iraq, as the president pledges America "will never run"."

In BBC: Conflict with Iraq (UK Edition)

Iraqis Seek Justice, or Vengeance, for Victims of the Killing Fields: "Nothing seems to preoccupy Iraqis quite as much as the urge to settle accounts with the old government."

In New York Times: World Special

Severe Copter Injuries Treated in Germany: "Sixteen American soldiers hurt in a deadly attack on their helicopter in Iraq on Sunday are being treated at a military hospital for broken bones, spinal fractures, burns and other injuries."

In New York Times: World Special

'America Will Never Run,' Bush Says of Iraq: "President Bush on Monday vowed again that the United States would stay in Iraq as long as it took to achieve stability."

In New York Times: World Special

Among the Newly Dead, a Soldier Who Was Grieving for His Mother: "Since President Bush declared an end to major combat hostilities on May 1, more than 20 Fort Carson soldiers have died in Iraq."

In New York Times: World Special

In Die-Hard City, G.I.'s Are Enemy: "Loathing for the American occupiers of Iraq looms everywhere in Falluja, where the recent downing of an American helicopter prompted celebrations from many of the locals."

In New York Times: World Special

Saddam 'not organising' Iraqi anti-US resistance (4 Nov 03) in Radio Free USA

Dead Sea drying up, Israeli study warns: "The Dead Sea is dying, and only a major engineering effort can save it, Israel's Minister of the Environment said Monday."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

Great new blog on pre-deployment in IraqWar.info

Congress OKs $87.5B for Iraq, Afghanistan: "Congress voted its final approval Monday for $87.5 billion for U.S. military operations and aid in Iraq and Afghanistan, a day after Americans in Iraq endured their worst casualties since March. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Iranian Filmmakers Return Home From Iraq: "Two Iranian filmmakers received heroes' welcomes on their arrival in Tehran Monday after being held by U.S.-led coalition forces in neighboring Iraq for four months on suspicion of spying. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Troops Heading Home When Attack Struck: "Karina Lau was hoping to surprise her family in California with a two-week furlough from Iraq. Ernest Bucklew was headed home for his mother's funeral in Pennsylvania. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

U.S. Soldier Dies in Iraq as Bush Says 'No Retreat': "Faced with a mounting military andcivilian death toll and stiffening guerrilla resistance,President Bush vowed on Monday that the United States would notrun from its "vital" mission in Iraq. (Reuters)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Monday, November 03, 2003

Iraq war news
Judge probing Saddam loyalists assassinated in Iraq: prosecutor: "The judge heading judicial committees to probe former officials of Saddam Hussein's ousted regime in the central city of Najaf was shot dead, a prosecutor who had been kidnapped with him told AFP. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

U.S. Paying for Iraq Intelligence Blunders: "BAGHDAD, Nov 3 (IPS) -- U.S. intelligence-gathering operations are being called into question after the devastating attacks on the weekend and the rocket attacks and suicide bombings rocking Baghdad and other cities almost every day. To many Iraqis in the know, and even among Coalition officials, the answer is clear. (OneWorld.net)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Hippercritical's Iraq Report: Nov 3/03: "Welcome! Our goal is to give you one power-packed briefing of insights, news and trends from the global War on Terror that leaves you stimulated, informed, and occasionally amused every Monday & Thursday. Our " Winds of War " coverage of the global War on Terror is a separate briefing today, and both are brought to you by Glenn Halpern of HipperCritical .
TOP TOPICS

A tough week stretched into the next. Iraqis braced for a day of hell and a US military helicopter got shot down over Western Iraq. In response, Defense Secretary Rumsfeld stated that "the people who are firing off these surface-to-air missiles are the same people who are killing Iraqis ... and they're going to be beaten eventually."
Meanwhile, The Daily Star reports that Iraqis are blaming foreigners for the daily carnage, and there certainly appears to be supporting evidence . That's foreign as in "Europe."
Much of the progress so far in Iraq has come via Commanders Emergency Response (CERP) funds used directly by troops on the ground. Like the 101st Airborne , for instance, Now it appears that CERP has been cut off . WTF??? More here from a USMC Lt. Col. . I'm trying to get the full story, but if true this looks like a dumb decision that's wrong on a number of levels.

Other Topics Today Include: Post-war Iraq progress reports from different angles; Powell takes it easy on the Red Cross and UN; Syria's diplomatic blunder; Iraqis continue to settle old scores; Which cards have we captured; Support the Toy Drive; Support the Troops; Wanted: human shields.
read the rest...
"

In Command Post: Irak

U.S. Grounds Daytime Chinook Flights in Iraq: "File this one under "20/20 Hindsight"
[Fox News]

The U.S. military grounded all daytime operations by CH-47 Chinook helicopters Monday after Iraqi insurgents downed one the day before, killing 16 soldiers and wounding 20 others.

Fox News has confirmed that Chinook operations will be limited to night flights only.

Full story..."

In Command Post: Irak

Two militants killed in Mecca shootout: "Police battled militants in the streets of the holy city of Mecca on Monday, killing two of the suspects and uncovering a large cache of weapons, the state news agency reported."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

White House: Resolve in Iraq 'unshakable': "This country's determination to prevail in Iraq is "unshakable" despite the downing of an Army helicopter that killed 16 U.S. soldiers, the White House says. Democrats called the assault a fresh illustration of faulty postwar planning."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

Long queue at drive-in soup kitchen (3 Nov 03) in Radio Free USA

GIs treated after chopper strike kills 16: "Sixteen U.S. soldiers arrived in Germany on Monday for treatment at an American military hospital after being wounded in the downing of a U.S. Army Chinook helicopter, which killed 16 and injured four others."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

Sons, aides of top Iran cleric arrested: "Iranian security agents on Monday arrested two sons and two close aides of Iran's leading dissident cleric, a wife of one of the detainees said."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

Iraqi superstar singer hits Kuwaiti market: "Audiotapes by Iraq's superstar singer Kazem al-Saher have at last reached Kuwait after the government allowed them to go on sale, the information minister confirmed. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Iraq war news
Victims Were Heading Home For R&R: "The deadly missile attack on a pair of Chinook helicopters came on the first day of a stepped-up rest and recreation program. Troops from bases in Colorado, Oklahoma, Kentucky and Texas were aboard."

In CBS News: Iraq Crisis

Iraqis practice their own form of mojo and voodoo: "Persecuted under Saddam Hussein, Iraq's fortune tellers and exorcists eke out an existence on the street, helping Iraqis find stolen cars, locate kidnapped relatives, conceive babies and chase away the demons. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

UN inspectors should return quickly to Iraq to "finish the job": ElBaradei: "United Nations weapons inspectors should return to Iraq as quickly as possible to "finish the job," International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) head Mohamed ElBaradei said in a televised interview. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Syria warns of Golan Heights resistance: "Ordinary Syrians might attack Israeli settlements in the occupied Golan Heights in retaliation for last month's Israeli air raid on a purported militant training camp near Damascus, Syrian officials warned."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

Iraq's neighbors call for border control: "Arab, Iranian and Turkish foreign ministers condemned terrorist bombings in Iraq and called on Iraqi officials to cooperate on border control Sunday after talks on the Iraqi crisis - which Baghdad's interim authority boycotted."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

Coalition steadfast in dangerous Iraq: "They're doing what they can to tighten security - but they're also talking tough and refusing to budge."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

Four US soldiers wounded in roadside bombing west of Baghdad: witnesses: "Four US soldiers were wounded in a roadside bombing in Fallujah hot on the heels of the deadly downing of a US military helicopter on the outskirts of the flashpoint Iraqi town, witnesses said. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Blast rips through oil pipeline in northern Iraq: official: "An explosion has torn apart an oil pipeline near Kirkuk, 260 kilometers (160 miles) north of Baghdad, a company official told AFP. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

22 Times in Last 2 Weeks, a Grim Knock at the Door: "The steady rhythm of casualties is producing a steady rhythm of grim rituals."

In New York Times: World Special

Sunday, November 02, 2003

Guardian Unlimited | World Latest | Rumsfeld: Helicopter Downing a Tragedy

Rumsfeld: Helicopter Downing a Tragedy

Sunday November 2, 2003 7:31 PM

By ROBERT BURNS

AP Military Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - Americans should view the deadly attack on an Army helicopter in Iraq as the tragic but inevitable cost of waging a long war, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said Sunday.

The shootdown of the CH-47 Chinook transport helicopter, killing 15 soldiers and injuring 21, underscores the difficulty of the military mission in Iraq but will not erode U.S. resolve, Rumsfeld said.

``It's clearly a tragic day for America,'' the defense chief told ABC's ``This Week.'' He added: ``In a long, hard war, we're going to have tragic days, as this is. But they're necessary. They're part of a war that's difficult and complicated.''

The strike was just south of Fallujah, a center of Sunni Muslim resistance to the U.S. occupation. Officials said the Chinook was carrying soldiers to Baghdad International Airport, where they were scheduled to catch flights out of the country for two weeks of vacation.

Only two days earlier, the U.S. military announced it was expanding its R&R program, increasing from 270 to 479 the number of soldiers flown out of Iraq for rest and recuperation in the United States. The soldiers are flown to Baghdad from numerous collection points inside Iraq.

In political terms, the attack added to pressure on the Bush administration to justify the mounting American death toll and to explain its strategy for getting out of Iraq. President Bush was on his Texas ranch Sunday, out of public sight.

An ABC-Washington Post poll Sunday found that 51 percent of those surveyed now disapprove of the way Bush is handling Iraq, while 47 percent approve. It is the first time in this poll that a majority disapproved.

Militarily, the strike highlighted the vulnerability of helicopters, especially the twin-rotor Chinook, which presents a relatively large target with little means of defense against missiles.

The attack was remarkable in several respects, not least for the fact that it was the single deadliest event of the war for U.S. troops, which began in March and appeared all but over by May 1 when President Bush declared the end to major combat operations.

Since then, at least 238 Americans have been killed in Iraq, mostly in small-scale attacks against troops on the ground.

The deadliest day for American troops in Iraq was March 23 when 28 died in numerous attacks as U.S. forces advanced toward Baghdad.

Sunday's attack was the second time in just over a week that an Army helicopter was downed. A Black Hawk helicopter was hit with ground fire on Oct. 25 near Tikrit, a center of Iraq's anti-U.S. insurgency, but no Americans were killed.

By targeting U.S. aircraft, the insurgents in Iraq stand a greater chance of killing sizable numbers of Americans in a single strike. They also take advantage of what Rumsfeld acknowledged was an enormous uncontrolled supply of surface-to-air missiles throughout the country.

There are ``more than hundreds'' of such missiles, Rumsfeld said. ``There are weapon caches all over that country. They were using schools, hospitals, mosques to hide weapons.'' L. Paul Bremer, the American administrator of Iraq, said the missiles number in the thousands.

Bremer and others have said repeatedly that a key to defeating the Iraqi insurgency is obtaining better, more timely intelligence about threats against American troops and their Iraqi supporters.

Rumsfeld said it remains unclear whether Saddam Hussein, the deposed Iraqi leader, has had a hand in coordinating the resistance to U.S. forces. He acknowledged that as long as Saddam remains at large there will be Iraqis who fear he eventually will be restored to power.

``We will get him,'' Rumsfeld said on ``Fox News Sunday.''

``And I suspect he's still in the country. And I suspect he's having a great deal of difficulty operating. And we'll eventually find him.''

Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said on CNN's ``Late Edition'' that he believes Saddam is ``playing a role'' in the Iraqi insurgency, but he offered no details.

Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del., said that although expanding the U.S. military presence in Iraq may be ``very, very unpopular'' with the American public, he believes that more U.S. troops may be needed while an Iraqi security force is built up.

``And we have to be prepared to go back to our European friends and say, `We need more help. We're willing to give you more say in the formation of this government. We're willing to give you more impact here,''' Biden said on CBS' ``Face the Nation.''

Rumsfeld said that at this point there is no need for additional U.S. forces. The ultimate aim, he said, is to put the Iraqis in charge of their own security. To that end, about 100,000 Iraqis have been trained for security duties - mainly police - and the goal is to have about 200,000.

Guardian Unlimited | World Latest | Rumsfeld: Helicopter Downing a Tragedy

Saturday, November 01, 2003

Iraq war news
Tikrit elders talk with U.S. soldiers: "The tribal elders from Saddam Hussein's home region extended an invitation to U.S. soldiers for talks - and told them townspeople are against "terrorists" throwing bombs but also don't like soldiers putting guns to men's heads during searches."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

Fourteen die in Baghdad clashes in CNN - War in Iraq

American soldier killed as US warns of new Iraq threat: "Another US soldier has been killed in Iraq, after US consular officials warned of fresh attacks and Washington insisted there was no evidence ousted dictator Saddam Hussein is coordinating strikes in the country. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Bomb in Northern Iraq Kills 3 Americans-- Police: "A roadside bomb blast in thenorthern Iraqi city of Mosul Saturday killed three Americansand wounded two, Iraqi police at the scene told Reuters. (Reuters)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

A Soldiers Blog

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