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Camp Bucca to close in September
The number of detainees in Task Force 134 custody dropped below 9,000 during a detainee transfer between Coalition forces and the Government of Iraq here, Aug. 27. As a result of the 107-person transfer, the detainee population in Iraq stands at 8,947 – the lowest number in U.S. custody since March 2005. In accordance with the Security Agreement, detainee transfers between CF and the GoI must be conducted with arrest warrants or detention orders. If detainees do not have arrest warrants or detention orders, they must be released. “We work very closely with the Iraqi government to ensure releases and transfers are conducted in a safe and orderly manner,†said Capt. Brad Kimberly, Task Force 134 spokesman. “In compliance with the Security Agreement, we transferred these detainees to the GoI after receiving … Read entire article »
Filed under: Crime and Punishment, Iraq, Rebuilding, War on Terror
Canals bring potable water to Iraqis
A series of intertwined, water-filled canals create a patchwork of green fields, abundant in crops near the section of al-Zooba, here, in Baghdad. The intricate irrigation system provides essential water to the local farms but not to its inhabitants. “Potable water makes the difference between getting disease. For us, it’s the difference between life and death,” said Spc. Stephen Palac, a combat medic, about the importance of available drinking water. “There are all kinds of bad organisms in that canal water which leads to lots of stomach problems.” National Guard Soldiers of 2nd Platoon “Spartans,” 1st Battalion, 150th Armored Reconnaissance Squadron, 30th Heavy Brigade Combat Team, visited one of five solar-powered water-purification pumps donated by U.S. Forces and Iraqi Security Forces to local Iraqis leaders in the area to fulfill the need for … Read entire article »
Filed under: Green, Iraq, Rebuilding, War on Terror
Kirkuk Amusement Park hosts Iraqi police families
The high-pitched sound of children laughing and a rollercoaster’s rumble were heard at the Kirkuk Amusement Park on the outskirts of Kirkuk City, Aug. 18. Iraqi Police (IP), their children, and U.S. Soldiers from 3rd Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, traveled in groups, wandering the park looking for the best rides. Weeks of planning went into this event and many local IP enjoyed the opportunity to bring their families to the park and introduce them to the U.S. Soldiers they work with on a regular basis. “This is the first chance I have had to bring my family to the amusement park,” said Capt. Louay Wahad Ali, an IP from the local area who brought his nephews along with him. “They really like it because they … Read entire article »
Filed under: Iraq, Rebuilding, War on Terror
Vital Fallujah electricity project nears completion
A 132-kilovolt substation in Fallujah, projected for completion in October, will result in more consistent and stable electricity for Fallujah residents. The $14.8 million project is being managed by the Gulf Region Division, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Iraq, and funded by the Iraqi Relief and Reconstruction Fund. The substation was damaged in a fire caused by circuit breaker failure in Jan. 2005, and was identified by the Division’s Gulf Region District as a significant capacity-building project for Fallujah. Maj. Joseph Geary, the officer in charge of the District’s resident office in Fallujah, praised the team for working steadfastly on the project and overcoming various issues, including getting the equipment on site in good condition. For example, when a transformer arrived damaged, security concerns hindered its delivery to the repair facility in another … Read entire article »
Filed under: Iraq, Rebuilding, War on Terror
Taza Iraq recovers from June bombing
Life is beginning to return to normal on the streets of Taza, Iraq, after a car bomb devastated the primarily Turkish city in Kirkuk province, in late June. Lt. Col. Hugh McNeely, the deputy commander of 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, was welcomed by Taza city mayor, Talib, and street vendors alike Aug. 24, as he came to see how the city has continued its recovery. According to Talib, the city has running water, electricity and functional sewers again. Many businesses have reopened their doors, and a large number of the people who were living in tents have moved out to stay with relatives. Although things are going well, the mayor said residents of the city still need help. “We need a lot of goods,†he said. “The city still needs to … Read entire article »
Filed under: Iraq, Rebuilding, War on Terror
Security Forces Destroy Haqqani Stronghold in Paktika
A joint Afghan and international security force killed a large number of enemy militants and destroyed a complex of bunkers, weapons and other structures in Paktika Province on Aug. 28 that was used by the Haqqani Network as a logistics base and safe haven for foreign fighters operating in the region. The joint force conducted the operation in the remote location in the mountains of Urgun District on the eastern side of the province. The force was engaged by small arms fire from hostile militants on several different occasions in an operation that lasted close to 24 hours. The force used direct fire and close air support to repel the attacks from militants. By the end of the operation, the force killed a large number of hostile militants and recovered multiple antiaircraft … Read entire article »
Filed under: Afghanistan, Terrorist Death Watch, War on Terror
What have I been up to?
I’m very busy. The lovely wife keeps me hopping at home, with the things she cannot do any longer. And I am writing up a storm. In each sidebar is a widget that links to a site where my work appears. One goes to Examiner.com and the other to Associated Content. Helium is not generating a valid RSS feed, so here to read my work at that site. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Me and Mine, Original writing
Our Best: Sgt. Sierra Harbison
While some people join the Army to find adventure for the first time, a deployed soldier here said she joined to add to the adventures she’s already had. Army Sgt. Sierra Harbison, a food service specialist here with Company E, 1st Battalion, 150th Aviation Regiment, Assault Helicopter Battalion, said she first started seeking new experiences while in high school. “When I was 17, I had just finished my junior year in high school and I was selected through my church for a Rotary Club exchange program to do missionary work in Chivilcoy, Argentina, a small city in Buenos Aires province,†Harbison said. “I spent my senior year living with my exchange family and working with children at an orphanage. It was very hard to see so many kids suffering from abuse … Read entire article »
Filed under: Military, Our Best: Military Women
Coming Soon: Future Posts
- Declaration of War 1812 (in 132 days)
- USS President vs HMS Belvidera (in 137 days)
- General Hull Invades Canada (in 156 days)
- First Battle of Sacketts Harbor (in 163 days)
On Y!CN
- Radioactive Gravel from Japanese Nuke Disaster Used in Buildings
- Fuel Supplies Reach Nome
- Fuel Convoy Reaches Nome
- Russians Sail to Rescue of Ice Bound Alaska Community
- Pope Embraces Anglicans in U.S. with New Ordinariate
- Nebraska Nuke Plant Placed on Special Inspection Status
- Radioactive Water Leaks at Japanese Nuke Site
- Japan Damaged Nuke Plants Still Not Under Control
Social Links
Glenn Beck is right and also wrong
August 28th, 2009 | Comments Off
Do you believe that people are basically good, or are they bad and in need of salvation? Curiously, that philosophical debate is at the crux of the political struggle in this country and the world today. Humans can be amazingly generous, selfless, and willing to sacrifice for a greater good. They can also tolerate dictators, mind numbing regulation and the loss of even the most basic freedoms. Glenn Beck is devoting a great deal of air time on his radio and television shows to the proposition that there is a conspiracy to take the freedoms that Americans enjoy away from them. Call the plotters Communists, Socialists or Liberals, they have formed a multitude of groups for the sole purpose of enslaving Americans and destroying our way of life. The politicians of the Democratic … Read entire article »
Filed under: Commentary, Original writing, Politics, Religion