2007 US MILITARY FORCES & INTELLIGENCE ARCHIVE :

Please note : Most publications move older stories into their archives which may require a fee to view the full story. Some stories listed below may no longer be available online.

BBC News, 19 Dec 07
Pentagon claims progress in Iraq
'US forces have achieved "significant progress" in Iraq over the last three months but the handover to Iraqis is lagging, the Pentagon has said.'

Christian Science Monitor, 13 Dec 07, by Gordon Lubold
In Europe, Gates to push for NATO help in Afghanistan
'The deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan is putting new pressure on Defense Secretary Robert Gates to change course. Mr. Gates travels to Europe this week to ask NATO allies again for more troops to help fight what has become a classic insurgency in Afghanistan, saying he doesn't want to let allies off too easy.'

Washington Post, 13 Dec 07, by Philip Rucker
Study Faults Charities for Veterans
'Americans gave millions of dollars in the past year to veterans charities designed to help troops wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan, but several of the groups spent relatively little money on the wounded, according to a leading watchdog organization and federal tax filings.'

International Herald Tribune, 13 Dec 07, by Scott Shane
CIA agents sense shifting support for methods
'For six years, Central Intelligence Agency officers have worried that someday the tide of post-Sept. 11 opinion would turn, and their harsh treatment of prisoners from Al Qaeda would be subjected to hostile scrutiny and possible criminal prosecution.'

International Herald Tribune, 10 Dec 07, by C.J. Chivers
Hunting the Taliban, finding sick children by the score
'Throughout early December a company of paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division had patrolled throughout the Nawa district of Ghazni Province ... Each patrol was a foray into villages regarded as Taliban sanctuaries. Each began with tension and the possibility of violence. ... Once the villagers realized that the platoons were accompanied by medics, they pushed forward sick children and pleaded for help.'

International Herald Tribune, 06 Dec 07, by Thom Shanker
Gates said to oppose force shift to Afghanistan
'Senior Pentagon and military officials said Wednesday that Defense Secretary Robert Gates had decided against a proposal to shift Marine Corps forces from Iraq to take the lead in American operations in Afghanistan.'

International Herald Tribune, 05 Dec 07, by Mark Mazzetti
U.S. intelligence reports: The struggle to get it right
'How could U.S. intelligence agencies have overstated Iran's intentions in 2005 so soon after being reprimanded for making similar errors involving Iraq? The spy agencies had swallowed hard and pledged to do better after a presidential commission in March 2005 issued a blistering accounting of the intelligence failures leading up to the Iraq war.'

International Herald Tribune, 06 Dec 07, by David E. Sanger and Steven Lee Myers
Notes from Iran military led to U.S. reversal
'U.S. intelligence agencies reversed their view about the status of Iran's nuclear weapons program after they obtained notes last summer from the deliberations of Iranian military officials involved in the program, according to senior U.S. intelligence and government officials.'

Christian Science Monitor, 30 Nov 07, by Gordon Lubold
For Marines, fewer bombproof trucks
'Corps trims its request for MRAPs by nearly 40 percent. Is the need for them in Iraq still as pressing?'

Christian Science Monitor, 29 Nov 07, by Gordon Lubold
A 'surge' for Afghanistan?
'A Marine proposal under discussion this week would redeploy troops from Iraq.'

International Herald Tribune, 30 Nov 07, by Thom Shanker and Patrick Healy
A new push to roll back 'don't ask, don't tell'
'Marking the 14th anniversary of legislation that allowed gay men and lesbians to serve in the military but only if they kept their orientation secret, 28 retired generals and admirals plan to release a letter on Friday urging Congress to repeal the law.'

International Herald Tribune, 27 Nov 07, by Bryan Bender, The Boston Globe
U.S. Army expands by lowering the bar on recruits
'Two weeks ago, the Pentagon announced the "good news" that the army had met its recruiting goal for October, the first month in a five-year plan to add 65,000 new soldiers to the ranks by 2012. But Pentagon statistics show the army met that goal by accepting a higher percentage of enlistees with criminal records, drug or alcohol problems, or health conditions that would have ordinarily disqualified them from service.'

Christian Science Monitor, 19 Nov 07, by Gordon Lubold
Pentagon is left scrambling to pay for war
'Secretary Robert Gates says Congress's failure to fund war operations means furloughs at US bases are likely.'

Christian Science Monitor, 20 Nov 07, by Lee Lawrence
Military chaplains: Being a cog of conscience in the military killing machine
'Navy Capt. James Fisher brings his evangelical Christian faith to work with Afghan military mullahs.'

Christian Science Monitor, 09 Nov 07, by Sue Diaz
To help veterans confront war: pen and paper
'Writing about war memories is tough, but it's also therapeutic.'

Stars and Stripes/AP, 13 Nov 07, by Robert Burns
US military reversing Iraq troop surge
'The first big test of security gains linked to the U.S. troop buildup in Iraq is at hand. The military has started to reverse the 30,000-strong troop increase and commanders are hoping the drop in insurgent and sectarian violence in recent months - achieved at the cost of hundreds of lives - won't prove fleeting.'

Stars and Stripes, 13 Nov 07, by Drew Brown
Enhancing trust with small acts of good will
'While on patrol in Beiji, GIs try having positive impact on locals'

New York Times, 07 Nov 07, by Damien Cave
2007 Is Deadliest Year for U.S. Troops in Iraq
'Military officials attribute the increase this year to an expanded troop presence during the so-called surge, which swelled the American force to more than 165,000 troops in Iraq, and sent units out of large bases and into more dangerous communities.'

New York Times, 07 Nov 07, by Robert Pear
Military Bill Approved, but Without Iraq Increase
'House and Senate negotiators approved a $459 billion military spending bill on Tuesday, but rejected a Republican bid to provide $70 billion more to continue fighting the war in Iraq without any restrictions.'

International Herald Tribune, 01 Nov 07, by Eric Schmitt
U.S. army's wartime contracts faulted by panel
'An independent panel has sharply criticized the army for failing to train enough experienced contracting officers, deploy them quickly to war zones like Iraq and Afghanistan and ensure that they properly manage billions of dollars in contracts to supply American troops in the field, according to officials briefed on its findings.'

Christian Science Monitor, 30 Oct 07, by Lee Lawrence
Military chaplain: Marines in Iraq look to pastor for answers to tough questions
'From a buddy's suicide to a religious ritual, young troops count on Lt. Michael Baker.'

Christian Science Monitor, 30 Oct 07
Military chaplains: a rich history of more than just blessing the cannons
'An interview with Doris Bergen, a scholar of clergy in the military'

Christian Science Monitor, 30 Oct 07
Military chaplains: A historian's view from the American Revolution to Iraq
'An interview with the US Army Chaplain Corps historian, John Brinsfield'

Washington Post, 24 Oct 07, by Ann Scott Tyson
A Tough Tour of the Home Front
'On his first domestic trip as the nation's top military officer, Mullen set out on a two-day tour of Army bases to "get a baseline" assessment of the strains that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are imposing on U.S. armed forces.'

Christian Science Monitor, 24 Oct 07, by Peter Grier
Military spending: up and away
'The combined cost of Iraq and Afghanistan already surpasses the cost of the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the Gulf War.'

International Herald Tribune, 13 Oct 07, by Elisabeth Bumiller
At a U.S. Army Base, officers split over war
'Here in this Western outpost that serves as the intellectual center of the U.S. Army, two elite officers were deep in debate at lunch on a recent day over who bore more responsibility for mistakes in Iraq - the former defense secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, or the generals who acquiesced to him.'

International Herald Tribune, 13 Oct 07, by David S. Cloud
Ex-commander calls Iraq effort 'a nightmare'
'In a sweeping indictment of the four-year effort in Iraq, the former top commander of American forces there called the Bush administration's handling of the war "incompetent" and said the result was "a nightmare with no end in sight."'

International Herald Tribune, 10 Oct 07, by Thom Shanker
U.S. Marines press to pull forces from Iraq
'The Marine Corps is pressing to remove its forces from Iraq and to send marines instead to Afghanistan, to take over the leading role in combat there, according to senior military and Pentagon officials.'

International Herald Tribune, 04 Oct 07, by David Rohde
Anthropologists help U.S. Army in Afghanistan and Iraq
'... the first-ever Human Terrain Team, an experimental Pentagon program that assigns anthropologists and other social scientists to American combat units in Afghanistan and Iraq, where they act as cultural advisers and suggest ways to win local support without using military force.'

Voice of America, 05 Oct 07
US Military Finds Blackwater at Fault in Baghdad Shooting
'A published report says the U.S. military has determined guards working for a private U.S. security firm in Iraq took excessive action in last month's deadly shooting in Baghdad.'

International Herald Tribune, 04 Oct 07, by Paul Von Zielbauer
Charges may be dropped for marine in Iraq killings
'A military investigator has recommended dropping murder charges against a Marine infantryman charged with killing 17 apparently unarmed Iraqis in the volatile city of Haditha nearly two years ago, a defense lawyer in the case said Thursday.'

Christian Science Monitor, 04 Oct 07, by Jane Lampman
Are U.S. troops being force-fed Christianity?
'A watchdog group alleges that improper evangelizing is occurring within the ranks.'

International Herald Tribune, 30 Sep 07, by
Legal fallout follows several Marines three years after the battle of Falluja
'Nearly three years after the battle of Falluja earned the U.S. Marines more Navy Cross medals for heroism than any other action in Iraq, prosecutors are investigating whether members of one squad killed a group of captured insurgents there.'

International Herald Tribune, 01 Oct 07, by Thomas Kaplan
Yale Law School set to allow military recruiters at job fair
'For five years, Yale Law School has fought to restrict military recruiters from its job fairs because of the Pentagon's policy that bars openly gay or bisexual people from the military. But with the federal government threatening to withhold $350 million in grants if the university does not assist the recruiters, that fight was to all but end on Monday.'

International Herald Tribune, 25 Sep 07, by Paul von Zielbauer
Snipers baited and killed Iraqis, soldiers testify
'Under a program developed by a U.S. Defense Department warfare unit, army snipers have begun using a new method to kill Iraqis suspected of being insurgents, using fake weapons and bomb-making material as bait and then killing anyone who picks them up, according to testimony presented in a military court.'

Washington Post, 27 Sep 07, by Ann Scott Tyson
Pentagon Team To Study Oversight Of Security Firms
'Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said yesterday that his concerns over insufficient oversight of private security firms in Iraq led him this week to dispatch a team to the country to investigate the issue, while also instructing commanders to tighten their controls over the armed guards.'

PBS 'NewsHour', 21 Sep 07, with Paul Soloman
Defense Department Examines Body Armor
First in a series of reports on how the Defense Department decides to equip U.S. troops: a look at body armor.

PBS 'NewsHour', 24 Sep 07, with Paul Soloman
Defense Department Sticks With M-16s Despite Problems
Second in a series of reports on how the Defense Department decides to equip U.S. troops: a look at M-16 rifles.

PBS 'NewsHour', 27 Sep 07, with Paul Soloman
Defense Priorities
[audio] Third in a series of reports on how the Defense Department decides to equip U.S. troops: a look at a mine resistant vehicle.

Washington Post, 27 Sep 07, by Steve Vogel
Report Says Fixes Slow To Come at Walter Reed
'More than half a year after disclosures of systemic problems at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and other military hospitals, the Pentagon's promised fixes are threatened by staff shortages and uncertainty about how best to improve long-term care for wounded troops, according to a congressional report issued yesterday.'

International Herald Tribune, 16 Sep 07, by Brian Knowlton
U.S. defense secretary sees 'protracted' role in Iraq
'Two days after expressing hope that U.S. forces in Iraq might be reduced to 100,000 by the end of next year, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Sunday that American troops were likely to remain in that country for a "protracted period." He also said he would recommend a presidential veto if Congress approved a Democratic effort to limit the time troops could spend in Iraq.'

Marines.mil, 04 Sep 07, by Sgt. Andy Hurt, 13th MEU
Lima 3/1: The human side of operations
'It’s a typical Tuesday morning in Al Anbar Province. The brutal hum of an armored vehicle drowns out distant explosions and dogs are rummaging through trash on the street ...'

Financial Times, 10/11 Sep 07, by Demetri Sevastopulo and Andrew Ward
Petraeus marks end to Iraq 'surge'
'General David Petraeus, the top US commander in Iraq, on Monday said the US would start to withdraw troops later this month with the goal of returning to pre-surge levels by next summer.'

International Herald Tribune, 11 Sep 07, by Michael R. Gordon
U.S. general proposes a bigger role in protecting Iraqis
'Under a timetable embraced by General David Petraeus, the number of American combat brigades would decline by one-fourth by next summer, to 15 in July from 20 now, with the prospect of deeper, if as yet unscheduled, reductions to come. But such a move would raise the question of how the United States can avert an increase in violence in Iraq while carrying out a gradual drawdown.'

International Herald Tribune, 10 Sep 07, by Michael R. Gordon
Delay decision on major cuts, Petraeus says
'The top American commander in Iraq, General David Petraeus, has recommended that decisions on the contentious issue of reducing the main body of the American troops in Iraq be put off for six months, American officials said Sunday.'

National Review, 10 Sep 07, by W. Thomas Smith Jr.
'God Bless and Semper Fi'
'A spiritual surge on the frontlines.'

International Herald Tribune, 07 Sep 07, by David E. Sanger and David S. Cloud
U.S. general, seeing gains as fragile, is wary of cuts
'General David Petraeus, the top American commander in Iraq, has told President George W. Bush that he wants to maintain heightened troop levels in Iraq well into next year to reduce the risk of military setbacks, but could accept the pullback of roughly 4,000 troops beginning in January, in part to assuage critics in Congress, according to senior administration and military officials.'

Washington Post, 05 Sep 07, by Karen DeYoung and Ann Scott Tyson
Military Officials in Iraq Fault GAO Report
'A bleak portrait of the political and security situation in Iraq released yesterday by the Government Accountability Office sparked sharp protests from the top U.S. military command in Baghdad, whose officials described it as flawed and "factually incorrect."'

Military Times, 05 Sep 07, by Michael Hoffman
Commander disciplined for nuclear mistake
'The Air Force continued handing out disciplinary actions in response to the six nuclear warheads mistakenly flown on a B-52 Stratofortress bomber from Minot Air Force Base, N.D., to Barksdale Air Force Base, La., on Aug. 30. The squadron commander in charge of Minot's munitions crews was relieved of all duties pending the investigation.'hursday during the transfer of munitions” from Minot to Barksdale.

Military Times, 05 Sep 07, by Rick Maze
Fed agencies avoid hiring vets, critics say
'The House Veterans' Affairs economic opportunity panel is investigating whether the government is following veterans' preference rules that apply to hiring, promotion and saving a job during a reduction-in-force.'

International Herald Tribune, 05 Sep 07, by Paul Von Zielbauer
U.S. marines give their own account of Afghan shooting
'... as a Marine general is mulling whether to bring charges against a handful of the 30 Americans involved in the episode, lawyers for two of the marines - including a company commander riding in the convoy - are disputing the official military and Afghan descriptions of their actions that morning.'

BBC News, 04 Sep 07
China denies Pentagon cyber-raid
'China has denied reports that its military hacked into the computer network of the US Department of Defense in Washington.'

International Herald Tribune, 02 Sep 07, by Scott Shane
U.S. spies get a top-secret Web of their own
'A-Space will join Intellipedia, the spooks' Wikipedia, where intelligence officers from all 16 U.S. spy agencies pool their knowledge. Sixteen months after its creation, officials say, the top-secret version of Intellipedia has 29,255 articles, with an average of 114 new articles and more than 4,800 edits to articles added each workday.'

Washington Post, 31 Aug 07, by Karen DeYoung
Pentagon Challenges GAO's Report on Iraq
'The Pentagon has disputed parts of a progress report on Iraq drafted by the Government Accountability Office, and asked that some of the assessment's failing grades on key political and security benchmarks be changed before the final report is made public next week, a Defense spokesman said yesterday.'

International Herald Tribune, 29 Aug 07, by David S. Cloud and Eric Schmitt
U.S. weapons, given to Iraqis, move to Turkey
'Weapons that were originally given to Iraqi security forces by the American military have been recovered over the past year by the authorities in Turkey after being used in violent crimes in that country, Pentagon officials said Wednesday.'

Weekly Standard, 31 Aug 07, by Jeff Emanuel
Tal Afar SWAT
'U.S. Special Forces train an elite Iraqi police unit.'

Stars and Stripes, 01 Sep 07, by Erik Slavin
Soldiers urged to get treatment for stress
'U.S. Army Garrison Red Cloud officials urged soldiers and civilians at a Thursday briefing in the theater to get help if they are dealing with post-combat stress. ... The message was delivered, but its success ultimately depends on soldiers and civilians feeling comfortable enough to seek help from chaplains, doctors and social workers.'

Stars and Stripes/Military Update, 30 Aug 07, by Tom Philpott
Retro pay closing payment gap to disabled
'Almost 75,000 military retirees with disabilities who were underpaid for months or even years after becoming eligible for one of two “concurrent receipt” programs have received their retroactive payments, officials in charge of the retro pay program say.'

International Herald Tribune, 30 Aug 07, by Paul Von Zielbauer
Marines' trials in Iraq killings are withering
'Since May, charges against two infantrymen and a Marine officer have been dismissed, and dismissal has been recommended for murder charges against a third infantryman. Prosecutors were not able to prove even that the killings violated the American military code of justice.'

BBC/PRI 'The World', 27 Aug 07
Improving the modern soldier
'The World takes an in-depth look at how the US military is looking to build a better soldier. We'll look at research into beating two major enemies faced by America's servicemen and women -- sleep deprivation and blood loss. We'll also profile an Army initiative to get new technologies into the hands of soldiers quickly and safely.'

Washington Post, 27 Aug 07, by Josh White
Many Take Army's 'Quick Ship' Bonus
'More than 90 percent of the Army's new recruits since late July have accepted a $20,000 "quick ship" bonus to leave for basic combat training by the end of September, putting thousands of Americans into uniform almost immediately.'

International Herald Tribune, 27 Aug 07, by Matthew Brunwasser
U.S. and Romania begin 3-month joint training exercise
'A significant step toward the first long-term U.S. military presence on territory of the former Communist bloc was taken as American and Romanian forces began three months of joint training exercises.'

Asia Times, 28 Aug 07, by David Isenberg
Robots replace trigger fingers in Iraq
'The US government will spend about US$1.7 billion on ground-based military robots between fiscal 2006 and 2012, and the military has deployed thousands of robotic systems to Iraq and Afghanistan. They all have a human operator somewhere in the loop, but that may change soon. Welcome to a new Terminator-like world where robots decide whom, where and when to kill.'

International Herald Tribune, 16 Aug 07, by Mark Landler
U.S. seeks to make foreign bases home for spouses of deployed soldiers
'The army's goal is to create a support network strong enough that the spouses will decide to wait out the deployment on the base in Germany, a country many of them scarcely know and that declined to take part in the Iraq war.'

Christian Science Monitor, 20 Aug 07, by Peter N. Spotts
US Coast Guard joins in Arctic oil rush
'The US Coast Guard icebreaker Healy and a group of 20 scientists have embarked on a four-week cruise that will help shape the future of US efforts to claim its share of mineral and oil wealth beneath the Arctic Ocean.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 15 Aug 07, by
Suicide rate in U.S. Army hits 26-year high
'Ninety-nine U.S. soldiers killed themselves last year, the highest rate of suicide in the Army in 26 years of record-keeping. Nearly a third of the soldiers who committed suicide did so while serving in Iraq or Afghanistan, according to a report released Thursday.'

International Herald Tribune, 13 Aug 07, by John F. Burns
David Petraeus, a general who won't sugarcoat
'... Petraeus, being cast as the president's white knight has been a mixed blessing. While he talks directly with Bush once or twice a week, in interviews he depicts himself as owing loyalty as much to Congress as the White House and stresses the downside, as well as the upside, of the American military effort here.'

International Herald Tribune, 13 Aug 07, by David S. Cloud
U.S. defense chief keeps own counsel on Iraq
'In the debate about next steps on Iraq, Defense Secretary Robert Gates does more listening than talking, rarely revealing his own views, except in clipped comments or the questions he asks at meetings.'

Jewish Institute for National Affairs, 09 Aug 07, by Marnina Cowan
AFRICOM is the Newest U.S. Combatant Command
'... AFRICOM's establishment is inarguably of tremendous strategic significance, yet the announcement has received very little media attention. ... American policy towards Africa over the coming decades will be largely defined by international terrorism, the increasing importance of African oil to American energy needs, and the dramatic expansion China's presence in the continent.'

Washington Post, 12 Aug 07, by Steve Fainaru
U.S. Pays Millions In Cost Overruns For Security in Iraq
'The U.S. military has paid $548 million over the past three years to two British security firms that protect the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on reconstruction projects, more than $200 million over the original budget, according to previously undisclosed data that show how the cost of private security in Iraq has mushroomed.'

National Review 'The Tank', 14 Aug 07, by W. Thomas Smith Jr.
Soldierly Trust
'American soldiers and Marines are different — particularly in their approaches to tactical operations — but similar in more ways than not. One common thread I've found among them here in Iraq is that they all want to go home, but they don't want to leave . . . if that makes sense.

International Herald Tribune/Reuters, 06 Aug 07
U.S. can't account for 190,000 weapons issued to Iraqis
'The Pentagon cannot account for 190,000 AK-47 rifles and pistols given to Iraqi security forces in 2004 and 2005, or about half the weapons earmarked for soldiers and police officers, according to a government report.'

Christian Science Monitor, 07 Aug 07, by Brad Knickerbocker
Is military justice in Iraq changing for the better?
'In a series of cases involving the unlawful killing and abuse of Iraqi civilians, officers as well as enlisted soldiers and marines are being prosecuted and punished. The need to follow the Uniformed Code of Military Justice and the laws of war is being reemphasized in combat training down to the individual platoon level.'

ABC News/AP, 05 Aug 07, by Andrew Taylor, AP
House Approves $460B Pentagon Budget
'The House's $459.6 billion version of the defense budget, approved on a 395-13 vote, would add money for equipment for the National Guard and Reserve, provide for 12,000 additional soldiers and Marines, and increase spending for defense health care and military housing.'

International Herald Tribune, 02 Aug 07, by Carl Hulse
U.S. House votes to ensure leave for forces in Iraq
'House Democrats, in their latest challenge to Bush administration war policy, voted on Thursday to limit how quickly American troops can be sent back to Iraq after serving a rotation there.'

CNN Money/Dow Jones, 06 Aug 07
US Navy Officials Duck Questions On Pentagon Drone Plans
'U.S. Navy officials on Monday ducked questions about the Pentagon's vision for unmanned aircraft, a reaction that underscored tensions among the U.S. military services over their growing fleets of flying drones.'

International Herald Tribune, 02 Aug 07, by David S. Cloud
Gates offers a blunt assessment on Iraq
'Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Thursday that he was discouraged by the departure of the major Sunni Arab bloc from the coalition government in Iraq, and acknowledged that the Bush administration may have misjudged the difficulty of achieving reconciliation among sectarian factions.'

Washington Post, 03 Aug 07, by Josh White
Gates: U.S. Misjudged Iraqi Leaders' Discord
'Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said Thursday that U.S. officials had underestimated how difficult it would be for Iraqi leaders to make progress toward reconciliation, but said he remained optimistic about the security situation in Iraq.'

Christian Science Monitor, 01 Aug 07, by Gordon Lubold
US troop fatalities in Iraq drop sharply
'US troop fatalities in Iraq have plummeted from near-historic highs just two months ago. The number of deaths attributed to improvised explosive devices is down by more than half. Violence is down in the four most dangerous provinces. The decrease is an apparent sign that, by at least one indicator, the surge of American forces is doing something it set out to do: tamp down the violence.'

Stars and Stripes, 31 Jul 07, by Sandra Jontz
Sailors honored for land-based missions
'For nine months, Petty Officer 2nd Class William Congdon thought he'd joined the "Narmy" -- that new batch of sailors working alongside soldiers in Iraq. For nine months, missions took him and team members outside the safety of the wire, where they applied their expertise to hunt down and dismantle the roadside bombs that litter the war zone's roadways.'

Los Angeles Times, 30 Jul 07, by Peter Spiegel
A Navy man's Hollywood story
'No one expected Adm. Michael G. Mullen, the son of a press agent, to grow up to become the military's highest-ranking officer.'

The Olympian/AP, 30 Jul 07, by Richard Lardner, AP
Admiral cites problems undermining Iraq
'Slow progress in Iraq is undermining U.S. credibility and emboldening Iran's regional ambitions, says President Bush's nominee to head the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Navy Adm. Michael Mullen.'

Stars and Stripes, 31 Jul 07, by Joseph Giordono
Petraeus aide denies serious rift with al-Maliki
'A top military spokesman in Iraq is disputing reports that Gen. David Petraeus and Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's relationship is so strained that Maliki has considered calling for Petraeus' ouster.'

Washington Post, 31 Jul 07, by Josh White
Conflicting Portraits of Officer Charged Over Abu Ghraib
'... more than half a dozen military interrogators have said in recent interviews that [Army Lt. Col. Steven L.] Jordan does not appear in any of the notorious images of detainee abuse that emerged from Abu Ghraib prison three years ago. Nevertheless, Jordan, 51, is scheduled to become the first Army officer to face a court-martial for alleged abuse at Abu Ghraib.'

National Review, 23 Jul 07, by W. Thomas Smith Jr.
Going North
'An interview with the three-star commander of CENTCOM Air Forces : Lt. Gen. Gary L. North holds three of the most critical warfighting commands in the world. In terms of ongoing air-combat operations, two of his commands are the most critical.'

PBS 'NewsHour', 25 Jul 07
Panel Calls for Changes to Wounded Veterans' Care
'A presidential commission called for "fundamental changes" to the military health system. Former Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala and former Sen. Bob Dole, R-Kan., explain the panel's findings.'

PBS 'NewsHour', 25 Jul 07
Report Addresses Veterans' Care
'Since inadequate facilities were uncovered at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, new attention has been given to veterans' health needs. Two experts on veterans' medical care take your questions.'

PBS 'NewsHour', 23 Jul 07
Veterans Struggle for Adequate Disability Compensation
'U.S. soldiers coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan receive disability compensation based on the extent of their injuries and other factors. The NewsHour reports on how the military determines the amount injured veterans receive and efforts to improve the process.'

Washington Post, 27 Jul 07, by Thomas E. Ricks and Karen DeYoung
Gates Assures Clinton of Drawdown Plans
'Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said he is personally engaged in developing contingency plans for a drawdown of U.S. troops from Iraq and emphasized that those efforts constitute a "priority" for the Pentagon.'

Stars and Stripes, 23 Jul 07, by Scott Schonauer
Ramstein sees more patients since 'surge'
'The "surge" in U.S. troops in Iraq has resulted in an increase in patients passing through this base. ... May and June stand among the busiest months ever for airmen who help transport and care for wounded servicemembers coming from Iraq and Afghanistan, according to Air Force figures.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 23 Jul 07
War injured set to sue Veterans Affairs department
'Frustrated by delays in health care, a coalition of injured Iraq war veterans is accusing the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs of breaking the law by denying them disability pay and mental health treatment.'

Washington Post, 21 Jul 07, by Karen DeYoung
The Pentagon Gets a Lesson From Madison Avenue
'U.S. needs to devise a different 'brand' to win over the Iraqi people, study advises.'

International Herald Tribune, 22 Jul 07, by Paul von Zielbauer
Charged with war crimes, U.S. troops get legal help from home
'Conservative Christians and military veterans are part an emerging group of Americans who say they are upset by the recent prosecutions of soldiers and marines in Iraq on war crimes charges and are coming to their defense with words, Web sites and money.'

NPR 'All Things Considered', 19 Jul 07
Petraeus: Increased U.S. Troops Yielding Results
'Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, says the "surge" in U.S. troops has achieved success, particularly against Al-Qaida-in-Iraq insurgents in Anbar province west of Baghdad. Petraeus says the military's most difficult challenge is dealing with sectarian conflicts in the neighborhoods of Baghdad.'

International Herald Tribune, 19 Jul 07, by Thom Shanker and David S. Cloud
Commanders and U.S. envoy seek more time for Iraq
'The top commanders in Iraq and the American ambassador to Baghdad used video links with Washington on Thursday to appeal for more time, both to allow for success on the ground, and to more fully assess if the new strategy is making gains.'

Stars and Stripes, 20 Jul 07, by Mark St.Clair
Pace: Look for 12-month tours by spring 2008
'Rumored 18-month deployments? Not according to Gen. Peter Pace. And, he said while visiting troops in Afghanistan, tour lengths could return to 12 months by the spring.'

Small Wars Journal, 17 Jul 07, by Dave Dilegge
General Wayne A. Downing - Passing of an American Hero
'As a combat leader, educator, global strategist, and national security expert, Wayne Downing's critical contributions to national defense and security have immeasurably raised the prominence of West Point as an institution vital to the American way of life.'

PBS 'NewsHour', 05 Jul 07, with Judy Woodruff et al
Women's Combat Roles Evolving in Iraq, Afghanistan
'Although U.S. military policy prevents women from taking certain war zone assignments, they are increasingly filling dangerous jobs in Iraq and Afghanistan. An author, Army sergeant and retired Navy captain discuss the changing role of women in combat.'

Breitbart.com/AP, 16 Jul 07, by Robert Burns,AP
Pace: Another Troop Build Up Possible
'The U.S. military's top general said Monday that the Joint Chiefs of Staff is weighing a range of possible new directions in Iraq, including, if President Bush deems it necessary, an even bigger troop buildup.'

The Guardian/AP, 15 Jul 07, by Charles J. Hanley, AP
Robot Air Attack Squadron Bound for Iraq
'The airplane is the size of a jet fighter, powered by a turboprop engine, able to fly at 300 mph and reach 50,000 feet. It's outfitted with infrared, laser and radar targeting, and with a ton and a half of guided bombs and missiles.'

CBS News/AP, 28 Jun 07
Special Forces Shift Strategy
'New Special Ops commanders believe killing terrorists may not be enough.'

Christian Science Monitor, 13 Jul 07, by Leslie Sabbagh
Gen. Petraeus warns of a hasty US pullout from Iraq
'As the merits of staying in Iraq are debated in the US, the top American commander in Iraq says that a quick withdrawal of US troops will cause "greatly increased sectarian violence." '

International Herald Tribune/Reuters, 10 Jul 07
U.S. Navy raises presence near Iran as nuclear talks continue
'The U.S. Navy said Tuesday it had sent a third aircraft carrier to its 5th Fleet area of operations, which includes waters close to Iran, whose dispute with the West over its nuclear plans has stoked regional tensions.'

Baltimore Sun, 04 Jul 07, by Bradley Olson
A somber milestone
'Women join ranks of graduates memorialized for sacrifice on Naval Academy's hallowed wall'

Stars and Stripes, 10 Jul 07, by Charlie Coon
AFRICOM struggles to improve image of U.S.
'Improving the United States' image in Africa was a prime topic as 80 people gathered Monday to discuss plans for the new U.S. Africa Command. The command is scheduled to launch, at least partially, in October, when it would begin coordinating its military efforts on the continent.'

Stars and Stripes, 11 Jul 07, by Ashley Rowland
8th Army to have presence in South Korea, even after 2012
'The 8th U.S. Army will stay in South Korea after the country takes over wartime control of all military forces on the peninsula in 2012, but its headquarters could move elsewhere, an 8th Army spokesman said Monday.'

Stars and Stripes, 10 Jul 07, by Scott Schonauer
The $200 million 'white elephant'
'Ramstein mall-hotel project in limbo with serious problems and few easy solutions'

BBC/PRI 'The World', 04 Jul 07
A soldier's return
[audio] 'Major David Rozelle was leading an Army convoy in Iraq when his vehicle hit a landmine. He lost his foot. But not his will to fight.'

Stars and Stripes, 05 Jul 07, by Drew Brown
More than 500 troops re-enlist in Iraq; 160 become Americans
'When Sgts. Jason Mawhorr and Yelixa Mawhorr first deployed to Iraq in March, they didn't think they would be seeing much of each other. So when the opportunity came for husband and wife, both soldiers with the Army's 3rd Infantry Division, to re-enlist together, they jumped at the chance.'

Stars and Stripes, 04 Jul 07, by Mark St.Clair
'Sky Soldiers' wage war, peace in Afghanistan mountains
'They call their sector N2KL, and you can find them in more than 22 locations throughout it. The 3,500 members of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team — known as Task Force Bayonet while deployed — are scattered throughout Nangahar, Nuristan, Kunar and Laghman provinces. They are partnered with the Afghans and fighting for a secure future in Afghanistan.'

National Defense Magazine, Jul 07, by Grace Jean
Can the Air Force Build a Satellite in Six Days?
'... as the Pentagon becomes increasingly dependent on space-based technology, it also worries about its capabilities to protect and reconstitute satellites following hostile attacks or naturally occurring events.'

Christian Science Monitor, 29 Jun 07, by Jill Carroll
How to fight insurgents? Lessons from the French
'The US military - and President Bush - is studying the Algerian war for independence.'

Defeselink.mil, 25 Jun 07, by Sgt. David E. Roscoe, American Forces Press Service
Humvee Rollover Training Saves Lives in Afghanistan
'Special training in escaping from an overturned Humvee paid off last month for soldiers assigned here who suffered only minor injuries when their Humvee rolled over after an attempted suicide-car-bomb attack.'

Stars and Stripes, 29 Jun 07, by Leo Shane III
Next-of-kin notification policies to change
'Tillman death prompts new procedures to prevent problems like misinformation'

International Herald Tribune, 27 Jun 07, by Scott Shane
As CIA pulls past out of closet, is it really past?
'Do the actions of the intelligence agencies in the era of Al Qaeda, which include domestic eavesdropping without warrants, secret detentions and interrogations arguably bordering on torture, already match or even eclipse those of the Vietnam War period?'

National Review Online/The Tank, 23 Jun 07, by W. Thomas Smith Jr.
The Last Word on Operational Codenames
'Here's the answer on Arrowhead Ripper: As you said, the 2nd Infantry Division is nicknamed the Arrowhead Division; 2ID units all have similar nicknames, usually starting with the nickname "Arrowhead." For example, the 3rd Stryker Brigade is nicknamed the Arrowhead Brigade.'

Manhasset Press, 15 Jun 07
Letters from Army Rangers in Iraq
'The following letters were sent to the Regan family from soldiers in Iraq responding to the care packages sent to soldiers from the Regan family and the community in memory of Sgt. James Regan. They are beautiful notes, and the Regan family would like to share them with the community. The family again wishes to thank all those who participated in preparing the care packages for their support and generosity.'

Choteau Acantha, 20 Jun 07, by Alex Sakariassen
Special Forces unit learns 'Horsemanship 101'
'Twelve members of the Special Forces Group Airborne, 19th Unit, gathered at the arena on Saturday, June 16, for a crash course in basic horsemanship skills. Four rangers from area Forest Service stations led demonstrations in everything from saddling and riding to animal care.'

PBS 'NewsHour', 21 Jun 07, with Ray Saurez et al
U.S. Military Struggles with Improvised Explosive Devices
'The military reported Thursday that 14 U.S. troops died in Iraq, including five killed by a roadside bomb. A former Marine officer and two journalists discuss the military's efforts to counter these improvised explosive devices.'

Stars and Stripes, 21 Jun 07, by Charlie Coon
Navy shifts its priority away from the North Atlantic
'The fabled GIUK Gap, where U.S. and Soviet military craft played hide-and-seek in the North Atlantic, has been replaced as a strategic priority by the "Arc of Instability." That is what the U.S. European Command calls the swath of the globe that, in part, extends from western Africa to the Balkans. The Navy in Europe has moved its epicenter from London to Naples, Italy, to be closer to the fight.'

Flying Magazine, Jun 07, by Lt. j.g. Doug Masters
Night Carrier Qualifications
'... it's what sets a Naval Aviator apart from every other pilot in the world. If you can't do it, the years of training leading up to this point are no good to you. As one of our paddles said, if you can't succeed at this you're useless to us as a Hornet pilot because we fly, and fight, in the dark. We have to go land this thing on the boat ... at night.'

Stars and Stripes, 21 Jun 07, by Scott Schonauer
Air Force modernizes amid change
'As the Army cuts its forces in Europe with a knife, the Air Force trims with a scalpel. With the major changes behind it, the Air Force looks to modernize its aging planes and reduce its forces by 3,000 to 4,000 airmen, Gen. Tom Hobbins, commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe, said recently.'

Christian Science Monitor, 21 Jun 07, by Gordon Lubold
US military's new Iraq strategy: religious conciliation
'Last week's meeting in Baghdad – the largest of its kind in 37 years – included warring Sunnis and Shiites.'

NPR 'All Things Considered', 19 Jun 07, by Andrea Seabrook
Rules Change for Photos of War Casualties
'The U.S. military requires signatures from soldiers injured on the battlefield before their images or voices can be used by the media. This is a shift from established policy.'

National Defense Magazine, Jun 07, by Grace Jean
Combat Veterans Catalog Equipment Shortfalls
'One by one, soldiers, Marines, sailors and airmen marched up to a podium before an industry conference here and gave a litany of battlefield deficiencies they have recently encountered in operations around the globe. Many requested improvements in communications devices, batteries and weapons, that in many cases are failing in the fight.'

National Defense Magazine, Jun 07, by Sandra I. Erwin
A Never-Ending Feud Over Roles and Missions
'At the heart of the latest Air Force-Army spat over who should control surveillance drones is a debate that began six decades ago: Should the Army only fly helicopters and leave fixed-wing airplanes to its brothers in blue?'

National Defense Magazine, Jun 07, by Breanne Wagner
Production Is Meeting War Requirements, But Modernization Still Lacking
'A shortage of small caliber ammunition during the first years of the Iraq war prompted the Army to quickly ramp up production through a number of public/private partnerships.'

National Defense Magazine, Jun 07, by Stew Magnuson
National Guard, Army Chemical Units Criticized for Being Untrained, Unprepared
'The news appears good on the surface. The Defense Department has doubled its investment in chemical and biological defense since 9/11, and proposes a 20 percent increase during the next five years. But the additional funding has not yielded results.'

Stars and Stripes, 18 Jun 07, by Kevin Dougherty
Military looks beyond rich history toward its future in Europe
'For more than 65 years, the U.S. has had troops based in Europe, millions of them, in fact. That presence won't end anytime soon. But the U.S. military in Europe is at a crossroads.'

FOX News, 17 Jun 07, with Chris Wallace
Transcript: Gen. David Petraeus on 'FOX News Sunday'
'Wallace: "How is the surge working so far? And to some degree, do you feel as if the operation is only now beginning?" Petraeus: "... a lot of what we have done to this point has been so-called shaping operations for what we have just recently launched in the last 48 hours and some additional operations that we'll launch over the next 48 or so hours."'

National Review Online 'The Tank', 15 Jun 07, by W. Thomas Smith Jr.
Gen. Peter Pace Speaks
During a Q&A following remarks by Gen. Peter Pace at The Joint Forces Staff College in Norfolk, Virginia, the general was asked about the process by which we choose the nation's top military uniformed officer.

NPR 'Morning Edition', 15 Jun 07, by Guy Raz
Navy Rising in Prominence
[audio] 'With the recent recommendation to elevate Admiral Michael Mullen to chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Navy could take over yet another key military command. Naval officers now hold three of the military's five major commands. That makes it, arguably, the most dominant service at the command level.'

Christian Science Monitor, 14 Jun 07, by Howard LaFranchi
US signals permanent stay in Iraq
'This spring's debate over a timetable for withdrawal from Iraq may have implied that the US presence there is likely to wind down soon, but recent comments from both the administration and military officials suggest a different scenario.'

NPR 'Morning Edition', 15 Jun 07, by Renee Montagne and Daniel Zwerdling
Pentagon Report Discloses Mental Health Concerns
[audio] 'The Pentagon has come out with a report decrying the status of mental health care in the military. Some 20-25 percent of soldiers have symptoms, and some are suicidal. But there are too few mental health specialists to give troops the help they need.'

Asia Times, 15 Jun 07, by Michael T Klare
The wars that oil the Pentagon's engine
'The rising price of oil is producing what Pentagon contractor LMI calls a "fiscal disconnect" between the US military's long-range objectives and the realities of the energy marketplace. ... The study, "Transforming the Way the DoD Looks at Energy", was a bombshell. Determining that the Pentagon's favored strategy of global military engagement is incompatible with a world of declining oil output ...'

GovernmentExecutive.com, 01 Jun 07, by Katherine McIntire Peters
Trouble at The Pump
'The Pentagon foresees a two-front threat to national security: global instability spurred by climate change and a crippling dependence on oil.'

NewsHour, 06 Jun 07, with Jeffrey Brown
The Army We Have
[audio] 'Jeffrey Brown speaks with Brian Mockenhaupt, a freelance journalist whose article in the latest issue of Atlantic magazine details how the Army is recruiting and training U.S. soldiers.'

Washington Post/AP, 07 June 07, by Anne Flaherty, AP
Nominee for War Adviser Confirms 'Surge' Doubt
'Lt. Gen. Douglas E. Lute, picked by President Bush as his White House war adviser, said yesterday he had been skeptical of Bush's decision to send thousands more U.S. troops into Iraq.'

Army Times, 03 Jun 07, by Gina Cavallaro
Bolder tactics spur updated sniper training
'Enemy sniper tactics in Iraq have changed, so the Army is changing the way it teaches soldiers to react to them. The Army has for years used a react-to-sniper drill that placed a sniper at hundreds of meters away and sometimes more than a thousand. ... "Right now the snipers that are in Iraq are shooting sometimes at distances of 50 meters, but because the impact of acoustics in a city degrades your ability to react, we have to change how we perform that drill in an urban environment," said Col. Kevin Shwedo, chief of staff for operations at Training and Doctrine Command.'

Navy Times, 04 Jun 07, by Rick Maze
Too much ground combat training?
'The House Armed Services Committee does not want the Navy and Air Force to reinvent ground combat training to prepare their people for deployments to Iraq. ... The report notes that sailors and airmen are being asked to deploy to Iraq and Afghanistan for missions that historically have belonged to ground combat troops, such as driving trucks, protecting convoys and providing base security. These assignments could diminish with the manpower increases in the Army and Marine Corps included in the 2008 budget, the committee says.'

Army Times/AP, 04 Jun 07, by Pauline Jelinek, AP
Roughly half of all troops have not deployed
'Even as troops in Iraq and Afghanistan are serving longer and more often -- three, four, even five times -- roughly half of Americans in uniform have not been sent at all. That's partly chance, partly a matter of timing. It also illustrates the massive organization on the home front to support an army in the field.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 30 May 07
U.S. military lets amputees return to active duty
'In an about-face by the Pentagon, the military is putting many more amputees back on active duty — even back into combat, in some cases.'

Stars and Stripes, 01 Jun 07, by Lisa Burgess
Army increasing enlistment bonuses
'The Army has boosted the maximum bonus ceiling for three-year enlistments to $25,000 for all recruits, and raised the two-year enlistment bonus from $6,000 to $15,000 for more than 45 Army jobs, officials announced Thursday.'

Stars and Stripes, 31 May 07
Vietnam vet flies his last Iraq mission
'Chief Warrant Officer Thomas Walker is ready to ground himself. A 61-year-old guardsman and veteran of Vietnam, Walker recently completed his last flight over a combat zone in Iraq and is ready for retirement after 36 years in the Army.'

U.S. Department of Defense, 24 May 07
DoD News Briefing with Secretary Gates and Gen. Pace from the Pentagon
'The two aircraft carriers were going to be in the Gulf together in any event to do exercises. The Marine Expeditionary Force and the third large ship is on its way to Kuwait to deliver those Marines who will go into Iraq, and so the commander saw an opportunity to have an exercise where the naval commander gets some experience in commanding or organizing and coordinating operations from three large entities. It's not intended as a show of force. It patently is a show of force just because that's a lot of ships and clearly a lot of military power.'

U.S. Department of Defense, 25 May 07
Annual Report to Congress — Military Power of the People's Republic of China 2007
'China's leaders recognize that a conflict over Taiwan involving the United States would give rise to a long-term hostile relationship between the two nations — a result that would not be in China's interests.'

Slate, 09 May 07, by Phillip Carter Literary Battle Fatigue 'In the name of "operations security," the Army established new regulations last month that sharply restrict the content of letters, e-mails, blogs, and articles written by military personnel, and require a security review before they can be published.' Spokesman Review, 14 May 07 New rules mean uncertain future for soldier blogs 'Revised U.S. Army regulations have sparked an online firefight over blogs by active-duty soldiers, but the real-world impact on military bloggers won't be known until the battle smoke clears.' The Times (London), 15 May 07, by Ben Hoyle Blogs of war win gunner top prize 'A grunt's eye view of the War in Iraq has won the world's only prize for blogs that have been turned into books.' The Guardian, 15 May 07, by Ed Pilkington Iraq veteran wins blog prize as US military cuts web access 'The timing of the award is almost as striking as the writing which it honours. A former American machine gunner's memoir of a year's tour of duty in Iraq based on his blog has just won a major accolade at precisely the moment when the US military high command is clamping down on blogs among the rank and file. Colby Buzzell was awarded the £5,000 Lulu Blooker prize for My War: Killing Time in Iraq, which was voted the best book of the year based on a blog. It triumphed over 110 entries from 15 countries.' About.com: Journalism, by Bridget Johnson Service Members' Blogs Under Tighter Control 'This certainly wasn't a concern that my grandfathers had in World War II. Whereas letters home to sweeties were checked back then for any information that could compromise the military mission, blogs run by military personnel are out there for the whole World Wide Web to read. Now have come tighter restrictions on the soldiers/citizen journalists ...' Post Chronicle (NJ), 11 May 07, by Paige Leigh Has The Army Killed Off Military Blogs? 'Earlier this month, Noah Shachtman from Wired.com reported that the U.S. Army, by a directive issued April 19th, has ordered soldiers to stop posting blogs or sending personal e-mail messages, without first clearing the content with a superior officer. The directive is said to be the strictest restriction on troops' online activities and could mean the end of military blogs.' The Wichita Eagle, 16 May 07, by Randy Scholfield Did Army overreact with military bloggers? 'A Kansas City Star editorial opposes the U.S. Army's efforts to restrict online blogs by soldiers, calling it a "misguided move" that will have the effect of shutting down blogs.'

Reuters, 24 May 07
U.S. warships head to Philippine south for drills
'Three U.S. warships carrying about 1,400 sailors and marines were due in the southern Philippines next week for a 12-day drill to help root out Muslim militants on the archipelago's remote isles.'

International Herald Tribune, 22 May 07, by Thom Shanker
U.S. to test missile defense system at a decisive moment
'Technology and weather permitting, a ballistic missile is scheduled to launch from an island in Alaska early Thursday and be tracked by satellite and radars on land and at sea as it arcs over the Pacific Ocean toward California.'

NPR 'Talk of the Nation', 23 May 07
New Boot Camp Takes 'Gentler' Approach
[audio] 'Today's basic training involves less shouting and more encouragement. Journalist Brian Mockenhaupt talks about his Atlantic Monthly article where he writes about what he calls a "kindler, gentler approach to basic training." Guests discuss the best ways to train a soldier for war.'

NPR 'Morning Edition', 23 May 07, with Steve Inskeep
Navy Fights to Keep Expensive Projects
[audio] 'The Navy is struggling to defend expensive projects while other military services are worn thin by the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Any money the Navy would obtain would come at the expense of the other military services. Retired Major General Tom Wilkerson, CEO of the U.S. Naval Institute, talks ... about the Navy's effort to both redefine its maritime strategy and maintain preeminence of the seas.'

NPR 'Morning Edition', 22 May 07, with Guy Raz
Air Force Prepares Members for Ground Combat
'The Air Force has long billed itself as the most glamorous of the service branches. Nowadays, with the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the shortage in infantry manpower, the Air Force is marching to a different beat.'

Stars and Stripes, 23 May 07, by Jeff Schogol
Army defends quality of its armor
'An Army official on Monday rebutted claims that the commercially made Dragon Skin body armor provides more protection than the Interceptor Body Armor that soldiers are issued.'

Fort Wayne News Sentinel, 17 May 07, by Les Blumenthal, McClatchy Newspapers
Special Operations Command nominee ready to take the war to the terrorists
'Navy Vice Adm. Eric Olson, who has been nominated to lead the nation's Special Operations forces, said Thursday the U.S. Special Operations Command was not prepared to become the lead combat command for "planning and synchronizing" the war on terror after Sept. 11. "Now we have our legs under us," said Olson, a Navy SEAL who won a Silver Star for his actions in Mogadishu in 1993.'

NPR 'Morning Edition', 21 May 07, by Steve Inskeep and Guy Raz
Pentagon Studies Long-Term Commitment in Iraq
'The White House and Pentagon are under increasing pressure from Congress and the public to end U.S. military involvement in Iraq. But the Pentagon is considering maintaining a core group of forces in Iraq, possibly for decades.'

Washington Post, 20 May 07, by Walter Pincus
Assessments Made in 2003 Foretold Situation in Iraq
'Two intelligence assessments from January 2003 predicted that the overthrow of Saddam Hussein and subsequent U.S. occupation of Iraq could lead to internal violence and provide a boost to Islamic extremists and terrorists in the region, according to congressional sources and former intelligence officials familiar with the prewar studies.'

Washington Post, 20 May 07, by Walter Pincus
Terrorism Work to Be Unaffected by Climate Review
'A proposed intelligence assessment on climate change and its impact on national security will not divert analysts or collectors from working on issues related to Iraq, Afghanistan or terrorism, according to a senior intelligence official.'

Associated Press, 17 May 07
YouTube Pioneers Challenge Pentagon
'YouTube's co-founders on Thursday challenged the Pentagon's assertion that soldiers overseas were sapping too much bandwidth by watching online videos, the military's principal rationale for blocking popular Web sites from Defense Department computers.'

International Herald Tribune, 16 May 07, by Sheryl Gay Stolberg
Bush chooses a three-star general as war czar
'The White House has announced that President George W. Bush ended his lengthy search for a so-called war czar to carry out Iraq and Afghanistan policy by offering the job to an active duty three-star army general who said in his interview that he had been skeptical of the troop buildup in Iraq.'

Christian Science Monitor, 17 May 07, by Gordon Lubold
Is Lute the right kind of 'war czar'?
'Bush's pick to organize US efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan is a respected general, but some analysts prefer a civilian mind-set.'

Washington Post, 17 May 07, by Peter Baker and Robin Wright
To 'War Czar,' Solution to Iraq Conflict Won't Be Purely Military
'In selecting Lt. Gen. Douglas E. Lute to manage the war in Iraq, President Bush has chosen a soldier who believes there is no purely military solution to the conflict and wants to forge a political accommodation among Iraqi factions that may fall short of full reconciliation but could lead to an exit strategy, according to friends and colleagues.'

US Department of Defense, 10 May 07
DoD News Briefing with Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs Thomas Hall
Briefing on task force recommendations of the Independent Commission on the National Guard and Reserve and implementing many aspects of the task force's recommendations.

Washington Post, 14 May 07, by Rajiv Chandrasekaran
Defense Skirts State in Reviving Iraqi Industry
'Paul Brinkley, a deputy undersecretary of defense, has been called a Stalinist by U.S. diplomats in Iraq. One has accused him of helping insurgents build better bombs. The State Department has even taken the unusual step of enlisting the CIA to dispute the validity of Brinkley's work. His transgression? To begin reopening dozens of government-owned factories in Iraq.'

Tampa Tribune, 13 May 07, by Richard Lardner
Socom Nominee Is 'Quiet Warrior'
'Nearly 14 years ago, a Navy special warfare officer named Eric Olson arrived in the slum-choked African city of Mogadishu, Somalia, to join an American military task force hunting down a local warlord. Not expecting to see action, Olson didn't have a weapon or flak vest. He was in Mogadishu as an observer, to become more familiar with the people he would be working with in his next stateside assignment.'

International Herald Tribune, 15 May 07, by William Glaberson
Guantánamo detainees' suit challenges fairness of U.S. military's repeat hearings
'The military system of determining whether detainees are properly held at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, includes an unusual practice: If Pentagon officials disagree with the result of a hearing, they order a second one, or even a third, until they approve of the finding.'

Washington Post, 14 May 07, by Walter Pincus
Pentagon Hopes to Expand Aid Program
'The Pentagon is seeking to make permanent and expand to other countries some security and foreign assistance programs underway in Iraq and Afghanistan that traditionally have been supervised by the State Department and the Agency for International Development.'

International Herald Tribune, 12 May 07, by David S. Cloud
U.S. opens inquiry into group to aid troops
'The Pentagon is looking into complaints that Defense Department officials charged with building public support for troops in Iraq and Afghanistan may have engaged in improper fund-raising and unauthorized spending, officials said Friday.'

The Fayetteville Observer, 14 May 07, by Kevin Maurer
Lawyer tries to shield Marines
'Fayetteville lawyer Mark Waple is trying to stop two senior Army officers from making comments about special operations Marines under investigation for allegedly killing Afghan civilians in eastern Afghanistan.'

International Herald Tribune, 13 May 07, by Jim Yardley
U.S. military commander visits China
'The new commander of American military forces in the Pacific said that the United States wanted to continue building closer ties with Chinese forces and called for more extensive and sophisticated military exchanges and joint exercises between the countries.'

The Los Angeles Times, 12 May 07, by Tony Perry
Subject of Times profile dies in Iraq
'Maj. Douglas Zembiec, a Marine Corps officer profiled in the Los Angeles Times magazine in 2004, was killed while leading a raid on insurgents in Baghdad, officials reported Friday.'

New York Times, 09 May 07, by David S. Cloud
Pentagon Tells 35,000 Troops They May Be Deployed to Iraq
'The Pentagon said Tuesday that it had informed an additional 35,000 soldiers that they were likely to be heading to Iraq by December, a move that would allow the Army to maintain heightened American troop levels into next year.'

U.S. Department of Defense, 09 May 07
DoD Operational Update Briefing with Secretary Gates and General Pace
'General Pace: "There's no doubt in my mind that we all understand exactly how this process is going to work. We're going to get to September, we're going to take a look at where we are, then we're going to make recommendations, the secretary and the president are going to make decisions and we'll carry it out from there. But this positions us to be able to either sustain or not, based on what the decisions are at the top."'

International Herald Tribune, 11 May 07, by Paul von Zielbauer
U.S. general says his staff misled him on Haditha killings
'The general who led a division in charge of the marines who killed 24 Iraqi civilians in Haditha in 2005 testified Thursday that he was kept from weighing accusations that the killings were illegal because his subordinate officers withheld information for nearly three months.'

Council on Foreign Relations, 03 May 05
The Pentagon's New Africa Command
'In February 2007, President Bush announced the creation of a unified military command for Africa. This puts the continent on par, in the Pentagon's eyes and command structure, with the Pacific Rim (Pacific Command), Europe (European Command), Latin America (Southern Command), the Middle East (Central Command), and North America (Northern Command). The Pentagon and many military analysts argue the continent's growing strategic importance necessitates a dedicated regional command. But some experts suggest the command's creation was motivated by more specific concerns: China and oil.'

Marine Corps Gazette, May 07, by Col. John Keenan
Losing Our Naval Character
'Our amphibious expertise above the MEU level is eroding at a rapid rate. We have combat arms majors who have never been on board a ship. We have lieutenant colonels who have never done a ship-to-shore movement above the MEU level. The Navy is also losing large-scale amphibious competency. The only keepers of the flame of large-scale amphibious operations, our unique contribution to the national defense, are the schoolhouses in Quantico. We have even lost our nautical language.'

The Atlantic Monthly, June 07, by Brian Mockenhaupt
The Army We Have
[subscription only] '"Most kids coming into the Army today have never worn leather shoes in their life unless it said Nike, Adidas, or Timberland. They've never run two miles consecutively in their life, and for the most part they hadn't had an adult tell them 'no' and mean it. That's bizarre," he says. "Our society says you can't count in a soccer match, because you might hurt somebody's feelings. Every kid is going to get a trophy, whether or not you ever went to practice or ever won a game." But these societal shortcomings can be leveraged in the training environment, Shwedo says. "If you go up and do something as simple as slap a soldier on the back and tell them they are doing a good job, you are giving them the recognition that society hasn't given them besides those cheap trophies."'

NationalReview.online, 04 May 07, by W. Thomas Smith Jr.
New Doctrine for U.S. Special Operations Forces
'The office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff has just released a 400-page document outlining in great detail the doctrine for "organizing, planning, preparing, and executing" U.S. military special operations worldwide. It includes "targeting and mission planning," as well as "guidance on establishing command relationships normally associated with a JSOTF [Joint Special Operations Task Force] or theater special operations command." The document -- entitled, Joint Special Operations Task Force Operations -- is very precise, complex stuff indeed. But then so are special ops.'

International Herald Tribune, 06 May 07, by Benedict Carey
Stress of GIs' long tours challenges Pentagon
'The detailed mental health survey of troops in Iraq released by the Pentagon last week highlights a growing worry for the U.S. struggle to bring order to Baghdad: the high level of combat stress suffered during lengthy and repeated tours.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 05 May 07
Many troops in Iraq lack ethics, U.S. finds
'In a survey of U.S. combat troops in Iraq, fewer than half of marines and a little more than half of soldiers said they would report a member of their unit for killing or wounding an innocent civilian. More than 40 percent support the idea of torture in some cases, and 10 percent reported personally abusing Iraqi civilians, the Pentagon said Friday in what it called its first ethics study of troops at the war front. Units exposed to the most combat were chosen for the study, officials said.'

Newsday.com, 06 May 07, by Martin C. Evans
Born to Serve
Chapter One: On the Mountain : 'On a June afternoon in 2005, Navy Lt. Michael P. Murphy lay in hiding on the side of a ridge in the lawless eastern mountains of Afghanistan. He carried little with him in the thin alpine air near Pakistan's border. A rifle. Clips of ammunition. Sophisticated communications and surveillance equipment. Some high-energy food. And, sewn onto his uniform, a red shoulder patch honoring a New York City firehouse in East Harlem.'
Chapter Two: Growing Up In Patchogue
Chapter Three: Two Relationships
Chapter Four: A Father's Experience
Chapter Five: Rigorous Training
Chapter Six: Earning The Trident
Chapter Seven: Getting Serious
Chapter Eight: Military Life
Chapter Nine: The Tragic End

Department of Defense, 02 May 07
Briefing on the Report of the Independent Review Group: Care at Walter Reed and the National Naval Medical Center
'Gates: "Today I'm also announcing the formation of an oversight committee of senior military and civilian officials that will be chaired by Deputy Secretary Gordon England. This strategy and oversight group will ensure that the recommendations of this review group, the President's Commission on Care for Returning Wounded Warriors, and the Interagency Task Force are promptly and properly integrated and implemented, coordinated and resourced."'

Military.com, 03 May 07, by Tom Philpott
Military Gets Big Pay Raise
'Military people next January would get a 3.5 percent pay raise, under a compensation package voted Wednesday by the House armed services' subcommittee on military personnel. In shaping the personnel section of the fiscal 2008 defense authorization bill, the subcommittee approved other initiatives too to please healthcare beneficiaries, surviving spouses and some disabled retirees forced from service short of 20 years by combat-related injuries.'

Tampa Tribune, 30 Apr 07, by Richard Lardner
Navy Refines Its Recruitment So More SEALs Pass Muster
'With orders to add 500 SEALs to its special warfare ranks by 2010, the Navy has retooled its recruiting system to better identify candidates capable of passing the demanding training program, according to Rear Adm. Joe Maguire, the top officer at Naval Special Warfare Command in San Diego.'

Washington Post, 02 May 07, by Karin Brulliard and Eric Rich
At Hearing in Iraq, U.S. Colonel Is Cast As Flouter of Rules
'Witnesses testifying at a hearing here Tuesday said a senior U.S. Army officer accused of aiding the enemy kept top-secret papers at his base residence, allowed child detainees to make unmonitored calls on his cellphone and provided former president Saddam Hussein with Cuban cigars at taxpayer expense.'

International Herald Tribune, 30 Apr 07
A conversation with General Petraeus
'Following is a transcript of General David Petraeus's appearance on "The Charlie Rose Show" on April 26.'

USMC.mil, 26 Apr 07, by Lance Cpl. Richard Blumenstein
Helo dunker training keeps Marines' heads above water
'After putting the breathing devices into use, the Marines must locate and open the emergency exits before unstrapping their seat belts and escaping the dunker. "Most people want to get out as fast as they possibly can, and in this particular case, speed will kill you," said Robert L. Smith, the site manager of the Survival Systems USA training unit. "If they unbuckle their seat belt too early, they'll float to the top of the dunker and have a much harder time escaping the aircraft."'

UPI, 25 Apr 07
Soldiers getting lighter, better armor
'The U.S. Army is introducing a new set of body armor that is lighter and more protective. It will take about 18 months to get the entire Army force in Iraq outfitted with the new armor, which goes into full production in late summer. The military took major public-relations hits in the first two years of Operation Iraqi Freedom as families of troops bought advanced body armor and sent it to their soldiers faster than the Army could move the vests forward.'

International Herald Tribune, 26 Apr 07, by Mark Mazzetti
Pentagon's intelligence chief to dismantle an anti-terrorism database
'The Pentagon's new intelligence chief intends to dismantle an anti-terrorism database that civil liberties groups have criticized for gathering information about antiwar groups, churches and student activists, Defense Department officials said.'

Washington Post, 27 Apr 07, by Joshua Partlow and Sudarsan Raghavan
U.S. Officer in Iraq Accused of Aiding Enemy
'A senior U.S. Army officer who led a military police unit guarding prisoners in Iraq has been charged with "aiding the enemy" for allowing detainees to use a cellphone, having a relationship with a detainee's daughter and other offenses, according to a U.S. military statement.'

Washington Post, 27 Apr 07, by Thomas E. Ricks
Army Officer Accuses Generals of 'Intellectual and Moral Failures'
'An active-duty Army officer is publishing a blistering attack on U.S. generals, saying they have botched the war in Iraq and misled Congress about the situation there.'

NPR 'All Things Considered', 24 Apr 07, by Mary Louise Kelly
U.S. Intelligence Takes on a Military Cast
'In the next few weeks, the Senate will hold confirmation hearings for Lt. Gen. Dell Dailey, who is named to be the State Department's next Counter-terrorism coordinator. Dailey's appointment means nearly all the top U.S. intelligence and counter-terrorism jobs will soon be held by military men, from the director of national intelligence (a retired Navy vice admiral) to the CIA director (an active Air Force four-star general) to the head of the National Counterterrorism Center (another retired Navy vice admiral) to the top intelligence job at the Pentagon (Air Force Lt. Gen. James Clapper). The positions, until recently, were occupied by civilians. The situation has prompted concern about the Pentagon gobbling up control of U.S. spy efforts.'

Stars and Stripes, 26 Apr 07, by Jeff Schogol
Marines under 18 no longer will deploy to combat zones
'Marines under the age of 18 can no longer deploy to combat zones or otherwise operationally deploy. The move follows a recent Defense Department order to each branch of the service to make sure that those under 18 did not take part in combat, Defense officials said.'

UPI, 09 Apr 07
SEALS streamline training, recruiting
'A U.S. Navy program to boost the elite SEALs force is starting to pay off, the Navy Times reported ... The newspaper said that the Naval Special Warfare Command had overhauled both its recruiting and training techniques in the past year in a bid to boost volunteers to the under-strength force and also to boost recruits in their efforts to pass the unit's demanding training program.'

Military.com, 18 Apr 07, by William Lind
A Tactics Primer
'The kind of light infantry fighters we find ourselves up against in places such as Iraq and Afghanistan are just that, light. They can move much faster on their feet than can our overburdened infantry. The result is that they ambush us, then escape to do it again, over and over. Flip-flops in the alley beat boots on the ground.'

Department of the Army, Dec 06, by Lt. Gen. David H. Petraeus and Lt. Gen. James F. Amos
Counterinsurgency (FM 3-24; MCWP 3-33.5)
[pdf file] 'It has been 20 years since the Army published a field manual devoted exclusively to counterinsurgency operations. For the Marine Corps it has been 25 years. With our Soldiers and Marines fighting insurgents in Afghanistan and Iraq, it is essential that we give them a manual that provides principles and guidelines for counterinsurgency operations. Such guidance must be grounded in historical studies. However, it also must be informed by contemporary experiences.'

Christian Science Monitor, 24 Apr 07, by Gordon Lubold
Should more US troops be kept in Europe?
'Some American defense officials are reconsidering a plan to cut the troop force there in half.'

U.S. State Department, 04 Apr 07, by Jim Fisher-Thompson
21st Century Naval Strategy Based on Global Partnerships
'With many of the U.S. Navy's 276 ships and personnel committed to the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, Mullen said the United States alone cannot secure the seas, or "global commons." Instead, he suggested the strategic concept of an international "fleet in being" or a 1,000-ship naval protective force -- an idea Mullen said he raised at a symposium on sea power held at the Navy War College in Newport, Rhode Island. Representatives from 72 nations attended, including 49 chiefs of navies.'

U.S. Department of Defense, 18 Apr 07
Navy Announces Christening of Submarine North Carolina
'The Navy's newest attack submarine North Carolina will be christened Saturday, April 21, during an 11 a.m. EDT ceremony at Northrop Grumman Newport News Shipyard, Newport News, Va.'

Marine Corps Times, 18 Apr 07, by Trista Talton
New grunt battalion stands up at Lejeune
'1st Battalion, 9th Marines, reactivated Wednesday in a ceremony that drew former battalion members from all over the country. ... One of the most combat-decorated battalions in the Corps, 1/9 got its macabre nickname during a speech former Vietnamese Prime Minister Ho Chi Minh made in 1966. Minh called the Marines the "walking dead," speaking of them as already deceased, just not buried.'

USSOCOM Public Affairs, by Mike Bottoms
SOF Week 2007 kicks off USSOCOM's 20th anniversary commemoration
'The week will feature conferences such as the Commander's Conference, Senior Enlisted Advisor's Conference, and Retired SOF Senior Leader's Conference. Other events include the SOF Medal of Honor Recognition Ceremony, a building dedication to be named the Special Operations Medal of Honor Hall, and ending with the USSOCOM 20th Anniversary Mess Night and SOCOM Day to wrap up the week.'

St. Petersburg Times, 16 Apr 07, by William R. Levesque
SOCom rose from ashes 20 years ago
'The 1980 mission to rescue American hostages in Iran served as a tragic symbol of the U.S. military's deficiencies using special operations forces. In a remote Iranian desert refueling site called Desert One, a helicopter collided with a turboprop C-130 on April 25, 1980, killing five airmen and three Marines in a fiery explosion. From the ashes of that debacle rose U.S. Special Operations Command 20 years ago today.'

Washington Post, 17 Apr 07, by David Finkel
Unit Ponders the Hard Lessons of Loss
'By now the soldiers know the ceremony by heart, but Monday afternoon, on day 62 of the Iraq war's escalation strategy, they rehearsed it yet again, starting with the display that people would want to look at and to touch.'

International Herald Tribune, 15 Apr 07, by Charles J. Hanley and Martha Mendoza, AP
Pentagon withheld document from report on Korean War killings
'Six years after declaring that the killing of Korean War refugees by U.S. troops at No Gun Ri was "not deliberate," the U.S. Army has acknowledged it had found, but had not divulged, a high-level document stating that the U.S. military had a policy of shooting approaching civilians in South Korea.'

BBC News, 15 Apr 07
US generals urge climate action
'Former US military leaders have called on the Bush administration to make major cuts in greenhouse gas emissions.'

New York Times, 15 Apr 07, by Thomas L. Friedman
The Power of Green
'One day Iraq, our post-9/11 trauma and the divisiveness of the Bush years will all be behind us -- and America will need, and want, to get its groove back. We will need to find a way to reknit America at home, reconnect America abroad and restore America to its natural place in the global order -- as the beacon of progress, hope and inspiration. I have an idea how. It's called "green."'

International Herald Tribune, 12 Apr 07, by David S. Cloud
U.S. is extending tours of army in battle zones
'The United States military announced Wednesday that most active duty army units now in Iraq and Afghanistan and those sent in the future would serve 15-month tours, three months longer than the standard one-year tour.'

Washington Post, 11 Apr 07, by Peter Baker and Thomas E. Ricks
3 Generals Spurn the Position of War 'Czar'
'The White House wants to appoint a high-powered czar to oversee the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan with authority to issue directions to the Pentagon, the State Department and other agencies, but it has had trouble finding anyone able and willing to take the job, according to people close to the situation.'

Christian Science Monitor, 12 Apr 07, by Gordon Lubold
To keep recruiting up, US military spends more
'The task of signing up people for military service has become much more difficult since the Iraq war and, as a result, much more expensive. In fact, in per-enlistee terms, recruiting costs have more than doubled over the past 20 years – from about $7,000 per recruit in 1985 to more than $16,000 per recruit in 2005, according to a report for the Defense Department titled "Recruiting an All-Volunteer Force." '

Stars and Stripes, 12 Apr 07
Remains of 10 World War II airmen return to U.S.
'The remains of 10 U.S. airmen reported missing since their B-24 Liberator disappeared in 1944 in the South Pacific are coming home.'

Military.com/Joint Force Quarterly, 10 Apr 07, by Dr. D. Robert Worley
Establishing a 'Small Wars' Service
'...the United States should establish a new Special Operations Corps. The first step toward forming a SOF service was taken in 1987, when the special operations, civil affairs and psychological operations forces of the services were assigned to the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM).'

Christian Science Monitor, 10 Apr 07, by Gordon Lubold
Iraq duty stretching National Guard
'For a National Guard wanting to help support the war in Iraq and Afghanistan yet fulfill its primary mission at home, new deployments may further test its ability to be everywhere at the same time. The Pentagon announced Monday that Guard units totaling about 13,000 troops are being told they'll probably deploy to Iraq beginning next year.'

Army Times/AP, 10 Apr 07, by Pauline Jelinek, AP
DoD could extend Iraq stay for up to 15,000
'The Pentagon is considering a plan to extend the tours of duty for up to 15,000 U.S. troops serving in Iraq, a defense official said Monday. ... Because Petraeus believes the troop increase President Bush announced in January has produced some momentum in fighting violence in Iraq, Petraeus wants to maintain troops at that level past the summer, the official said.'

International Herald Tribune, 09 Apr 07, by Paul von Zielbauer
Prosecution of U.S. Army deserters rise
'U.S. Army prosecutions of desertion and other unauthorized absences have risen sharply in the past four years, resulting in thousands more negative discharges and prison time for junior soldiers and combat-tested veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, military records show.'

International Herald Tribune, 09 Apr 07, by Bryan Bender, The Boston Globe
CIA and the Pentagon urged to assess warming's effect on security
'The CIA and the Pentagon would for the first time be required to assess the national security implications of climate change under proposed legislation intended to elevate global warming to a national defense issue.'

Washington Post, 06 Apr 07, by Josh White
Defense Secretary Sees Encouraging Signs in Baghdad
'Gates told reporters at the Pentagon that it is still too early to tell whether the "surge" into Baghdad is working and said top commanders probably will not know until midsummer whether their efforts at clearing out Iraq's largest city are making significant progress.'

Stars and Stripes, 06 Apr 07, by Joseph Giordono and Kevin Dougherty
Army finds friendly fire possibly killed GIs
'Two soldiers killed in Ramadi, Iraq, in February now appear to be victims of friendly fire, the Army said Thursday.'

San Diego Union-Tribune, 04 Apr 07, by Paul M. Krawzak, Copley News Service
New regiment to increase services for wounded Marines
'Camp Pendleton's Wounded Warrior Center will be expanded, with additional staff and new barracks, as part of the creation of a specialized regiment to improve care and services for injured and ill Marines, Pentagon officials said Wednesday.'

Tampa Tribune, 29 Mar 07, by Richard Lardner
Socom Leader To Retire; His Deputy Likely Successor
'Army Gen. Bryan "Doug" Brown, commander of U.S. Special Operations Command since September 2003, will retire this summer after four decades in the military. His deputy, Vice Adm. Eric Olson, is the front-runner to replace him, according to officials familiar with the internal deliberations.'

Washington Post, 29 Mar 07, by Ann Scott Tyson
Increase May Mean Longer Army Tours
'Sustaining the U.S. troop increase in Iraq beyond this summer will not be possible without keeping some Army combat brigades in the war zone for up to 16 months -- much longer than the standard year-long tour, a top U.S. general in charge of the military's rotation plans said yesterday.'

Christian Science Monitor, 28 Mar 07, by Alexandra Marks
One Muslim's decision to join the US Army
'The US military has stepped up efforts to recruit native speakers of Arabic, Pashto, or Farsi.'

BBC News, 29 Mar 07
US Marines prohibit large tattoos
'The US Army eased its tattoo rules to aid enrolment : The US Marines are banning the wearing of large tattoos, saying they do not represent "traditional values".'

Washington Post, 24 Mar 07, by Ann Scott Tyson
Marine Unit Is Told To Leave Afghanistan
'A new elite Marine Corps unit that allegedly killed at least eight civilians in the aftermath of an ambush in eastern Afghanistan this month is under investigation by the U.S. military and has been ordered to leave the country months earlier than scheduled, officials said yesterday.'

Instapinch.com, 23 Mar 07, by Bill 'Pinch' Paisley
Cold Iron
'That is a term we would use when a carrier (or any ship, I suppose) would pull pierside and they would shut down the boilers or turn off the reactors (you can tell I'm not nuke material) or whatever - and everyone would go on leave - with the exception of the duty watch team. A bit different with KENNEDY today.'

Metromix.com, 25 Mar 07, by Tony Perry and Robert W. Welkos
Classic war story of '300' resonates with Marines
'In the hit new film "300," Marines see parallels between the current war in Iraq and the film's story, which tells of hopelessly outnumbered Spartans fighting heroically to the death against mighty Persian invaders at the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 B.C.'

National Review Online/The Tank, 19 Mar 07, by W. Thomas Smith Jr.
Air Force special operators
'Known affectionately as PJs - a holdover from the days when they were known as parajumpers (today they are officially known as pararescuemen) - these men, according to CNN, are "a kind of cross between a Green Beret and an emergency trauma paramedic."'

The Honolulu Advertiser/AP, 20 Mar 07
Ex-NFL player among Hawai'i Marines heading to Iraq
'Lance Cpl. Jeremy Staat, a former defensive lineman for the Pittsburgh Steelers and the St. Louis Rams who had been playing Arena football, was one of 300 Marines in the 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment being deployed from Kane'ohe Bay. The unit is expected to be in Iraq for seven months.'

National Review Online/The Tank, 19 Mar 07, by W. Thomas Smith Jr.
Kerry Truncates General Petraeus's Comments
'Yesterday on FOX News Sunday, Chris Wallace posed a question to Sen. John Kerry about the fact that Gen. David Petraeus (commander of Multi-National Force–Iraq) says the "so called troop surge" is showing signs of working, and why not give the plan a chance. ... According to Kerry, "General Petraeus himself has said there is no military solution to this war." ... But what Kerry and others fail to do is include the general's entire statement for context.'

International Herald Tribune, 19 Mar 07, by Sara Corbett
The women's war
'On the morning of Monday, Jan. 9, 2006, a 21-year-old Army specialist named Suzanne Swift went AWOL. Her unit, the 54th Military Police Company, out of Fort Lewis, Wash., was two days away from leaving for Iraq. Swift and her platoon had been home less than a year, having completed one 12-month tour of duty in February 2005 ...'

Middle East Online, 17 Mar 07
US brigade to deploy early to Iraq
'2,600 troops to be deployed to Iraq 45 days ahead of schedule as Shiites protest Baghdad crackdown.'

Christian Science Monitor, 19 Mar 07, by Gordon Lubold
The un-Rumsfeld: Robert Gates's way at Defense
'of the Washington bureaucracy.'

Stillwater Gazette, 06 Mar 07, by Elliot Mann
Becoming part of the elite
'Last September, Michael Tuft dove into the St Croix River and tried to rescue two women stuck in a vehicle that had plunged from the Stillwater Lift Bridge. Tuft, who was working on the docks at St. Croix Boat & Packet Co. the time of the accident, said the tragic accident helped him find his calling - becoming a U.S. Navy SEAL.'

The News-Sentinel/McClatchy-Tribune Information Services, 15 Mar 07, by William Douglas
Six decades later, Tuskegee Airmen to be honored by U.S.
'On March 29, the United States will honor the Tuskegee Airmen by awarding the group the Congressional Gold Medal of Honor, the highest civilian award bestowed by the federal legislature. About 300 airmen, out of the nearly 1,000 trained at Tuskegee, will attend the ceremony in the Capitol's rotunda, along with their families.'

National Review Online/The Corner, 17 Mar 07, by W. Thomas Smith Jr.
A Navy First at Centcom
'For the first time since the establishment of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) nearly 25 years ago, a U.S. Navy flag officer has assumed command of CENTCOM, a unified combatant command responsible for U.S. military operations inside 27 nations, including Iraq and Afghanistan.'

Washington Post, 19 Mar 07, by Stephen Barr
Army Preserves a Testing Ground by Saving a Farm
'By Pentagon standards, it's a relatively small deal. But senior Defense Department officials see it as hugely important. The department is spending $1.4 million to protect 163.5 acres of farmland in northeastern Maryland from new-home construction, preserving a scenic habitat so that tanks and Humvees can keep roaring around the Army's off-road test course nearby.'

Washington Post, 15 Mar 07, by Ann Scott Tyson
Pentagon Issues Dire Look At End of '06 in Iraq
'The Pentagon yesterday released its bleakest assessment of Iraq yet, reporting record levels of violence and hardening sectarian divisions in the last quarter of 2006 as rival Sunni and Shiite militias waged campaigns of "sectarian cleansing" that forced as many as 9,000 civilians