Enforcing the Law

Army paratroopers share thoughts on surge
Tuesday, 29 May 2007
By Sgt. Michael Pryor

2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division

BAGHDAD — In the first days after his battalion began operating in east Baghdad’s Sha’ab neighborhood, Capt. Will Canda said he often saw the beds of Iraqi police trucks stained red with dried blood.

“It was like they had just come from a butcher shop,” said Canda, a Westcliffe, Colo. native and commander of Company B, 2nd Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment.

Like wagons rolling through plague-stricken villages in medieval times, the police trucks were being used to pick up the bodies of murder victims found littering the neighborhood.

That was in February, when Canda’s battalion became one of the first units to move into a battle space as part of Operation Fardh al Qanoon – which translated, means “enforcing the law” and is the name for the strategy to stabilize violence in Baghdad by pushing thousands of additional U.S. and Iraqi forces into the city’s neighborhoods.

Since then, troops have continued to pour in, dotting Baghdad with small outposts and joint security stations.

Top U.S. commanders have cautioned that any verdict on the overall success of the plan will have to wait until after all units are in place and conducting operations. But Canda and his paratroopers have been on the ground long enough to begin drawing their own conclusions.

Three months after they arrived in Sha’ab, the bodies are gone, the murders have stopped, and the neighborhood has come back to life, Canda said.

“It’s night and day from when we got here,” he said.

It’s an impressive claim considering the challenges facing the paratroopers when they first arrived here in early February.

One obvious problem was the sheer size of the region. The battalion’s area of operations comprises a huge section of east Baghdad, including the Sha’ab, Ur, and Sadr City neighborhoods.

Twenty percent of the city’s total population lives within this area of operation, said Maj. Trey Rutherford, the battalion’s operations officer. That equals out to a rough ratio of one paratrooper for every 26,000 Iraqis.

But the numbers weren’t the paratroopers’ only obstacle. They also faced an entrenched and hostile militia organization, an inefficient local government and a breakdown in essential services for the population.

None of these problems have been completely solved yet, Rutherford said.

“We’ve still got a ways to go,” he said.

But, he said, the accomplishments are already starting to pile up. The battalion has sent almost 200 criminals into the Iraqi justice system. People in the area are slowly beginning to look to the government for protection, rather than the militias.

The economy is booming, thanks to improved protective measures at the markets. And the local government is starting to play a more active role, beginning at the neighborhood advisory council level, Rutherford said.

Most importantly, said Canda, security has improved. Life for the people of Sha’ab is returning to normal, to the way it was before the killing and bombings turned a walk to the market into a life or death gamble.

“I know that we’ve made a difference and made this area safer. Every time I go out, people tell me that,” said Spc. Herrick Lidstone, of Littleton, Colo., a radio operator with Bravo Company.

The battalion runs operations out of Coalition Outpost Callahan, a fortress-like building that was once an upscale shopping center. The place was empty and abandoned when the paratroopers arrived, but it’s now a constant blur of activity.

Day and night, the stairs are crowded with soldiers either on their way out on a mission or coming in from one. The whirring, clanging, hammering sounds of the motor pool continually echo through the COP as mechanics patch up damaged vehicles for the next patrol.
Each time the paratroopers leave the wire, the mission is different.

A typically hectic day might find them handing out Tylenol and tooth brushes at a medical assistance operation in the morning, doing detective work to track down members of a bomb-making cell in the afternoon, and kicking in doors on a full-combat raid at night.

“We ask them to do a thousand different things,” said Rutherford, “and we ask them to do it every single day.”

It’s a steep learning curve, said 1st Lt. Andrew Smith, a platoon leader with Charlie Company from Apopka, Fla.

“When I leave Iraq, I’ll have been a salesman, a cop, a politician, and a school principal,” Smith said.

Some of the paratroopers wish they could hand the “hearts & minds” missions off to some other unit.

“I didn’t sign up to hand out soccer balls,” said one sergeant.

But gaining the support of the population is the key to making the surge work, said Sgt. John Reed, a Bravo Company squad leader from Sanford, Fla. The people are the base that military, political, and economic progress has to be built on, he said.

“Without a base, without a foundation, you have nothing,” Reed said.

The results of the paratroopers’ efforts to engage the population are clearest during their daily patrols through the zigzagging streets of Sha’ab. Out on the streets, where people used to lock their doors in fright when Americans appeared, the paratroopers are now greeted warmly.
One afternoon 1st Lt. Rusty Bodine, of Fairfax, Va., was out trying to get residents to fill out an employment survey.

He knocked on one door and was welcomed in by the man of the house, who was dressed in a rumpled shirt and bare feet. He looked like he might have just woken up. While he looked at the survey, his sons brought out extra chairs and stools for the paratroopers to sit down.

While Bodine and the man talked, Reed and Sgt. Unberto Espinoza wandered into the next room. The man’s wife was there watching television surrounded by three of her children and several neighborhood kids. The kids swarmed around the two paratroopers, barraging them with questions.

“What is your name?” “Where is your home?” “You speak Arabic?”

Two teenage daughters peeked their heads out from behind a curtain, then disappeared again, giggling, when the paratroopers looked back. Stools and chairs were brought out, then cups of tea. When one of the paratroopers took out a picture of his baby son, the whole family passed it around, each one giving it a little kiss.

When it was time to leave, the family asked the paratroopers to come back the next day. They waved from the doorstep as the trucks drove away.

Inside the Humvees, everyone was feeling good. At more and more houses, they were getting similar receptions. Each one was a little victory for the paratroopers, who had worked hard to bring the people to their side.

Doing it hard for your Freedom!

Hard to come home
Contrasts life in America with deployed soldiers

2 little Lefties & a Neo-Con

1942 WWII Cartoon

Squirrel Fun

Squirrel Catapult!
Homemade device providing endless entertainment until the squirrels catch on.

52C, Camel Meat & Lashings

Australian held in 52C cell, 'living on camel meat'
By Rhys Haynes
May 29, 2007 02:00am
AN Australian is living on fermented camel meat in stifling conditions in a United Arab Emirates prison.

Jupiter Mines director Jeremy Snaith, 37, and another Australian, yet to be identified, are in the Al Wathba Prison outside Abu Dhabi, according to spokesman Sean Mulcahy.

They are on drug charges facing up to 15 years in prison and lashings, after an incident on a flight from Sydney.

Another Australian, Jupiter Mines director David Evans is also in Abu Dhabi after being bailed.

Mr Mulcahy said the three were arrested on landing on April 27.

They were charged with intoxication, indecent exposure and sexual harassment on the international flight.

They denied all charges and were released three days later. Snaith and the unnamed man were then re-arrested on May 10 after blood tests returned positive for drugs.

Space Front

Pentagon Reaffirms Right Of US To Deny Adversaries Use Of Space
RIA Novosti May 28, 2007

Washington: The United States has the inherent right of self-defense to protect its national interests in space and can deny its adversaries the use of hostile space capabilities, a senior Pentagon official said Wednesday.

"The United States views purposeful interference with its space systems as an infringement on its rights and will take actions necessary to preserve its rights, capabilities, and freedom of action in space including denying, if necessary, adversaries the use of space capabilities hostile to U.S. national interests," Major General James Armor, director of the National Security Space Office said at a congressional hearings.

Proposed government spending on space defense programs was hit by severe cuts when the U.S. House of Representatives approved a $2.9 trillion fiscal 2008 budget May 17, but reduced the proposed $8.9 billion on missile defenses by $764 million.

The Anti-Ballistic Laser (ABL) program was seriously affected, along with other "less mature" initiatives, such as Space Tracking and Surveillance, Multiple Kill Vehicles, and Missile Defense Space Test Bed, primarily linked to the deployment of missile defenses in outer space.
The general said Wednesday that the National Space Policy, issued by President Bush in August 2006, stipulates that the United States must possess an advanced space defense potential to counter threats from potential adversaries.

"The response to threats to our space capabilities must include... capabilities to deny, if necessary, adversaries the use of space in order to protect our capabilities, ensure our terrestrial forces and keep the U.S. homeland safe," he said.

China tested its space weapons in January by destroying one of its old meteorological satellites with a medium-range ballistic missile, and the United States expressed concern over the theoretical possibility that China could shoot down satellites operated by other countries.
China later confirmed the destruction of its satellite, but said it was not planning to spread an arms race into space.

The U.S. general reiterated Wednesday that "potential adversaries must understand that an attack on a U.S. satellite will be considered a hostile act."

Speaking at the same congressional hearings, Donald Mahley, a senior State Department official, supported the Pentagon's views on the issue of the U.S. space defense program and said that the U.S. space capability must enable a broad range of options, from diplomatic to military, to prevent the hostile use of space by potential foes.

The U.S. Senate will hold a closed business meeting Thursday to markup the proposed National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008.

h/t: http://www.defencetalk.com/

Hear a pin drop

passport -humour

Fear 'keeping Muslims silent' on terrorism
By Richard Kerbaj
May 28, 2007 02:00am

MUSLIMS are refusing to give national security authorities counter-terrorism tip-offs, fearing they may implicate themselves or be labelled traitors by fellow community members.

Muslim leaders yesterday warned the Howard Government's hard line on Islamic extremists was largely to blame for the failure of agencies, such as ASIO and the Australian Federal Police, to attract Arabic and Islamic recruits.

Community sources have told The Australian that the AFP and ASIO were desperately reaching out to senior Islamic leaders to help find recruits.

Intelligence sources also said negative attitudes held by Muslims towards national security agencies were hampering attempts to attract recruits.

Sydney-based Muslim leader Fadi Rahman said there was a lack of trust in national security agencies, stopping people from offering sensitive information and considering counter-terrorism careers.

"At the moment they (ASIO) are marketed as an organisation that if (any Muslim) was to go near it you're basically going to get arrested," the Independent Centre for Research Australia president said.

A founding member of the Muslim Doctors Against Violence, Jamal Rifi, said police and spy agencies were often perceived to be anti-Islam. He said Muslims who dealt with the authorities were considered "traitors" and "non-believers".

Read the rest:
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,21803426-2,00.html

Don't Fuck with the U.S.A.

The US Navy SEALs


The Marines


A Soldier's Heart


US Navy


US Army Tribute

Glen Beck & Durkin

Glenn Beck w. Great Global Warming Swindle Producer Durkin

Iraq - freedom isn't free

Sparks Flying
Cpl. Benjamin Meyer of Steven's Point, Wis., a combat engineer with Company A, 325th Special Troops Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, uses a power saw to cut away storefront locks during an early morning raid on suspected sniper positions in Baghdad’s Adhamiyah district, April 3. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Michael Pryor.

Hangin' with the Kids
Staff Sgt. Jorge Paez makes friends with local Iraqi children at a Joint Security Station construction site. U.S. Army photo by 1st Lt. Maya Lowell, 9th Engineer Battalion.

Jiffy Lube
A U.S. Army soldier from 1st Cavalry Division fills his Bradley Fighting Vehicle with oil on Forward Operating Base Warhorse, Iraq, March 29, 2007, before heading out on patrol. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Stacy L. Pearsall.

Scanning for Weapons
U.S. Army Spc. Douglas Harlan, left, and a fellow soldier conduct a cordon and search for weapons caches and insurgents in Old Baqubah, Iraq, April 2, 2007. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Stacy L. Pearsall.

Joint Precision Airdrop System

C-17 employs 'screamer' in combat airdrop

24-May-2007

Air Mobility Command Public Affairs Office

SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. (AFPN) -- A C-17 Globemaster III deployed to Southwest Asia conducted the first C-17 combat airdrop May 24 using the Joint Precision Airdrop System with a screamer. Screamers are steerable GPS-guided container delivery system bundles. The mission was also unique because it conducted airdrops in two locations using two types of delivery systems.

The drops delivered food, water and ammunition to U.S. forces in two remote locations in Afghanistan. The crew first delivered about 21,000 pounds of supplies using 14 of the JPADS steerable screamer chutes. It then resupplied a different group of ground forces with more than 8,000 pounds of supplies using six Improved Container Delivery System bundles.

The benefit of the C-17 is that it can carry about 40 container delivery system bundles and drop at multiple locations during a single sortie, said Lt. Col. Paul Eberhart, the 816th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron commander. JPADS has been operational on C-130 Hercules and C-17s in theater for about eight months. Until now, C-17s only used the JPADS mission software to support drops using the ICDS.

The JPADS mission software computes a release point based on a four-dimensional forecast wind model and the actual wind data relayed to the aircraft. The data is then sent via wireless transfer to GPS receivers located on the top of each CDS bundle. Each bundle has GPS-guided autonomous actuators mounted at the top that steer the chute while it drops at 100 mph to a point above the drop zone.

A larger parachute then deploys to slow the descent rate, allowing for a soft touchdown of the bundle directly over the drop zone. Officials said using steerable chutes allows guaranteed accuracy for ground forces while keeping the aircraft at high altitudes and away from ground threats. "This type of airdrop demonstrates the versatility of the C-17 aerial delivery system," said Lt. Col. Fred Boehm, an 816th EAS operations officer.

When the eight-member crew from the 437th Airlift Wing at Charleston Air Force Base, S.C., was notified about the drop, it began planning the mission, said C-17 loadmaster Tech. Sgt. Gary Kleinfeldt. "This isn't a mission planned by one unit. We worked closely with planners at the combined air operations center's air mobility division, joint airdrop inspectors at the 774th EAS, and parachute riggers at the 11th Quartermaster Detachment at Bagram Air Base," said Maj. Kevin Peterson, the aircraft commander.

"It was a total joint effort to make these drops happen." "The system was amazing to watch," said Staff Sgt. Derek Howard, the crew's evaluator loadmaster. "When the bundles departed the aircraft and the chutes deployed, you could instantly see them turning in what appeared to be a formation as the guidance system began steering the bundle directly over the drop zone." "This capability was first used by C-130s in theater," said Colonel Eberhart.

The 816th EAS has been using the JPADS software with ICDS for some time. But the mission May 24 was the first combat airdrop using screamer chutes, expanding C-17 employment capabilities to include the use of true precision vertical resupply.

Sophisticated & Capable -China's Military

US raises concerns over Chinese military potential
By Washington Correspondent Kim Landers

The United States is again ringing alarm bells over China's steady military build-up.
The Pentagon's annual report about the state of the Chinese military and its potential threat is due out tomorrow.

US Defence Secretary Robert Gates says it paints a picture of a country which is steadily devoting increasing resources to its military, while the intent of the build-up is unclear.
He is also raising concern about what he calls the "sophisticated capabilities" of the Chinese military.

"I think some of the capabilities that are being developed are a concern, sure," Mr Gates said.
Previous reports have issued warnings about China's purchase of long range aircraft and weapons which would allow it to threaten the United States and other countries.

Conservatives to the rescue in France

France to Pay Immigrants to Return Home

New French President Nicolas Sarkozy made immigration a central issue of his campaign. Now, his new minister for immigration and national identity says its time to start paying immigrants to leave the country.

France is home to over 5 million immigrants -- and the new conservative-led government doesn't plan on making things any more comfortable for them. While the new regime in Paris is determined to curb illegal immigration, it is also looking to encourage legal migrants to reconsider their decision to stay in France -- by paying them to go back home.

New immigration minister, Brice Hortefeux, confirmed on Wednesday that the government is planning to offer incentives to more immigrants to return home voluntarily. "We must increase this measure to help voluntary return. I am very clearly committed to doing that," Hortefeux said in an interview with RFI radio.

Under the scheme, Paris will provide each family with a nest egg of €6,000 ($8,000) for when they go back to their country of origin. A similar scheme, which was introduced in 2005 and 2006, was taken up by around 3,000 families.

Read the rest:

http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,484716,00.html

Unbalanced AI

Amnesty's human rights criticism unbalanced, says PM

The Prime Minister John Howard has rejected Amnesty International's criticism of the Australian Government's human rights record.

In Amnesty's annual report, the Federal Government has been criticised for using fear by portraying asylum-seekers in leaky boats as a threat to Australia's national security.

But Mr Howard says the report contains a string of assertions which are not supported by any evidence.

He says he makes no apology for taking appropriate steps to protect the nation's borders.

"I respect Amnesty International's historical commitment to protecting human rights," he said.

"Regrettably, however, the organisation's current leadership seems to have lost sight of the need for any balance or rigour and has succumbed to the easy lure of moral relativism.

"Amnesty International's report has done more damage to its own credibility than it has Australia's."

Here is the AI Report:

Amnesty International has lumped John Howard alongside Robert Mugabe and Sudan's President Omar Al-Bashir in a report which says they are short-sighted fear-mongers dividing the world.

They accuse Mr Howard of portraying asylum-seekers as a threat to national security, they criticise Australia's role in the war on terror and its treatment of female victims of violence.

Pay a price for being biased

Biased cabbies face fines
By Heath Aston and wires
May 24, 2007 12:00

TAXI drivers who refuse to carry blind people with guide dogs face fines of up to $1100, the NSW Government warned today amid outrage at the biased practice.

Transport Minister John Watkins today warned of a crackdown on selective cabbies after he Daily Telegraph revealed some drivers were refusing to pick up guide dogs for "religious" reasons or because of allergies.

He said the government was committed to ensuring that all taxi drivers were aware of and complied with the law - and would consider changing the training program.

"I need to make the point very clear to the taxi industry and to taxi drivers. This is illegal, with a fine of up to $1,100," Mr Watkins told reporters in Newcastle.

"I've made sure the Ministry of Transport contacts the Taxi Council to remind their drivers of their responsibility.

"We'll also look at the education – all taxi drivers receive a session with a disability service advocate as part of their training.

"I also urge any patron that finds or comes across a refusal to travel, to report them."

A spokeswoman for Deputy Premier John Watkins said he would look into implementing better training programs in cooperation with the NSW Taxi Council.

A Guide Dogs NSW spokeswoman said the organisation had been providing information sessions for new taxi drivers for the past two years.

In my experience most dogs are cleaner than Sydney taxi drivers!!

Mr Miller & the cat fight

Dennis Miller: The Buck Does Stop Here

Nuclear war on the View

U.S.A. - A Force of Goodness & Freedom

America a force of good in the world: Downer

Foreign Minister Alexander Downer and US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice have touted their countries' strong ties and cooperation on Iraq and Iran.

Mr Downer also defended Washington's global role as he addressed a news conference alongside the chief US diplomat during a visit at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California.

"Australia's alliance with the United States is the bedrock of our foreign policy," he said.

"We firmly believe that the US is a force of good in the world."

Dr Rice praised Australia's assistance in dealing with Iraq and Iran, which Washington accuses of pursuing a nuclear weapons program and of backing insurgents in Iraq. Iran denies both charges.

"We have the really very strong support of Australia," she said.

Unlike Washington, Canberra has diplomatic relations with the Islamic republic.

- AFP

---

US issues nuclear warning to Iran as armada enters Gulf
afp.com

The United States threatened new UN sanctions to punish Iran's nuclear drive as it ratcheted up tensions with the biggest display of naval power in the Gulf in years.

A bristling US armada led by two aircraft carriers steamed into waters near Iran for exercises Wednesday, hours before UN watchdogs said Iran was expanding its uranium enrichment program in defiance of international sanctions.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said that Iran continues to enrich uranium -- which can provide fuel for civilian reactors but also make nuclear bombs.

That prompted warnings from US officials of further UN punishment unless Iran curtails its nuclear development -- which the Islamic republic insists is devoted to civilian energy.

"Iran is once again thumbing its nose at the international community," US Under Secretary of State Nicholas Burns said, even as US and Iranian envoys prepared for historic talks on Iraqi security in Baghdad next Monday.

Iran denied obstructing IAEA inspections, but White House national security spokesman Gordon Johndroe said the report by the United Nations atomic watchdog was damning.

The IAEA assessment "is a laundry list of Iran's continued defiance of the international community and shows that Iran's leaders are only furthering the isolation of the Iranian people," he said.

The US Navy said the Gulf exercises were not directed at Iran but Mustafa Alani, senior analyst with the UAE-based Gulf Research Center, said it was no coincidence the powerful flotilla arrived on the day of the IAEA report.

Show of Force

STENNIS, NIMITZ AND BONHOMME RICHARD ENTER THE ARABIAN GULF
Release Date:
5/23/2007

USS JOHN C. STENNIS, At sea – The USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) and USS Nimitz (CVN 68) Carrier Strike Groups and USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) Expeditionary Strike Group entered the Arabian Gulf May 23.

While operating in the Arabian Gulf, the carriers and amphibious strike groups and their associated forces will conduct missions in direct support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and will also perform Expeditionary Strike Force (ESF) training.

This marks the first time the Stennis (JCS), Nimitz (NIM) and Bonhomme Richard (BHR) strike groups have operated together in combined training while deployed to the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet. In March, Stennis and the USS Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group conducted a dual-carrier exercise in the Arabian Gulf.

The ESF training demonstrates the importance of the strike groups’ ability to plan and conduct multi-task force operations as part of the U.S.’s long-standing commitment to maintaining maritime security and stability in the region.

“We are conducting this training in order to gain valuable experience across a wide spectrum of naval disciplines. This training demonstrates our commitment to security and stability in the Gulf area, and our commitment to regional partners,” said Vice Admiral Kevin J. Cosgriff, commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/U.S. 5th Fleet.

The timing of this exercise is determined by the availability of forces, and is not connected to events in the region. The exercise is not directed against any nation.

The air wings from the aircraft carriers and BHR will conduct air training while the surface components will conduct training in three general disciplines: anti-submarine, anti-surface and mine warfare.

JCS is the flagship for this training. JCS left its homeport of Bremerton, Wash., Jan. 16 for a regularly-scheduled deployment and began operating in the region Feb. 19.

The Nimitz Strike Group left its homeport of San Diego, Calf., Apr. 2 and entered the region May 8.
The Bonhomme Richard Expeditionary Strike Group (BHR ESG) left its homeport of San Diego, Calif., April 10 and entered the 5th Fleet area of operations May 19.

Along with JCS other ships in its strike group which made the transit include the guided-missile cruiser USS Antietam (CG 54), and the guided-missile destroyer USS O’Kane (DDG 77).

Stennis’ Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 9 squadrons include the “Black Knights” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 154, “Blue Diamonds” of VFA 146, “Argonauts” of VFA 147, “Death Rattlers” of Marine Strike Fighter Squadron 323, “Yellowjackets” of Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 138, “Golden Hawks” of Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron 112, “Topcats” of Sea Control Squadron 31, “Eightballers” of Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron 8 and “Providers” of Fleet Logistics Support Squadron 30.

Accompanying NIM is guided-missile cruiser USS Princeton (CG 59) and guided-missile destroyer USS Higgins (DDG 76).

Nimitz’s Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 11 squadrons include Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 14 “Tophatters,” VFA-41 “Black Aces,” VFA-81 “Sunliners,” Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 117 “Wallbangers,” Marine Corps Strike Fighter Squadron (VMFA) 232 “Red Devils,” Electronic Warfare Squadron (VAQ) 135 “Black Ravens,” Carrier Logistics Support Squadron (VRC) 30 “Providers,” and Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron (HS) 6 “Indians.”
Accompanying BHR is the amphibious transport dock ship USS Denver (LPD 9), amphibious dock landing ship USS Rushmore (LPD 47) and fast attack submarine USS Scranton (SSN 756).

Embarked aboard BHR is Commander, Amphibious Squadron (PHIBRON) 7. Also embarked aboard BHR, Denver and Rushmore are units from Beach Master Unit (BMU) 1, Assault Craft Units (ACU) 1 and 5, Tactical Air Control Squadron (TACRON) 12, Naval Beach Group (NBG) 1, and Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 23.

The 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) makes up the Marine force embarked with the ESG. Units of the 13th MEU include Combat Logistics Battalion 13; Battalion Landing Team, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment; and Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron (HMM) 163 Reinforced.

For further questions, please contact Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/Commander, U.S. 5th Fleet Public Affairs Office at 011-973-1785-4027 or pao@me.navy.mil <mailto:pao@me.navy.mil> .

3 little pigs

green jelly - three little pigs

Maintenance

<http://jihadwatch.org/>

"One in four" of U.S. Muslims under 30 "say suicide bombings to defend their religion are acceptable at least in some circumstances

"Tiny Minority of Extremists Alert. "Some US Muslims justify suicide attacks," by Alan Fram for the Associated Press: WASHINGTON - One in four younger U.S. Muslims say suicide bombings to defend their religion are acceptable at least in some circumstances,...

Full article: <http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/016565.php>

Fitzgerald: What is to be done

The Administration, and the generals who remain true believers in its policy appear to be suggesting to us two entirely opposite things. (There are generals, and many many officers below that level, who have slowly or quickly come to dislike...

Full article: <http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/016563.php>

Meet the U.S. Senior Advisor for Muslim Engagement

See? America ain't so bad Farah Pandith's job is evidently to convince Muslims that America is really their friend. The assumption here is that we can win hearts and minds with enough gestures of goodwill. Evidence to the contrary...

Full article: <http://www.jihadwatch.org/dhimmiwatch/archives/016560.php>

War on Culture?

Heads on Pikes (Tower of London).

Cutty Sark restoration to go ahead
By Europe correspondent Rafael Epstein and wires

British experts say the restoration of the world's only remaining tea clipper, the Cutty Sark, will still go ahead despite yesterday's major fire.

The ship's hull was badly damaged during the fire at its dry dock on the River Thames in Greenwich, London.

Half of the ship's timbers had been removed for renovation before the fire and the masts, ship's wheel and figurehead were among the items safely in storage.

The fire, which police believe may have been deliberately lit, damaged some of the ship's decking and may have disorted the iron frame of its hull.

Some $65 million was already earmarked to be spent on the ship, which is one of Britain's most popular tourist attractions, but experts say more money will now be needed.

Built in 1869 on Glasgow's River Clyde, the Cutty Sark was one of the fastest ships of its era.
Originally used to transport tea from China, it changed roles after the trade was taken over by steamers using the Suez Canal.

The Cutty Sark then turned to general trading, including transporting wool from Australia.
The ship has been in dry dock in Greenwich since 1954.

link:

http://video.news.com.au/videoplayer?channel=World+News&clipid=882599&bitrate=300&format=wmp

The Downward Spiral

The Day They Kicked God out of the Schools

Trouble with Islam II

Am I a racist?



h/t : http://neoconcommandcenter.blogspot.com/

Save Israel

from Iran, Indonesia or Pakistan?

Gillerman accuses moderate Muslims of 'silence' in face of Islamic terrorism
05.22.07, / Israel News

Israel's UN ambassador on Monday accused moderate Muslim and Arab leaders of standing by in "eerie silence" while Islamic extremists terrorize people around the world.

"We live in a world where when Christians kill Muslims, it's a crusade. When Jews kill Muslims, it's a massacre. When Muslims kill Muslims, it's the weather channel. Nobody cares,"


Ambassador Dan Gillerman told reporters at a press lunch at the Waldorf-Astoria hotel in New York. (AP)

Allied Airpower 19/05

AIRPOWER SUMMARY FOR MAY 19
Release Date:
5/21/2007

SOUTHWEST ASIA — Coalition airpower supported Coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan in the following operations May 19, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.

In Afghanistan, U.S. Navy F/A-18C Hornets dropped Guided Bomb Unit-38s on insurgent targets in Shurakian. The Joint Terminal Attack Controller confirmed the bombs impacted their targets.

JTACs are highly trained U.S. Air Force and Coalition personnel who advise ground commanders on appropriate air power support, relay the ground commander’s intent to air power assets overhead and communicate with aircrews for precision engagement.

Other F-18s dropped GBU-38s on insurgents in Oruzgan. The JTAC reported the drops as successful.

Over Ghazni, F-18s dropped multiple GBU-12s and a GBU-38 on insurgent buildings after Coalition forces received small arms fire. The JTAC reported no more gunfire after the bombs impacted the buildings.

An MQ-1B Predator supporting the F-18s in Ghazni, fired an AGM-114 Hellfire missile at insurgents fleeing the area previously fired upon by other Coalition aircraft. The missile impacted its intended target.

F-18s dropped a GBU-38 and performed successful shows of force with flares in support of Coalition ground forces in Gereshk.

A U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer performed multiple shows of presence over Coalition routes near Gorestani Nawer. No incidents were reported while the bomber was in the area.
A Royal Air Force GR-7 Harrier monitored ground forces raiding a building near Gereshk. The pilots also watched for possible improvised explosive device placement in the area.

U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles monitored suspected enemy personnel near Ghazni and Garmsir.

In total, 64 close air support missions were flown in support of the International Security Assistance Force and Afghan security forces, reconstruction activities and route patrols.

Ten U.S. Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance aircraft flew missions in support of operations in Afghanistan. Additionally, two U.S. Navy aircraft provided tactical reconnaissance.

In Iraq, a B-1 dropped GBU-38s on a building used to manufacture IEDs in Baghdad. A JTAC observing the attack reported the drop as successful. After the strike, the bomber continued to show force over the area for Coalition forces hit by an IED.

U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcons provided armed overwatch for ground forces after a Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle was hit by an IED near Baghdad. Afterward, the jet followed a suspicious vehicle and passed on the information to the JTAC in the area.

An F-16 released a GBU-12 on a truck leaving a weapons cache near Fallujah. The JTAC confirmed the bomb hit its target.

In Al Musayyib, other F-16s searched for insurgents suspected of attacking Coalition forces. The pilots monitored personnel near the attack site and other IED locations and passed the information to the JTAC.

Royal Air Force GR-4 Tornados provided shows of force to assist a medical evacuation in Muqdadiyah. The Tornados also searched for snipers and provided overwatch for coalition forces.

In total, Coalition aircraft flew 47 close air support missions for Operation Iraqi Freedom. These missions supported Coalition ground forces, protected key infrastructure, provided overwatch for reconstruction activities and helped to deter and disrupt terrorist activities.

Fifteen U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy and Australian Air Force ISR aircraft flew missions in support of operations in Iraq. Additionally, two RAF fighter aircraft performed tactical reconnaissance.

U.S. Air Force C-130s and C-17s provided intra-theater heavy airlift support, helping to sustain operations throughout Afghanistan, Iraq and the Horn of Africa.

Approximately 156 airlift sorties were flown; more than 435 tons of cargo were delivered, and approximately 2,745 passengers were transported. This included approximately 21,010 pounds of troop re-supply air-dropped in Afghanistan.

Coalition C-130 crews from Australia and Korea flew in support of operations in Afghanistan or Iraq.

On May 18, U.S. Air Force, Royal Air Force, French Air Force and Republic of Singapore Air Force aerial refueling crews flew 48 sorties and off-loaded approximately 2.9 million pounds of fuel to 234 receiving aircraft.

For more information or for high-resolution photos, contact U.S. Central Command Air Forces Public Affairs at commercial 011-974-458-9555 then connect to DSN 436-4381/4014/4379 or at afforpa@auab.centaf.af.mil.

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Oil Initiatives, Funding Paying Off in Iraq, U.S. Engineer Official Says.aspx
Posted: 22 May 2007 07:28 AM CDT
WASHINGTON, May 21, 2007 – The $1.725 billion appropriation committed to improving Iraq’s oil sector has had a major impact in building or restoring the country’s crude oil, natural gas and cooking fuel capacity, a senior official in Baghdad reported.

Bush, Scheffer Discuss NATO Issues in Texas Meeting.aspx
Posted: 22 May 2007 07:27 AM CDT
WASHINGTON, May 21, 2007 – NATO operations in Afghanistan, transformation of the alliance and missile defense in Europe topped the agenda as President Bush met with NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer in Crawford, Texas, today.

Improving Fallujah’s Quality of Life.aspx
Posted: 22 May 2007 06:49 AM CDT
FALLUJAH, Iraq – Maj. Angel Ortiz says he and his staff have the job of rebuilding Fallujah, despite the ongoing threats. He’s working in one of the most challenging areas in Iraq.

Engineering Department Keeps Shreveport Running.aspx
Posted: 22 May 2007 06:39 AM CDT
USS SHREVEPORT, At Sea – In the main machinery rooms of USS Shreveport (LPD 12), an Austin-class amphibious docking ship, earplugs are mandatory. The spaces are loud and hot, and without the continued attention of the crew, the ship simply would not go anywhere.

Woomera Rocket Range Honored

US honours Woomera range as historic site
May 23, 2007

THE Woomera rocket range in South Australia has been declared a historic aerospace site, a rare honour for a facility outside the US.

The honour was granted yesterday by the American Institute for Aeronautics and Astronautics, recognising Woomera's history for rocket testing and its continuing role as an evaluation facility.

"This is a rare honour. Woomera is one of only four non-US locations to be internationally recognised by AIAA," federal Parliamentary Defence Secretary Peter Lindsay said. "This award represents a significant milestone for Woomera."

Mr Lindsay joined Chief of Air Force Air Marshal Geoff Shepherd and the AIAA's executive director, retired major-general Robert Dickman, at the award ceremony at Woomera township yesterday morning.

Woomera was synonymous with testing of missiles during the Cold War.

LINKS

www.netspace.net.au/~pargoo/woomera.html

www.users.bigpond.com/.../LSCamRoc_Serp_98.htm

www.totaltravel.com.au/.../guide/woomera

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Australia 'to join missile defence study'
May 22, 2007

JAPAN and the US plan to expand a joint study on missile defence by adding Australia amid concerns about North Korea's weapons program, a news report said today.

Japan and the US have been stepping up efforts to build a joint missile defence system following North Korea's nuclear test in October. Australia would join the two countries to share information on missile defence and discuss how to respond to various situations, Japan's business daily Nikkei reported, citing unnamed officials at Japan's Defence Ministry.

Defence Ministry officials could not immediately confirm the report. The three countries reached an agreement on the three-party joint study during a meeting of defence and foreign affairs senior officials held in Tokyo last month, the paper said.

The possible scenarios that the three countries will study are attacks by North Korea's medium range missiles as well as Chinese ballistic missiles reaching the US territory of Guam or Australia, Nikkei said. Australia has not decided to introduce missile defence but is expected to explore the possibility of having such a system, according to the report.

AP

Vodka AK

.50 Caliber

Barret .50 cal

Barrett M107 .50 Caliber sniper rifle

Desert Eagle .50

50 cal footage in Iraq

Shooting the 50 cal in Iraq.
They are test firing the weapons making sure they are in good working condition. The are also shooting a wrecked truck at the range. Its target practice. The more they practice, the better they are at doing their job. That's right ladies and gentlemen, this is THEIR JOB.

Propaganda War

Fitzgerald: How to wage the propaganda war

The stations that are funded to beam into the Arab and Muslim world should not carry Arab and Muslim propaganda. Nor should they carry any of those programs on how wonderful life is for Muslims in America. Is the government crazy?

Such stations should be largely engaged not in current events but in instruction: instruction about the American Constitution, and other aspects of the American legal and political system.

Let Arabs find out about the ideas behind the Bill of Rights. Give them the history of the idea of Free Speech, and do not scant Milton's Areopagitica, or the story of John Peter Zenger, or any other details. Have material on the history of Constitutional adjudication right up, from Holmes and Brandeis (Abrams, Gitlow, and the rest) to the present Brandenburg Test. Have on, with translators, intelligent historians and legal scholars. Do the same, but much more of the same, with the Establishment and Free Exercise Clauses.

Then let them know about the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. And have on those who will compare that Universal Declaration with the Muslim version, the Cairo Declaration.
Have interviews with Ibn Warraq, Wafa Sultan, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Azam Kamguian, Irfan Khawaja.

Have interviews even with those who, while they never dare to write or speak about, or distance themselves openly from, Islam, are nonetheless what one knows are "cultural" Muslims (as the phrase has it) -- that is to say "Muslim-for-identification-purposes-only" Muslims.

These could include Fouad Ajami, speaking, say, about the Arab Muslim refusal to contemplate Infidel sovereign states as the basis for its permanent opposition to Israel, and Kanan Makiya on how he, and other Iraqis in exile, failed to recognize the primitive state of the masses, failed to recognize the failure of the entire political class in Iraq.

And show the Muslim audience that we in the West are keenly aware of what Islam is all about.

Have on those who discuss Muslim treaty-making and the model of Al Hudaibiyya. Have on those scholars of Islam -- not Esposito, but real scholars -- who will discuss the long history of conflict between Islam and Christianity, Islam and Hinduism, Islam and Buddhism.

Do not stint or hold back. Discuss with art historians the destruction of Buddhist and Hindu statuary in Hindustan and Afghanistan, and catalogue the destruction, perhaps starting with video footage of the Bamiyan Buddhas, and then the threat to destroy them, and then the threat carried out, with no one stopping it, no one intervening, and protests coming only from the non-Muslim world. Explain that it was not the work of the Taliban alone, but of Pakistani and Saudi engineers who helped make the destruction so successful.

Have interviews with non-Muslims who have lived under Muslim rule, and with scholars of the history of dhimmitude. And have round-table discussions, without a single apologist being allowed in, on the reality of the attitudes and mistreatment of non-Muslims today.

And have other programs on Muslims, Arab and non-Arab. Relate the al-Anfal campaign against the Kurds by the Arab government in Iraq to the cultural and linguistic imperialism of the Arabs in North Africa, of which the victims have been Berbers (do not forget Kateb Yacine), and to the mass murder of black African Muslims in Darfur.

Indeed, have a "Berber hour" and a "Kurdish hour" and a "West African" and "East African" hour several times a week.

In all things, be guided not by Americans, but by such people as Ibn Warraq, Ali Sina, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, and Wafa Sultan. Have programs about their books. Have programs about those who have decided to leave Islam, and enjoyed the freedom to leave Islam only in the West.

Oh, you object? The audience will be small? We need to give them what they expect, what they want, what will not unsettle them? Nonsense. What they get, what they expect, what will not unsettle them is what they get all the time, round the clock, from their own media and from Al Jazeera and Al Manar and Al This and Al That.

A program financed by American taxpayers should not repeat Arab propaganda. It should undermine Arab propaganda. It should punch holes in the curtain, as Radio Liberty and Radio Free Europe did. Indeed, those should and could be the models: the people hired were not sympathizers with Soviet Communism nor with Russian imperialism. They understood both, and understood that both were a menace, a danger.

The people who work at Al Hurra should not be sympathizers with Islam and its duty of Jihad (and the various instruments of Jihad) or with Arab supremacism, but those who understand both, and understand that both are a menace, a danger.

This is what our legislators should be insisting upon.

If you agree, please print this out and send it to your Congressman. Make phone calls. Write to Washington, write in your local papers. Don't stop. The government has, through its own incompetence in this war, forced what one hopes is the temporary "privatization" of the most important part of the war -- the Propaganda War.

Fine. So be it. Help the American government recover, or come to, its senses. There should be no more indulgence exhibited toward the likes of Karen Hughes, and the people who appointed such people as Karen Hughes.

We need foxes, not geese.

<http://www.jihadwatch.org/dhimmiwatch/archives/016273.php>

Tough Soldiers

US Navy SEALs combat/sniper documentry

Marines. The Few. The Proud. The Bad Ass.

Make a Stand

An open mind

ADF -Forward Thinking

Agility key for future defence force
Patrick Walters, National security editor
May 17, 2007

AUSTRALIA'S defence force of the future must place a premium on agility and adaptability to win wars and be prepared to face a more uncertain global and regional environment in 2030.
A defence planning document says that warning times for the development of new crises and of weapons systems that could threaten Australia's security are shortening.

"Evidence suggest that, for most likely contingencies, future adversaries would be able to acquire the capability or capacity to threaten Australia or our national interests before we could develop a capability edge to counter that threat," the paper says. Reduced lead times for crises, and weapons systems made it vital that Australia should boost investment in intelligence and surveillance systems to provide sufficient warning for defence planners.
Future security challenges will dictate a deepening interdependence with key allies, especially the US.

The ADF's joint operations blueprint says Australia's future adversaries, including non-state actors, ie terrorists, could employ increasingly sophisticated communications, intelligence and surveillance systems and more lethal force, possibly including chemical, biological and radiological weapons. The document says the ADF must adapt from a force heavily weighted to countering a conventional military threat against Australia to a more versatile force.

Tomorrow's soldiers will make full use of hi-tech unmanned platforms in military operations ranging from frequent low-intensity stabilisation operations to high-intensity war-fighting. Defence Force Chief Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston yesterday released the blueprint for joint operations in the 21st century, saying recruitment and retention of personnel remained the "single biggest strategic issue" facing the ADF.

The ADF needed to grow to a full-time strength of 57,000 by 2016 up from its current level of 51,000. This would mean lifting full-time annual recruit numbers from 4670 to 6500.
Air Chief Marshal Houston said the Government's $3 billion investment in recruitment and retention measures had already had a positive effect, with full-time general-entry recruitment running at 92 per cent of target so far in 2007.

The joint operations planning document warns against relying too heavily on "niche" capabilities to ensure Australia's long-term security. Future war-fighting will involve "multi-dimensional manoeuvre" of combat forces with joint operations involving complete networking of all the force elements on land, sea and air to produce a range of effects to defeat the enemy.

"The ADF must move to develop a hardened, networked, deployable joint force that is characterised by adaptability and agility to handle the full range of military operations across the full spectrum of conflicts," it says.

The evolution of 21st century warfare would mean that increasingly land forces would adopt "special forces" characteristics with greater emphasis on stealth and precision.

The Australian

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Plans to put up a fight
Defence planners have written a new blueprint for fighting future wars, writes national security editor Patrick Walters
May 19, 2007

AUSTRALIA'S war planners have peered into the future and don't like what they see.
The world in 2030 is likely to be a more chaotic place, with myriad global and regional threats that could affect Australia.

Besides the traditional threats, a whole range of other scenarios could challenge Australia's security, according to the Defence Department's new blueprint for future war fighting.
These include the runaway effects of climate change, the accelerating depletion of global resources such as fish stocks, and the multiple security challenges presented by failed states in our region.

During the next 30 years, population growth will continue to soar, with Indonesia's population likely to top 300million and India's 1.5 billion. By contrast with its expanding neighbours, Australia's ageing population will total only about 25 million.

Our relatively small defence force will be asked to do more on top of its core challenge of securing the 10 per cent of the earth's surface, stretching from the Cocos Islands to New Zealand, that constitute Australia's area of direct military interest. By 2030 China and India, both equipped with powerful naval forces, will emerge as the dominant powers in Asia, with China's gross domestic product tipped to easily exceed that of the US.

This week the department issued a new planning document called Joint Operations for the 21st Century, which looks at how the Australian Defence Force may have to fight in 2030.
It outlines a more ambitious all-encompassing regional and global role for the ADF, ranging from war fighting to humanitarian relief. This broader mandate, if it is to be fully realised, will dictate a far greater investment in defence by future governments.

Emerging threats will demand a military of the utmost agility and versatility, able to defend Australia from conventional assault but also able to lead coalition operations in the neighbourhood and defeat unconventional non-state enemies. "Rapid rates of technological change with respect to military capability and the altering human organisation of warfare pose substantial military challenges for the ADF," the document says. It argues that developing nations could quickly invest in innovative technology "to rapidly match or leapfrog the forces of developed nations" such as Australia.

It also contends that warning times for future crises and the development of military capabilities that could threaten Australia are decreasing. "Evidence suggests that, for most likely contingencies, future adversaries would be able to acquire the capability to threaten Australia before we could develop a capability edge to counter that threat," the document says. Stripped of the dense military jargon, it anticipates a world in which terrorists and other non-state groups could acquire far more dangerous weapons including chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear devices.

Four key drivers will be essential to maintaining the long-term military prowess of the ADF: people, money, technology and alliances. The ADF says it must grow from today's permanent strength of 51,000 to about 58,000 if it is to successfully operate in a more chaotic, disordered world.

In a speech launching the document this week, defence chief Angus Houston nominated people as the biggest strategic issue confronting the ADF. Importantly, he also charted the sustained increase in the ADF's operating tempo overseas during the past 25 years. Between 1980 and 1989 there were 16 defence operational deployments abroad, comprising about 1000 personnel; in the next decade there were 82 deployments involving 17,000 personnel. According to Houston, at least 35,000 personnel have already taken part in operations over the six years from 2001.

To meet its existing 57,000 target by 2016, the ADF will need to increase enlistments from 4670 a year to 6500, an increase of about 40 per cent on the existing annual intake; it will also need to reduce the present resignation rate of about 11 per cent. The strength of Australia's labour market makes this a formidable challenge.

Australians will also have to get used to a permanently higher level of defence spending. This year's defence budget grew by nearly 8 per cent in real terms to $22 billion. The department will demand annual increases in the defence vote of at least 3 per cent to 4 per cent indefinitely if its vision of a hi-tech, fully networked force is to achieved.

The paper also acknowledges that demographics will shape the way the ADF approaches future wars and accelerate the trend towards unmanned fighting vehicles. The Defence Science and Technology Organisation is investing heavily in research that will create an automated battle space where unmanned air, ground and underwater combat vehicles are networked, taking soldiers, sailors and airmen out of harm's way. At the same time, Houston says, the ADF should expect to become involved in more operations that are low-intensity, such as peace stabilisation deployments, which require more boots on the ground.

The paper acknowledges that Australia cannot be militarily self-reliant and underlines the enormous importance of the US alliance in boosting our long-term military capability as well as providing vital flows of intelligence.

In the decades ahead it sees deepening interdependence between allied military forces. In Australia's case this will include Japan and regional allies such as Singapore, with increased sharing of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance tasks. Houston says his vision for the ADF is a "balanced, networked and deployable force" that is adaptable and excels at joint and coalition operations.

The war planners see Australia's military in 2030 using highly networked communications systems to dominate the battlefield, applying lethal force in close combat or from big distances.
But Andrew Davies from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute says the days in which Australia had a clear technological edge in military hardware over regional neighbours are over.

"That means that we will have to be smarter in the ways that we use our equipment. A focus on stealth for aircraft, networking, electronic warfare and employment of advanced stand-off weapons makes a lot of sense in that context."

Davies says the ADF must be able to counter sophisticated new platforms such as submarines. The next decade will see more than 80 new boats appear in regional navies' inventories, including that of China.

"That will be a real challenge for the RAN. Submarines are tough adversaries, and serious investment in anti-submarine warfare will be required to allow the navy to be able to operate in a place of its choosing," he says.

Davies says the future ADF can't expect a potential adversary to fight symmetrically on our strengths. Just how the ADF and other arms of government will work together to defeat terrorism, cyber warfare or the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction is another key issue, he argues.

Strategic analyst Paul Dibb warns that the ADF "can't have everything" when it comes to planning for the future. Dibb, a former senior Australian defence intelligence official, also warns that in making long-term predictions, analysts often get it wrong. Australian intelligence analysts failed to anticipate the strategic consequences of the fall of Saigon in 1975 or the sudden collapse of the Soviet Union.

"In its overly ambitious reach for a small force like ours, the document seeks to cover everything from pandemics to high-intensity conflict. How are we going to do that in the face of adverse demographic and financial pressures in the future, both of which are acknowledged in the document?" Dibb asks.

No to Submission

300 This Is Sparta!

A great site for movies, 300 is no longer avaliable -for now anyway.

http://www.my3id.com/video/categories/17/movies.html

Try your luck with these movies:

Borat: Cultural Learnings of America


Scary Movie 4 (2006)

Spiderman 3 - Full Movie

Free Iraqi life

T-Wall Paintings, Baghdad, May 11, 2007

Baghdad artists have spruced up the temporary "T-walls" near the city's Abu Nuwas fish market to reflect traditional scenes of Iraqi life.

Travel Warning- Lebanon 22/05

lebanon

Chaos In The Streets - Lebanon
20 May 2007 - Tripoli, Lebanon - Lebanese tanks pounded the headquarters of a group with suspected links to al Qaeda in a Palestinian refugee camp near Tripoli Sunday after the northern city's worst clashes in two decades killed 22 soldiers and 17 militants.