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Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Its Shari'ah, Stupid #3

This is the third in a series of posts quoting fiqh from a censored forum. The text of the Jihad Violence thread has been preserved in a .chm (163.4KB) file which you can download here. It is among the resources in the expanded library at Crusader's Armory.

al-Shafi'i, d. 820, founder of shafi'i school. al-Imam Muhammad ibn Idris al-Shaf'i's al-Risala fi us ul al-fiqh, transl. Majid Khadduri, al-Imam Muhammad ibn Idris al-shaf'i's al-risala fi us ul al-fiqh: Treatises on the Foundations of Islamic jurisprudence (Cambridge 1997), p. 82-7.

These communications (9:112, 9:36, 9:5, 9:29, 9:38-9, 9:41) mean that the jihad, and rising up in arms in particular, is obligatory for all able-bodied [believers], exempting no one, just as prayer, pilgrimage and [payment of] alms are performed […] They may also mean that the duty of [jihad] is a collective (kifaya) duty different from that of prayer: Those who perform it in the war against the polytheists will fulfil the duty and receive the supererogatory merit, thereby preventing those who stayed behind from falling into error. […]
If all men failed to perform the duty so that no able-bodied man went forth to battle, all I am afraid, would fall into error.

"Rising up in arms" is not consistent with defensive fighting; it implies aggressive Jihad. Defensive fighting, when Dar ul-Islam is invaded, is fard ayn: an obligation binding upon all able bodied Muslims individually. Aggressive Jihad is fard kifaya. Refer to Reliance of the Traveller, O9.1 & O9.3.

"
If all men failed to perform the duty so that no able-bodied man went forth to battle, all I am afraid, would fall into error."
Jihad is an obligation; it must be done according to Allah's commands. What commands? Those cited in the Shari'ah.
  • 9:5. Then when the Sacred Months (the Ist, 7th, 11th, and 12th months of the Islamic calendar) have passed, then kill the Mushrikun (see V.2:105) wherever you find them, and capture them and besiege them, and prepare for them each and every ambush. But if they repent and perform As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat), and give Zakat, then leave their way free. Verily, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
  • 9:29. Fight against those who (1) believe not in Allah, (2) nor in the Last Day, (3) nor forbid that which has been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger (4) and those who acknowledge not the religion of truth (i.e. Islam) among the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians), until they pay the Jizyah with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued.
  • 9:36. Verily, the number of months with Allah is twelve months (in a year), so was it ordained by Allah on the Day when He created the heavens and the earth; of them four are Sacred, (i.e. the 1st, the 7th, the 11th and the 12th months of the Islamic calendar). That is the right religion, so wrong not yourselves therein, and fight against the Mushrikun (polytheists, pagans, idolaters, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah) collectively , as they fight against you collectively. But know that Allah is with those who are Al-Muttaqun (the pious - see V.2:2).
  • 9:38. O you who believe! What is the matter with you, that when you are asked to march forth in the Cause of Allah (i.e. Jihad) you cling heavily to the earth? Are you pleased with the life of this world rather than the Hereafter? But little is the enjoyment of the life of this world as compared with the Hereafter.
  • 9:39. If you march not forth, He will punish you with a painful torment and will replace you by another people, and you cannot harm Him at all, and Allah is Able to do all things.
  • 9:41.March forth, whether you are light (being healthy, young and wealthy) or heavy (being ill, old and poor), strive hard with your wealth and your lives in the Cause of Allah. This is better for you, if you but knew.
  • 9:112. (The believers whose lives Allah has purchased are) those who repent to Allah (from polytheism and hypocrisy, etc.), who worship Him, who praise Him, who fast (or go out in Allah's Cause), who bow down (in prayer), who prostrate themselves (in prayer), who enjoin (people) for Al-Ma'ruf (i.e. Islamic Monotheism and all what Islam has ordained) and forbid (people) from Al-Munkar (i.e. disbelief, polytheism of all kinds and all that Islam has forbidden), and who observe the limits set by Allah (do all that Allah has ordained and abstain from all kinds of sins and evil deeds which Allah has forbidden). And give glad tidings to the believers.
The last listed, 112, must be understood in the context of its immediate predecessor.
  • 9:111. Verily, Allah has purchased of the believers their lives and their properties; for the price that theirs shall be the Paradise. They fight in Allah's Cause, so they kill (others) and are killed. It is a promise in truth which is binding on Him in the Taurat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel) and the Qur'an. And who is truer to his covenant than Allah? Then rejoice in the bargain which you have concluded. That is the supreme success .

What do believers do and why?

What will Allah do to them if they do not join the Jihad?

  • Inflict painful punishment {Cast them into Hell.}
  • replace them with someone else.

Its Shari'ah, Stupid #2

al-Shaybani, d. 803 / 5, Hanafi. Siyar, transl. Majid Khadduri, The Islamic Law of Nations: Shaybani's Siyar (Baltimore 1966), p. 76-7, 87, 95-6, 100-1.

Fight in the name of God and in the ”path of God” [i.e. truth]. Combat [only] those who disbelieve in God. Whenever you meet your polytheistic enemies, invite them [first] to adopt Islam. If they do so, accept it, and let them alone. […] If they refuse [to accept Islam], then call upon them to pay the jizya; if they do, accept it and leave them alone. If you besiege the inhabitants of a fortress or a town and they try to get you to let them surrender on the basis of God’s judgment, do not do so, since you do not know what God’s judgment is, but make them surrender to your judgment and then decide their case according to your own views.


This is obviously derived from Muslim Book 019, Number 4294. It is Islamic law from the Hanafi school. It ain't peaceful, it is aggressive.

Islam: War Cult

Another target rich comment too good to pass up.

http://snooper.wordpress.com/2007/10/01/myth-vs-fact-118/#comment-2308

Comment by navedz | January 6, 2009

Islam is a religion of PEACE. It doesn’t teach us to kill unlike other religions. Muslims start their greetings with “As-salaam-wa Alaikum Wa Rahmatu Allah Wa Barakatuh”, which means in English “May GOD’s peace, mercy and blessings be upon you.”

Allah states: “Whoever kills a human being… then it is as though he has killed all mankind; and whoever saves a human life it is as though he had saved all mankind.”

No one probably ever heard of such a stunning message of peace, which considers killing just one person (be it innocent or not) tantamount to killing the entire humanity? Now the doubters should not have any more skepticism about Muslim’s claim that “Islam is a religion of peace”.

The unjustified criticisms of and spitting venoms at Islam by the hateful Islam-bashers got to stop now..

Navedz attached his comment to Myth vs Fact #118, reproduced here.
Myth Fact
Islam: Religion of peace. 33:26-27 And those of the people of the Scripture who backed them (the disbelievers) Allah brought them down from their forts and cast terror into their hearts, (so that) a group (of them) you killed, and a group (of them) you made captives. And He caused you to inherit their lands, and their houses, and their riches, and a land which you had not trodden (before). And Allah is Able to do all things.
Tafsir Allah drove back the Confederates disappointed and lost

The Campaign against Banu Qurayzah


Examine the other texts mentioning that conquest:
What did the Muslims do? They invaded, terrorized, killed, enslaved & plundered. After the men surrendered, Moe had their heads cut off. He had the boys examined; those who reached puberty were decapitated, the juveniles were sold as slaves.
  • Islam is a religion of PEACE
  • It doesn’t teach us to kill unlike other religions.
  • Muslims start their greetings with “As-salaam-wa Alaikum Wa Rahmatu Allah Wa Barakatuh”, which means in English “May GOD’s peace, mercy and blessings be upon you.”
    • That is how they greet Muslims. As for greeting Kuffar, see: XDIII. People of the Book {Aisha Bewley's translation of Bukhari's Book of Adab} For the benefit of those too indolent to click a link I offer a similar hadith from Abu Dawud's collection. Book 41, Number 5186:
      Narrated AbuHurayrah:

      Suhayl ibn AbuSalih said: I went out with my father to Syria. The people passed by the cloisters in which there were Christians and began to salute them. My father said: Do not give them salutation first, for AbuHurayrah reported the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) as saying: Do not salute them (Jews and Christians) first, and when you meet them on the road, force them to go to the narrowest part of it.
  • Allah states: “Whoever kills a human being… then it is as though he has killed all mankind; and whoever saves a human life it is as though he had saved all mankind.”
    • The quote is from Surah Al-Ma'idah 32. Of course, Muslims don't like to quote the next ayeh to Kuffar. But I like to, and I like to cite Ibn Kathir's tafsir of 5:32.
      • The recompense of those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger and do mischief in the land is only that they shall be killed or crucified or their hands and their feet be cut off on the opposite sides, or be exiled from the land. That is their disgrace in this world, and a great torment is theirs in the Hereafter.
      • What is the meaning of "wage war against Allah"? Ibn Kathir gives an explicit answer: `Wage war' mentioned here means, oppose and contradict, and it includes disbelief, blocking roads and spreading fear in the fairways.. Notice the phrase I emphasized. disbelief is one of the definitions of waging war, which subjects one to the specified hudud.
  • No one probably ever heard of such a stunning message of peace, which considers killing just one person (be it innocent or not) tantamount to killing the entire humanity?
    • The catch is: only if that person is a Muslim! The parenthetical 'or not' is totally bogus. Islam does not recognize the sanctity of life of Kuffar
      • And if they say so, pray like our prayers, face our Qibla and slaughter as we slaughter, then their blood and property will be sacred to us[Bukhari 1.8.387].
  • Now the doubters should not have any more skepticism about Muslim’s claim that “Islam is a religion of peace”.
    • We are not in doubt; we know blessed well that Islam is a war cult, not a religion of peace. I have published 490 excerpts from Islam's canon of scripture, tradition & jurisprudence which leave no doubt. Those texts form a congruent pattern of unmistakable clarity.
  • The unjustified criticisms of and spitting venoms at Islam by the hateful Islam-bashers got to stop now..

    • Criticism of Islam is not unjustified. A trail of blood & tears; the bones of millions of innocent victims from Medina to Mumbai testify to this fatal fact. Those of us who understand Islam; who have read its revelation, tradition & exegeses will not be silent. Morality demands that we share our knowledge with others less informed.
Further confirmation is found in Shari'ah. Reliance of the Traveller is recognized as authentic by Al-Azhar. Book O, Chapter 9 defines Jihad, tells us how frequently it must be performed and against whom. This is Islamic law, and it condemns the war cult in the eyes of all sentient persons with a scintilla of morality.
  • Chapter O9.0: Jihad

    (O: Jihad means to war against non-Muslims, and is etymologically derived from the word mujahada signifying warfare to establish the religion. [Refer to translator's notes to 2:190.]

  • O9.1 : The Obligatory Character of Jihad ...

    As for subsequent times, there are two possible states in respect to non-Muslims.

    The first is when they are in their own countries, in which case jihad (def: o9.8) is a communal obligation, and this is what our author is speaking of when he says, "Jihad is a communal obligation," meaning upon the Muslims each year. ...

  • O9.8: The Objectives of Jihad

    The caliph (o25) makes war upon Jews, Christians, and Zoroastrians (N: provided he has first invited them to enter Islam in faith and practice, and if they will not, then invited them to enter the social order of Islam by paying the non-Muslim poll tax (jizya, def: o11.4) -which is the significance of their paying it, not the money itself-while remaining in their ancestral religions) (O: and the war continues) until they become Muslim or else pay the non-Muslim poll tax (O: in accordance with the word of Allah Most High,

    "Fight those who do not believe in Allah and the Last Day and who forbid not what Allah and His messenger have forbidden-who do not practice the religion of truth, being of those who have been given the Book-until they pay the poll tax out of hand and are humbled" (Koran 9.29),

    the time and place for which is before the final descent of Jesus (upon whom be peace). After his final coming, nothing but Islam will be accepted from them, for taking the poll tax is only effective until Jesus' descent (upon him and our Prophet be peace), which is the divinely revealed law of Muhammad. The coming of Jesus does not entail a separate divinely revealed law, for he will rule by the law of Muhammad. As for the Prophet's saying (Allah bless him and give him peace),

    "I am the last, there will be no prophet after me,"

    this does not contradict the final coming of Jesus (upon whom be peace), since he will not rule according to the Evangel, but as a follower of our Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) ).

  • O9.9

    The caliph fights all other peoples until they become Muslim (O: because they are not a people with a Book, nor honored as such, and are not permitted to settle with paying the poll tax (jizya) ) (n: though according to the Hanafi school, peoples of all other religions, even idol worshippers, are permitted to live under the protection of the Islamic state if they either become Muslim or agree to pay the poll tax, the sole exceptions to which are apostates from Islam and idol worshippers who are Arabs, neither of whom has any choice but becoming Muslim (al-Hidaya sharh Bidaya al-mubtadi' (y21), 6.48-49) ).

Jihad is defined as fighting Kuffar to establish Islam. It's minimal requirement is one military expedition per year. It is carried out against people of the book until they are subjugated & extorted and against all other people until they are converted. That is not my opinion, it is Islamic law derived from Qur'an & Sunnah as applied by the Shafi'ite school. Which mainstream Madh'hab rejects it? What does the Hanafi school say?
Sheikh Burhanuddin Ali of Marghinan, d. 1196, hanafi. The Hidayah, cit. ur T.P. Hughes, A Dictionary of Islam (London 1895/1994), s. 244-5.
The destruction of the sword is incurred by infidels, although they be not the first aggressors, as appears from various passages in the traditions which are generally received to this effect. […] When the Muslims enter the enemy’s country and besiege the cities or strongholds of the infidels, it is necessary to invite them to embrace the faith, because Ibn Abbas relates of the Prophet that he never destroyed any without previously inviting them to embrace the faith. If, therefore, they embrace the faith, it is unnecessary to war with them, because that which was the design of the war is then obtained without war. […] If the infidels, upon receiving the call, neither consent to it nor agree to pay capitation tax, it is then incumbent on the Muslims to call upon God for assistance, and to make war upon them […]

How about the more pacifist Sufi? What did Al-Ghazali say?
al-Ghazali, d. 1111, shafi’i, sufi. Kitab al-Wagiz fi fiqh madhab al-imam al-Safi’i (Beirut 1979), s. 186, 190-1, 199-200, 202-3, övers. Michael Schub.
One must go on jihad (i.e. warlike razzias or raids) at least once a year […] one may use a catapult against them [non-Muslims] when they are in a fortress, even if among them are women and children.

  1. Ibn Kathir's Tafsir uses ayat & hadith to explain the meanings of ayat. Allah's imperatives are contained in clear verses, requiring no explanation. The following list consists of the titles of several tafsir which explain Allah's commands & orders to fight. These titles are linked to the tafsir; click them, read and understand how peaceful islam ain't.

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Its Shari'ah, Stupid

Abu Yusuf, d. 798, Hanafi. Kitab al-kharaj, transl. Edmond Fagnan, Le livre de l'impot foncier (Paris 1921).

Quote:
Arab territory differs from non-Arab territory in that one fights Arabs only to oblige them to embrace Islam without making them pay the poll tax: nothing but their conversion is acceptable, and their land, if it is left to them, is tithe land. […] The Arabs who possess Revealed Scriptures [Jews and Christians] are treated as non-Arabs and are allowed to pay the poll-tax. […]
You have now seen a quote from the Hanafi school of Shari'ah. This quote was drawn from a Swedish forum which became a victim of censorship. Having saved the forum thread to my hard disk, I have compiled it into an ebook and made it available on my web site.

The present passage has meaning: Arab victims had to be converted or killed; Jews, Christians, Sabeans, Samaritans & Zoroastrians could be converted or subjugated & extorted as Dhimmis. All must be warred upon. That passage hit paper less than 200 years after Moe's death; it is not a modern innovation by the Abd Al-Wahab.

War News: Voices From The War

~Snooper~

Remember what (general) reid said back in April of 2007 when he was trying to ensure a defeat in Iraq for US Forces as he was trying to ensure a defeat of President Bush for political power and gain? The panty waste dweeb from Nevada regurgitated some more guttural nonsense recently.

JPA started to broadcast reid's stupidity and obviously demented spin yesterday but got too ill to get through it. I understand totally. So, below is the audio as well as the video. (Sometimes, videos get deleted if they are deemed too unkind to the morons of the Leftinistra...thus, the audio.)


All that was recently on Meet The Depressed. The following is from April of 2007, AFTER the Press Conference in Baghdad in March of 2007. It is quite clear, as can be seen in the screen shot below, that reid and his ilk of sycophantic worm dirt cherry picked that which they thought would best fit their plan to aid and abet the enemy for their own political aspirations...at the cost of American lives. I have posted an excerpt of the audio taken from the video.

click to enlarge


Now, clearly, reid and his kind are so far from the reaches of reality, they have believed and accepted their own lies and know that they have lied but cannot and will not admit it. What is a person like that classified as?

Reid got called out and STILL cannot acknowledge that The Troop Surge has been a phenomenal success in the light of how many times the Leftinistra have tried to lose the war. Here's the good part. I tried to excerpt some audio from the March 2007 Press Conference that reid combed through to find his idiocy a new voice but the video guts off just as General Petraeus was getting into the meat of the subject. I wanted you to hear it in his own voice. However, I do have an excerpt of General Petraeus talking about the "reconcilables and the irreconcilables" in Iraq. One presents a military solution and the other is a combination.

The entire conference was about the 18 Iraqi Benchmarks behind the scenes, don't ya know...and, by the way, ALL of them have been met.

Reid is an idiot.



Video and full transcript located here...

Related posts: Volokh Conspiracy, Jules Crittenden, Ace,

Sunday, January 4, 2009

Where Were the Americans?

I come fresh from Do The Right Thing, where I saw a video that I must share with you. In this video, Tom Trento reports from beautiful downtown Fort Lauderdale Florida, where a mob of 300 hate filled Falestinians were shouting "Nuke Israel" and other messages of Islamic love, peace and tolerance.

They were opposed by a tiny showing of 50 loyal Americans with the courage to stand up for our only democratic ally in the Mid East.

There should have been thousands of Americans to stand up for peace, truth & justice; to shout down the hate spewing SandMaggots. There should be enough so that they would not need the police protection which prevented the SandMaggots from violently assaulting the Americans.

If you are a loyal, liberty loving American, and such a demonstration is held in your community, go and stand up like a man, take your friends with you, out number the demon spawn and shout them down for Chrissake!

It is high time; long overdue for Americans to wake up, wise up & rise up to defend what is right and oppose the evil in our midst. Act now, before it is too late to save our nation from enslavement to Islam.

Israel Moves Into Gaza with Troops and Tanks

~Douglas~

Israel sent thousands of troops, backed by tanks and helicopter gunships, into the Gaza Strip as they lauched a ground offensive in Gaza last night. This action follows a week of airstrikes into Gaza that were aimed at stopping rocket and missile attacks against Israel from the Muslim controlled region. Since 2005, after Israel withdrew from the Gaza Strip, relinquishing full control to the Palestinians (and eventually to the terrorist group, Hamas) 6,500 rockets and missiles have been fired into Israel, primarily targeting civilians, killing indescrimitantly.

Hamas, while living up to the "Death To Israel" chant you hear often coming from the lips of Islamists, has used women and children as shields while proclaiming to the world that Israel is in fact the aggressors. Palestinians, and the rest of the Muslim world, continuously remind us that they are committed to Israel's destruction, will never recognize Israel as a nation, and will never end the violence against the Jewish State; yet the moment Israel responds with military actions against the continuous onslaught of violence against them, the Muslim world (and liberal left media alike) screams out that Israel's response is an unbelievable display of disproportionate aggression.

You'd think, if you believe what you read in the newspapers and news magazines, or even kind of believe what you hear on the alphabet news channels, that the Palestinian casualties in a few days of Israeli strikes are astronomical when compared to the deaths of Israelis over any period of time, when in reality the constant pounding of Israel by her neighbors has taking its toll - and the toll has become such that Israel has finally taken action.

Could you imagine if Mexico, declaring that the Southwest United States belonged to them (as the Muslims have declared regarding the Jewish lands), decided to start lobbing rockets into San Diego, San Antonio, and Yuma? How long do you think it would take before the United States took action? Would Americans then be crying out once America took action to stop the attacks? Would the U.S. response be seen as disproportionate? Would we sit still if Mexico or Canada suddenly declared that they were committed to our destruction as a nation, and were willing to use any violence necessary to destroy us? Would we stand for even a single attack against our soil? If you are not sure of the answers to those questions, remember how you felt on September 11, 2001 when the Twin Towers fell.

And here is the real kicker. If any nation other than Israel fights a war and loses, that nation simply lost a war. But Israel, surrounded by the enemy, and existing in a world filled with nations that desire their destruction, must win every war - for to Israel, to lose a war is to cease to exist.

~Douglas~

War News That Drives Leftinistra More Moonbattier Than Usual

~Snooper~

The following is data the American Public is not to know under any circumstances

2-320th FAR & ISF Give to Iraqi School Children
BIZNA, Iraq – “Redlegs” from the 2nd Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment continued to focus on improving the lives of local Iraqis when they visited students from 17 Bizna on their last day of school on May 25, 2008.

During their visit to the local school, the artilleryman from the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), and the Iraqi security forces from Ad Dujayl, spent over six hours handing out numerous supplies to students in the small and remote village south of Balad.

“This visit was our last opportunity to supply the children in 17 Bizna with supplies before the summer break. Hopefully with what we gave them, the supplies will give the kids an added edge in the classroom next year,” said 1st Lt. William R. Hale, a platoon leader with Alpha Battery, 2-320th FAR.

Hale said it was important to do these types of civil military operations in conjunction with the ISF because it shows the local populace that the coalition forces and Iraqi security forces are working together to help build a better Iraq.

“This was just an all around great experience for everyone involved. Doing this type of operation helps the U.S. and Iraqis build lasting friendships with the local population, and that’s one of the reasons we do this type of thing,” said Hale. [...] read the rest...photos
Iraqis Hold Grand Re-opening of Sarafiyah Bridge - Rusafa-Karhk Roadway Bridge Opens After Reconstruction
By Sgt. Jerome Bishop
Multi-National Division - Baghdad

BAGHDAD, Iraq – The promise of a prosperous future for Iraq took one more step closer to becoming a reality as the Sarafiyah bridge linking the Rusafa and Karkh Districts of Baghdad was reopened, May 27, after being rebuilt.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki was present for the opening event, which featured live music, several speeches and a ribbon cutting on the bridge's road way.

The significance of the event wasn't limited only to the result of the bridges opening, but also in how it came to be as it was the government of Iraq, who took the initiative to conduct the reconstruction.

"The reason I think this event was significant today is because it really shows the resilience of the GoI and their ability to repair this bridge, which was destroyed by an insurgent act, and to repair it and continue on with the rebuilding of Iraq and the betterment of Iraq," said Maj. Frank Garcia, a Carson City, Nev., native, who serves as the public affairs officer for the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad, which operates primarily out of the area where the bridge is located. [...] photos
The First Leg: Bastogne Brigade Sets Conditions for Success in Salah Ad Din
By Spc. Rick Rzepka
1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division

SALAH AD DIN, Iraq – Since arriving in Iraq in September, 2007, Soldiers from the Bastogne Brigade, 101st Airborne Division, have been tasked to set the table for Iraqi success in the Salah ad Din province.

The Bastogne Brigade, which is on its third deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, conducts combined counter-insurgency operations daily, to secure the population of the Salah ad Din province. The Brigade is committed to allowing Iraqi security forces and the provincial government here to independently provide security and essential services to the people of the region.

Salah ad Din, which is roughly the size of Vermont, is home to the four key cities of Samarra, Bayji, Tikrit and Balad. It is a geographically diverse area of Iraq that ranges from fertile farmlands to sprawling desert. From the mud huts of Mushlaka to the Mineret of Samarra, Bastogne Soldiers have built a foundation of trust and cooperation with Iraqis here over the last eight months.

“If you had told me when we got here that we would be where we are today, I wouldn’t have believed you,” said Maj. William Rice, Bastogne civil affairs officer. [...] photos
Multi-National Division-Baghdad Soldiers Conduct Operations to Increase Safety in Baghdad
Multi-National Division – Baghdad Public Affairs Office

BAGHDAD – Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers seized weapons throughout Baghdad May 28 as they conducted operations to secure the area.

MND-B Soldiers serving with the 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division seized a 155 mm projectile round with a detonation cord attached, a 120 mm mortar round, and a bag of TNT northwest of Baghdad at approximately 11:28 a.m.

Later, Soldiers from 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division seized a six-inch EFP starter kit, two pounds of C4 explosives, a 120 mm mortar round, and a 155 mm artillery round in the West Rashid district of Baghdad.

Soldiers from 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), seized two 4-foot tubes and two 2-foot tubes with white powder, a mortar base, and three pressure plates in the Mansour district of Baghdad at approximately 1:15 p.m.
“Taking weapons and munitions off the streets of Baghdad and the surrounding areas saves lives,” said Lt. Col. Steve Stover, spokesman, MND-B and the 4th Infantry Division. “It’s a powerful message of how much we care about the welfare of the Iraqi people.” [END]
Rakkasans Find Large Homemade Explosive Cache
3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (AASLT)

CAMP STRIKER, Iraq – A tip led Rakkasan soldiers to approximately 900 pounds of homemade explosives north of Patrol Base Shanghai, about 22 kilometers southwest of Baghdad, May 26.

Company B, 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) uncovered a cache consisting of 18 50-pound bags of homemade explosive.

The cache was detonated on site by explosive ordnance disposal personnel. [END]
IA, Rakkasans Uncover Caches in Mahmudiyah
By 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division

CAMP STRIKER, Iraq - Iraqi and Rakkasan Soldiers located a cache that included Russian weapons in the Hay al Salam area of Mahmudiyah, about 26 kilometers south of Baghdad, May 28.

A local resident informed the Soldiers of a PKC cache on the roof of one of the buildings in the Qaqa Apartments. The cache contained a PKC machine gun, two Simonov rifles, one bolt-action rifle, two AK-47 magazines, one mortar site and improvised explosive device making materials.

Soldiers from 2nd Company, 2nd Battalion, 25th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division and 3rd Platoon, Battery A, 3rd Battalion, 320th Field Artillery, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, were conducting clearing operations when they found the weapons.

The IA also found several Kalashnikov-series rifles and a large bag of copper wire in area houses.

The weapons were taken to the IA compound in Mahmudiyah. [END]
Rakkasans Find Large Homemade Explosive Cache
3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (AASLT)

CAMP STRIKER, Iraq – A tip led Rakkasan soldiers to approximately 900 pounds of homemade explosives north of Patrol Base Shanghai, about 22 kilometers southwest of Baghdad, May 26.

Company B, 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) uncovered a cache consisting of 18 50-pound bags of homemade explosive.

The cache was detonated on site by explosive ordnance disposal personnel. [END]
Water Purification Creates Endless Water Supply
By Pvt. Christopher McKenna
3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division

PATROL BASE CORREGIDOR, Iraq - Soldiers at this outpost, about 21 kilometers southwest of Baghdad, don't depend on water deliveries - they pump their own.

"We pump our water in from a man-made lake located in the rear of our patrol base and filter it," said Spc. J.R. Pardo, water purification specialist with Company A, 626th Brigade Support Battalion.

Deployed Soldiers usually have access to two different types of water - potable and non-potable. The difference between the two is that potable water is safe for drinking, bathing and cooking, whereas non-potable water can be used for other purposes, depending on its quality.

The water is pumped through a Reverse Osmosis Water Purification Unit. By going though a rigorous chemical balancing and four filtering pumps, the water is prepared and ready to be used.

The process allows Soldiers to produce and use water without fear of depleting their supply. Pardo said nearly 3,000 gallons are saved per day by using ROWPU. [...]
Iraqi Army Aids Shula Residents
By Sgt. Paul Monroe
2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division

BAGHDAD – Leaders and Soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, 22nd Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division distributed humanitarian aid to residents in Shula, a neighborhood in northwest Baghdad, May 26.

Soldiers travelled door-to-door handing out staples such as rice, lentils and tomato paste to 100 residents.

At the end, nearly 300 residents throughout Shula received aid during a three-day period beginning, May 24.

Shula resident’s movement to and from markets had been hampered by criminal activity in the area, making Soldiers clad in desert uniforms bearing boxes filled with food a welcome sight.

Capt. Joseph Sincere, a fire support officer with the 1st Squadron, 75th Calvary Regiment part of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division said, the Soldiers efforts had yielded an optimistic outlook for security going forward.

Some of the same streets used as drop points for humanitarian aid had been the site of recent Iraqi army clearance missions, where Soldiers travelled from house to house, searching and gathering intelligence in an effort to root out criminals taking refuge in the area. [...] photo
Service Members Compete in Iron Chef Competition
By Combined Joint Task Force - 101

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - “There is no love truer than the love of food,” said Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw. That love of food, both preparing and serving, coupled with a dose of friendly competition led to the first-ever Iron Chef competition at Bagram Airfield, May 28.

The competition, held at the Aviation Dining Facility, was based on the popular ‘Iron Chef’ television series. It pitted two teams of food service specialists, one representing Task Force Destiny and the other representing Task Force Lifeliner, against each other to see which team could woo a panel of judges senses of sight and taste with their culinary delights.

The showdown started shortly after the afternoon meal was concluded. The two teams were called into the back room of the dining facility, where they faced off as they were given the rules to the competition. Then the moment they anxiously awaited arrived, the unveiling of the “secret ingredient”. The cover was lifted to reveal bell peppers, in vivid red, yellow and green. [...] photos
Food Drop Assists Families in Need
By Pvt. Christopher McKenna
3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division

PATROL BASE CORREGIDOR, Iraq – Iraqi families in need received nearly three tons of food from U.S. Soldiers southwest of Baghdad, May 27-28.

A civil affairs team and 1st Squadron, 33rd Cavalry Regiment Soldiers teamed up to bring the food and other supplies to residents of three villages near Patrol Base Corriegidor.

“We took food to the people of Abu Amer, Abu Haswa and Shakariyah, having the sheikhs determine who would receive it,” said 1st Lt. Daniel Hodgson, fire support officer for Troop B, 1-33rd Cav. Regt. “We made sure the sheikhs chose the families most in need, such as widows who are unable to support a family without their husbands.”

The supplies included rice, beans, flour, sugar, salt, soap, tomato paste, bowls and utensils, diapers and infant weaning cereal.

“The planning for the (distribution) began, April 30,” said Staff Sgt. Rob Bridgeford, Company A, 411th CA Battalion team chief. “We had to make sure the food was divided appropriately throughout the needy families; the amount given is able to feed a family of up to 10 for about a month.”

This was the first humanitarian aid food donation in the area since the CA Soldiers arrived. [...]
Iraqi, U.S. Soldiers Detain Multiple Criminal Suspects, Discover Large Cache
By the Multi-National Division – Baghdad PAO

BAGHDAD – Multi National Division – Baghdad Soldiers detained six suspected criminals in different areas of the Iraqi capital while conducting ongoing operations May 31.

At approximately 1 p.m., Soldiers from 2nd Battalion 4th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division detained a man in West Rashid who is suspected of being associated with several criminal groups. The suspected criminal is an alleged weapons smuggler, facilitator and improvised explosive device maker.

Iraqi Soldiers from the 6th Iraqi Army, with support from Soldiers from 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division arrested two men suspected for their criminal activity in the Al-Mansour district at approximately 1:20 p.m.

At approximately 1:30 p.m., Soldiers from Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division detained two alleged al-Qaida in Iraq members northwest of Baghdad.

Another suspect was detained in the Adamiyah district by Soldiers from the 108th Military Police Company, 18th MP Bde. May 31. The suspected criminal is alleged to be involved in an explosively formed penetrator attacks on coalition forces. [...]
Preventative IED Training to Save Lives
By Staff Sgt. Mary Rose Mittlesteadt
11th Public Affairs Detachment

TIKRIT, Iraq – Improvised explosive devices are the number-one killer of coalition forces deployed to Iraq. Tougher and larger vehicles are one way of protecting Soldiers on the roads of Iraq, but another is preventative training.

Sailors with Task Force Troy North who specialized in counter IED measures, spend many days at Contingency Operating Base Speicher, located in Tikrit, Iraq, teaching Soldiers what to look for and how to react on the battlefield.

“We are training units to raise their level of awareness, give them an idea of what devices look like up-close, and give them ideas of what indicators they might see,” said U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Russell Juhl. “We get their eyes trained-in to focus when they go outside the wire to be thinking IEDs here, IEDS there, that could be a timing marker that could be an indicator.” [...] photos
Rakkasans Help Mothers Meet Children’s Needs
By Sgt. 1st Class Kerensa Hardy
3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airbourne Division

CAMP STRIKER, Iraq – More than 100 Iraqi families showed up to receive diapers, formula and cereal at the Radwaniyah Palace Complex Civil Military Operations Center, about seven kilometers southwest of Baghdad, May 31.

Rakkasan soldiers handed out two packages of disposable diapers, two cans of powdered formula and two cans of cereal mix for each child 3 years and younger. More than 180 children were assisted during the distribution.

The 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, began an initiative to reach out to and meet the needs of Iraqi women in February. A series of meetings with professional Iraqi women and visits to women from different areas in the Mahmudiyah Qada revealed their dreams, hopes, needs and future goals. [...] photos
MND-B Soldiers Seize Weapons Caches in Baghdad
By Multi-National Division – Baghdad

BAGHDAD – Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers seized weapons as they continued conducting operations to increase security, June 1-2.

A local citizen turned in munitions to Soldiers with the 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division at a combat outpost northwest of Baghdad at approximately 9 p.m., June 1.

The items included a homemade rocket, a homemade launcher, two 120 mm rounds, an anti-aircraft gun and 80 .50 cal. rounds.

MND-B Soldiers serving with the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division seized weapons in northwestern Baghdad at approximately 8:30 a.m., June 2. The weapons consisted of two rocket warheads, blasting caps, twelve AK47 magazines and various improvised explosive device making materials.

At approximately 11:15 a.m., June 2, a Soldier serving with 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division found an explosively formed penetrator in the Adhamiya District of Baghdad. [END]
IA, MND-B Soldiers Find Multiple Weapons Caches
By Multi-National Division – Baghdad

BAGHDAD – Iraqi army and Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers seized numerous weapons in Baghdad, June 3.

At approximately 9 a.m. in the Karkh security district, IA Soldiers from 22nd Brigade, 6th IA Division, seized two rocket components, two rocket propelled grenades, two MP-5 magazines and an armored vest.

Soldiers from 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, discovered six 60mm high explosive mortar rounds, two 82mm mortar rounds, three RPGs, seven mortar tail booms and a grenade at approximately 11 a.m. in the Sadr City District of Baghdad.

The IA Soldiers from 44th Brigade, 11th IA Division found an improvised explosive device, two rocket warheads, 12 RPGs, an RPG launcher; approximately 4,000, 7.62mm rounds; 14 boxes of various ammunition, a PKC and a AK-47, a rocket motor, three radios, five RPG motors, four blasting caps, five flak vests and three pounds of explosives at approximately 12:30 p.m. in the Baladiat area of New Baghdad. [...]
MND-B Soldiers Celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
By Spc. Aaron Rosencrans
Multi-National Divison - Baghdad

CAMP LIBERTY, Iraq - Music and dancing filled the courtyard at the Strike Dining Facility on Camp Liberty, May 30, during the Asian Pacific American Heritage Month celebration where Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers learned about the many cultures of Asian Pacific Americans.

Soldiers from Camp Taji traveled to perform choreographed group and solo dances to help MND-B Soldiers have a better understanding of the Asian Pacific customs and cultures; the Soldiers also had the opportunity to sample traditional meals.

The event was to not only entertain Soldiers during the lunch hour, but to educate them about the different customs and traditions in the many Asian Pacific cultures.

“Events like these heighten the awareness of other cultures,” said Master Sgt. Sarah Blackmon, a native of Maysville, N.C., who serves as the MND-B equal opportunity deputy and non-commissioned officer-in-charge with the 4th Infantry Division and MND-B.

“Because we are a diverse Army, we need to learn about other cultures to have a better understanding of our brothers and sisters who fight with us.” [...] photos
Battlefield Promotions for “Bastogne” Artillerymen
By 1st Lt. Jonathan J. Springer
2nd Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment Public Affairs Office

LOGISTICAL SUPPORT AREA ANACONDA, Iraq – Seven Soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment, were some of the first artillerymen in the Army to receive battlefield promotions on June 1 at Logistical Support Area Anaconda, Iraq.

The “Redlegs”, who fall under the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), received the battlefield promotions under a new program that allows enlisted Soldiers to be promoted based on extraordinary performance during combat.

“The battlefield promotion program is designed to accelerate those Soldiers that willingly and unhesitatingly accept and flawlessly perform at levels of increased responsibility in the combat environment,” said Command Sgt. Major Edward E. Estep, battalion sergeant major for the 2-320th.

The battlefield promotions are a one-year pilot program that was quietly introduced in military personnel (MILPER) message 08-094 dated April 1. It's set to expire April 9, 2009. [...] photos
ISF, Rakkasans Recover Two Caches in Mahmudiyah Area
By 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division

CAMP STRIKER, Iraq – A tip from an informant led Iraqi security forces and Rakkasan Soldiers to two separate weapons caches southwest of Baghdad, June 3.

The informant told Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 25th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, and 3rd Battalion, 320th Field Artillery, the first cache was originally found in the side of a canal. The informant moved the munitions to a secure location until IA and coalition forces arrived.

The cache, found near Mohammad Fahad, 22 kilometers southwest of Baghdad, included three SPG-9 Russian rockets, 12 57 mm anti-aircraft rounds and 28 60 mm mortar rounds.

The munitions were taken back to the Lutifiyah IA Compound for disposal at a later date.

The second cache was discovered by Mahmudiyah Iraqi police and the 65th Military Police Company near Muadefeen, about 26 kilometers southwest of Baghdad. That cache included six 60 mm mortars identified by explosive ordnance disposal personnel as Iranian in origin, 32 rocket propelled grenade rounds, five RPG motors and various other mortar components.

The cache was taken to the Mahmudiyah IA Compound.

Rakkasans from 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, recently began riverine operations along the Euphrates River. Gaining access to caches similar to these buried in the river bed is one of their goals. [END]
Iraqi Soldiers Continue Seizing Caches in Sadr City
By the Multi-National Division – North Public Affairs Office

TIKRIT, Iraq – Iraqi army soldiers with the 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, uncovered several weapons caches in Sadr City, Baghdad, June 7.

The soldiers seized a weapons cache at approximately 5:30 a.m. consisting of an explosively formed projectile, a 155 mm artillery round, an improvised-explosive device, explosive wire, two anti-tank rockets and an anti-aircraft rocket.

At approximately 5:45 a.m., soldiers in the same unit discovered two more caches, the first of which consisted of two 60 mm mortar rounds, three machine guns, four Russian sniper rifles, five AK-47 magazines and 200 AK-47 rounds.

The second cache consisted of a rocket propelled grenade, five grenades, an RPG-7 round, three SPG-9 anti-tank rockets, a 20 mm round, three fuses made up of explosive wire, a radio and an IED with a 155 mm mortar round.

Another cache found at approximately 9 a.m. included two IEDs, two RPGs, four propellant RPGs, two anti-tank mines, an anti-personnel mine, wire and a block of C-4. [...]
Rakkasans Coordinate Veterinarian Visit in Owesat
By Pvt. Christopher McKenna
3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) Public Affairs Office

CAMP STRIKER, Iraq – The Rakkasans organized a veterinary clinic at the Nasiriyah school in Owesat, May 31.

“Owesat is a farming community and the animals and husbandry is a key aspect of their lives,” said 1st Lt. Edward Janis, Company A, 3rd Battalion, 187 Infantry Regiment. “Currently, they don’t have any medicine for the animals so we funded a project to sponsor a local animal doctor who has some training in the field.”

The Soldiers of 3-187 Inf. Regt., 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), coordinated for Iraqi veterinarian Mohammed Helim to vaccinate livestock in the community, approximately 26 kilometers southwest of Baghdad. Helim is responsible for tending to the livestock of four tribes in the area. [...]
Photo Gallery
Questioning of a Detainee
Asian Pacific Americans Honored During Celebration
The ‘East’ Themed in BAF Ceremony
Weapon Cache Search in Albu Issa
Janabi Village Handout
.

War News: News The Enemies Within Hate To Print

~Snooper~

Getting back to posting on the plethora of successes our Troops have accomplished in the Global War On Terror, I am constantly amazed how good our fighting men and women are. Those that have never served yet say that they support the Troops is indeed admirable but only those that have served in The Suck truly know...others can only imagine...

Screaming Eagles Teach Iraqi Army Soldiers to Drive
By Spc. Rick Rzepka
1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (AA)

TIKRIT, Iraq – A long line of armored vehicles screams down the highway, weaving in and out of traffic like a drunken serpent. Behind the wheel of most of these vehicles are young Iraqi army soldiers, most of whom have never properly learned to drive.

A danger to themselves, other drivers and civilians, these road warriors need professional help.

Soldiers from 426th Brigade Support Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (AA) know what safe driving looks like and have teamed up with the IA to provide a driver’s training course. The “Taskmaster” battalion has driven more than 90,000 miles on long stretches of road in the Salah ad Din province keeping the “Bastogne” team in the fight.

As the Iraqi army matures and begins to assume a larger role in securing the people of the province, they are looking more and more to their coalition partners as mentors and teachers. [...] read the rest...photos
Service Members ‘trot’ for GWOT
By Sgt. 1st Class Antony M. C. Joseph
Combined Joint Task Force - 101

BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan – Drum beats and music resonated in the dusty Afghan air as men and women gathered under the morning sun. The sounds of the 101st Airborne Division Band became increasingly muffled as thunders of ‘whooshing’ sounds grew nearer. The sand lifted into a whirlwind as an Apache, Blackhawk and Chinook helicopter simultaneously passed overhead – a signal that meant ‘go.’ With that, the men and women bolted off and began their 10 kilometer stretch toward the finish line.

More than 700 service members participated in the ‘GWOT Trot,’ an 101st Combat Aviation Brigade-sponsored race held, May 17.

Runs are not new to service members, nor are commemorative races. However, what made the GWOT Trot unique was service members and contract workers here and from task forces in Jalalabad, Kandahar, Salerno and many other forward operating bases undertook the race together – separate locations with one overlying theme. [...] read the rest...photos
Citizens Lead Soldiers to Three Caches
By Sgt. Kevin Stabinsky
2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division

FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU, Iraq – Once a haven for insurgents to conduct operations and store weapons, the community of Maderiyah lived in fear. Now, citizens have turned against insurgents and are providing intelligence to secure their community, leading to the recovery of numerous weapons caches.

On, May 16, citizens led Soldiers from Battery B, 1st Battalion, 9th Field Artillery, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, to three separate caches.

“Local Iraqis are tired of the violence and fighting … and have come to see the benefits of assisting the coalition and (Iraqi army’s) efforts in their community,” said Lt. Col. R.J. Lillibridge, commander of 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, attached to 2nd BCT, 3rd Inf. Div. “The benefits of assisting the coalition and government of Iraq clearly outweigh any benefit to supporting or tolerating the insurgency.”

The first cache consisted of four rocket propelled grenades, six RPG warheads and six RPG boosters. [...] read the rest
Vice Chief Reenlists BSB Soldier
By Cpt. Georginia Bradshaw
4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division

FORWARE OPERATING BASE SHARANA, Afghanistan - The U.S. Army vice chief of staff, Gen. Richard A. Cody reenlisted a Bravo Company, 801st Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division Soldier and presented a few combat patches to Soldiers during his farewell tour, May 12.

Reenlisted was Sgt. James W. Kehoe, Jr, a Bravo Company, 801st BSB, 4th BCT mechanic from Cleveland.

“I am excited because I served with General Cody when he was the 101st commander,” said Kehoe, who has been in the Army 12 years and reenlisted for five more.

Kehoe shared fond memories of the general.

“At General Cody’s chain of command, we had a pass and review with the division. It was the most amazing situation because he had told the entire division to rush him at the podium,” said Kehoe. “Everyone was screaming and yelling. It was an awesome experience and extremely moving because that was the last time the entire division was at Fort Campbell, (Ky.).”

Though he expressed a sincere congratulation, Kehoe also felt mixed emotions when he learned the visit was the general’s farewell tour. [...] read the rest...photo
Piledriver Comes to an End, Projects Continue
By Sgt. 1st Class Kerensa Hardy

CAMP STRIKER, Iraq – Operation Marne Piledriver kicked off in earnest April 15 with an Iraqi army-led air assault and clearing operations in the Mahmudiyah area, about 26 kilometers south of Baghdad.

Although the IA has led air assaults in the past, this particular mission showcased its abilities.

“This … showed that Iraqis are securing the area, ridding it of the last bastion of (al-Qaida in Iraq) and simultaneously injected projects, both US- and Iraqi-funded, such as clean water, agricultural and other business opportunities and (aimed) to grow the trust in Iraqi security forces,” said Col. Dominic Caraccilo, commander of 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault).

Piledriver is the first major operation initiated by Task Force Marne that targeted capacity building throughout the Mahmudiyah Qada.

From refurbishing schools, clinics and water treatment facilities to rejuvenating the poultry and fish industries, the operation has yielded several projects to improve quality of life for Iraqis on many fronts. [...] read the rest...photos
Aviation Unit Flies 200th Air Assault Mission in Iraq
By Sgt. 1st Class Thomas Mills
3rd Combat Aviation Brigade

CAMP STRIKER, Iraq – As grand accomplishments go, Task Force Marne’s Combat Aviation Brigade’s 200th combat air assault mission during their current deployment to Iraq went off with as little fanfare as possible.

An uneventful mission is just fine with the pilots of 4th Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment, the CAB, 3rd Infantry Division’s air assault unit.

“For us it went exactly as planned,” said Chief Warrant Officer 3 Nigel Huebscher, the mission’s flight lead. “We hit the ‘time on target,’ spot on the (landing zone) and performed the mission as close to flawlessly as we can.”

The first 12 months of the 3rd CAB’s 15-month deployment in Multi-National Division – Center has seen many records knocked down; total flight hours of 100,000 and fuel pumped of more than 10 million gallons, to name a couple. Most of these records are based on the operational tempo of the 3rd CAB, meaning the amount of missions flown every day and night.

During the unit’s deployment to Iraq in 2005, the 4-3rd Avn. Regt. executed more than 110 air assault missions in their first 12 months, said Capt. Conor Stilwell, assistant operations officer. [...] read the rest...photos
Sayafiyah Celebrates Change
By Sgt. Kevin Stabinsky
2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division

FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU, Iraq – After nearly three months of reconstruction, Sayafiyah residents celebrated the simultaneous openings of the Sayafiyah Governance Center, Veterinary Clinic and Health Clinic on May 20.

“This is their day,” said Capt. Joe Johnson, commander of Company C, 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, currently attached to 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division.

All three of the projects were a result of teamwork between Soldiers from the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), and the civilian population.

“They are great people down here who want to help themselves,” said Sgt. Jeremy Johnson, a medic with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1-187th Inf. Regt. “They put a lot of hard work into this,” he said, pointing to the restored health center. “Before, it was just rubble.” [...] read the rest...photos
SoI, Shaykh Tip Lead Rakkasans to Huge Cache
By Multi-National Division - Center

CAMP VICTORY, Iraq – A local shaykh, informed by a Sons of Iraq member, gave a tip to coalition forces leading them to a huge munitions cache approximately 13 kilometers south of Baghdad, May 21.

Soldiers from 3rd Battalion, 320th Field Artillery, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, retrieved the cache containing 268 57 mm mortar rounds, two 82 mm mortars and four 107 mm rocket casings.

None of the rounds were serviceable, but they could have been alternately used as improvised explosive devices.

The munitions were turned over to Iraqi army personnel at a nearby compound. [END]
Widowmakers Fight Off Militant Attack While Searching for Cache Near Shulla
By Sgt. James Hunter
2nd Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs Office, 101st Airborne Division, Multi-National Division-Baghdad

BAGHDAD – Multi-National Division–Baghdad Soldiers from Troop B, 1st Squadron, 75th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), received a tip of a possible weapons cache just on the outskirts of Shulla in western Baghdad May 16.

The scene going into the area was almost unreal. Animal carcasses littered the fields surrounding Shulla. The creek running to Shulla’s south filled the air with an awful odor. As the Soldiers pushed into the area, an improvised explosive device immediately detonated. Fortunately, it did not strike any of the troops. The IED attached was immediately followed by three rocket-propelled grenades.

For nearly the next two hours, the Soldiers continued to search the area for the possible cache while under attack by indirect mortar and RPG fire. The Soldier’s fought back against the violent extremists, firing 5.56mm and .50-caliber rounds into the enemy forces’ positions. [...] read the rest...photos
Bastogne Physical Therapists Keep Soldiers on Their Feet
By Spc. Rick Rzepka
1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (AA)

COMBAT OPERATIONS BASE SPEICHER, Iraq – It’s not a game, it’s combat. Yet many of the physical tolls that professional athletes face are mirrored in professional Soldiers. Pulled muscles, back pains and sprains are just a few injuries that Soldiers face while conducting day to day operations in Iraq.

Enter the Army physical therapist. A mobile, hands-on medical professional, who works with Soldiers to alleviate Soldier’s neuromusculoskeletal problems in the thick of the fight.

“We see our guys on the line as professional athletes,” said Capt. Christine Iverson, a physical therapist with the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division. Iverson, who has been an Army physical therapist since April of 2006, earned a Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Baylor University and has been helping Screaming Eagle Soldiers reach their peak performance ever since. She and her mobile physical therapy team have helped more than 2,500 Soldiers get back on their feet since being deployed here in Sept. 2007. [...] read the rest...photos
Rakkasans Distribute Supplies to Iraqi Schools
By Pvt. Christopher McKenna
3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Public Afffairs Office

CAMP STRIKER, Iraq – Rakkasan Soldiers distributed school supplies to the Saad and al-Zuwaiti Schools, about 11 kilometers southwest of Baghdad, May 21.

The Soldiers, with Troop A, 1st Squadron, 33rd Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), distributed a total of nine boxes filled with pens, pencils, erasers, paper, folders and other supplies.

“Basically, anything you would send your child to school with back home was included,” said Staff Sgt. Michael Wade, native of Auburn, Mass., section sergeant for Troop A.

Schoolchildren and generous people of Fairfield, Pa., donated everything distributed on that day.

“Tammy Kurtz, mother of one of our Soldiers, a teacher’s aide in Fairfield, contacted us and wanted to do something with the students as a civic’s lesson,” Wade said.

Various stores and shops in the Fairfield area took interest and also contributed to the donation of items. [...] read the rest...photos
Uthman Feed Mill Renovations Complete
By Sgt. 1st Class Kerensa Hardy
3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault)

CAMP STRIKER, Iraq – After months of planning and hard work, the Uthman Feed Mill celebrated its completion of refurbishments in Mahmudiyah, about 26 kilometers south of Baghdad, on May 21.

The finished feed mill now boasts a sound-proof generator and increased ability to provide pelletized feed for the re-energized poultry and fish industries.

“My feed mill shows the continued commitment of American forces to the area,” said Uthman Daheesh, the owner. “Without their assistance this would not be possible.”

The feed mill also now has the dyes it previously lacked to pelletize feed. [...] read the rest...photos
Government Officials, U.S. Work to Heal, Unite
By Capt. Drew Sandstrum
3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault)

PATROL BASE KEMPLE, Iraq – For the first time in recent history, the government of Iraq came to the aid of local residents requiring medical care in al-Betra and Owesat, about 25 kilometers southwest of Baghdad, on May 20.

Assisted by Soldiers of Company A, 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), GoI officials and Iraqi doctors flew to a school in the remote community of al-Betra to provide medical care and discuss the extension of government services to the area.

The adjoining communities of al-Betra and Owesat sit on the western shores of the Euphrates River. The area falls under the jurisdiction of Anbar province and Ameriyah-Fallujah Nahia, despite being more than 30 kilometers from the nahia government and more than 40 kilometers from Fallujah, the seat of provincial government.

This natural isolation has led to a lack of essential services. In recent months, however, the tribal leaders of al-Betra and Owesat have reached out to GoI officials with the assistance of coalition forces. This mission marks a turning point in the effort to integrate the communities into government operations. [...] read the rest...photos
Speicher-based Unit Wins Top Quartermaster Award
By Spc. Rick Rzepka

COMBAT OPERATING BASE SPEICHER, Iraq – “I am Quartermaster; my story is enfolded in the history of this nation, sustainer of Armies.”

The 426th Brigade Support Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, has been selected by the 2008 Quartermaster Honors Panel as a Distinguished Unit of the Quartermaster Regiment. The 426th BSB is the only unit to have won the annual honor twice.

Since 1993, the award has recognized units with a Quartermaster lineage that have significantly contributed to the proud heritage of the Army and the Quartermaster corps.
The “Taskmaster” battalion’s history, longevity, campaign and battle streamers, and unit citations were all taken into consideration in determining this year’s winner.

“The 426th BSB is a proven winner,” said Col. Michael S. McBride, 1st BCT commander. “This battle-hardened unit deserves the honor as being named as the 2008 Distinguished Unit of the Quartermaster Regiment,” he said. [...] read the rest...photo
Coalition Forces Care for Obeidi Tribe
FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU, Iraq – Members of the Obeidi tribe in Maderiyah, 25 kilometers south of Baghdad, have always relied on one another through difficult times.

Now, thanks to successful implementation of the counterinsurgency policy, the tribe can also rely on Soldiers of the 1st Battalion, 9th Field Artillery, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, for help.

Soldiers from 1st Platoon, Battery B, 1-9th FA, met with an Obeidi woman May 21 to coordinate treatment options for burns she suffered during a mortar attack aimed at coalition forces. [...] read the rest...photos
IA, Coalition MiTT Find Cache at Fish Farm
3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault)

CAMP STRIKER, Iraq – Iraqi army soldiers and a Rakkasan Military Transition Team found a weapons cache in the water of a fish farm in Shubayshen, about 30 kilometers southwest of Baghdad, May 24.

A tip led Soldiers from 4th Battalion, 25th Brigade, 6th IA Division and the 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment MiTT, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), to the cache of six 120 mm mortar rounds.

The cache was turned over to the IA for later disposal by explosive ordnance disposal personnel. [END]
IA, Rakkasans Find Cache in Lutifiyah
3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault)

CAMP STRIKER, Iraq – Iraqi and Rakkasan Soldiers uncovered a small cache west of Patrol Base Lutifiyah, about 40 kilometers south of Baghdad, May 23.

Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 25th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, and 3rd Battalion, 320th Field Artillery, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), found 18 82-mm mortar rounds and seven mortar fuses.

The items were taken to the Lutifiyah IA Compound for destruction at a later date. [END]
Balad Area Fighters Reconcile With Iraqi Government
By Spc. Rick Rzepka

BALAD, Iraq – More than 140 fugitives in the Balad area have turned themselves in to Iraqi security forces here, May 22, and many more are expected to come into the fold during the next several days.

Iraqi nationals suspected of planning and carrying out attacks on Iraqi and coalition forces, initiated the process of reconciliation at the Joint Coordination Center in the city of Balad as a result of increased pressure on anti-Iraqi forces in the last several weeks.

Tribal leaders in the area have made an attempt to end the stand off with coalition and Iraqi forces by bringing the men under their influence into the governmental fold.

“Today’s reconciliation is an example of local leaders taking a broad step forward in the future security and in the legitimacy of the Iraqi legal process,” said U.S. Army Maj. Ramiro Salazar, operations officer for the 1st Squadron, 32nd Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division. Along with Iraqi security forces, the squadron is responsible for security in Balad. [...] read the rest...photo
Daughters of Iraq Begin Training
By 1st Lt. Agustin Valerio Nunez
2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division

BAGHDAD – The Soldiers of Company A, 1st Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment found an ally in the Sons of Iraq (Abn al-Iraq) early on in their 15-month deployment.

As part of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, Task Force Rogue worked with the Sons of Iraq to thwart criminal activity in the Al Mansour District of northwest Baghdad for 13 months.

Now the plan is to add women to the ranks.

On, May 17, 31 women from the Adil and Jamia neighborhoods of northwest Baghdad began training to become part of the Daughters of Iraq.

The 10-day training program was held at the Joint Security Station in Adil. There Soldiers incorporated hands-on-instruction with classroom activities to teach women basic military skills. [...] read the rest...photo
CJTF-101 Observes Memorial Day in Afghanistan
By Pfc. Scott Davis
Combined Joint Task Force-101

BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan – A cool afternoon shower set a somber mood as Combined Joint Task Force-101 observed Memorial Day with a ceremony here today, paying tribute to those who have died in our nation’s service.

Maj. Gen. Jeffrey Schloesser, commander of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) and CJTF-101 was the guest speaker for the ceremony.

“Like the brave veterans who served before us and now lay in final rest at our nation’s cemeteries, today’s Soldier, Sailor, Marine and Airman continues to prove that they are willing to risk everything, and to give up the comforts of life so that others, average American citizens, can go about their daily routines freely and without fear,” Schloesser said.

He ended his speech with a quote written on a memorial in Arlington National Cemetery.

“Nothing speaks higher to the memory of fallen Americans than these: ‘Not for fame or reward, not for place or rank, not lured by ambition or goaded by necessity, but in simple obedience to duty as they understood it, these men suffered all, sacrificed all, dared all, and died.” [...] read the rest...photos

Photo Gallery
Troops Patrol Northern Ghazaliyah
Strike Soldiers Patrol Western Baghdad
Widowmakers Set Up Concertina Wire Around Shulla
Troops Set Up Obstacles to Help Halt Enemy Movements In, Out of Shulla
No Respite for Unsung Heroes of No Slack Battalion
Medical Visit for Iraqi Man
A Day in the Life of a CG's Aide
101st Airborne Soldiers Honor Fallen
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