16 January 2009

Early Bird summary
Today’s Early Bird leads with a story from the Washington Post that reports that the planned U.S. military and counterinsurgency drive in Afghanistan is meeting public and official resistance that could delay and possibly undermine a costly, belated effort that American officials here acknowledge has a limited window of time to succeed.The officials say they are optimistic that the planned addition of up to 30,000 troops, combined with a new strategy to support local governance and development aimed at weaning villagers away from Taliban influence, will show significant results within the year. They say improved cooperation from the army in neighboring Pakistan and better performance by the Afghan national army are bolstering this optimism.Yet they also acknowledge that they face an array of obstacles, including: widespread public hostility to international forces over bombing raids and civilian abuses; the growing influence of Taliban insurgents in areas where central authority and services are scarce; and controversy over plans to establish village defense groups.
Also high in the Early Bird is a story from USA Today reporting that, if violence in Baghdad remains at current, diminished levels, U.S. troops could start leaving the capital this year, the top American commander there said in an interview. Militants mount about four attacks per day in Baghdad, a reduction of about two-thirds compared with last year, said Maj. Gen. Jeffery Hammond. Three of those attacks target coalition troops, the other is aimed at civilians.Hammond commands about 27,500 troops in Baghdad, and a cut in U.S. forces there could free them up for service in Afghanistan. Commanders there want about 30,000 more troops to help fight the growing insurgency."If conditions do not change, I anticipate there would be a reduction of coalition forces in Baghdad at some point," Hammond said
In a related piece carried in the Philadelphia Inquirer, Pentagon officials said yesterday that they would be ready on Inauguration Day with plans for a quick pullout of U.S. combat troops from Iraq if Barack Obama orders one, as he pledged to do during his presidential campaign.A 16-month timeline for withdrawing battle forces from Iraq is among options being prepared, with an eye to Obama's pledge to call the Joint Chiefs of Staff to the White House on his first day in office with instructions to close down a war he opposed."Our military planners do not live in a vacuum," Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell said. "They are well aware that the president-elect campaigned on withdrawing troops from Iraq on a 16-month timeline, so it would be only prudent of them to draw up plans that reflected that option."
Other noteworthy pieces in Friday’s EB:
§ The Washington Times reports that President Bush said Thursday that closing the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, is "not as easy as it sounds," sending a warning to President-elect Barack Obama that he will have to find a way to prevent those released from coming back to attack the U.S."People will find that there's quite a few that are very dangerous people and to put them in a position where they can eventually get out on the street and come back and harm one of our citizens would be a very dangerous policy," Mr. Bush told The Washington Times in an interview in the Oval Office.
§ CongressDailyPM reports that the Commandant of the Marine Corps said that discussions in the Pentagon were nearing conclusion that he believes will result in a "significant number" of Marines going into Afghanistan by the middle of the year. A meeting of the Joint Chiefs of Staff set for Friday may finalize that, Gen. James Conway said. He hoped to keep the number of Marines in Afghanistan at 20,000 or less. Conway said he has been in discussions with key congressional officials about what Marine programs could be moved up by receiving funding in the economic stimulus package being worked on by Congress and President-elect Obama.
§ Washington Times reports that The Navy plans an aggressive effort to capture pirates off the coast of Somalia with the aid of a country in the region that would agree to prosecute and hold them, a naval commander said Thursday.Vice Adm. William Gortney, commander of the U.S. 5th Fleet, said the United States is nearing a deal with an unidentified country that would agree to take the pirates into custody once captured by U.S. forces in Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden waters off the Horn of Africa. Up to now, U.S. forces in the region have limited their operations to deterrence and disruption because no country including the United States has been willing to hold the pirates.
§ The Wall Street Journal reports that U.S. security and law-enforcement officials say they have fresh evidence of recent efforts by Iran to evade sanctions and acquire metals from China used in high-tech weaponry, including long-range nuclear missiles. Iran's efforts are detailed in a series of recent emails and letters between Iranian companies and foreign suppliers seen by The Wall Street Journal. Business records show one Iranian company, ABAN Commercial & Industrial Ltd., has contracted through an intermediary for more than 30,000 kilograms (about 66,000 pounds) of tungsten copper -- which can be used in missile guidance systems -- from Advanced Technology & Materials Co. Ltd. of Beijing. One March 2008 email between the firms mentions shipping 215 ingots, with more planned.
§ The Wall Street Journal also reports that airstrikes Thursday killed Hamas's security chief in the Gaza Strip, in a tactical victory for Israel. A separate Israeli attack on the United Nation's headquarters in the territory drew international condemnation.Thursday's attacks in Gaza's heavily populated urban areas came as U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice accelerated efforts to forge a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas by finalizing an agreement with Jerusalem to guard against the smuggling of weapons into the Gaza Strip. U.S. and Israeli officials said the agreement would bolster the diplomacy Egypt is conducting with the Palestinians and Israelis in Cairo in support of a cease-fire.
Media summary
1. Leading newspaper headlines: USA Today and the Los Angeles Times lead with the photogenic and uplifting story of the day: an Airbus A320 landing on the Hudson River off Manhattan after a flock of birds fouled its takeoff from LaGuardia airport. (Slate Magazine)
2. Iranians ‘worried about economy’: Iranians are more concerned about their country's finances than tension with the West or political reform, according to a BBC poll. (BBC)
3. Urgent drive for Gaza ceasefire: Diplomatic activity is intensifying over a possible ceasefire to end Israel's war with Hamas in Gaza. (BBC)
4. Threatened Pakistan schools close: Private schools in Pakistan's troubled north-western Swat district have closed to comply with a Taleban edict banning girls' education, officials say. (BBC)
5. Marines arm logistics group for combat deployment: Lance Cpl. Rosa Shaver’s day begins as early as 2 a.m. on a normal basis. She rolls out of bed, showers, brushes her teeth, fixes her hair and kisses her two young children goodbye, never knowing what time she will return to say hello to them again. (Marine Corps News)
6. Pentagon unveils official portrait of former Chairman of Joint Chiefs: Government officials unveiled 16th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Peter Pace's official portrait during a ceremony in the Pentagon Auditorium. (Marine Corps News)
Leading newspaper headlines
USA Today and the Los Angeles Times lead with the photogenic and uplifting story of the day: an Airbus A320 landing on the Hudson River off Manhattan after a flock of birds fouled its takeoff from LaGuardia airport. All 155 people on board survived, due to quick thinking by the plane's pilot and rapid response from city agencies.
The Washington Post and New York Times lead with details of House Democrats' $825 billion stimulus package as well as the Senate's narrow vote to fork over the second installment of $350 billion in bailout money—despite the fact that administration of the first half has been "hugely unpopular"—granting President-elect Barack Obama broad authority to do with it what he will. The incoming chief executive promised to direct the money toward credit markets and homeowners, plus a goodly chunk for not-doing-so-hot-after-all Bank of America. Money going to banks will have more strings attached, Obama said, such as a requirement to lend and tighter restrictions on executive compensation.
The Wall Street Journal tops its world-wide newsbox with some scoopage on Iran, which has been using front companies to import a range of metals that can be used in nuclear and ballistic missile systems as well as commercial aviation. The Manhattan district attorney's office also believes that 10 banks have handled Iranian money, which would violate U.S. sanctions against the country. In decidedly more reassuring news, Pakistan says it has rounded up the entire leadership of Lashkar-e-Taiba, the Islamist group suspected of orchestrating December's attacks in Mumbai.
With no fewer than 35 reporters on the story, the NYT takes the cake for blanket coverage of the "miracle on the Hudson." Gov. David Paterson called the rescue effort "one of the most magnificent days in the history of New York City agencies"—few passengers were hurt, and most barely had to touch the frigid waters. The Post tells a tighter story, complete with a Bank of America executive regretting wearing heels as she skittered out on the plane's wing. And the media have found a new American hero in the delightfully named Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger III, who piloted the plane past the Manhattan skyline to a safe water landing.
As the NYT points out, the huge infusions of capital are bringing the U.S. government close to taking majority stakes in several of the recipient banks, which smacks of nationalization despite Treasury's attempt to avoid the appearance of such a step by relieving the institutions of their most troubled assets rather than buying stock outright. Bank of America stock tanked 18 percent on news that the federal government would be investing another $20 billion in the company and sharing losses on $118 billion of its assets. Debate over the stimulus package is likely to center on the balance between tax cuts and spending programs: In the current Democratic proposal, $550 billion would go toward investments in science, infrastructure, and education, with the rest funding a tax credit of $500 for individuals and $1,000 for couples.
The Post milked an interview with Obama for all it was worth, breaking his comments up into pieces about conditions for aid to automakers and entitlement spending. On the latter, the president-elect said he planned to convene a "fiscal responsibility summit" and promised to significantly revamp Medicare to save it from insolvency. (Listen to the whole thing here.)
Israel hit a United Nations relief building yesterday, several days after it had killed 40 in striking a U.N. school, which the NYT uses to highlight long-standing tensions between the country and the international body. The Journal focuses on the death of Hamas' security chief, as well as the memorandum of understanding that Israel is expected to sign with the United States today that would establish an international monitoring regime to prevent arms from reaching Hamas. It's unclear how the Obama administration and Clinton State Department would handle such an agreement or even whether they've been advised of the last-ditch effort. The Post says Obama avoided the issue in his sit-down with them, and USAT appeared to have little more success in its own "wide-ranging" interview with the president-elect, in which the new chief said only that he would be appointing a team to figure out what to do about the situation in Gaza.
As promised, Republican senators held attorney general nominee Eric Holder's feet to the fire over his role in President Bill Clinton's pardon of fugitive financier Marc Rich. Holder came out strongly against torture—a spirit Zimbabwe could use more of about now—and repudiated the partisan policies of the Bush Justice Department. Still, he refrained from endorsing prosecution of past wrongs, such as the illegal wiretapping program. (According to outgoing CIA chief Michael Hayden, Obama is also not looking to prosecute those responsible for harsh interrogation techniques at Guantanamo Bay and elsewhere.) Many more of those actions will bear the test of history, however, as a judge ruled that the White House must preserve its e-mails for cataloging in the National Archives, which the administration had taken steps to avoid.
Other than a pledge to prosecute the employers of illegal immigrants rather than the workers themselves, homeland security nominee Janet Napolitano's confirmation hearing was not nearly so interesting.
The papers present a sad picture of President George Bush's last press conference, which was carried live by all the major networks but contained no major confessions or revelations. "I have often spoken to you about good and evil," he said. "This has made some uncomfortable. But good and evil are present in this world, and between the two there can be no compromise." In one bit of old news to become public yesterday, a special intelligence court backed the Bush administration's wiretapping program, which an unnamed telecommunications company challenged while complying with the executive's request for phone records.

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Iranians 'worried about economy'
Poll suggests a lack of money is top of the agenda on Iran's streets
Iranians are more concerned about their country's finances than tension with the West or political reform, according to a BBC poll.
The survey suggests residents think unemployment, poverty and high inflation are Iran's biggest issues.
It also found there is strong support inside Iran for the country having its own nuclear industry.
The findings come as the BBC launches its Persian television channel for Iran and the wider region.
Nuclear weapons
Those surveyed were asked for the two most important issues facing Iran today and 45% of respondents said unemployment and poverty.
One per cent said hostile relations with the United States and a similar number said lack of democracy or need for political reform.
On the question of whether Iran should be allowed to develop a nuclear industry, 94% of those surveyed agreed.
The president came to power promising to improve economic conditions and the people's verdict according to the poll is that he has failed
Sadeq Saba
BBC Iran analyst
The poll also questioned people in different countries around the world. A third of respondents in the United Kingdom and 18% in the United States agreed with the nuclear industry question. There appeared to be stronger support in Pakistan, with 88% in favour.
But the poll suggested fewer Iranians are comfortable with the idea of their country being able to build nuclear weapons - half of those questioned were in agreement.
Barack Obama
The main findings do not make good reading for President Ahmadinejad, ahead of his bid for re-election in June, says BBC Iran analyst Sadeq Saba.
The president came to power three years ago promising to improve economic conditions, and the people's verdict - according to the poll - is that he has failed.
The only good news for the Iranian authorities in this poll is the fact that more than half of Iranians think that their country is heading in the right direction, says our analyst.
The polls shows that many people are happy that security in Iran is generally good and they haven't faced the same predicament as the Iraqis and the Afghans.
The survey also found 41% of Iranians think Barack Obama being US president will improve relations between the two countries. In the US, almost two-thirds of those asked thought that would be the case.
The poll surveyed a total of 4,163 people at the end of November, after the US election.


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Urgent drive for Gaza ceasefire
Israeli troops continue to pound the Gaza Strip
Diplomatic activity is intensifying over a possible ceasefire to end Israel's war with Hamas in Gaza.
An Israeli government spokesman said he hoped the conflict was "entering its final act", as high-level talks were being held in Egypt and Washington.
Medics said they had pulled 23 bodies from rubble in Gaza City as the Israeli bombardment continued. Militants are continuing to fire rockets into Israel.
A teenager has reportedly died during anti-Israeli protests in the West Bank.
He was killed as violence broke out between demonstrators and Israeli soldiers in the West Bank town of Hebron, reports said. Clashes were also reported at the Qalandya checkpoint.
The Israeli army had earlier closed all access to the West Bank for the next two days following a call by Hamas, the militant group which controls Gaza, for all Palestinians to observe what it called a day of wrath after Friday prayers.
The Palestinian Authority issued a similar call to action to followers of Fatah, a rival Palestinian faction to Hamas.
See map of Gaza City and area
After meeting Palestinian Authority leaders in the West Bank, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called on Israel to end the fighting.



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Threatened Pakistan schools close
By M Ilyas Khan BBC News, Islamabad
Private schools in Pakistan's troubled north-western Swat district have closed to comply with a Taleban edict banning girls' education, officials say.
The edict was issued on schools in Swat by a Taleban cleric in a radio broadcast last month. A 15 January deadline was set.
Owners say the schools will not reopen until the conflict in Swat is resolved, or the Taleban revoke the ban.
The government says it will do all it can to protect education.
Security pledge
School owners in Mingora, the administrative centre of Swat district, say even if they keep the schools open, parents are unlikely to send their children in view of the Taleban threat.
"The local administration called a meeting of Mingora's school owners two days ago and promised to provide security to us if we remained open, but no-one is ready to run the risk,", Ahmad Shah, a Mingora school owner, told the BBC.
There are more than 350 privately owned schools in Swat, each with separate sections for boys and girls, according to data available from a local association of schools.
Over the past year, most of them were ordered closed by the Taleban, except 96 schools that operated in Mingora town.
They have now closed, bringing all privately administered girls' education in Swat to an end.
The Taleban have destroyed nearly 150 schools in the last year.
Minister for Information and Broadcasting Sherry Rehman said on Friday that the government would work with the provincial administration to protect education, particularly for girls, in North West Frontier Province.
She expected a resolution in the National Assembly against the attacks on schools.
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Marines arm logistics group for combat deployment
By Cpl. Aaron Rooks, 2nd Marine Logistics Group
MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE —
Lance Cpl. Rosa Shaver’s day begins as early as 2 a.m. on a normal basis. She rolls out of bed, showers, brushes her teeth, fixes her hair and kisses her two young children goodbye, never knowing what time she will return to say hello to them again. This is the usual life of an armorer with Combat Logistics Regiment 27, 2nd Marine Logistics Group.
Shaver and her fellow Marines are welcomed to work every morning by more than 2,000 Marine Corps weapon systems to include M-16 and M4 rifles, M9 pistols, M249 Squad Automatic Weapons, 240G medium machine guns, .50 caliber Browning machine guns and MK-19 grenade launchers.
The Marines’ operational tempo is higher than ever as the 2nd Marine Logistics Group moves closer to its combat deployment to Iraq. Marine armorers like Shaver have been constantly pushed to their physical and mental limits since pre-deployment workups began in November 2008.
Marines and sailors now constantly check out various weapons for a variety of purposes such as pre-deployment training, rifle and pistol ranges, general cleaning and transfer of weapons.
“We see as many as seven groups of up to 500 Marines a day,” said 22-year-old Shaver, a native of Lanham, Md. “We normally find ourselves working between 60 and 70 hours a week. But we do this because they have to be ready to deploy when the time comes.”
Their daily tasks come in abundance. They are required to account for every last serial number on each weapon twice-a-day, ensure each weapon is maintained and cleaned regularly and distribute those weapons to Marines and sailors for training and deployments.
The Marines also handle night vision equipment, laser bore sights, bayonets, knives and other weapon accessories. In addition to this, armorers troubleshoot 75 percent of problems causing weapons to malfunction. Shaver, who has worked at the armory for more than one year, said if they come across a serious problem they cannot fix, it will be sent to 2nd Maintenance Battalion, 2nd MLG, for repair.
The armory also received a vast amount of new weapons in the past few months to accommodate the high number of Marines who are deploying, which has only added to the already heavy workload.
Shaver and her co-workers agreed that the job of an armorer is not for everyone. Marines in the job field must possess a multitude of different qualities in order to be successful. They must be familiar with computer software, knowledgeable with math and numbers, practice good time management and maintain a high level of physical fitness to handle the variety of weapons.
“These traits are necessary to do this job successfully,” Shaver said. “Our mission is vital to Marines. With us here, no one has to worry about losing a weapon or an accessory to a weapon. They also don’t have to worry about the weapon malfunctioning, or even misfiring causing harm to the person or the weapon.”
The hours and stress remain at the forefront of difficulties that face these Marines though. Lance Cpl. Nicholas Richards, an armorer with CLR-27, said the phrase “patience is a virtue,” applies well to their job.
“We deal with weapons, people, serial numbers, computers, ammunition, tools…” Richards explained. “There’s a lot of physical and mental stress involved in what we do because we’re responsible for each weapon that a Marine uses.”
Richards said the armory will often be forced to close specific areas of operation due to the number of tasks that are expected of the Marines. The native of Grandville, Mich. went on to say that their armory sometimes has so many customers that every armorer is needed to assist.
Despite the work conditions and high demand for armorers, the Marines keep moving forward. They know that once the Marines of the logistics group deploy, the tempo will drop. Until then, they plan to remain on their toes and ready for anything that could come next.
“The Marines have been able to accomplish each of their missions so far, and I have no doubt that they will be able to keep this up until things calm down,” said Detroit native Cpl. Joshua Gilmore, an armorer with CLR-27. “They’re Marines, they have initiative and they know their jobs.”


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Pentagon unveils official portrait of former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs
By Lance Cpl. Jacquelyn M. White, Headquarters Marine Corps
WASHINGTON —
Government officials unveiled 16th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Peter Pace's official portrait during a ceremony in the Pentagon Auditorium today.
Several senior military leaders, including the current Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Michael G. Mullen, were at the event to pay tribute to Pace's career, which spanned more than four decades.
Pace said the event was an opportunity to look back and give thanks to all of the individuals who have made a difference in his life.
“Any success I have had is attributable to the great young guys and gals I worked with all along the way, especially the Marine and other service's staff noncommissioned officers who would give me their very candid advice,” Pace, a Teaneck, N.J., native, said. “Today was a chance to come back into this building and say thanks one more time to everybody who has worked with me.”
The portrait was painted by Peter E. Egeli, who has devoted more than 50 years of his career as a portrait and Marine artist. The painting will hang inside the Pentagon along the Chairmen's Corridor.
Pace, who retired from the Marine Corps Oct. 1, 2007, after more than 40 years of service, is currently serving on the board of directors for several corporate entities involved in management consulting, private equity and information technology security. He also serves on the Secretary of Defense's Policy Board.



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