Early Bird summary
Monday’s Early Bird leads with an article from the New York Times reporting that more than 70 United States military advisers and technical specialists are secretly working in Pakistan to help its armed forces battle Al Qaeda and the Taliban in the country’s lawless tribal areas, American military officials said.The Americans are mostly Army Special Forces soldiers who are training Pakistani Army and paramilitary troops, providing them with intelligence and advising on combat tactics, the officials said. They do not conduct combat operations, the officials added.
The Wall Street Journal reports that Taliban gunmen abducted and briefly held a government official in Pakistan's Swat Valley Sunday afternoon, as the group's local faction said it would agree to a truce with the government only when Islamic law is established there.Khushal Khan, chief administrative officer of Mingora, the main town in Swat, and his six security guards were abducted by the insurgents as they drove through the valley toward its main town.All were later released, said a Taliban spokesman, according to the Associated Press.
The Washington Post reports that a battle just outside southern Afghanistan's largest city has killed at least six Taliban fighters, and an airstrike against insurgents elsewhere in the south killed eight, officials said Sunday.The battle in the Panjwayi district -- 15 miles west of Kandahar city -- began late Saturday after Taliban fighters ambushed a police patrol, wounding two officers, said Abdullah Khan, the province's deputy police chief. NATO and Afghan forces responded, unleashing bombs that could be heard by residents of Kandahar city.
The Associated Press reports that North Korea recently deployed a new type of medium-range ballistic missile capable of reaching Australia and the U.S. territory of Guam, South Korea’s Defense Ministry said Monday.The report comes amid speculation that the isolated regime is also preparing to test-fire another, long-range missile able to hit Alaska.
The Washington Post reports that Iran's first nuclear power plant will undergo a critical series of tests starting Wednesday before full-scale operation begins later this year, Iranian state radio reported Sunday.The plant is a highly symbolic facet of Iran's controversial nuclear program. Iranian leaders insist the country's nuclear ambitions are peaceful, but the United States, Israel and some European nations have charged that Iran is trying to produce nuclear weapons.
Media summary
1. Leading newspaper headlines: The Wall Street Journal leads its business newsbox with word that Citigroup is in talks with federal officials about the government possibly taking a larger ownership stake in the ailing bank. (Slate Magazine)
2. CLB-2 makes long haul to remote region of Iraq: The sun had barely peaked over the horizon as a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle, affectionately known as the Battle Wagon, and more than 30 other vehicles carrying Marines, civilian contractors, and one interpreter, rolled out of Al Asad early Sunday morning, Feb. 8, 2009. (marines.mil)
3. Marines focus on international partnerships to enhance logistical capabilities: More than 30 officers and civilians from 15 different Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) countries became the first students to graduate from a new logistics course given at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Center (KAIPTC) here Feb. 2-13. (marines.mil)
Leading newspaper headlines
The Wall Street Journal leads its business newsbox with word that Citigroup is in talks with federal officials about the government possibly taking a larger ownership stake in the ailing bank. Nothing has been decided, and it's not even clear whether the White House supports the plan, but the government could end up with as much as 40 percent of Citigroup's common stock, although bank officials hope the number is closer to 25 percent. The New York Times mentions the ongoing talks in its lead story, which takes a look at how the White House will begin to carry out the much-talked-about "stress tests" of the nation's 20 biggest banks this week to try to figure out whether they could stay afloat if the economic situation gets worse.
USA Today leads with word that the Pentagon has not started to pay bonuses to soldiers who have been forced to stay on active duty past their enlistment period. The bonuses of up to $500 were mandated by law, but the Pentagon has yet to institute a plan to distribute the cash. The Los Angeles Times leads with a comparison between the New Deal and the recently approved economic stimulus package. While Franklin D. Rossevelt's plan gave the country a number of memorable public works, the new package focuses more on repairing and maintaining existing projects rather than creating new ones in order to make it easier to spend the money as quickly as possible. The Washington Post leads with a look at how the success of the stimulus package will be determined by whether officials in all levels of government can disburse the money quickly and efficiently. Many agencies and offices will have more money than ever before to carry out their missions and are trying to figure out the best way to distribute the cash. The package is "the ultimate test of government's ability to deliver," declares the Post.
If the White House does go through with the plans being put forward by Citigroup, it would "give the government its biggest ownership of a financial-services company since the September bailout of insurer American International Group Inc.," notes the WSJ. Under the plan, a substantial amount of the $45 billion in preferred shares that the government currently holds would be converted into common stock. This wouldn't involve any more taxpayer money, but it would dilute the value of existing shares and raise fears among investors that other banks could be next.
The NYT points out that by issuing more common shares, Citigroup would be "closer to the mix of equity that the government is likely to demand when it introduces the stress test." In carrying out its stress tests, the government will be presenting hypothetical events and examining how each of the nation's large banks would fare under "Depression-like conditions." While administration officials have long insisted that they don't want to nationalize banks, these stress tests could end up making the case for nationalization stronger by illustrating how some financial institutions wouldn't be able to stay afloat without more capital.
The NYT fronts word that a secret task force consisting of more than 70 American "military advisers and technical specialists" are working in Pakistan to help the country's armed forces fight against militants in the lawless tribal regions. The group mostly consists of Army Special Forces soldiers who not only train Pakistani forces but also provide intelligence and advice on combat tactics. Their work began last summer and "is a much larger and more ambitious effort than either country has acknowledged," notes the NYT. Officials apparently agreed to talk to the paper in order to counter the commonly held view that the continuing American missile strikes in the tribal areas have been preventing the two countries from cooperating in the fight against militants.
The LAT fronts a look at a "miracle liquid" that is slowly growing in popularity in the United States because it can do everything from clean a dirty counter to treat athlete's foot. Oh, and it's drinkable, too. The "simple mixture of table salt and tap water whose ions have been scrambled with an electric current" that is commonly referred to as electrolyzed water can kill anthrax spores and salmonella without the need for toxic chemicals. The main disadvantages of the product is that it can't be stored for long, and the machines to make the water are pricey, so it's unlikely to make its way into homes anytime soon. Many are skeptical, but those who have tried it swear by the results. "This sounds too good to be true, which is really the biggest problem," says a food scientist who found that the water killed a number of pathogens and could also be used on her children's skin. "But it's only a matter of time before this becomes mainstream."
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Monday’s Early Bird leads with an article from the New York Times reporting that more than 70 United States military advisers and technical specialists are secretly working in Pakistan to help its armed forces battle Al Qaeda and the Taliban in the country’s lawless tribal areas, American military officials said.The Americans are mostly Army Special Forces soldiers who are training Pakistani Army and paramilitary troops, providing them with intelligence and advising on combat tactics, the officials said. They do not conduct combat operations, the officials added.
The Wall Street Journal reports that Taliban gunmen abducted and briefly held a government official in Pakistan's Swat Valley Sunday afternoon, as the group's local faction said it would agree to a truce with the government only when Islamic law is established there.Khushal Khan, chief administrative officer of Mingora, the main town in Swat, and his six security guards were abducted by the insurgents as they drove through the valley toward its main town.All were later released, said a Taliban spokesman, according to the Associated Press.
The Washington Post reports that a battle just outside southern Afghanistan's largest city has killed at least six Taliban fighters, and an airstrike against insurgents elsewhere in the south killed eight, officials said Sunday.The battle in the Panjwayi district -- 15 miles west of Kandahar city -- began late Saturday after Taliban fighters ambushed a police patrol, wounding two officers, said Abdullah Khan, the province's deputy police chief. NATO and Afghan forces responded, unleashing bombs that could be heard by residents of Kandahar city.
The Associated Press reports that North Korea recently deployed a new type of medium-range ballistic missile capable of reaching Australia and the U.S. territory of Guam, South Korea’s Defense Ministry said Monday.The report comes amid speculation that the isolated regime is also preparing to test-fire another, long-range missile able to hit Alaska.
The Washington Post reports that Iran's first nuclear power plant will undergo a critical series of tests starting Wednesday before full-scale operation begins later this year, Iranian state radio reported Sunday.The plant is a highly symbolic facet of Iran's controversial nuclear program. Iranian leaders insist the country's nuclear ambitions are peaceful, but the United States, Israel and some European nations have charged that Iran is trying to produce nuclear weapons.
Media summary
1. Leading newspaper headlines: The Wall Street Journal leads its business newsbox with word that Citigroup is in talks with federal officials about the government possibly taking a larger ownership stake in the ailing bank. (Slate Magazine)
2. CLB-2 makes long haul to remote region of Iraq: The sun had barely peaked over the horizon as a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle, affectionately known as the Battle Wagon, and more than 30 other vehicles carrying Marines, civilian contractors, and one interpreter, rolled out of Al Asad early Sunday morning, Feb. 8, 2009. (marines.mil)
3. Marines focus on international partnerships to enhance logistical capabilities: More than 30 officers and civilians from 15 different Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) countries became the first students to graduate from a new logistics course given at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Center (KAIPTC) here Feb. 2-13. (marines.mil)
Leading newspaper headlines
The Wall Street Journal leads its business newsbox with word that Citigroup is in talks with federal officials about the government possibly taking a larger ownership stake in the ailing bank. Nothing has been decided, and it's not even clear whether the White House supports the plan, but the government could end up with as much as 40 percent of Citigroup's common stock, although bank officials hope the number is closer to 25 percent. The New York Times mentions the ongoing talks in its lead story, which takes a look at how the White House will begin to carry out the much-talked-about "stress tests" of the nation's 20 biggest banks this week to try to figure out whether they could stay afloat if the economic situation gets worse.
USA Today leads with word that the Pentagon has not started to pay bonuses to soldiers who have been forced to stay on active duty past their enlistment period. The bonuses of up to $500 were mandated by law, but the Pentagon has yet to institute a plan to distribute the cash. The Los Angeles Times leads with a comparison between the New Deal and the recently approved economic stimulus package. While Franklin D. Rossevelt's plan gave the country a number of memorable public works, the new package focuses more on repairing and maintaining existing projects rather than creating new ones in order to make it easier to spend the money as quickly as possible. The Washington Post leads with a look at how the success of the stimulus package will be determined by whether officials in all levels of government can disburse the money quickly and efficiently. Many agencies and offices will have more money than ever before to carry out their missions and are trying to figure out the best way to distribute the cash. The package is "the ultimate test of government's ability to deliver," declares the Post.
If the White House does go through with the plans being put forward by Citigroup, it would "give the government its biggest ownership of a financial-services company since the September bailout of insurer American International Group Inc.," notes the WSJ. Under the plan, a substantial amount of the $45 billion in preferred shares that the government currently holds would be converted into common stock. This wouldn't involve any more taxpayer money, but it would dilute the value of existing shares and raise fears among investors that other banks could be next.
The NYT points out that by issuing more common shares, Citigroup would be "closer to the mix of equity that the government is likely to demand when it introduces the stress test." In carrying out its stress tests, the government will be presenting hypothetical events and examining how each of the nation's large banks would fare under "Depression-like conditions." While administration officials have long insisted that they don't want to nationalize banks, these stress tests could end up making the case for nationalization stronger by illustrating how some financial institutions wouldn't be able to stay afloat without more capital.
The NYT fronts word that a secret task force consisting of more than 70 American "military advisers and technical specialists" are working in Pakistan to help the country's armed forces fight against militants in the lawless tribal regions. The group mostly consists of Army Special Forces soldiers who not only train Pakistani forces but also provide intelligence and advice on combat tactics. Their work began last summer and "is a much larger and more ambitious effort than either country has acknowledged," notes the NYT. Officials apparently agreed to talk to the paper in order to counter the commonly held view that the continuing American missile strikes in the tribal areas have been preventing the two countries from cooperating in the fight against militants.
The LAT fronts a look at a "miracle liquid" that is slowly growing in popularity in the United States because it can do everything from clean a dirty counter to treat athlete's foot. Oh, and it's drinkable, too. The "simple mixture of table salt and tap water whose ions have been scrambled with an electric current" that is commonly referred to as electrolyzed water can kill anthrax spores and salmonella without the need for toxic chemicals. The main disadvantages of the product is that it can't be stored for long, and the machines to make the water are pricey, so it's unlikely to make its way into homes anytime soon. Many are skeptical, but those who have tried it swear by the results. "This sounds too good to be true, which is really the biggest problem," says a food scientist who found that the water killed a number of pathogens and could also be used on her children's skin. "But it's only a matter of time before this becomes mainstream."
Top of the Document
Cpl. Corey D. Stewart, a vehicle commander with 4th squad, Security Company, Combat Logistics Battalion 2, provides security during a seven-day long convoy from Al Asad, to Sahl Sinjar and Al Taqaddum, Iraq, Feb. 8-15, 2009. This was the longest convoy accomplished by the battalion since they arrived in country Sept. 2008.
CLB-2 makes long haul to remote location of Iraq
2/22/2009 By Cpl. M. M. Bravo, 2nd Marine Logistics Group
SAHL SINJAR AIRFIELD, Iraq —
SAHL SINJAR AIRFIELD, Iraq — The sun had barely peaked over the horizon as a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle, affectionately known as the Battle Wagon, and more than 30 other vehicles carrying Marines, civilian contractors, and one interpreter, rolled out of Al Asad early Sunday morning, Feb. 8, 2009.
The Marines of 4th squad, Security Company, Combat Logistics Battalion 2, were headed north through the sands of Iraq to Sahl Sinjar on a seven-day convoy to deliver supplies to Marines operating on the isolated region of Iraq’s Ninewa province. This was the longest convoy 4th squad has conducted since they arrived in country in Sept. 2008.
Sahl Sinjar Airfield is tucked away in a remote corner of Iraq near the Iraqi border of Syria. After dropping off supplies in Sahl Sinjar, they continued to escort the civilian truck drivers back to Al Asad and immediately headed further south to Camp Al Taqaddum to continue the mission.
Sgt. Roger D. Rice, the 4th squad convoy commander, said that since August 2008 when they arrived in Al Asad, Security Company has made the convoy to Sahl Sinjar five times, but this was the longest in both distance and time spent in the Iraqi countryside.
“The overall length of the trip is unusual,” Rice explained. “For seven days [we] retrograded tanks from [Al Asad to] here, to TQ. It’s the longest run the battalion has done. Assets were needed to be brought up [to Sahl Sinjar] that weren’t available in AO [Area of Operation] North, only in the West and East.”
“They had a need up here and CLB-2 had the assets to deliver and were still able to carry on their mission back in Al Asad,” Rice continued.
Master Sgt. Todd S. Chamberlin, the staff noncommissioned officer-in-charge of CLB-2 in Sahl Sinjar, explained the logistics unit’s current role in the area.
“Our mission is to provide support for surrounding units,” Chamberlin said.
The majority of units CLB-2 supports are infantry units who work hand-in-hand with the Iraqi Army and Iraqi Police forces. Their support includes convoy operations, security, and providing logistical support to various command operating posts nearby.
“The ultimate goal is turning the control of Iraq over to the Iraqi Police and Iraqi Army,” said Chamberlin.
Chamberlin discussed the positive outcome of the significant decrease in insurgent attacks.
“The quiet state we’re in shows how far we’ve come and how far the Iraqi Army has come,” he said.
Sgt. Daniel L. Moore, a squad leader for Military Police Company, CLB-2, said his team provides security for the entire airfield, which includes going into surrounding villages to conduct foot patrols.
“The fact that we can reach out to the villages shows presence to the local population,” he said. “It’s been quiet for a while but we are 100 percent ready if anything were to go wrong.”
The trip to Sahl Sinjar was a successful operation due to the consistency of the Marines of Security Company. Rice said his Marines prepared well for the trip and did an excellent job despite the hardships and stress of a long convoy through a combat environment.
“It’s really hard on the Marines, spending eight to 10 hours a day in the truck,” Rice said. “It’s hard on your body and after seven days, you’re exhausted. [But] they know it’s going to be a long run.”
Rice said traveling into a different AO is a huge deal. The atmosphere and the terrain are different, which causes the Marines to be extra alert and constantly aware of their surroundings.
“You’re not completely in the dark but you don’t know what to expect,” he said. “There’s always a higher risk traveling into unknown areas.”
Rice explained that by running convoys so much in their own AO, they learn the terrain, the traffic, the people, and even where garbage cans might be placed.
“They trust us to travel a lot of miles with millions of dollars in assets, to go into an AO we’ve only been in once. I think CLB-2 puts a lot of trust in us.”
For more information on the ongoing mission in Iraq’s Al Anbar province, visit www.iimefpublic.usmc.mil/iimeffwd.
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Marine Brig. Gen. Tracy L. Garrett (left), commander of Marine Corps Forces Africa, discusses the Partnership for Integrated Logistics Operations and Tactics (PILOT) program with Ghanaian Army Maj. Gen. J.K. Attipoe, commandant of the Koffi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Center (KAIPTC). The PILOT course is a joint U.S. Africa Command and Canadian Pearson Peacekeeping Center venture, hosted by the KAIPTC and attended by field grade officers from various nations throughout the ECOWAS region of Africa.,
Marines focus on international partnerships to enhance logistical capabilities
2/23/2009 By Sgt. Rocco DeFilippis, Marine Forces Africa
ACCRA, Ghana —
ACCRA, Ghana — More than 30 officers and civilians from 15 different Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) countries became the first students to graduate from a new logistics course given at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Center (KAIPTC) here Feb. 2-13.
As a joint Canadian Pearson Peacekeeping Center and U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) venture, hosted by the KAIPTC, the two-week Partnership for Integrated Logistics Operations and Tactics (PILOT) course focused on the planning, coordination and conduct of logistics in peace support operations.
The KAIPTC is one of three peacekeeping training centers of excellence in the ECOWAS region and focuses on operational level education for field grade officers.
Marine Brig. Gen. Tracy L. Garrett, commander of U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Africa (MFA), traveled here to represent AFRICOM’s commitment to building partnerships with African and international partners, participate in a panel discussion with the course facilitators and students, and to provide the keynote speech at the graduation.
In her speech, Brig. Gen. Garrett highlighted the importance of civilian and military logisticians’ integrated efforts to achieve success in today’s complex peace support operation planning.
Marine Lt. Col. Matthew Seipt, MFA assistant chief of staff for logistics, has been working with KAIPTC, U.S. Army Africa and AFRICOM for more than a year to bring the PILOT program together. He said this first iteration of the course focused on a mixture of lectures, practical application exercise, and group discussions to encourage the development of knowledge and skills through interaction among participants.
“[The PILOT course] is a component of our overall strategy to improve the logistics capacity of our African partner nations,” said Seipt. “The overarching theme is that by MFA partnering with U.S. Army Africa, KAIPTC and other international partners, AFRICOM is better able to work with our African partner nations as they develop and strengthen their logistical capacities.”
Marine Lt. Col. Jerome A.M. Jackson, AFRICOM’s liaison officer to the KAIPTC and PILOT course director, said that although the PILOT course comes from a network of partnerships between the KAIPTC, AFRICOM, and the Government of Canada, who provided substantial funding for course, both Marines and soldiers worked in concert with representatives from the region to make the PILOT course a reality.
“The goal is to create a multi-national officer core with an awareness and preparedness to be able to assume logistical staff roles in a United Nations or African Union peacekeeping mission,” Seipt said.
Jackson said the course focused on a train-the-trainer concept, so that upon completion of the course, the officers and civilians would be able to return to their respective organizations to share the information in order to enhance the logistics support capacity of the ECOWAS Standby Force.
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