15 April MARFORCOM Media Summary

Early Bird summary

Wednesday’s Early Bird leads with a piece from the Washington Post reporting that Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said Tuesday that he has been "pleasantly surprised" by the response from lawmakers to his plans for shifting billions of dollars in Pentagon spending toward programs of immediate benefit to today's wars."It seems to me that a number of the responses have been thoughtful, and [lawmakers] have been willing to take this seriously and in the vein it was intended," Gates told reporters traveling with him.The secretary, however, noted that Congress will not return to Washington until next week and that it might be premature to judge the response to his sweeping proposals. "I don't know whether I am in the eye of the storm," he quipped.
Meanwhile the Miami Herald reports that Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Tuesday that he had made a mistake when he said that the rising tide of violence in Iraq is the "last gasp" of al-Qaida there."What I should have said is that I hope it's al-Qaida's last gasp. I don't know if it is," Gates told reporters traveling with him on a trip to Fort Rucker, Ala., where he went to meet troops and discuss his proposed budget.Gates made the comment last Tuesday on "The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer" on PBS. In the days that followed, Iraq saw some of the worst violence of the year, including the deaths of five American soldiers in a suicide attack in Mosul. At least 60 Iraqis were killed and another 200 injured in that and other attacks.
ABC aired an interview with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen on “Good Morning America.” For a full transcript of the interview, click this link.
Piracy continues to hold its own section in today’s Early Bird, with articles from the Wall Street Journal, Boston Globe, the Los Angeles Times, Washington Post and New York Times. Pirates attacked a U.S.-flagged cargo ship Tuesday with rocket-propelled grenades but were repelled -- the latest attack in a new spate of crime off the Horn of Africa despite recent U.S. and French military action.The 738-foot-long Liberty Sun sustained damage after the attack with grenades and automatic weapons off the Somali coast, owner Liberty Maritime Corp. said Tuesday.The ship was carrying American food aid from Houston to Mombasa, Kenya, and had already unloaded "thousands of tons" in Port Sudan in its voyage, the company said.The USS Bainbridge -- the same ship involved in this week's rescue of Capt. Richard Phillips, the American merchant captain held hostage by Somali pirates -- was sent to the scene after receiving an alert from the Liberty Sun, and found that the attack was repelled without injuries, according to Capt. Jack Hanzlik of U.S. Central Command. The pirates fled, and both U.S. ships continued on their way.
The deepening U.S. involvement in the Afghan war is forcing villagers to answer a dangerous question, according to the Wall Street Journal: Whose side are you on?The Afghan government and U.S. military have kicked off an ambitious project to build local opposition to the Taliban, reminiscent of a successful American effort to win over Sunnis in Iraq's once-turbulent Anbar province. For the elders of the village of Zayawalat, a safe haven for insurgents conducting attacks into Kabul, it's time to make the call on whether to join. So far, they have balked.Some villages in Wardak Province have signed up for the effort, but Zayawalat's hesitancy indicates the potential hurdles. The U.S. seeks to train and arm locals to form neighborhood-watch forces, about 50 per village, dubbed Guardians. It's one of a series of moves designed to complement the Obama administration's troop increase for Afghanistan. While smaller in scale than the Sunni project in Iraq, it's an indicator of whether the Taliban's resurgence can be blunted.
Facing another bloody summer of fighting in Helmand province, the Taleban commander uttered words that could cost him his life. “We all want peace. We want to put down our guns,” he said quietly.Thus begins an article in today’s London Times.A powerfully built man with a flowing beard and a disarmingly soft voice, Commander Mansoor is — according to checks with Western and Afghan sources — a mid-level Taleban commander from southern Helmand, part of the bloody insurgency fighting against US and British troops in Afghanistan.At a meeting with The Times arranged by tribal intermediaries, however, he painted a picture of war weariness and of local communities desperate to find a way to escape a war that is seemingly without end.As the conflict enters its eighth summer NATO is hoping that it can exploit such popular disillusion. Mullah Mansoor (not his real name), however, is simply looking for a way out. “Local people do not like the Taleban or the Western forces, they even don’t like us local Taleban” he conceded. “They say to us, ‘if you want to go to Paradise fight in the desert, fight in the mountains but don’t fight in my house’. My wish is just to have peace and security in my area.”
A top U.S. senator yesterday urged Pakistan to "ratchet up" its sense of urgency in battling the spreading extremism in its northwest, even as the government defended a deal to impose Islamic law in a swath of the region to achieve peace with the Taliban, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.Sen. John Kerry expressed reservations about the peace pact in the Swat Valley, hours after a hard-line cleric who mediated the deal indicated it would protect extremists accused of killings from prosecution.Kerry, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, is spearheading a bill to increase nonmilitary aid to Pakistan, a multibillion-dollar effort to strengthen sectors such as the economy and education in part to lessen the allure of extremism in the impoverished Muslim-majority nation of 170 million.
The Arizona Daily Sun reports that the Iraqi government is stepping up efforts to pressure Iranian exiles into leaving the country, pushing an obscure group to the forefront of Baghdad's relations with Washington and the Obama administration's overtures to Iran.At stake is whether Iraq can resolve the fate of 3,500 members of the People's Mujahedeen Organization of Iran without damaging its ties to both the U.S. and Iran.In recent weeks, leaders of the People's Mujahedeen, known by its Farsi initials MEK, claim the Iraqis blockaded their Camp Ashraf north of Baghdad, allowing in limited food and water.
The commanding officer of a Navy nuclear-powered submarine that collided last month with an amphibious ship in the Strait of Hormuz has been relieved of duty, according to Navy officials, the Virginian-Pilot reports.Rear Adm. Michael J. Connor has relieved Cmdr. Ryan Brookhart of his duty as commanding officer of the submarine Hartford because of a loss of confidence in Brookhart's ability to command, according to a statement from the Navy.
The Washington Times reports that Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates denied permission for the U.S. Northern Command to use the Pentagon's most powerful sea-based radar to monitor North Korea's recent missile launch, precluding officials from collecting finely detailed launch data or testing the radar in a real-time crisis, current and former defense officials said.Jamie Graybeal, Northcom public affairs director, confirmed to The Washington Times that Air Force Gen. Gene Renuart, the Northcom commander, requested the radar's use but referred all other questions to the Pentagon.Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said Mr. Gates' decision not to use the $900 million radar, known as SBX, was "based on the fact that there were numerous ground- and sea-based radars and sensors in the region to support the operational requirements for this launch."
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Tuesday that Iran plans to launch another satellite into orbit, according to USA Today.Iran launched its first domestically made satellite in February. "Iran plans to launch a ... more sophisticated ... satellite into space," Ahmadinejad said. He said a rocket with a range of 450 to 950 miles would carry the satellite to a higher altitude in space than its predecessor. He did not say when the launch would be.Iran's rocket program is a source of worry for the Western countries that suspect the Islamic republic of developing nuclear weapons. Iran says its space technology and nuclear program are being developed for peaceful purposes.
The Washington Times reports that a federal appeals court ruled Tuesday that Rep. John P. Murtha, Pennsylvania Democrat, cannot be sued for accusing U.S. Marines of murdering Iraqi civilians "in cold blood," remarks that sparked outrage among conservative commentators.The appeals court in Washington dismissed a defamation lawsuit brought by a Marine who led the squad in the attack. The judges agreed with Mr. Murtha that he was immune from the lawsuit because he was acting in his official role as a lawmaker when he made the comments to reporters.Staff Sgt. Frank Wuterich of Meriden, Conn., charged that Mr. Murtha damaged his reputation by saying the squad he was leading engaged in "cold-blooded murder and war crimes" in Haditha, Iraq, on Nov. 19, 2005.At a Capitol Hill news conference in May 2006, Mr. Murtha predicted that a Pentagon war crimes investigation would show the Marines killed dozens of innocent Iraqi civilians in Haditha.Sgt. Wuterich is charged with voluntary manslaughter, the only person still facing charges in the attack. He has pleaded not guilty.

Media summary

1. Leading newspaper headlines: The New York Times leads with word that the White House has decided to reveal at least some results from the so-called stress tests that are currently being completed on the nation's 19 biggest banks. (Slate Magazine)
2. Pirates attack second U.S. vessel: Pirates have used rocket-propelled grenades and automatic weapons to attack another US merchant ship off the coast of Somalia. (BBC)
3. Doubts remain as sharia bill signed: After months of wavering, the Pakistani government has finally approved a law that will enforce the Sharia justice system in its troubled north-western district of Swat. (BBC)

Leading newspaper headlines

The New York Times leads with word that the White House has decided to reveal at least some results from the so-called stress tests that are currently being completed on the nation's 19 biggest banks. The Wall Street Journal leads its world-wide newsbox with North Korea kicking out United Nations nuclear inspectors and announcing it would never again participate in disarmament talks. Responding to the U.N. Security Council's criticism of its missile launch, which it described as an "unbearable insult," North Korea also said it would restart its nuclear program. USA Today leads with a look at how a program to secure the nation's ports is delayed for at least two more years because the Department of Homeland Security still lacks fingerprint readers that can be used with the high-tech ID cards those who work in secure port areas were forced to purchase.
The Los Angeles Times and Washington Post lead with President Obama's speech at Georgetown University, but the papers use the address as a jumping-off point to different issues. In what the LAT dubs "an economic State of the Union address," Obama made it clear he is ready to fight Congress in order to achieve the changes in education, energy, health care, and financial regulation that he had previously outlined. The WP notes that while Obama and Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke tried to sound cautiously optimistic about the economy, "the economy wasn't cooperating." Retail sales fell 1.1 percent in March from February, which was accompanied by a drop in wholesale prices, signifying that the downturn is nowhere near over. The Standard & Poor's 500-stock index fell 2 percent.
The NYT notes that the discussion over what to release from the stress tests "underscores the delicate balancing act by the government" as it tries to build confidence in the financial system. Discussions are still underway about what exactly will be revealed, but officials seem to recognize that leaks would be inevitable and failing to disclose how the banks could weather a severe economic downturn might create even more uncertainty. "The purpose of this program is to prevent panics, not cause them," said one senior official. "And it's becoming clearer that we and the banks are going to have to explain clearly where each bank falls in the spectrum." Banks that are in better shape, of course, are eager to announce that fact from the hilltop, despite the fact that the government has asked them to remain quiet. What does this all add up to? "We are going to have some separation between the haves and have nots," one banking analyst said.
In a smart piece that for some reason isn't on the front page, the WSJ declares that the result of the stress tests combined with the banks' first-quarter results "could lay the groundwork for a new phase in the financial crisis." Up until now, the government has pretty much treated the banks equally, but in the next few weeks a few of the stronger banks could find themselves free of government interference while the others would still be dependent on taxpayer funds, effectively transforming "how investors and the government view the financial sector." Many are worried that by listing which banks are in the worst shape, the government would essentially be propping up some banks while diminishing the stature of others. That could, of course, turn into a vicious cycle that ultimately could make any further bailouts much more expensive.
The NYT speculates that the announcement by Goldman Sachs that it wants to repay the $10 billion it got from the government's Troubled Asset Relief Program may have pushed the government to release some of the results from the stress test. In fact, Goldman is creating lots of (additional) headaches, not only for the government but also for other banks that are now under increased pressure to follow its lead. Although it might be tempting for taxpayers to cheer the move, as usual, things aren't quite so simple. "The downside of it is that you are bleeding capital out of the banking system at a time when the banks would be better off with more, rather than less," notes one banking analyst. The government has made it clear that it will accept the repayment of funds only from banks deemed healthy enough to operate without the assistance. And it is still trying to determine whether the banks that return the TARP money would still be able to enjoy other government benefits that have been extended to banks over the last few months.

To top of document

Pirates attack second US vessel
The Liberty Sun was damaged in the pirate attack
Pirates have used rocket-propelled grenades and automatic weapons to attack another US merchant ship off the coast of Somalia.
The pirates damaged the Liberty Sun, which was carrying a cargo of food aid, but were not able to board it.
The ship asked for assistance from the American warship involved in the rescue of a US captain seized last week.
Pirates have vowed to avenge the deaths of those killed in recent rescue operations by US and French forces.
BBC security correspondent Rob Watson says the latest attack shows that pirates have not been deterred by military operations.
Despite renewed US calls to quell piracy, four more vessels have been successfully seized over the past two days.
Details of attack
Owners of the Liberty Sun and the US military confirmed reports of the latest, failed attack, which took place on Tuesday at midday local time.
Some details were revealed in an e-mail from one of the crewmen to his mother at her home in Illinois, AP news agency reported.
"We are under attack by pirates, we are being hit by rockets, also bullets," Thomas Urbik, 26, told his mother, Katy.
"We are barricaded in the engine room and so far no-one is hurt. (A) rocket penetrated the bulkhead but the hole is small. Small fire, too, but put out."
Lt Nathan Christensen, of the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain, told the BBC that the ship had taken "evasive manoeuvre action" which had prevented the pirates from boarding.
The Liberty Sun had been en route to Mombasa from Houston, Texas, when the attack took place.
After coming under fire, the ship immediately requested assistance from the USS Bainbridge, said owners Liberty Maritime Corp in a statement.
The navy destroyer arrived some hours later, by which time the pirates had gone.
"We are grateful and pleased that no-one was injured and the crew and the ship are safe," said the Liberty Maritime Corp statement.
The ship did sustain some damage, it said, but was able to resume its journey to Mombasa.
Pirates killed
The operation to free Captain Richard Phillips, who was held captive in a lifeboat for five days, ended with three pirates being shot dead by marksmen from the USS Bainbridge on Sunday.
Somali pirate leaders - who have generally treated captives well in the hope of winning big ransom payouts - said they would avenge the deaths.
"No-one can deter us from protecting our waters from the enemy because we believe in dying for our land," Omar Dahir Idle told AP by telephone from the Somali coastal town of Harardhere.
Because Capt Phillips was on board the USS Bainbridge when it was diverted to the Liberty Sun, he was unable to be reunited with his shipmates from the Maersk Alabama, in Mombasa, before they flew back to the US.
The crew began their journey back to the US on Wednesday, with Capt Phillips due to fly back on a separate flight later.
US President Barack Obama promised on Monday to "halt the rise of piracy" in one of the world's busiest shipping lanes.
But in the 48 hours prior to the latest attack, four vessels have been seized in the same area:
· A Lebanese-owned cargo ship, the MV Sea Horse, was taken by gunmen in up to four skiffs
· A Greek-owned bulk carrier, the MV Irene, was also seized
· Two Egyptian fishing boats were held the previous day
Meanwhile, three Somali pirates who had taken French hostages are in custody in France, French prosecutors say.
The pirates were captured during a military operation to free hostages taken on the Tanit, a French yacht seized in the Gulf of Aden on 4 April.
The boat's French skipper and two other pirates were killed in the operation.
'Vast area'
Lt Christensen said that although 15 countries had navies operating in the Gulf of Aden and off the coast of Somalia, the area was too large to prevent all attacks.
"The area we patrol is more than one million square miles and the simple fact of the matter is we just can't be everywhere at once to prevent every attack of piracy," he said.
Our correspondent says it seems unlikely there will be any major increase in the military effort unless there is a spectacular hijacking involving the deaths of many Americans.
The reluctance to mount a major international naval operation in the area may also be down to the relatively small scale of the problem.
Last year, according to figures from the International Maritime Bureau, nearly 23,000 ships passed through the Gulf of Aden, but only 92 were hijacked.


To top of document

Doubts remain as Sharia bill signed
By M Ilyas Khan BBC News, Islamabad
A mass rally in Swat last Friday demanded the president sign the bill
After months of wavering, the Pakistani government has finally approved a law that will enforce the Sharia justice system in its troubled north-western district of Swat.
But the contours of that law are still not clear, sparking fears that differences over the details may yet again derail peace in this once popular tourist resort.
The government seems to think that as the Taleban's demand of Sharia law has been met, the militants will lay down their arms and go home.
The Taleban, on the contrary, seem to believe that they have a peace time job of guiding society along the "right path", if not to conquer new frontiers.
Maulana Sufi Mohammad, the local cleric who helped negotiate peace between the government and the militants, apparently has little leverage with either party and has kept his own understanding of what form the law should take largely to himself.
Call to disarm
Many in Pakistan and in the West are generally sceptical about the Taleban's intentions of respecting human rights.
Sufi Mohammad and his supporters were angry at the president's delay
Moreover, these circles believe the Taleban have negotiated peace from a position of strength, and would be reluctant to give up their military advantage in the area.
Since the middle of 2007, the militants have gradually consolidated their hold over Swat, located in the northern parts of North West Frontier Province (NWFP).
An on-off military operation ordered in the autumn of 2007 stumbled to a halt in February 2009 after conceding nearly the entire district to the militants.
The fighting was brought to an end when Sufi Mohammad agreed to negotiate peace.
In line with that agreement, the ruling party in NWFP, the Awami National Party (ANP), drafted a law to enforce the Islamic justice system in Swat, and sent the draft to President Asif Ali Zardari for final approval.
But the president sat on it for nearly two months, saying the bill would be signed once "the writ of the government has been established" in Swat. That is still not the case.
Now the bill is signed, Sufi Mohammad has called on the militants to lay down their arms.
The head of the interior ministry, Rehman Malik, also expressed "hope that the Taleban would disarm".
A senior ANP leader, Senator Haji Adeel, said if the Taleban wanted to continue to influence public life in Swat, they should organise themselves into a political party.
"Dictating how people should live their lives by holding a gun to their heads is not the right course," he said.
But those who oppose the deal say this is easier said than done.
Over the past few months, the militants have established their organisational chapters in all the sub-districts of Swat, complete with Islamic courts to settle criminal and civil disputes and also to punish lax morality.
Since the ceasefire in February, they have also prevented the army from establishing positions anywhere except at their designated garrisons and camps.
But they have so far refused to submit to any curbs on their own movement, as was evident last week when they raided the nearby district of Buner, occupied a police station and locked up a popular local shrine.
The opponents of the peace deal say this does not augur well for a job that remains unfinished.
Timeframe
Minister for Religious Affairs Hamid Saeed Kazmi pointed out in a press conference on Tuesday that matters concerning the qualification of judges, the mechanism of their appointment and legal procedures for a proper court trial were yet to be settled.
Many in Swat have welcomed the new Sharia courts
The NWFP government has indicated that selection and appointment of judges will remain its prerogative, but the militants have been seeking a role for themselves as well as Sufi Mohammad in this.
Questions about a timeframe for the exit of the army from Swat, and the role of the police and local administration, also remain largely unexplained.
The ANP-led government decided to negotiate peace with the Taleban because its top leaders were convinced the army did not want to evict them from Swat.
They are confident that after the introduction of Sharia, the Taleban will be under growing pressure from the people as well as leaders like Sufi Mohammad to back off.
Aftab Sherpao, a former chief minister of NWFP who first introduced Islamic courts in Swat in 1994, says success will take time.
"It will take a year for things in Swat to get back to normal," he told the media on Tuesday.
How the year unfolds will become clear over the next few weeks.


To top of document