November 08, 2004
TOP STORIES
G.I.'s Open Attack To Take Falluja From Iraq Rebels
(New York Times, November 8, 2004, Pg. 1)
Explosions and heavy gunfire thundered across Fallujah Sunday night
and
Monday morning as American troops seized control of two strategic bridges,
a
hospital and other objectives in the first stage of a long-expected
invasion
of the city, the center of the Iraqi insurgency. Hours earlier, Prime
Minister Ayad Allawi, faced with an expanding outbreak of insurgent
violence
across the country, formally proclaimed a state of emergency for 60
days
across most of the country. The proclamation gave him broad powers that
allow him to impose curfews, order house-to-house searches and detain
suspected criminals and insurgents
Fighting Around Fallujah Intensifies
Premier Puts Most Of Iraq Under State Of Emergency
(Washington Post, November 8, 2004, Pg. 1)
U.S. ground forces fought insurgents on the outskirts of Fallujah early
Monday, and U.S. warplanes pounded the insurgent-held city, as a full
military assault appeared increasingly imminent. On Sunday, Iraq's interim
government announced a state of emergency for most of the country.
Jitters Before Assault Wearing On Soldiers
(Boston Globe, November 8, 2004, Pg. 1)
The hulks of the 69-ton M1A1 Abrams tanks were barely visible on the
dark
desert plain, but the rumble of their engines filled the night. Across
a
rise in the terrain, the city of Fallujah lay in darkness. Nothing moved.
It
was the first time that the soldiers, a task force assembled from the
1st
Infantry Division, had seen the city, but it had loomed in their imagination
since they came to Iraq in the spring . . .
Guantanamo Prisoners Getting Their Day, But Hardly In Court
(New York Times, November 8, 2004, Pg. 1)
Each day, several shackled detainees are marched by their military guards
into a double-wide trailer behind the Guantanamo Bay prison camp's fences
and razor wire to argue before three anonymous military officers that
they
do not belong here. The hearings, formally called Combatant Status Review
tribunals, have come under heavy criticism because they do not meet
the
traditional standards of court proceedings. For one thing, the detainees
are
left to argue their cases for themselves, without assistance from lawyers.
CIA Role Inside The USA Greater
New Ties Give FBI 'Pipeline' To Terror Data
(USA Today, November 8, 2004, Pg. 1)
The CIA has assigned dozens of case officers and analysts to work with
FBI
agents throughout the country in the most extensive deployment of
intelligence officers on domestic soil in the spy agency's history.
Officials at both agencies say the deployment, which pairs CIA officers
with
FBI agents in the bureau's offices to assist with terror-related
investigations, also represents the CIA's broadest association with
federal
law enforcement since it was created after World War II.
Recruits Line Up
Military Still A Lure For Many
(Atlanta Journal-Constitution, November 8, 2004, Pg. 1)
They are among tens of thousands of Americans who have chosen to enlist
in
the armed forces, helping keep the ranks filled despite pessimistic
predictions about recruiting for an all-volunteer military during wartime.
Recruiters say the lures range from money for college education, to
patriotism, to seeking a challenge that civilian life does not provide.
IRAQ
U.S. Troops Advance To Fallouja's Edge
(Los Angeles Times, November 8, 2004)
U.S. warplanes pummeled suspected insurgent positions in Fallujah as
thousands of American troops advanced to the edges of the rebel-held
city
and prepared to launch an all-out assault. As dawn broke and a thunderstorm
poured down rain, hundreds of Marines streamed out of bases near the
city.
Scores of tanks, Humvees, amphibious assault vehicles and tow trucks
moved
out in slow lines.
Early Target Of Offensive Is A Hospital
(New York Times, November 8, 2004)
The assault against Fallujah began as American Special Forces and Iraqi
troops burst into Fallujah General Hospital and seized it within an
hour.
American officials said the hospital had been a haven for insurgents,
in
what had been a "no-go" zone for American forces for months,
and a source of
inflated civilian casualty figures.
Time For Heroes, Marines Told
(New York Daily News, November, 8, 2004)
As U.S. forces prepared for what was expected to be the biggest Marine-led
urban assault since Vietnam, U.S. commanders pumped up their troops,
comparing them to the storied Corps heroes of Iwo Jima and Korea. Standing
before about 2,500 Marines who stood or knelt at his feet, Lt. Gen.
John
Sattler, the commanding general of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force,
told
them: "You're all in the process of making history. This is another
Hue city
in the making."
Fallujah Presents A Test Of Resolve
(Wall Street Journal, November 8, 2004, Pg. 4)
As U.S. forces appeared to launch an assault on the insurgent stronghold
of
Fallujah, victory will be determined by how well the Iraqis fighting
alongside the Americans perform, how Sunni Arabs throughout Iraq react
and
whether the new Iraqi government is able to control the city after U.S.
troops pull back to their bases.
High Stakes Of Taking Fallujah
(Christian Science Monitor, November 8, 2004, Pg. 1)
As U.S. Marines massed outside the tough Sunni Triangle town of Fallujah,
analysts believe the imminent high-profile attack carries high political
risks. Critics say there is no decisive battle to be won, and if the
assault
devastates that city—in the way the Vietnamese city of Hue was
by the
Marines in 1968—it could end up damaging the long-term interests
of the
United States and Prime Minister Allawi. Elections could be more threatened
by violence, not less so, and rebels will simply establish themselves
in
more broadly dispersed, harder to strike, locales.
Defenders' Aims Double-Edged?
(Miami Herald, November 8, 2004)
U.S. military planners and intelligence analysts believe that Iraqi
insurgent leaders holed up in Fallujah will defend the city by combining
scrappy fighting with a media blitz designed to provoke a worldwide
outcry.
The insurgents understand that they cannot beat the U.S. military but
will
probably try to hold off the assaulting forces, killing as many U.S.
troops
as possible and provoking a backlash in the United States over American
casualties, U.S. Army officials say.
Defense Minister Exhorts Iraqis: 'Liberate This City'
Battle For Fallujah Will Test New Force As U.S. Military Partner
(Washington Post, November 8, 2004, Pg. 18)
Promising promotions to all soldiers who go into battle, the interim
Iraqi
defense minister, Hazim Shalan, called on his army to "liberate"
Fallujah, a
signal that U.S. forces had won the blessing of the interim government
to
proceed with an operation to retake the insurgent-held city. Dancing,
singing and thrusting their rifles in the air, the Iraqi soldiers seemed
to
know a rallying cry when they heard one.
'Cash On The Spot—If They Tell Us Where The Weapons Are'
(London Daily Telegraph, November 8, 2004)
When Capt Kirk Mayfield of the Army goes into battle he will have Abrams
tanks, Bradley fighting vehicles and sniper teams at his disposal. But
one
of his most important instruments of war will be in his back pocket—a
thick
wad of dollar bills. "I'm going to get five grand," he tells
his platoon
commanders at a final briefing. "If they tell us where the weapons
caches
are, where the IEDs and the bad guys are, we'll give them cash on the
spot."
Bomb By Road Kills 2 In Iraq's South
(Los Angeles Times, November 8, 2004)
Insurgents detonated a roadside bomb as a convoy of contractors and
private
security guards sped down a busy highway outside Basra, killing two
Western
civilians and wounding at least one.
Iraqi TV Reports Confessions From Foreign Fighters
(USA Today, November 8, 2004, Pg. 8)
During the weekend, Iraqi government television repeatedly aired confessions
of what it said were foreign terrorists who allegedly infiltrated the
country's porous borders to fight U.S.-led forces. The broadcasts were
seen
as a means of preparing the population for the coming attack on Fallujah,
where the government says it is after foreigners and terrorists, not
city
residents who are uninvolved in the insurgency.
Sadr's Men To Stand For Election In Iraq Poll
(London Financial Times, November 8, 2004)
Some followers of radical Shiite leader Moqtada al-Sadr will run in
Iraq's
parliamentary elections, scheduled for January, as part of an alliance
of
Shiite parties, representatives of the movement said. The declaration
coincided with an announcement by representatives of Grand Ayatollah
Ali
al-Sistani, the senior Iraqi cleric sponsoring the list, that agreement
had
been reached among Iraq's main Shiite parties on how to divide up the
seats.
Iraqi Leader Sends Envoys To Explain Emergency Law
(Miami Herald, November 8, 2004)
Iraqi interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi is dispatching envoys to
neighboring Arab states to win support for his handling of the insurgency
in
his homeland. A spokesman said the diplomats would explain the reasons
behind the government's decision Sunday to declare a 60-day state of
emergency.
Missing Antiaircraft Missiles Alarm Aides
(Washington Post, November 7, 2004, Pg. 24)
Several thousand shoulder-fired missiles—the kind that could be
used to
shoot down aircraft—are missing in Iraq, and their disappearance
has
prompted U.S. military and intelligence analysts to increase sharply
their
estimate of the number of such weapons that may be at large.
DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
Military Considers Future Of Contractors On The Battlefield, Myers
Says
(Defense Daily, November 8, 2004, Pg. 6)
Contractors are an increasing presence on today's battlefields and the
military is taking a look at the issue as it works through future
requirements, according to the Gen. Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint
Chiefs of Staff. Adm. Edmund Giambastiani, chief of the U.S. Joint Forces
Command, has been asked to address questions about contractors on the
battlefield such as: "Do we have the right balance, can we do more
or, given
the security situation . . . is it wise to have so many contractors
involved," Myers told a Washington audience last week.
Command Shifts Amid Fears Of Terrorist Attacks On Ports
(Los Angeles Times, November 6, 2004)
Reflecting growing fears that a major terrorism attack could come by
sea, a
top American naval officer officially took over the U.S. Northern Command,
vowing to enhance maritime security nationwide. Adm. Timothy J. Keating
succeeds retiring Air Force Gen. Ralph Eberhart.
GUANTANAMO
Military Officers Stumble Through First Tribunal Since World War II
(USA Today, November 8, 2004, Pg. 4)
Members of the first U.S. military tribunal since World War II, only
one of
whom is a lawyer, are being challenged with the complexities of
international jurisprudence and the law of war. They also are having
trouble
understanding that evidence in a trial comes from witnesses, not lawyers
arguing their points of view. And they appear to have difficulty grasping
that defendants cannot be charged with a crime that was created by law
after
the misconduct allegedly occurred.
Freedom For Chinese Detainees Hinges On Finding A New Homeland
(New York Times, November 8, 2004)
One of the most vexing and peculiar problems with the suspected terrorists
imprisoned at the Guantanamo naval base has been what to do with the
ethnic
Uighur detainees. Military officials have concluded that at least half
of
the Uighurs are eligible for release, but some of the prisoners do not
want
to be returned to their native China because they fear they will be
tortured
or killed as terrorists.
ARMY
Ex-Soldier, Guardsman Sue Over Service Requirements
(USA Today, November 8, 2004, Pg. 11)
The Pentagon faces at least two lawsuits challenging its personnel policies
in recent military actions. In Hawaii, David Miyasato is suing the Army
because it ordered him back to active duty 13 years after he was discharged
and eight years after he left the reserves. In Sacramento, a federal
judge
rejected a request by a National Guard soldier to block the Army from
extending his enlistment and sending him to Iraq. The Army acted under
a
"stop-loss" program that allows it to extend enlistments during
war or
national emergencies.
Veteran Wins His Discharge After Taking Army To Court
(New York Times, November 6, 2004)
When Jay Ferriola, a United States Army captain, decided to fight an
order
sending him to Iraq, he was not tilting against the war, the Bush
administration or any political ideology. His refusal was simple, he
said.
He had fulfilled his eight-year military commitment and was ready to
leave
the Army behind.
MARINE CORPS
Recruits Line Up
Many Boots To Fill, Records To Check
(Atlanta Journal-Constitution, November 8, 2004)
The day begins well before dawn and often does not end until close to
midnight for Staff Sgt. Stephen Hale, a Marine Corps recruiter assigned
to a
substation in Jonesboro, Ga. He pitches the service to young men and
women
in Henry County looking for an alternative to college or to escape from
low-paying, dead-end jobs or to find some physical challenges in an
increasingly computer-oriented world.
AIR FORCE
Air Force Rocket With GPS Satellite Is Launched
(Philadelphia Inquirer, November 7, 2004)
An Air Force Global Positioning System satellite was launched atop a
Boeing
Delta 2 rocket. After a three-week checkout period, the spacecraft is
set to
become the 30th operational unit in the GPS constellation. The system
requires a minimum of 24 satellites to run at full capacity.
NATIONAL GUARD/RESERVE
Separated By War, Joined In Purpose
Army Commander Overseas, Wife In Va. Rally For Families
(Washington Post, November 8, 2004, Pg. 1)
Between them, husband and wife, there is nearly 7,000 miles, yet they
remain
partners in a job of watching over, counseling, consoling and guiding
soldiers and their families through a time of war. Capt. Mark J. Nelson,
commander of a Virginia Army National Guard unit, left for Afghanistan
on
July 15. His wife, Michelle, remains at home in Northern Virginia, looking
after their three daughters, ages 2, 7 and 13—and the 225 families
of the
other soldiers of the unit who were deployed with her husband.
Vehicles Of Army Unit Fitted With Armor
(Los Angeles Times, November 8, 2004)
An Army supply unit whose members refused a dangerous fuel delivery
mission
last month in Iraq has now fitted its vehicles with armor to protect
against
attack, the military said. Because of an ongoing investigation, the
command
declined to comment on possible punishment for soldiers who refused
the
supply mission. Meantime, their commander has been relieved.
Officer Who Says She Was Raped At Base Is Classified As AWOL For Failing
To
Return
(New York Times, November 8, 2004)
A lieutenant in the New Jersey National Guard has been accused of going
AWOL
because she has refused for the last two months to return to an Army
base in
Mississippi where, she says, a fellow officer raped her. The lieutenant,
Jennifer Dyer, 26, says she was assaulted Aug. 8 at Camp Shelby in
Hattiesburg, Miss., while training for deployment to Iraq. According
to her
fiancé, Edward Ottepka, Dyer is living in seclusion "close
to people who are
offering her care and support."
CONGRESS
Negotiators See New Hope For Intelligence Bill
(New York Times, November 8, 2004)
Congressional negotiators working on a bill to create the job of national
intelligence director say they are resuming their talks in earnest and
believe the legislation can be pushed through Congress in this month's
lame-duck session—despite predictions that the bill would die
if not passed
before the Nov. 2 election.
Military Spending Growth Slows; Pace Is Still Budget's Fastest
(Wall Street Journal, November 8, 2004, Pg. 7)
Military spending remained the fastest-growing component of the U.S.
budget
in the fiscal year 2004, but the rate slowed somewhat, according to
the
Congressional Budget Office. Defense spending grew at an annual average
rate
of 15 percent in 2002 and 2003 as the military launched operations in
Afghanistan and Iraq. Overall, defense outlays in 2004 were 55 percent
higher than in 2000, the CBO said.
TERRORISM
Evolving Nature Of Al Qaeda Is Misunderstood, Critic Says
(New York Times, November 8, 2004)
The Bush administration has failed to recognize that Al Qaeda is now
a
global Islamic insurgency, rather than a traditional terrorist organization,
and thus poses a much different threat than previously believed, according
to Michael Scheuer, the former chief of the CIA's Osama bin Laden unit
and
the author of a book critical of the administration's handling of the
fight
against terrorism.
EUROPE
No US Plans To Enlist German Troops For Iraq--US Diplomat
(wsj.com, November 7, 2004)
U.S. Ambassador to Germany Daniel Coats sought to allay local fears
that
President Bush's election might signal a new effort to obtain military
support from Germany in Iraq, saying that the administration knows that
Berlin is against sending troops.
ASIA/PACIFIC
Howard Agrees To Let US Test Weapons In North Australia
(London Daily Telegraph, November 6, 2004)
The United States will be allowed to test smart bombs and other cutting-edge
military technology in Australia in a further sign of the deepening
alliance
between the two Iraq war allies. Under the plan approved by Prime Minister
John Howard, the U.S. military will experiment with self-guided smart
bombs
and conduct live bombing runs in three huge training areas in Australia's
sparsely populated tropical north.
India Tests Naval Missile
(International Herald Tribune, November 8, 2004)
India tested a nuclear-capable ship-launched missile off its eastern
coast.
The Dhanush missile was fired from an navy ship in the Bay of Bengal,
an
Indian official said.
MIDEAST
Iran, Europeans Reach Agreement On Nuclear Issue
Tentative Pact To Suspend Enrichment Of Uranium Could Head Off U.S.
Move
(Wall Street Journal, November 8, 2004, Pg. 3)
European negotiators reached a preliminary deal with Iran over its nuclear
program that could head off a U.S. effort to impose tougher measures
later
this month. The two-stage agreement outlined Saturday by the European
Union
would require Iran to suspend uranium-enrichment activities immediately.
In
exchange Iran would most probably escape referral on Nov. 25 to the
United
Nations Security Council for consideration of sanctions, a move Washington
has been urging.
Drone Enters Israeli Airspace
(Los Angeles Times, November 8, 2004)
In a development that could heighten tensions between Israel and Iran,
guerrillas of the Lebanon-based Shiite Muslim group Hezbollah succeeded,
apparently for the first time, in penetrating Israeli airspace with
an
unmanned aerial drone.
The Israeli military acknowledged the incursion in a terse statement
and
said the aircraft had been supplied by Iran.
Recruits Crossing From Iran
(Miami Herald, November 8, 2004)
Islamic extremists have been moving supplies and new recruits from Iran
into
Iraq, according to Iraqi Kurdish and Western officials, though it is
unclear
whether Tehran is covertly backing them or whether militants are simply
taking advantage of the porous border.
NORTH KOREA
North Korean Policy Of U.S. Faces Strains
As Diplomats Look To Revive Talks, Hard-Liners Weigh More-Coercive Options
(Wall Street Journal, November 8, 2004, Pg. 13)
With the U.S. election over, a push is on to jump-start talks with North
Korea over its nuclear-weapons programs. Diplomats expect such discussions
to be given a chance—but should they fail to show progress, tensions
between
Washington and Asian governments over whether to offer Pyongyang more
carrots or more sticks are likely to come back to the fore.
US Trained For Strikes On NK
(Korea Times, November 8, 2004)
The United States had active contingency plans as recently as 1998 to
drop
up to 30 nuclear warheads on North Korea in case of an attack on Seoul,
according to declassified documents from the CIA and other U.S. government
departments. Japan's Kyodo News Agency reported that as part of the
U.S.
"Scenario 5027," 24 F15-E bombers flew simulation missions
from Seymour
Johnson Air Force Base, N.C., between January and June 1998 to drop
mock
nuclear bombs on a firing range in Florida.
AFGHANISTAN
Afghan Militants Conduct Talks Over 3 Hostages
(New York Times, November 8, 2004)
Militants holding three United Nations workers as hostages in Afghanistan
said that they had negotiated with officials in the Afghan government
and
U.N. mission but that the meeting had ended without result.
POLL
Voters Voice Priorities For Bush
Iraq And Deficit Top List In Poll
(Washington Times, November 8, 2004, Pg. 7)
Voters say President Bush's first priority after winning re-election
should
be resolving the situation in Iraq, where the fighting is growing more
intense. They also want Bush to cut the deficit, which has ballooned
on his
watch, according to an Associated Press poll taken right after the election.
OPINION
Don't Rig The Iraqi Election
Marina Ottaway
(Washington Post, November 8, 2004, Pg. 25)
A senior associate in the Democracy and Rule of Law Project of the Carnegie
Endowment for International Peace writes that it is tempting to play
it safe
by converting the January elections in Iraq into a referendum on a single
list of candidates agreed to in advance by the major parties. But "by
settling for the low-risk option, the United States would only postpone
the
day of reckoning, set up another regime of marginal legitimacy and announce
to the world that this country speaks of liberty but is afraid of democracy.
That would be a bad choice."
Apply The Bush Doctrine To Sudan
Thomas Donnelly and Vance Serchuk
(Los Angeles Times, November 8, 2004)
A resident fellow and a research associate at the American Enterprise
Institute write that U.S. intervention in Sudan is no longer just a
matter
of moral values but of strategic interests. The brutal attack by Sudanese
soldiers on the Al Jeer Sureaf refugee camp last week made clear that
much
more American support—not just dollars and materiel but soldiers
as well—is
needed. "The president says he has political capital to spend.
If ever a
cause was worthy, this is it."
EDITORIAL
More Troops For Iraq
(New York Times, November 8, 2004)
"The Pentagon has resisted calls for a permanent increase in the
Army's
authorized strength, in part because shifting more budget dollars to
ground
troops would likely require shifting them away from extravagant and
unneeded
procurement programs, like the Air Force's new F/A-22 stealth fighter,
at a
quarter billion dollars a plane. Well, such technological marvels may
be
thrilling to have in the inventory, but right now, what America needs
is to
get more combat boots on the ground in Iraq."
Turn Back To Iraq
(Washington Post, November 8, 2004, Pg. 22)
At the moment it appears that the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq is thinning
rather than growing: Several nations have announced that their troops
will
leave next year, and more will soon follow if there is no change in
U.S.
diplomacy. It is not too late for President Bush to reach out genuinely
to
Arab and European governments and invite them to join in a fresh, common
effort to stabilize Iraq. "Without such help—and a renewed
commitment of his
administration's attention—his chances of success in the critical
months to
come look alarmingly small."
Chirac, Old Europe And The Election
(Washington Times, November 8, 2004, Pg. 20)
If French President Jacques Chirac is genuinely interested in improving
relations with the United States, there are a number of steps he can
take,
such as writing off Iraqi debts accumulated during Saddam Hussein's
dictatorship. He can also stop running interference at the United Nations
and elsewhere for rogue states such as Iran and Syria. But if the French
president continues digging in his heels, he may find himself estranged
from
both Washington and a growing number of his fellow European democracies.
Kofi Does It Again
(Wall Street Journal, November 8, 2004, Pg. 14)
"Some of our friends tell us we're too hard on the United Nations,
especially Secretary General Kofi Annan. Yet every time we step back
to
consider whether they're right, Mr. Annan does something like write
the
letters he did last week trying to stop the imminent Coalition offensive
in
Fallujah."
More Missiles For Terrorists?
(USA Today, November 8, 2004, Pg. 14)
They are cheap, easily concealed, small enough to hoist on a shoulder
and
can shoot a passenger jet out of the sky. And now, it appears, terrorists
may have access to another 4,000 of them which have gone missing from
Iraq's
inventory. The obvious question is why the missiles were not secured
when
U.S. forces invaded. "But there's another question: What has been
done to
protect commercial aircraft from them? The threat is not new, just bigger.
So far, the answer is only research."
Iran's Nuclear Threat
(Miami Herald, November 8, 2004)
There is no easy or simple solution to the Iranian nuclear crisis, unless
Iran agrees to accept economic inducements in exchange for giving up
its
uranium enrichment program and agreeing to full inspections. "If
Iran won't
accept the carrot, it will be time to consider the alternative."
Source: Defense News
