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The Harring Report: America’s Young Man’s Meat Grinder
by Brian Harring,
Domestic Intelligence Reporter
brianharring@yahoo.com
Note:
Viewers of TBR News who would like a copy of the original
Department of Defense Supplemental Casualty lists from 2003 to
mid-2005, showing facsimiles of the actual casualties, as opposed to
the heavily redacted official listings, may write to Mr. Harring at brianharring@yahoo.com
for a full copy of the original documents. This list is free of
charge. As of May 12,
2007, Mr. Harring has sent out 25, 321 lists
Once
it became evident that what had been expected to be a short,
successful military campaign against Saddam Hussein had turned into
a long drawn out and escalating guerilla war, the Department of
Defense, acting on orders from the White House, began to reduce the
daily public casualty list. Families and survivors of the dead were
duly notified and the bodies were shipped back to the States for
private burial but the numbers of the dead, and the wounded, were
deliberately kept as low as possible for political reasons.
For internal use only, a realistic, and accurate, monthly
report was issued for those concerned but it was not made public.
When this private report was located by outside sources and sent
around the Internet, the site was immediately shut down.
This
original listing showed that as of mid-2005, the death count in both
Iraq and Afghanistan topped 10,000
with 20,000 seriously wounded.
By 2007, the death toll has risen to over 15,000
(and rising daily) with officially reported serious woundings
(required out of theater hospitalization) at 50,508
as per a report published in the New York Times of January 30, 2007.
Also
not discussed are the over 10,000
desertions (from March, 2003 to date)
The Bush-Cheney Butchers’ Bill
Officially 58 military
deaths in Afghanistan and Iraq from 1 May to 18 May, 2007
with a total of 4,322 total official
casualties to date.
Official Casualty Lists for May, 2007
1
The
Department of Defense announced today the death of three soldiers
who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died Apr. 29
in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive
device detonated near their unit during combat operations.
Killed
were:
Staff
Sgt. Jay E. Martin, 29, of Baltimore.
Sgt.
Alexander J. Funcheon, 21, of Bel Aire, Kan.
Pfc.
Brian A. Botello, 19, of Alta, Iowa. They were assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 61st
Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division,
Fort Carson, Colo.
The
Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was
supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.Sgt. Norman L. Tollett,
30, of Columbus, Ohio, died Apr. 28, in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds
suffered when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using small
arms fire during combat patrol operations. Tollett was assigned
to the 1st Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade
Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.
The
Department of Defense announced today the death of three soldiers
who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died Apr. 28
in Salman Pak, Iraq, of wounds suffered when their vehicle was
struck with an improvised explosive device and small arms fire
during combat operations. They were assigned to the 1st
Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd
Infantry Division, Fort Benning, Ga.
Killed
were:
Sgt.
Glenn D. Hicks Jr., 24, of College Station, Texas.
Pfc.
Jay-D H. Ornsby-Adkins, 21, of Ione, Calif.
Pvt.
Cole E. Spencer, 21, of Gays, Ill.
3
The
Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was
supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Pfc.
Katie M. Soenksen, 19, of Davenport, Iowa, died May 2 in
Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive
device detonated near her vehicle. She was assigned to the
410th Military Police Company, 720th Military Police Battalion, 89th
Military Police Brigade, Fort Hood, Texas.
4
The
Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who
were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died May 2 in
Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when their vehicle struck an
improvised explosive device. They were assigned to the 4th
Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st
Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.
Killed
were:
1st
Lt. Ryan P. Jones, 23, of Massachusetts.
Spc.
Astor A. Sunsin-Pineda, 20, of Long Beach, Calif.
The
Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was
supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. 1st Lt. Colby J. Umbrell,
26, of Doylestown, Pa., died May 3 in Musayyib, Iraq, of wounds
suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his
vehicle. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 501st Parachute
Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division,
Fort Richardson, Alaska.
The
Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was
supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. Pfc. Joseph G. Harris,
19, of Sugar Land, Texas, died May 3 at Forward Operating Base
Warrior, Afghanistan. His death is under investigation. Harris was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry
Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort
Bragg, N.C.
The
Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was
supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Lance Cpl. Johnathan E.
Kirk, 25, of Belhaven, N.C., died May 1 from wounds received
while conducting combat operations on April 23 in Al Anbar province,
Iraq. Kirk was assigned to 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd
Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
The
Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was
supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Spc.
Matthew T. Bolar, 24, of Montgomery, Ala., died May 3 in
Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive
device detonated near his unit during combat operations. Bolar
was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry
Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Fort
Richardson, Alaska.
The
Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was
supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Spc. Andrew R. Weiss, 28, of Lafayette, Ind., died May
3 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive
device detonated near his vehicle. Weiss was assigned to the
1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 1st Cavalry
Division, Fort Hood, Texas.
5
The
Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who
were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died May 3 in
Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when their unit came in contact
with enemy forces using small arms fire.
Killed
were:
Sgt.
Felix G. Gonzalez-Iraheta, 25, of Sun Valley, Calif.
Pfc.
John D. Flores, 21, of Barrigada, Guam. Both were assigned to the 1st Battalion,
18th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry
Division, Schweinfurt, Germany.
The
Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who
were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died May 3 in Ar
Ramadi, Iraq, of wounds sustained when their armored personnel
carrier was struck by an improvised explosive device. They
were assigned to Company B, 321st Engineer Battalion of the U.S.
Army Reserve, Hayden Lake, Idaho.
Killed
were:
Staff
Sgt. Coby G. Schwab, 25, of Puyallup, Wash.
Spc.
Kelly B. Grothe, 21, of Spokane, Wash.
7
The
Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was
supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Pfc.
Jerome J. Potter, 24, of Tacoma, Wash., died May 3 in Baghdad,
Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device
detonated near his vehicle. Potter was assigned to the 1st
Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st
Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.
The
Department of Defense announced today the death of two Marines who
were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died May 5 while
conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq.Master
Sgt. Kenneth N. Mack, 42, of Fort Worth, Texas. , Cpl.
Charles O. Palmer II, 36, of Manteca, Calif. Mack was assigned
to II Marine Expeditionary Force Headquaters Group, II MEF, Camp
Lejeune, N.C. Palmer was assigned to 8th Communication
Battalion, II Marine Expeditionary Force Headquarters Group, II MEF,
Camp Lejeune, N.C.
The
Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was
supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Staff Sgt. Christopher S.
Kiernan, 37, of Virginia Beach, Va., died May 6 in Baghdad,
Iraq, of wounds suffered when his unit came in contact with enemy
forces using small arms fire during combat patrol operations. Kiernan
was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade
Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.
The
Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who
were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died of wounds
suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near their
vehicle during combat operations May 4 in Baghdad, Iraq. They
were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd
Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.
Killed
were:
Staff
Sgt. Christopher N. Hamlin, 24, of London, Ky., died May 4 in Baghdad, Iraq.
Pfc.
Larry I. Guyton, 22, of Brenham, Texas, died May 5 in Balad, Iraq.
8
The
Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who
were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They died May 6 at
Pol-e-Charki, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered from small arms fire. Their
deaths are under investigation.
Killed
were:
Col.
James W. Harrison Jr., 47, of Missouri. He was assigned to the U.S. Army Command and
General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
Master
Sgt. Wilberto Sabalu Jr., 36, of Chicago. He was assigned to the U.S. Military
Police School, Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.
9
The
Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was
supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Spc. Robert J. Dixon, 27,
of Minneapolis, died May 6 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when
an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Dixon
was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade
Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.
The
Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was
supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.Sgt. Sameer A. M. Rateb,
22, of Absecon, N.J., died May 6 at Forward Operating Base Summerall
in Bayji, Iraq, from injuries sustained from a non-combat related
incident. His death is under investigation.
Rateb was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry
Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort
Bragg, N.C.
The
Department of Defense announced today the death of six soldiers who
were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
They died May 6 in Baqubah, Iraq, of wounds sustained when an
improvised explosive device detonated near their vehicle during
combat operations. They
were assigned to the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 3rd
Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.
Killed
were:
Staff
Sgt. Vincenzo Romeo, 23, of Lodi, N.J.
Sgt.
Jason R. Harkins, 25, of Clarkesville, Ga.
Sgt.
Joel W. Lewis, 28, of Sandia Park, N.M.
Cpl.
Matthew L. Alexander, 21, of Gretna, Neb.
Cpl.
Anthony M. Bradshaw, 21, of San Antonio, Texas.
Cpl.
Michael A. Pursel, 19, of Clinton, Utah.
10
The
Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was
supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Spc.
Dan H. Nguyen, 24, of Sugar Land, Texas, died May 8 in Tahrir,
Iraq, when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using small
arms fire. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry
Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood,
Texas.
The
Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was
supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. Sgt. Timothy P. Padgett,
28, of Defuniak Springs, Fla., died May 8 in Tarin Kwot,
Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when his unit was attacked by enemy
forces during combat patrol operations. Padgett was assigned to
the 1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg, N.C.
The
Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was
supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Lance Cpl. Walter K.
O’Haire, 20, of Lynn, Mass., died May 9 from wounds suffered
while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq.
O’Haire was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment,
2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune,
N.C.
11
The
Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was
supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Sgt. Maj. Bradly D. Conner,
41, of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, died May 9 near Al-Hillah, Iraq, of
wounds suffered when an improved explosive device detonated near his
vehicle. Conner was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 1st Special
Forces Group, Fort Lewis, Wash.
The
Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who
were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died May 8 in
Salman Pak, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive
device detonated near their vehicle.
Killed
were:
Sgt.
Blake C. Stephens,
25, of Pocatello, Idaho.
Spc.
Kyle A. Little,
20, of West Boylston, Mass. Both soldiers were assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters
Company, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort
Benning, Ga.
The
Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was
supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.Sgt.
Jason W. Vaughn, 29, of Iuka, Miss., died May 10 in Baqubah,
Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device
detonated near his vehicle. Vaughn was assigned to the 5th
Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry
Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.
The
Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was
supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Pfc. Roy L. Jones III,
21, of Houston, died May 10 in Diwaniyah, Iraq, of wounds suffered
from small arms fire. Jones was assigned to the 984th Military
Police Company, 759th Military Police Battalion, Fort Carson, Colo.
14
The
Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was
supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Spc. Michael K. Frank,
36, of Great Falls, Mont., died of injuries suffered in Baghdad May
10, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV
during combat operations. He was assigned to the 1st
Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat
Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.
The
Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was
supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Pfc. William A. Farrar Jr.,
20, of Redlands, Calif., died May 11 in Al Iskandariyah, Iraq, of
wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near
his vehicle. Farrar was assigned to the 127th Military Police
Company, 709th Military Police Battalion, 18th Military Police
Brigade, Darmstadt, Germany.
The
Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was
supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. 1st Lt. Andrew J. Bacevich, 27,
of Walpole, Mass., died May 13 in Balad, Iraq, of wounds suffered
when an improvised explosive device detonated near his unit during
combat patrol operations in Salah Ad Din Province, Iraq. He was
assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade
Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.
The
Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was
supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Pvt. Anthony J. Sausto,
22, of Lake Havasu City, Ariz., died May 10 in Baghdad, Iraq, of
wounds suffered from enemy small arms fire. He was assigned to
the 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry
Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.
The
Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was
supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Maj. Douglas A. Zembiec,
34, of Albuquerque, N.M., died May 11 while conducting combat
operations in Baghdad, Iraq. He was assigned to Headquarters
Battalion, Marine Corps National Capital Region, Henderson Hall,
Arlington, Va.
15
The
Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was
supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Spc. Rhys W. Klasno, 20,
of Riverside, Calif., died May 13 in Haditha, Iraq, of wounds
suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his
vehicle. Klasno was assigned to the 1114th Transportation
Company, Bakersfield, Calif.
The
Department of Defense announced today the death of an airman who was
supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Staff Sgt. John T. Self, 29, of Pontotoc, Miss., died
May 14 as result of enemy action near Baghdad, Iraq. He was
assigned to the 314th Security Forces Squadron, Little Rock Air
Force Base, Ark.
DoD
Announces Army Soldiers as Whereabouts Unknown
The
Department of Defense announced today the identities of four
soldiers listed as Duty Status Whereabouts Unknown (DUSTWUN) while
supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They have been unaccounted
for since May 12 in Al Taqa, Iraq, when their patrol was attacked by
enemy forces using automatic fire and explosives. They are
assigned to the 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade
Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.
Reported
as DUSTWUN are:
Sgt.
Anthony J. Schober, 23, of Reno, Nev.
Spc.
Alex R. Jimenez, 25, of Lawrence, Mass.
Pfc.
Joseph J. Anzack Jr., 20, of Torrance, Calif.
Pvt.
Byron W. Fouty, 19, of Waterford, Mich.
Search
and recovery efforts are ongoing, and the incident is under
investigation.
16
The
Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was
supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Pfc.
Zachary R. Gullett, 20, of Hillsboro, Ohio, died May 1 in Baghdad,
Iraq, as a result of a non-combat related incident. His death
is under investigation. Gullett was assigned to the 984th
Military Police Company, 759th Military Police Battalion, 89th
Military Police Brigade, Fort Carson, Colo
The
Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was
supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Lance Cpl. Jeffrey D. Walker,
21, of Macon, Ga., died May 14 while conducting combat operations in
Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to Combat Logistics
Regiment 2, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, II Marine
Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
17
The
Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was
supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Sgt. Thomas G. Wright, 38, of Holly, Mich., died May
14 enroute to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Landstuhl, Germany,
from a non-combat related illness while serving at Balad, Iraq. Wright
was assigned to the 46th Military Police Company, 210th Military
Police Battalion, Kingsford, Mich.
The
Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who
were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died May 14 in
Salman Pak, Iraq, of wounds suffered when their unit came in contact
with enemy forces using an improvised explosive device and small
arms fire. They were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 15th
Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division,
Fort Stewart, Ga.
Killed
were:
Sgt.
Allen J. Dunckley,
25, of Yardley, Pa.
Sgt.
Christopher N. Gonzalez,
25, of Winslow, Ariz.
18
The
Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was
supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. Staff Sgt. Joshua R.
Whitaker, 23, of Long Beach, Calif., died May 15 in Qalat,
Afghanistan, of wounds suffered from enemy small arms fire. Whitaker
was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group, Fort
Bragg, N.C
DoD
Announces Change-In-Status Of Army Soldier
The
Department of Defense today announced the death of a soldier
supporting Operation Iraq Freedom, who was previously listed as Duty
Status Whereabouts Unknown (DUSTWUN). Sgt. Anthony J.
Schober, 23, of Reno, Nev., died on May 12 in Al Taqa, Iraq, of
wounds suffered when his patrol was attacked by enemy forces using
automatic fire and explosives. He was assigned to the 4th
Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th
Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.
The
Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was
supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Pfc.
Aaron D. Gautier, 19, of Hampton, Va., died May 17 in Baghdad,
Iraq, of wounds suffered when his mounted patrol came in contact
with enemy forces using small arms fire and an improvised explosive
device. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry
Regiment, 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.
Green Zone Follies
Baghdad,
16 May 07: “It used to be two a day and now it’s up to three.
What am I talking about? The number of officially reported deaths
per diem I don’t care if fifty bought the farm, the DoD reports
for the public will show a maximum of two-three a day.
The
families are notified, of course, but the public is only told that
three GIs bought the farm (the wounded are never, never
mentioned…over 50,000 serious injuries including permanent brain
damage, missing legs and feet and so on). As Bush goes down the
chute to Hell, orders are now pouring out of DC about what can, and
cannot, be said and done. I see about half of these but getting the
specs out to the badly-fooled American public is getting harder and
harder. I need to stress these lies are not the fault of the
military commands but are specific orders from the Commander in
Chief.
Mail,
incoming and outgoing, is thoroughly screened’ by official censors
who use ‘knitting needles’ to open letters to allow the snoops
to read, and copy if necessary, anything and everything the opener
thinks could be ‘damaging to morale’ or ‘a serious breach of
security.’
Also,
the loathed internet is being brought under control here. An
official, and highly classified, document I read this morning states
that : ‘The damage done to the morale of our troops in the field
by slackers and anti-government elements” inside the United
States, and ‘suspected Russian agitators’ in collusion with
‘known Muslim fundamentalists’ from without ‘are causing
serious erosion of morale among the troops in the field’ and must
be stopped by any means necessary.’
I
am enclosing an official discussion about the rigid internet
censorship. This is not secret but the daily flood of ferocious
orders from the Pentagon certainly are.
We
all personally doubt if the Russians are spying on us here. We ran
them out when we took over the country and, by order, tried to shoot
their evacuating ambassador and his staff, just like we tried to
shoot the Italian female reporter. We failed in both cases. This is
typical of what goes on around here. Failure is an orphan and we
have boxcars full of orphans around here now.
There
is also trouble here about the Israelis here. Many of the men loathe
their ‘military representatives’ here because they are whining,
demanding and downright repulsive. They want us to invade Iran or at
least bomb it. They aren’t getting their way but they have so much
influence in the White House and Congress that they actually think
they have a ring through the nose of the American media and through
them, the people.
There
is , or rather was, an Israeli major here who is the worst of the
lot. He had been running around the Green Zone demanding that ‘we
do more’ to stop the spread of evil ‘ Iranian terrorists’
(although most of the resistance people are homegrown) and the other
night, some GI tried to gut him outside the tennis court. Ripped him
open like a fish but he screamed like a woman and the MPs got to the
scene. They stuffed his tripes back inside, sewed him up and flew
him out, under heavy guard, the very next day.
The
others of his tribe are now going lightly and smiling to everyone.
The general feeling here, among many officers and even the men, is
that Israel started this war to suit her needs and Bush and Congress
are so eager to please TelAviv that
they go right along.
And
the dead keep being stuffed on planes and the families mourn. A
friend in the CIC told me recently that they broke up a serious plan
on the part of some EOD people to blow up the Israeli headquarters
here. With its occupants!
My
informant laughed and said, ‘It’s too bad we caught them…’
It’s sacrilegious things like this that have infuriated Bush and
Cheney and have resulted in growing crackdown on ‘dissident
elements’ here…especially to include the evil internet.
And
the men captured? Huge searches unrewarded. We all know that the men
must be dead and the Iraqi resistance people must have tortured them
terribly before they died. This will be a case of the Unopened
Coffin if and when they find the parts. ”
Official Censorship: Defense Dept. blocking
MySpace, YouTube for GIs
May 14, 2007
by Robert Weller
Associated Press
DENVER
- Soldiers serving overseas will lose some of their online links to
friends and loved ones back home under a Department of Defense
policy that a high-ranking Army official said would take effect
Monday.
The
Defense Department will begin blocking access "worldwide"
to YouTube, MySpace and 11 other popular Web sites on its computers
and networks, according to a memo sent Friday by Gen. B.B. Bell, the
U.S. Forces Korea commander.
The
policy is being implemented to protect information and reduce drag
on the department's networks, according to Bell.
"This
recreational traffic impacts our official DoD network and bandwidth
ability, while posing a significant operational security
challenge," the memo said.
The
armed services have long barred members of the military from sharing
information that could jeopardize their missions or safety, whether
electronically or by other means.
The
new policy is different because it creates a blanket ban on several
sites used by military personnel to exchange messages, pictures,
video and audio with family and friends.
Members
of the military can still access the sites on their own computers
and networks, but Defense Department computers and networks are the
only ones available to many soldiers and sailors in Iraq and
Afghanistan.
Iraqi
insurgents or their supporters have been posting videos on YouTube
at least since last fall, and the Army recently began posting videos
on YouTube showing soldiers defeating insurgents and befriending
Iraqis.
But
the new rules mean many military personnel won't be able to watch
those videos — at least not on military computers.
If
the restrictions are intended to prevent soldiers from giving or
receiving bad news, they could also prevent them from providing
positive reports from the field, said Noah Shachtman, who runs a
national security blog for Wired Magazine.
"This
is as much an information war as it is bombs and bullets," he
said. "And they are muzzling their best voices."
The
sites covered by the ban are the video-sharing sites YouTube,
Metacafe, IFilm, StupidVideos and FileCabi; social networking sites
MySpace, BlackPlanet and Hi5; music sites Pandora, MTV, 1.fm and
live365; and the photo-sharing site Photobucket.
Several
companies have instituted similar bans, saying recreational sites
drain productivity.
Department Takes Steps to Ensure DoD Computer
Networks Available for Operations
No. 601-07
May 16, 2007
To
ensure DoD networks are available for combat operations and critical
support activities, the Department issued a directive May 14 that
prohibits DoD computers from accessing specific recreational web
sites. The measure preserves military bandwidth for operational
missions and enhances DoD computer network security.
The
selection of these particular sites was based on the volume of
traffic moving from official DoD networks to the Internet. The
sites include: YouTube; 1.fm; Pandora; MySpace; PhotoBucket;
Live365; hi5; Metacafe; MTV; ifilm.com; Blackplanet; stupidvideos;
and filecabi. Additional sites may be added in the
future as part of ongoing efforts to ensure DoD networks have
sufficient throughput available to conduct operational and
supporting missions as well as enhance DoD network security.
This
directive does not prohibit any individual, including DoD personnel
or their families, from posting to or accessing these sites from
personal or commercial network providers; it only restricts the use
of DoD computer network resources to access these sites.
In
Iraq and Afghanistan, many of these sites as well as others have
been blocked by DoD for more than two years, some for as long as
four years. Consequently, this directive does not prevent deployed
DoD personnel from communicating with family members or loved ones. There
are a wide variety of commercial communication services such as
e-mail, telephone calls and video teleconferencing at many locations
in Southwest Asia. In addition, the Army Knowledge
Online/Defense Knowledge Online network is available to military
members and their families providing a rich information sharing
environment, including email, file sharing (pictures, videos, and
documents), discussion forums (blogging), instant messaging
chatrooms, and video messaging.
Commercial
Internet services are also provided by DoD Morale, Welfare, and
Recreation (MWR) facilities, which are widely available throughout
Iraq and Afghanistan and are not affected by this directive. Deployed
personnel can access recreational Internet web sites from Internet
cafes and other facilities in many locations around the world. These
alternative sites do not rely on military bandwidth.
Mortar rounds slam into Green Zone and
central street in Baghdad
May 15, 2007
The Associated Press
BAGHDAD:
Mortar rounds slammed into the U.S.-controlled Green Zone on Tuesday
and a central Baghdad street being reopened to the public, officials
said. At least four people were injured, all of them on the central
street, officials said.
The
attack occurred just before 4 p.m., with at least two rounds
exploding in the Green Zone and two others across the Tigris River
on Abu Nawas Street, police said.
The
Iraqi government has recently announced plans to reopen the street,
known for its fish markets and riverside restaurants, before the
U.S.-led invasion of March 2003.
The
U.S. Embassy confirmed explosions in the Green Zone but said no
casualties were immediately reported.
"Preliminary
information indicates that there were no casualties and minimal
damage," embassy spokesman Lou Fintor said.
A
recent increase in mortar and rocket attacks on the Green Zone,
which houses the U.S. Embassy and major Iraqi government offices,
has raised concern, especially since they are occurring during the
U.S.-led crackdown.
The
U.S. Embassy has ordered its staff to wear flak jackets and helmets
while outdoors or in unprotected buildings. The order was issued one
day after a rocket attack killed four Asian contractors in the zone.
The
U.S. is planning to open a massive new embassy in the Green Zone
this year despite the ongoing security threat there.
It's
unclear what groups have been responsible for the recent attacks.
Some barrages have been launched from Shiite-dominated areas in
eastern Baghdad, but the Green Zone is also within range of Sunni
militant strongholds to the south.
Is fortified Green Zone no longer a 'haven'
in Iraq?
May 16, 2007
by Scott Canon,
McClatchy Newspapers
BAGHDAD,
Iraq — An explosion by a mortar or rocket wounded five U.S.
Embassy contractors Tuesday in the heavily fortified Green Zone,
fueling concerns that the area is no longer a haven from Iraq's
chaos.
The
attack came while American-led forces continued to search for three
soldiers who've been missing since their two-Humvee patrol was
ambushed Saturday in a violent area south of Baghdad. U.S. officials
said American forces had seized several suspected insurgents but had
found no trace of the missing men.
Three
rounds, at least one of which was a 122-mm rocket, landed just
before 4 p.m. in the Green Zone, home to the U.S. Embassy, American
military headquarters and most central Iraqi government offices.
Three rounds also struck just outside the protected area, causing no
injuries.
A
U.S. Embassy spokesman said the injuries weren't life-threatening
and that the embassy hadn't yet confirmed the nationalities of the
wounded contractors.
He
declined to say precisely where the contractors were when they were
hit, fearing such information would aid in future attacks.
A
similar explosion shook the compound Monday but yielded no injuries.
"We
are constantly assessing the security situation and adjust our
tactics and posture as appropriate," U.S. Embassy spokesman Lou
Fintor said. Activities at the embassy continued without
interruption Tuesday, he said.
McClatchy
Newspapers reported this week that unease is growing among career
State Department employees in Baghdad over what many fear is
inadequate security in the Green Zone, a 4-square-mile sector in
downtown Baghdad where access is strictly limited and that until
recently had a reputation for being relatively secure.
Attacks
in the Green Zone have been increasing since the U.S. kicked off a
buildup of American forces in the capital in an effort to stanch
sectarian violence. In March, two U.S. contractors died in a mortar
attack. In April, a suicide bomber killed a lawmaker in Iraq's
parliament building. Earlier this month, rocket fire killed four
Asian contractors working for the embassy.
Since
then, embassy workers have demanded better protection from such
strikes, including hardening the roofs of the temporary structures
where most of them sleep.
Meanwhile,
the U.S. military said it had interviewed 450 people and received 55
tips from civilians in the area near Mahmoudiya, about 20 miles
south of Baghdad, where three American soldiers had disappeared.
The
searches led to the detentions of 11 people, including four whom
spokesman Lt. Col. Christopher Garver said were high-value targets,
"someone we especially wanted to talk to." He wouldn't say
whether the U.S. military had sought any of those detained before
the killings Saturday.
"We
are continuing our search hoping for the best possible
outcome," Garver said. "We have not seen intelligence
indicators that would indicate any other outcome at this time, so we
will continue on the assumption that they are alive."
Four
other soldiers and their Iraqi interpreter were killed when they
were ambushed as they set up an observation post about 12 miles west
of Mahmoudiya to watch for insurgents planting roadside bombs.
The
Pentagon listed four U.S. soldiers as missing late Tuesday: Sgt.
Anthony J. Schober, 23, of Reno, Nev.; Spc. Alex R. Jimenez, 25, of
Lawrence, Mass.; Pfc. Joseph J. Anzack Jr., 20, of Torrance, Calif.;
and Pvt. Byron W. Fouty, 19, of Waterford, Mich. The Pentagon
believes one of the four is among the dead, but could not say which
one.
Violence
continued elsewhere. In Diyala province, a suicide bomber struck a
marketplace in Abu Saida, killing 12 people and injuring almost two
dozen more. In Baghdad, two bombs killed five people and injured at
least 15 near al Tayaran square, an area of bus stations and shops.
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