January
1-15 Stories
Blair:
"They continue to pose a risk."
In Britain’s
Prime Minster’s first speech to his nation for the 2002 new year, he
couragously continues the fight to prevent more terrorists attacks,
"September 11 was an act of evil…They [terrorist] continue to
pose a risk, and the international community must continue to be vigilant
and determined in rooting them out and shutting down their networks…(2002
New Year’s Speech Text)
USA
is Afghanistan’s Largest Humanitarian Donor
Washington
– January 5th, "Even before September 11th, we had already provided
$170 million worth of humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, said Virginia
Clark with Dept. of Defense. Now the US has provided "more than
$187 million worth since October. That includes food, shelter, blankets,
medical supplies. And as the winter is upon us, a very tough winter,
the United States commitment to the Afghan people is saving lives."
Olympic
Games Security in Salt Lake City
Homeland
Security Director Tom Ridge will travel to Salt Lake City,
Utah, to review Olympic security preparations in advance of the February
Winter Games. Wednesday, Ridge will also visit the counter-terrorism
training facility at the Nevada Test Site outside Las Vegas and the
Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico.
Argentina
to Get Help From US
January 5 Aboard Air Force One en route to Oregon, the President called
Vicente Fox, President of Mexico and President Batlle of Uruguay to
continue to discuss the situation in Argentina. Earlier this week Bush
sent a letter congratulating President Edwardo Duhalde, Argentina’s
newest President. Officials say that the United States "has made
it very clear that we are willing to help once Argentina develops a
sustainable economic plan, working with international financial insitutions."
Lieberman
in Turkey "..this is a war against terrorism, not a war against
Islam"
Senator
Lieberman, Hagel, McCain are part of a US delegation visiting Turkey,
Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Oman, Afghanistan.. During a meeting
with Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, Lieberman and McCain spoke
plainly about Iraq;"..we stated our own feeling, Senator McCain
and I have said, about how we believe that there is no way to imagine
reconciliation with Iraq under Saddam. The United States has no conflict
with the Iraqi people but with this [Saddam’s] government that seems
so bent on developing weapons of mass destruction and has such a continuing
and obvious desire for revenge against the United States. But that is
not inconsistent with our own belief and the importance of maintaining
the territorial integrity of Iraq." (Full
Story)
Department
of Defense Identifies 7 Marines Killed in KC-130/R Crash
The Department of Defense announced that the following Marines were
killed as a result of the crash of a KC-130/R aircraft in Pakistan:
Command
Pilot: Captain
Matthew W. Bancroft, 29, of Shasta, CA. He joined the Marine Corps in
1994.
Co-Pilot:
Captain Daniel G. McCollum, 29, of
Richland, SC. He joined the Marine Corps in 1993.
Flight Engineer: Gunnery Sergeant
Stephen L. Bryson, 35, of Montgomery, AL. He joined the Marine Corps
in 1983.
Loadmaster: Staff Sergeant Scott
N. Germosen, 37, of Queens, NY. He joined the Marine Corps in 1982.
Flight Mechanic: Sergeant Nathan
P. Hays, 21, of Lincoln, WA. He joined the Marine Corps in 1999.
Flight Navigator: Lance Corporal
Bryan P. Bertrand, 23, of Coos, OR. He joined the Marine Corps in 1998.
Radio Operator: Sergeant Jeannette
L. Winters, 25, of Du Page, IL. She joined the Marine Corps in 1997.
The
Marines are assigned to Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 352
(VMGR 352), the "Raiders." Elements of VMGR-352 are attached
to Combined Task Force 58, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
VMGR-352 is home-based at the Marine Corps Air Station, Miramar, CA.
The cause of the accident is under investigation.
Coalition
Strikes al Qaeda Terrorist Rendezvous Points
U.S. B-52
and B-1 bombers, F-18 fighters and AC-130 gunships struck a suspected
Al Qaeda regrouping point — the Zawar Kili compound southwest of Khowst
— for the second time.
Coalition aircraft struck the Al Qaeda
terrorist group compound because military officials observed "some
activity" at the site. Historically the compound is known as a
place the Al Qaeda would go to regroup. (Read
Full Story)
U.S.
Using Intel to Foil Terror Attacks
The U.S. intelligence effort in Afghanistan will pay off in thwarting
attacks on the United States, its allies and friends, Defense Secretary
Donald Rumsfeld said.
While the Taliban have been driven from
power, the campaign in Afghanistan is far from over…many parts of
the country are still in turmoil and that senior Al Qaeda and Taliban
officials are still at large. Coalition and Afghan forces also need
to deal with pockets of Al Qaeda and Taliban fighters. (Full
Story)
Jordan,
Russia Set Up Hospitals, Spain and South Korea Give Top Medical Support
As
the war against terror continues coalition partners step up to the plate
to provide a bounty of humanitarian aid to the recently freed Afghans.
"Jordan,
has established a state-of-the-art hospital in Mazar-e Sharif with more
than 20 surgeons and full medical capability," Franks said during
a recent briefing. "They’ve treated more than 8,000 Afghans since
Jan. 8." Russia has also established a hospital and Spain and South
Korea are preparing to send more medical assets to the theater. (Read
full story)
Bush:
"Let people have their own money.."
At
a lively Town Hall gathering in Southern California, the President talked
about his desire to see the small business owner get a break, "it’s
your money; you spend it in order to expand the job base in America."
The country’s held up economic stimulus package by person(s) unnamed
was clearly up front on the President’s mind ".. I’m the kind of
fellow who says, let’s work together and focus on results, not rhetoric..
Let’s do what’s right for the people who have been hurt." We need
to work [together] and then share credit..".
Bush shared personal stories, updates
on the war on terror, and fired back at the unnamed in DC, "Somebody
told me the funniest thing. They said, there are some in Washington
saying that the tax cut caused the recession. I don’t know what economic
textbook they’re reading."
The enthusiastic crowd had lots to say
as well: ".. Mr. President, I too believe in the American Dream.
I am a young Latina entrepreneur who caters to top-level executive women
in their clothing needs. One of my dreams is to design an exclusive
garment for the First Lady, Laura Bush." with a smile the President
said "….you’ve got a very good marketing department, I see that."
(Read Full Answers
to Questions Here)
January
16-31 Stories
U.S.-Russia
Agree on Working Groups to Discuss Defense Issues
WASHINGTON,
Jan. 16, 2002 — The United States and Russia have agreed to set up
several working groups to discuss defense-related issues in preparation
for President Bush’s Moscow visit later this year.
13
Year Old Raises Money to Rebuild the Pentagon
Lasidi
Helmick, an 8th grader in West Virginia raised over 10 thousand dollars
to help rebuild the Pentagon, she said they felt like the
Pentagon
was "sort of in their backyard" and wanted to help. The school
is about about two hours west of Washington. (Read
Story)
Wanted:
Scientists to Help Dept. of Defense
Special Operations Command Invite Scientists to Help America
WASHINGTON
– The deadline for applications is fast approaching for scientists and
researchers interested in attending a March 11-13 Defense Department
conference where focus will be on technical areas that the DoD needs
help. "We want to tap new resources to help us in our fight against
terrorism. These scientists can bring a lot to the table. They can take
us in directions that we might not have thought of in the past,"
said Jane A. Alexander, deputy director of DARPA. (Read
Story)
Olympic
Games Security Led by U.S. Secret Service
UTAH
– U.S. Officials expect about 70,000 to 80,000 visitors to arrive daily
in Salt Lake City from Feb. 8 – Feb. 24. More than 10,000 officials
are slated to provide security in the city of 800,000 people. In comparison,
the last Winter Olympics in America took place in 1980 in Lake Placid,
N.Y. About a thousand federal, state and local officials provided security
in the town of 2,700 people
Looking
at lessons learned from terrorist attacks at the 1996 Atlanta Summer
Olympics, the 1972 Munich Summer Olympics and in the wake of the Sept.
11 terrorist attacks officials are using powerful new plans to protect
the safety and enjoyment of the Winter Games.
(Read
Full Story)
Tommy
Thompson at National Council for Families & Television
LOS
ANGELES – Friday, HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson announced President
Bush will propose a $9 million increase in funding for breast and cervical
cancer screening at the Women’s Health Summit sponsored by the National
Council for Families & Television in Beverly Hills, Calif. The summit
brings together television leaders with medical experts to discuss women’s
health issues and their portrayal intelevision.
"Together, breast and cervical cancer
took the lives of more than 45,000 American women in 2001," Secretary
Thompson said. "These deaths occurred disproportionately among
low-income women and women who belong to racial or ethnic minorities.
By increasing screening rates for at-risk women, we can save lives.”
FOX
Sports to Beam Superbowl to Troops Away From Home
"We’re
providing full coverage," said Air Force Lt. Col. Rob Garza, AFRTS
operations officer. "We’ll start with the pre-game show and run
right through the post-game analysis."
The American Forces Radio and Television
Service has installed a number of receivers throughout Central Asia
so U.S. military personnel will not miss a second of the Rams- Patriots
gridiron battle.
Fox
Sports is broadcasting the game and is planning special coverage of
troops in the area of operations during the game. The Fox coverage of
the Super Bowl is beamed from the AFRTS Broadcast Center in California.
(Read
Full Story)
Rumsfeld
Says No Evidence Bin Laden Is Dead
"He
could be dead, he could be alive, he could be in Afghanistan, he could
be somewhere else," Rumsfeld said. "We’re looking for him,
and I think we’ll find him."
Rumsfeld said some of the places most
named as possible bin Laden refuges are Sudan, Somalia, Kashmir, Chechnya,
Yemen and Saudi Arabia:"There are a number of places, but I don’t
think there are many places that would like to have him right now."
(Full
Transcript)
U.S.
Finds Over 250 Automatic Grenade Launchers in Cache
U.S.
forces launched the raid on the compound after intelligence information
revealed that the area might hold some level of Taliban or Al Qaeda
leadership. While U.S. officials knew there was a cache of munitions
in the area, they were surprised at how large it was. Stufflebeem said
the U.S. forces found more than 400 60mm mortar rounds, more than 300
rocket propelled grenades, 300 100mm rockets and thousands of rocket
fuses. They also discovered more than 250 automatic grenade launcher
rounds and 500,000 small arms rounds. (Full
Story)
Afghan
Forces Lead Hospital Raid
Anti-Taliban
Afghan forces supported by U.S. Special Forces yesterday killed six
Al Qaeda members who had seized one of the wings of a hospital in Kandahar.
"Despite numerous attempts to negotiate
their peaceful surrender, the six had been holed up in the hospital
for almost two months," Rear Adm. John D. Stufflebeem said at the
Pentagon. (Full
Story)
Camp
X-Ray Gets More Official Visits
Monday, January 27th,
(CA) Senator Diane Fienstein, and 3 other Senators joined Rumsfeld on
a visit to Camp X-Ray adding to the list of officials visiting to see
the facility and detainees first hand.
British
officials recently inspected and reportedly gave their approval of the
much talked about ‘treatment and conditions.’ As the visits continue
we also learn of the culturally sensitive meals the detainees are served.
Each was given a copy of the Koran, and visitors to the camp say the
detainees pray so loudly that their voices can be heard for miles.
Last week after Indiana’s Senator Buyer
toured with a delegation he said "the worst of the worst"
are being treated well and emphasized that they are trained-to-kill
terrorists. He explained the "unlawful combatants" are terrorists
network members, not to be confused with soldiers from a nation the
U.S. was at war with. Terrorists are different, not fitting into categories
that some people would prefer to believe. The Senator cited these among
others as reasons the detainees can’t be regarded as POW’s or protected
from being prosecuted for murder.
Now Rumsfeld’s visit brings more focus
to the situation. While en route to Cuba he told reporters, "There
has been a lot of confusion and misinformation about what they’re [U.S.
service members] doing down there. These are terrific young men and
women doing an excellent job, and I want to tell them that." (Read
Full Text)
FBI
and Homeland Security
Despite
heightened tensions between India and Pakistan, FBI Director Mueller
is still on the fast track in the fight against terrorism– visiting
India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Yemen, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia.
Mueller
has found alliances that support the tightening dragnet to smoke out
the terrorists and their hidden masterminds. While officials in Pakistan
found earlier rumors of bin Laden’s presence troubling, its widely known
that President Musharraf has taken measurable steps to prevent al-Qaeda
escapees from crossing into Pakistan. Speaking on the issue of bin Laden,
Mueller said, "I’m not certain that anybody knows for sure either
where Osama bin Laden is or … whether he is still alive."
Whether bin Laden is alive or not, the
prevention of terrorism is an ongoing primary mission for the coalition
nations and U.S. security. During a speech addressing Homeland Security
on Friday, President Bush said ". I’m proud of our FBI… I’m proud
to report to you now the number one mission of the Federal Bureau of
Investigation is to prevent another attack on America.(See
Text of Remarks)