02 January 2010 Military News

U.S. Forces Iraq Stands Up in Baghdad AFPS 02 Jan 2010 -- A New Year's Day ceremony here marked another evolution of Operation Iraqi Freedom, as five major command groups merged into a single headquarters command, U.S. Forces Iraq.
Joint effort increases efficiency of equipment drawdown Army News 02 Jan 2010 -- As the responsible drawdown of troops and equipment in Iraq draws near, the Corps Distribution Center at Contingency Operating Location Speicher, Iraq, has become a hub in the effort to move excess equipment out of Iraq.
Movement control team helps Joint Distribution Center mission move faster Army News 02 Jan 2010 -- An operations unit at the Joint Distribution Center at Joint Base Balad, Iraq, implemented a new transportation standard Dec. 11 to decrease the wait time required to ship sustainment supply cargo throughout Iraq.

Over Half Of Karzai's Cabinet Nominees Rejected By Parliament RFE/RL 02 Jan 2010 -- Afghanistan's parliament today rejected more than half of President Hamid Karzai's cabinet nominees.
Afghan parliament rejects two thirds of Karzai's Cabinet nominees RIA Novosti 02 Jan 2010 -- Afghanistan's parliament voted on Saturday to reject most of the nominees put forward by President Hamid Karzai to serve in his new Cabinet.
Afghan Lawmakers Reject Most of Karzai's Cabinet Picks VOA 02 Jan 2010 -- An Afghan parliament member votes for the new Cabinet in Kabul, 02 Jan 2010

700 killed in 44 drone strikes in 2009 IRNA 02 Jan 2010 -- Of the 44 predator strikes carried out by US drones in the tribal areas of Pakistan over the past 12 months, only five were able to hit their actual targets, killing five key Al-Qaeda and Taliban leaders, but at the cost of over 700 innocent civilians.
US strike kills senior Pakistani Taliban leader IRNA 02 Jan 2010 -- A senior Pakistani Taliban commander has been reported killed in a U.S drone strike in Waziristan tribal region, officials in region said Friday.
Death toll from Pakistan suicide attack reaches 90 IRNA 02 Jan 2010 -- Death toll from a suicide attack in a remote village in Pakistan’s northwest has reached 90, a police officer in the region said Saturday.

Death toll in Pakistan volleyball game bombing rises to 95 RIA Novosti 02 Jan 2010 -- The death toll in Friday's suicide bombing during a volleyball game in northwestern Pakistan has risen to 95 people, the local GEO TV channel said on Saturday citing police sources.
Death Toll at 95 in Pakistan Volleyball Bombing VOA 02 Jan 2010 -- More bodies are being pulled from the rubble of a sports complex in northwestern Pakistan, raising the death toll in Friday's attack on a volleyball game to at least 95.

IKE Strike Group Deploys Navy NewsStand 02 Jan 2010 -- The USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) (IKE) Carrier Strike Group (CSG) deployed Jan. 2 for a six-month deployment in support of 5th and 6th Fleet operations.
Commander, U.S. 6th Fleet Visits NAS Sigonella Navy NewsStand 02 Jan 2010 -- U.S. 6th Fleet commander held two all-hands calls and toured 6th Fleet assets Dec. 30 during his visit to Naval Air Station (NAS) Sigonella.

Pakistan, India exchange list of nuclear facilities IRNA 02 Jan 2010 -- Pakistan and India Friday exchanged lists of nuclear installations and facilities despite tension over last year Mumbai attacks, which broke dialogue process between 2 archrivals, Pak Foreign Ministry said.

Sectarian Fighting Erupts in Central Somalia VOA 02 Jan 2010 -- Ahlu-Sunna spokesman Sheik Abdullahi Sheik AbuYusuf says heavily-armed al-Shabab fighters attacked Dhusamareb town early Saturday with gunfire and mortars.
Israeli Warplanes Bomb Gaza Tunnels VOA 02 Jan 2010 -- A year after the Gaza War, the bombs are still falling. Israeli warplanes launched missiles at several open fields in the Gaza Strip late Friday, sparking a series of loud explosions.
Palestinians Still Struggling to Rebuild Year After Gaza War VOA 02 Jan 2010 -- It has been a year since Israel launched Operation Cast Lead, a 22-day ground offensive in the Gaza Strip. Palestinian leaders and human rights groups say the assault killed 1,400 Palestinians. Israel says 1,166 Palestinians died, along with 13 Israelis. The objective was to stop militants in Gaza from launching the rockets that had terrorized communities in southern Israel for years.

Iran Gives West One Month to Accept Nuclear Deal VOA 02 Jan 2010 -- Iran warned on Saturday the West has until the end of the month to accept Tehran's counterproposal to a U.N.-drafted plan on a nuclear exchange, or they will start producing nuclear fuel on their own.

UK backed Saddam’s war against Iran, former premier admits IRNA 02 Jan 2010 -- Sir John Major has become the first former British prime minister to openly admit that the UK government supported Saddam Hussein during Iraq’s eight year war against Iran.
Tony Blair's Predecessor Criticizes Him Over Iraq War VOA 02 Jan 2010 -- Tony Blair's already tarnished reputation has taken another blow with former prime minister John Major now questioning his successor's motive for joining in the invasion of Iraq.

Obama Condemns Terrorists, Reaffirms U.S. Resolve AFPS 02 Jan 2010 -- President Barack Obama condemned the Dec. 25 terrorist attempt on the United States in his first 2010 weekly radio address, vowing to bring those involved to justice and outlining steps the administration is taking to protect the American people.
Obama Ties Failed Plane Attack To Al-Qaeda RFE/RL 02 Jan 2010 -- U.S. President Barack Obama has for the first time publicly linked a Yemeni-based Al-Qaeda affiliate to the alleged Christmas Day suicide mission to blow up a U.S. airliner.
Obama Links Christmas Day Terrorist Attempt to al-Qaida VOA 02 Jan 2010 -- U.S. President Barack Obama has, for the first time, publicly blamed an affiliate of the al-Qaida terror network for an unsuccessful plot to blow up a U.S.-bound airliner. Officials are investigating how American intelligence agencies failed to prevent the botched attack.

Yemen: Foreign Terrorists Will Not be Tolerated VOA 02 Jan 2010 -- Yemen's government vowed it will not tolerate foreign terrorists on its soil, one day after a Somali insurgent group said it was sending fighters.

Terror Suspect Attacks Danish Cartoonist Home RFE/RL 02 Jan 2010 -- Danish police have shot and wounded a man with alleged Islamic militant connections at the home of Kurt Westergaard, who drew one of the controversial cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad in 2005, sparking outrage in the Muslim world.
Danish Police Charge Suspect With Cartoonist's Attempted Murder VOA 02 Jan 2010 -- Danish authorities say a Somali man has been charged with two counts of attempted murder after trying to break into the home of the cartoonist whose drawings of the Prophet Muhammad angered the Muslim world.

Yanukovych leads final polls before Jan. 17 Ukrainian election RIA Novosti 02 Jan 2010 -- Ukraine's presidential election campaign entered its last two weeks on Saturday with the final opinion polls predicting victory for Party of Regions leader Viktor Yanukovych.

NEWSLETTER

Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list