Afghanistan

Washington, DC — Senator Hillary Clinton today urged General David Petraeus to refocus efforts on Afghanistan to combat threats facing America’s national security. During a Senate Armed Services Committee Hearing to consider the nominations of General David Petraeus to be Commander US Central Command and Lt. General Raymond Odierno to be Commander Multi-National Force Iraq, Senator Clinton voiced her concern that efforts in Afghanistan had gone astray and pressed General Petraeus on whether more troops are needed to achieve the mission there.

Canadian troops carry a wounded Afghan man: Photo by Pierre Gazzola (CC)    » read more »

21 May 2008 -- The United States has defended its policy of detaining juveniles in prisons in Iraq, and Afghanistan. The issue is expected to be high on the agenda Thursday when the U.N. Committee on the Rights of the Child examines U.S. compliance with U.N. rules on dealing with children in armed conflict.

In a report submitted to the U.N. Committee on the Rights of the Child, the United States acknowledges it has detained almost 2,500 youths under the age of 18 since 2002. Almost all have been detained in Iraq under President Bush's anti-terrorism campaign.

Washington says it is holding more than 500 juveniles suspected of being "unlawful enemy combatants" in detention centers in Iraq. Another 10 are being held at the U.S. base at Bagram, Afghanistan.    » read more »

May 21, 2008 -- The Department of Defense today announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

1st Lt. Jeffrey F. Deprimo, 35, of Pittston, Pennsylvania, died May 20 in Ghazni, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device.

He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 103rd Armor Regiment, Pennsylvania Army National Guard, Williamsport, Pa.

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WASHINGTON, May 21 – Senator Bernie Sanders, a member of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, today urged the Senate to approve a new GI Bill that would provide expanded education benefits for a new generation of veterans.

The legislation that Sanders (I-Vt.) cosponsored would guarantee a full scholarship to any public, in-state university for veterans who served three years in the military, including activated National Guard troops and reservists. The expanded benefits also could be used for students at private colleges and for graduate schools.    » read more »

Senators Bond and McCaskill Vote on Historic GI Bill Tomorrow; Education Funding Would Help Thousands of Missouri Iraq Veterans

May 19, 2008 -- NEW YORK - Tomorrow, May 20th, the Senate is expected to vote on a World War II-style GI Bill for veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan.

This bipartisan legislation, originally introduced by Senators Jim Webb (D-VA), Chuck Hagel (R-NE), Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), and John Warner (R-VA), is whole heartedly endorsed by Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), the nation's first and largest non-partisan Iraq veterans' organization, and all the leading Veterans Service Organizations.    » read more »

May 20, 2008 -- The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Cpl. William J. L. Cooper, 22, of Eupora, Mississippi, died May 19 while supporting combat operations in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.

He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2d Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

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May 19, 2008 -- The Department of Defense announced today that the 86th Brigade Combat Team, Vermont Army National Guard, has been alerted to deploy in support of Operation Enduring Freedom to continue training of the Afghan National Security Forces. The majority of the approximately 3,100 service members alerted will deploy in the spring of 2010. The department has alerted the unit of this deployment to give the soldiers the maximum time possible to conduct training specific to Afghanistan as well as provide predictability for family members and employers.    » read more »

05/19/2008 - WASHINGTON - The Defense Department today announced force rotations for Iraq and Afghanistan, including upcoming active-duty deployments later this year and alerts to Army National Guard units to deploy in spring 2009 and 2010.

U.S. and Iraqi Soldiers conduct an information gathering patrol in Amariyah, Iraq, May 1, 2008: The U.S. Soldiers are from Charlie Troop, 2nd Platoon, 4th Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Manuel J. Martinez.    » read more »

May 20, 2008 -- “The Inspector General credits the FBI for maintaining a higher standard in the interrogation of detainees. In a majority of circumstances, agents at the FBI appear to have adhered to a clear policy in the treatment of detainees at Guantanamo Bay, and in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"I still wish that Director Mueller had been more forthcoming when I asked him about these matters at our May 2004 hearing. Had he done so, he might have helped paved the way for Congress to investigate allegations of abuse sooner. The Republican majority refused to subpoena documents relating to the interrogation and treatment of detainees. The Bush administration has delayed four years in providing them. This remains a sorry chapter in our nation’s history.    » read more »

May 20, 2008 -- (Washington, DC) - Today, House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI) said he is seeking answers to questions raised in a report issued today by the Justice Department's Office of the Inspector General (OIG) released a report entitled, "A Review of the FBI's Involvement in and Observations of Detainee Interrogations in Guantanamo Bay, Afghanistan and Iraq." He released the following statement in response to the report’s release:    » read more »

May 20, 2008 -- WASHINGTON – Senator Carl Levin, D-Mich., today released the following statement regarding the report released by the Department of Justice Inspector General entitled “A review of the FBI’s involvement in and Observations of Detainee Interrogations in Guantanamo Bay, Afghanistan, and Iraq.”

Bush protesters, March 2007: Photo by Andrew Ciscel (CC)

“Some have suggested that the abuse of detainees in U.S. custody was simply the result of a few bad apples acting on their own. The report released today by the Department of Justice Inspector General is proof that that is simply not true.    » read more »

CHEYENNE, Wyo. - The citizens of Wyoming should take time on Memorial Day to remember the sacrifices of soldiers who have died and been injured in service to their country, Wyoming Governor Dave Freudenthal said today in a somber ceremony in the Capitol Rotunda.

The Governor signed a proclamation that declares Monday, May 26 as Memorial Day in Wyoming, and said he hopes people will take the opportunity to remember soldiers and their families that day.    » read more »

May 13, 2008 -- FRANKFORT, Ky. – Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear has directed that flags at all state office buildings remain at half-staff in honor of a Fort Campbell soldier who died May 11 supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

According to the Department of Defense, Cpl. Jessica A. Ellis, 24, of Bend, Ore., died in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when her vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device. She was assigned to the 2nd Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.

Flags will remain at half-staff until sunset on the day of the funeral, for which arrangements are pending.    » read more »

May 12, 2008 -- The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Pvt. Matthew W. Brown, 20, of Zelienople, Pennsylvania, died May 11 in Asadabad, Afghanistan, from injuries suffered in a non-combat related incident.

He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 321st Field Artillery Regiment, 18th Fires Brigade (Airborne), Fort Bragg, N.C.

The incident is under investigation.    » read more »

May 11, 2008 -- The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Pfc. Ara T. Deysie, 18, of Parker, Arizona, died May 9 in Paktia Province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when his unit came under rocket-propelled grenade fire.

He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Ky.

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