Afghanistan Sun
AfghanistanSun.com Saturday 22nd November 2008 Issue 1675
Front Page U.S. Military News
Thousands demonstrate against continuing U.S. presence in Iraq


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Thousands of noisy demonstrators filled Baghdad's renowned Firdous Square to protest a new military pact between Iraq and the United States which is being debated in parliament....


Troop surge like to stabilise Afghanistan ahead of election says Gates
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates expressed confidence Friday that more troops being sent to Afghanistan’s Regional Command South will be sufficient to shore up security for Afghanistan’s elections in late September next year....


Pentagon takes on global Internet virus
Cyberspace is a warfighting domain, and the Defense Department is taking steps to defend this crucial capability, a Pentagon spokesman said Friday....


US troops in Iraq will now have to obtain search warrants before raiding suspects
Baghdad, Nov 21 : A new 'status-of-forces agreement' between Washington and Baghdad will make it mandatory for the US forces in Iraq to first obtain warrants before searching Iraqi homes or detaining terrorist...


Thousands protest in Iraq against US troops pact
Followers of Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr marched on Friday against a pact letting U.S. forces stay in Iraq until 2011, toppling an effigy of President George W. Bush where US troops once tore...


Tough going for rebuilding Cobras
Trojuan Quinn (20) of Nile C. Kinnick shoots over Jon-Jon Greene of E.J. King during Friday's DODDS-Japan Basketball League game at Fleet Gymnasium, Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan. The host Red Devils...


Comptrollers recognized for mission success
The directorate’s mission is to define, determine, acquire, defend and execute the fiscal resources needed to support the MAGTFTC and MCAGCC using an integrated team of expert...


No Patriot Express during holiday weeks
YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan — Need a cheap flight for the holidays? Don’t count on the Patriot Express. The U.S. military’s only chartered commercial air service in the Pacific will not fly the...


Gas price policy has motorists enraged
An erratic economy is testing the way retailers at military bases in Japan and Okinawa price their gasoline. The cost of gas has stagnated for five months despite a policy by the area’s main...


Rape trial at Lakenheath could extend to Monday
RAF LAKENHEATH, England — The court-martial of Staff Sgt. Aaron Ellis, who is charged with rape and carnal knowledge, is expected to continue throughout the weekend and possibly into Monday. ...


Cummings students to put on Christmas musical
Misawa Air Base’s Cummings Elementary School will present "Christmas Trolls" at 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Dec. 11 at the school. The student play is based on a children’s picture-book story that...


Navy, Air Force link up for training exercise at Misawa
After hearing what sounded like a loud explosion, Petty Officer 1st Class Clifford Martin walked out of his office on the northern side of Misawa Air Base. The scene last week stopped him dead in...


DOD contractor charged in death of Afghan man
ARLINGTON, Va. — An Army Human Terrain Team member has been charged with murder in connection with the killing of an Afghan man who set another team member on fire. Don Michael Ayala, a...


Foster Marines laugh at safety briefing
Hundreds of Marines file out of the Camp Foster, Okinawa, theater Friday after attending the mandatory "Beating the Blues" annual holiday safety...


US military deaths in Iraq war at 4,202
(AP) - As of Friday, Nov. 21, 2008, at least 4,202 members of the U.S. military have died in the Iraq war since it began in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count. The figure includes...


U.S. radar soon to be operational in Israel
■ 357th Air Missile Defense Detachment, U.S. Army ■ 21st Theater Sustainment Command, U.S. Army ■ Fleet Antiterrorism Security Team, U.S. Marine Corps ■ 86th Contingency ...


FedEx Delivers Holiday Cheer to U.S. Troops and Military Families
Trees for Troops Program Approaches 50,000 Milestone MEMPHIS, Tenn., Nov. 12 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ -- For the fourth consecutive year, FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) and the Christmas SPIRIT...


MWR workers collect post allowance back pay
NAPLES, Italy — Paul DuBois has paid off his credit card bills, school loans and car loan. And still has a little cash left over. "I’m out of debt. It’s great," said the full-time employee...


Paternity leave policy in effect
Air Force Staff Sgt. Daniel Rey holds his newborn daughter, Brin Marie Jane Rey, at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center. Even though the Air Force has not finalized its plan, Rey will be able to take...


Military training causes disruptions during S. Korea’s college entrance exams
SEOUL — Military training caused disruptions for about 200 high school students in a county northeast of Seoul during South Korea’s college entrance exams earlier this month, according to local...


U.S. soldiers, Iraqis sound off on deal
BAGHDAD — In the midnight darkness, U.S. soldiers show up unannounced at a house in the south of the capital to ask about some graffiti on a wall across the street praising Jaish al-Mahdi, a...


S. Korean’s 1984 DMZ death not forgotten
DEMILITARIZED ZONE, Korea — After 24 years, they keep coming back for Cpl. Jang Myoung-ki. Jang’s comrades, his family and others joined today’s guardians of the Joint Security Area in an...


Contractors will lose immunity in deal
WASHINGTON — All military contractors in Iraq will likely lose their immunity from Iraqi law starting in January, according to officials from the State and Defense Departments. Leaders from both...


Army sets execution date for Gray
ARLINGTON, Va. — The Army has scheduled the execution of Army Pvt. Ronald A. Gray for Dec. 10, the first of a servicemember since...


Kirtland officials accelerate space-based program testing
11/21/2008 - KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. (AFNS) -- Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center officials here successfully tested the Space-Based Infrared System Highly Elliptical Orbit...


Thousands protest in Iraq against U.S. troops pact
Iraqi supporters of radical Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr chant slogans during a protest Friday in Baghdad, Iraq. Thousands of supporters of radical Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr took to the streets...


Pentagon bans computer flash drives
WASHINGTON — The Pentagon has banned, at least temporarily, the use of external computer flash drives because of a virus threat officials detected on Defense Department networks. While defense...


Improving the quality of life for Marine Corps and Navy families
Throughout the Combat Center there are many organizations willing to go above and beyond to help Marines, sailors, and family members who call the base and the surrounding area home, with the wide...


Brooks lab offers last-ditch effort to identify remains
John Goines III shows Sallie Stratton the remains recovered from the crash site of her husband, Lt. Col. Charles W. Stratton, whose bomber went down Jan. 3, 1971, over Laos Nov. 4 at Brooks...


Coalition force Reaper unit deploys to Joint Base Balad
Airman 1st Class Hugo Garnica communicates with an MQ-9 Reaper pilot with a land mobile radio at Joint Base Balad, Iraq, Nov. 18. He was performing a preflight check to ensure the unmanned aircraft...


Electronic warfare officers keep Soldiers safe
11/21/2008 - CAMP STRIKER, Iraq (AFNS) -- Navy Cmdr. Ed Fischer and Air Force 1st Lt. E.J. Wong would seem to be out of place in an Army heavy brigade combat team conducting operations in Iraq. ...


Toys for Tots corporate sponsors hold reception
1st Lt. Luke Gaffney from 4th Force Reconnaissance Company presents a plaque to representatives from BAE Systems, Meadow Gold Diaries and First Hawaiian Bank for their corporate sponsorship of the...


Warrior, Survivor Care Program Provides Key to Airmen
By Navy Lt. Jennifer CraggSpecial to American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON, Nov. 21, 2008 – The Air Force Warrior and Survivor Care Program is reaching out to wounded airmen from the point...


22nd MEU, USS Bataan members attend Quantico Marine Band performance
The Quantico Marine Corps Band played a short concert in front of Marines from the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, sailors from the USS Bataan and many New York residents Nov. 10, 2008. The band,...


DoD Names 2009 National Security Science And Engineering Fellows
            The Department of Defense announced today the selection of six distinguished university faculty scientists and engineers forming the 2009 class of its National Security Science...


22nd MEU holds Marine Corps Birthday celebration in New York
The 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit held a Marine Corps Birthday Ball ceremony at Mickey Mantle's restaurant in New York Nov. 10, 2008. The ball included Marines and sailors of the MEU as well as law...


Military pact will end Iraqi dependence on American military
Gareth Porter Inter Press Service WASHINGTON: The text of the US-Iraq Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) signed by US Ambassador Ryan Crocker and Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari Monday closes...


Wounded Marines Ordered to do Their Part to Recover
By Fred W. Baker IIIAmerican Forces Press Service CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. , Nov. 21, 2008 – Marine Capt. Ray Baronie was traveling in a convoy in Ramadi, Iraq, on Dec. 1, 2005 when an anti-tank round...


Combined Forces Kill Insurgents, Save Civilians in Afghanistan
American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON, Nov. 21, 2008 – Afghan army commandos and their coalition partners killed four militants while simultaneously protecting nearly 90 civilians in an early...


A Day of Remembrance
During the autumn of 1943, Marines and sailors from 2nd Marine Division Reinforced, stormed the shores of an island named Tarawa. Located in the central Pacific Ocean, the tiny island became the...


Fightertown’s night crew burns the midnight oil
At the end of the work day, when most Air Station personnel are heading to their homes to relax and unwind, a second shift of midnight workers are on their way to the flightline to start a long...


Virus Prompts Flash Drive Ban At Pentagon
Posted on: Friday, 21 November 2008, 14:53 CST A virus threat detected on Defense Department networks resulted in a temporary ban of external computer flash drives at the Pentagon, officials said...


Coalition Kills Suspected Terrorist, Captures 17
American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON, Nov. 21, 2008 – Coalition and Iraqi forces killed a suspected terrorist, captured 17 others and seized dozens of weapons in Iraq in the past week,...


United Through Reading helps children cope with deployments
In January, the Combat Center’s library along with United Through Reading will provide time for service members in deploying units to film their own recording for their family...


Mahdi Army warns of new insurgency in Iraq if US troops stay until 2011
Supporters of Hojatoleslam Moqtada al-Sadr, the anti-American cleric, burnt an effigy of George Bush in Baghdad yesterday and gave warning of a return to armed resistance if parliament approves a...


3/9 Marines train with role-players
When executing missions overseas, it is vital that Marines understand the situation and feelings of local nationals, giving them the ability to work towards a common goal. Recently, Marines from 3rd...


MOUT prepares Marines for worst case scenario
Marines from 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, conducted a week-long battalion field exercise at the military operations in urban terrain facility here.  The training included...


Marines use Army base to prepare for deployment
Marines from 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Divisio0,n trucked up to Fort A. P. Hill, Va., for pre-deployment training to prepare for future deployments. The first phase of Marines...


Mountain Warfare Training prepares Marines for upcoming deployment
Camp Lejeune may be a large base, but when many local units train at the same time, the space and facilities available tend to run low.  In cases like this, when the training must go on, some hit...


Fall 2008 Petty Officer Advancements Released; Opportunity Holds Steady
Fall 2008 Petty Officer Advancements Released; Opportunity Holds Steady Story Number: NNS081121-08 Release Date: 11/21/2008 4:39:00 PM From Chief of Naval Personnel Public Affairs ...