Tag Archives: pentagon

Ace Worldwide News Group 14:00 on 31/08/2021
Tags: , , , , , , pentagon,   

(WASHINGTON) DoD Press Statement Report: The last military planes have left Kabul and the evacuation operation is over, Marine Corps Gen. Frank McKenzie, the commander of U.S. Central Command told Pentagon reporters today #AceNewsDesk report

#AceNewsReport -Aug.31: 26:35: I’m here to announce the completion of our withdrawal from Afghanistan, and the end of the military mission to evacuate American citizens, third country nationals and vulnerable Afghans,” McKenzie said via teleconference from his headquarters in Tampa. “The last C-17 lifted off from Hamid Karzai International Airport on August 30, this afternoon, at 3:29 p.m., East Coast time, and the last manned aircraft is now clearing the airspace above Afghanistan.”

#AceDailyNews reports that Military Phase of Evacuation Ends, as Does America’s Longest War as the last C-17 departed with Army Maj. Gen. Chris Donahue, the commander of troops in Kabul, and U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Ross Wilson aboard. It was fitting the State and Defense leaders left together, McKenzie said.

Aug. 30, 2021 | BY Jim Garamone , DOD News

DoD Report:

That C-17s played such a part in the evacuation is only fitting. On Oct. 7, 2001, Pentagon leaders announced that C-17 aircraft were dropping humanitarian rations to starving Afghans, even as American military might went after al-Qaida and the Taliban leaders that were sheltering Osama bin Laden and his murderous cult.

The C-17 departure today was both the end of the military portion of the evacuation and “also the end of the nearly 20 year mission that began in Afghanistan shortly after September 11, 2001,” McKenzie said. “It is a mission that brought Osama bin Laden to an end, along with many of his al-Qaida co-conspirators, and it was not a cheap mission.”

More than 800,000 American service members and 25,000 civilians served in Afghanistan over the almost 20-year mission. A total of 2,461 U.S. service members and civilians were killed and more than 20,000 were injured. “Sadly, that includes 13 U.S. service members who were killed last week by an (Islamic State of Khorasan) suicide bomber. We honor their sacrifice today. As we remember their heroic accomplishments. No words from me could possibly capture the full measure of sacrifices and accomplishments of those who serve, nor the emotions they’re feeling at this moment, but I will say that I’m proud that both my son and I have been a part of it,” he added.

A Marine holds a baby while people file in the background.

While the military evacuation is complete, the diplomatic mission to ensure additional U.S. citizens and eligible Afghans who want to leave, continues.

This was the largest non-combatant evacuation operation ever conducted by the U.S. military. President Joe Biden ordered the start of the NEO operation on Aug. 14. Since then, U.S. military aircraft have evacuated more than 79,000 civilians from Hamid Karzai International Airport, which includes 6,000 Americans and more than 73,500 third country nationals and Afghan civilians. “In total, U.S. and coalition aircraft combined to evacuate more than 123,000 civilians, which were all enabled by U.S. military service members who were securing and operating the airfield,” McKenzie said.

McKenzie praised the more than 5,000 service members who enabled the operation. He said the number of people evacuated represented a monumental accomplishment, enabled by the “determination, the grit, the flexibility and the professionalism of the men and women of the U.S. military and our coalition partners who were able to rapidly combine efforts and evacuate so many under such difficult conditions.”

Coalition contributions were invaluable and McKenzie cited the contributions of Norway, which kept a hospital open during the evacuation that was instrumental in caring for some of the wounded from the ISIS strike.

The situation on the ground over the past month has been complicated. Assumptions and plans changed daily, the general said. One plan was to work with a functioning ally in the Afghan government and security forces. Another was based on the premise that the outer provinces would fall to the Taliban, but that Kabul would stand. Finally, it became apparent that the government was collapsing and the security forces giving up. 

A Marine faces a group of civilians with others in the background.

Each time the planners in U.S. Central Command rolled with the punches. They positioned forces in the region to act instantly and pre-positioned aircraft. They worked with interagency officials and with international partners.

McKenzie himself had to meet with Taliban representatives in Doha, Qatar, to tell them that if the group interfered with the U.S. non-combatant evacuation operation, there would be severe consequences. He said they were “businesslike and pragmatic” and did not interfere with U.S. operations on the airfield. This included military operations to bring Americans to be evacuated. 

And they accomplished the mission. “The last 18 days have been challenging,” McKenzie said. “Americans can be proud of men and women of the armed forces who met these challenges head on.”

Related Transcript: Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby and General Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr. Hold a Press Briefing

#AceNewsDesk report ……….Published: Aug.31: 2021:

Editor says …Sterling Publishing & Media Service Agency is not responsible for the content of external site or from any reports, posts or links, and can also be found here on Telegram: https://t.me/acenewsdaily all of our posts fromTwitter can be found here: https://acetwitternews.wordpress.com/ and all wordpress and live posts and links here: https://acenewsroom.wordpress.com/and thanks for following as always appreciate every like, reblog or retweet and free help and guidance tips on your PC software or need help & guidance from our experts AcePCHelp.WordPress.Com

#afghanistan, #dod, #kabul, #pentagon, #washington

Ace Worldwide News Group 20:00 on 28/06/2021
Tags: , , , , pentagon, ,   

(WASHINGTON) Press Release Statement Report: The US has carried out air strikes against Iran-backed militia groups in the Iraq-Syria border region #AceNewsDesk report

#AceNewsReport – June.28: President Joe Biden would “act to protect US personnel”, it added: The Pentagon did not provide any information on casualties. But a monitoring group reported that five militia fighters were killed in Syria.

Statement by the Department of Defense: June 27, 2021: (Attributable to Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby)

WASHINGTON: US air strikes in Iraq and Syria target Iran-backed militias and Sunday’s strikes hit “operational and weapons storage facilities”, in response to drone attacks on US forces, the Pentagon said in a statement.

Fighters from the Iran-backed militia Kataib Hezbollah parade through Baghdad, Iraq. File photo
The US has designated Kataib Hezbollah a terrorist organisation since 2009

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said several more fighters were wounded “in an attack by US warplanes”.

Syrian state news agency Sana meanwhile reported that a child had died and at least three other people were wounded.

This is the second round of air strikes President Biden has authorised against Iran-backed militias since taking office in January. 

US forces based in Iraq have been targeted several times in recent months by drone attacks. Iran has denied any involvement.

About 2,500 US troops are based in the country as part of an international coalition fighting the jihadist Islamic State (IS) group.

According to the Pentagon, the “defensive precision air strikes” hit two targets in Syria and one in Iraq. It said several Iran-backed militia groups, including Kataib Hezbollah and Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada, used these facilities.

Since 2009, the US has designated Kataib Hezbollah as a terrorist organisation, accusing it of threatening the peace and stability of Iraq.

The US took “necessary, appropriate, and deliberate action designed to limit the risk of escalation – but also to send a clear and unambiguous deterrent message”, the statement said.

Getty Images: It is the second round of air strikes President Biden has ordered against Iran-backed militias (file photo)

Iran’s influence over Iraq’s internal affairs has grown steadily since the US-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein in 2003.

The strikes come as Iran has been holding talks with world powers including the US about reviving a 2015 nuclear deal, which lifted sanctions against the state in exchange for stopping some nuclear work. 

Foreign powers suspect Iran has ambitions to build a nuclear bomb – something Iran strongly denies.

Former US President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew the US from the agreement in 2018 and reimposed sanctions. Iran’s nuclear programme: What’s been happening at its key nuclear sites?

#AceNewsDesk report ……….Published: Jun.28: 2021:

Editor says …Sterling Publishing & Media Service Agency is not responsible for the content of external site or from any reports, posts or links, and can also be found here on Telegram: https://t.me/acenewsdaily all of our posts fromTwitter can be found here: https://acetwitternews.wordpress.com/ and all wordpress and live posts and links here: https://acenewsroom.wordpress.com/and thanks for following as always appreciate every like, reblog or retweet and free help and guidance tips on your PC software or need help & guidance from our experts AcePCHelp.WordPress.Com

#dod, #iraq, #pentagon, #syria, #washington

Ace Worldwide News Group 13:18 on 19/07/2015
Tags: , military cooperation, pentagon   

PENTAGON: ‘ Carter says US will – NOT offer Weapons to Israel as Compensation for Iran Deal ‘

#AceNewsReport – WASHINGTON (AP):July.19: In the face of Israeli outrage over the Iran nuclear accord, the Pentagon is moving quickly to reinforce arguably the strongest part of the U.S.-Israeli relationship: military cooperation.

But officials say Washington has no plans to offer new weaponry as compensation for the Iran deal.

@AceNewsServices

Ace Worldwide News

#iran, #military-cooperation, #pentagon

Ace Worldwide News Group 20:02 on 07/11/2014
Tags: , , , pentagon   

‘ PENTAGON ADMITS AMERICAN TROOPS ALERTED MEDICAL STAFF OF EXPOSURE TO CHEMICAL WEAPONS ‘

#AceNewsServices – UNITED STATES – Nov.07 – The Pentagon acknowledged that more than 600 American service members did alert military medical staff they had been exposed to chemical weapons while serving in Iraq.

' The Pentagon acknowledge that more than 600 American Service Members were exposed to Chemical Weapons '
‘ The Pentagon acknowledge that more than 600 American Service Members were exposed to Chemical Weapons ‘

The military admits it failed to track the cases, or offer treatment to the troops.

The news comes after US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel ordered an internal review of Pentagon records, which have now uncovered hundreds of troops who told the military they believed they were exposed to chemical weapons.

A spokesman for the Army surgeon general told The New York Times on Thursday that the review showed 629 people answered “yes” to the question of chemical exposure, and also filled in a block with details about the chemical agent they were exposed to. The Army spokesman said each person would have received a medical consultation at the end of their combat tour.

READ MORE: Veterangate: VA whistleblower says records of deceased vets were altered

Once the records were submitted, the military failed to take any further steps with the soldiers for more than a decade. The Pentagon did not compile data, monitor veterans with medical complaints, or circulate warnings to other soldiers and the Department of Veterans Affairs. Despite the men and women receiving wounds in action, the soldiers were not awarded Purple Hearts – one of the oldest and most sacred military awards.

READ MORE: Washington concealed US troops exposure to chemical weapons in Iraq – intel docs

The Pentagon told the Times it has asked the Public Health Command to identify all veterans who reported a possible chemical exposure, gather their medical records, conduct interviews and carry out possible medical examinations. They have also revived a telephone line, 1-800-497-6261, for chemical weapons exposure complaints.

“It’s too little, too late,” said Jordan Zoeller, a former Army sergeant who served in a platoon that was exposed to sulfur mustard agent in 2008, to the newspaper.

AFP Photo / David Furst

AFP Photo / David Furst

“Mr. Zoeller was medically retired after developing a series of health problems, including asthma and psoriasis,” the Times reported. “He said his breathing trouble began within weeks of the chemical episode, though he is not sure its onset was related to mustard agent because the Army denied that he had been exposed and did not examine his claims.”

READ MORE: Pentagon to monitor Iraq war veterans for chemical weapons exposure

The internal review was called following an investigative report last month by the Times into the illnesses experienced by 17 soldiers related to chemical weapons exposures to sarin and mustard gas, which occurred when handling abandoned and re-used munitions during the Iraq war. Once the story ran, another eight soldiers came forward with their stories about chemical weapon exposure.

At the time of the NYT report, the Pentagon said it will carry out medical exams and health monitoring for service members and veterans exposed to chemical weapons in Iraq.

Military brass said the information was kept classified so insurgents would not learn the whereabouts of Iraq’s old munitions.

#ANS2014 

#chemical-weapons, #pentagon

Ace Worldwide News Group 11:46 on 27/10/2014
Tags: , , , pentagon,   

WASHINGTON: ‘ ARMY’S TROUBLED $5 BILLION INTELLIGENCE NETWORK FAILS TO DELIVER ‘

#AceNewsServices – WASHINGTON – October 27 – The Army’s troubled $5 billion intelligence fusion network has been a source of lucrative contracts to companies whose employees once worked for the Army, while failing to deliver on its promise of making data seamlessly accessible to soldiers in the field, according to records and interviews.

INSIDE WASHINGTON: PROFITING FROM FAILURE

INSIDE WASHINGTON: PROFITING FROM FAILURE

The Distributed Common Ground System (DCGS-A) was supposed to integrate intelligence from a network of sensors and databases to provide a common intelligence picture from the Pentagon to the farthest reaches of Afghanistan.

But the program so far has been a bust, with one memorable Army testing report finding it “not operationally effective, not operationally suitable and not survivable.”

The performance failures of the network have been well-documented, but less scrutiny has been devoted to the revolving door between defence companies that profit from the troubled intelligence system and the military commands that continue to fund it, records show.

Source:

#ANS2014

#army, #pentagon, #washington

Ace Worldwide News Group 20:45 on 26/10/2014
Tags: , , , Blackwater, , pentagon,   

‘ BLACK WATER FOUNDER BLAMES OBAMA ADMIN SAYING WE COULD HAVE CRUSHED ISLAMIC STATE ‘

#AceNewsServices – October 26 – Founder of the controversial private security contractor Black Water claimed Friday that the organization could have successfully combated militant group Islamic State if the Obama administration had not “crushed my old business.”

http://www.celebritynetworth.com/articles/entertainment-articles/billionaire-trust-fund-baby-built-worlds-deadliest-private-army/
At this point, Erik Prince is 25 years old and sitting on a billion dollar fortune. Did he escape to the Bahamas or Hawaii to live out a life full of mamacitas and margaritas? No. Quite the opposite in fact. Within a year of the company’s sale Prince moved to Virginia Beach and launched his very own private military company called Blackwater Worldwide. The initial purpose of Blackwater, which was was co-founded with a fellow ex-Seal named Al Clark, was to build the ultimate training and recreational facility for American military and police personal, active and retired.

Erik Prince said in front of the conservative group Maverick PAC that his infamous private military firm – synonymous with the contracting bonanza that ensued after the US invasion of Iraq in 2003 – would have effectively fought Islamic State (known as ISIS or ISIL), allowing the US to hold back its military in its offensive against the group’s strongholds in Iraq and Syria.

“It’s a shame the [Obama] administration crushed my old business, because as a private organization, we could’ve solved the boots-on-the-ground issue, we could have had contracts from people that want to go there as contractors; you don’t have the argument of US active duty going back in there,” Prince said during the discussion with retired four-star Gen. James Conway. “[They could have] gone in there and done it, and be done, and not have a long, protracted political mess that I predict will ensue.”

Nearly two weeks ago, President Obama said the US would conduct airstrikes and “hunt down” the fighters of the Islamic State jihadist group in Iraq, Syria, and “wherever they exist.” Washington has promised $500 million to so-called “moderate” Syrian rebels for fighting both the Syrian government and Islamic State militants. While the US has also sent 1,600 “support force” troops to advise the Iraqi military in the fight against Islamic State, Obama has stressed – despite contradicting sentiments from Pentagon officials – that ground troops will not be necessary during the latest offensive.

AFP Photo / Marwan Naamani

AFP Photo / Marwan Naamani

Prince’s comments were made almost exactly seven years after Blackwater guards infamously shot and killed 17 Iraqi civilians at Baghdad’s Nisour Square in 2007. The incident sparked outrage with American presence in Iraq among the local population.

The US iscurrently trying to prosecute four of the five guards involved in the incident after a first failed attempt to do it in 2009. After 10 weeks of arguments and testimony, the case went to a jury earlier this month.

After the Nisour Square killings and other scandals, the Obama administration eventually severed most ties with Blackwater – now known as Academi after several rebranding attempts. Yet despite criticism for the organization from the administration, more than half a billion dollars has been set aside for the firm and its associated entities since President Obama took office in 2009.

According to The Huffington Post, more than $300 million of that total half billion-plus was awarded before Blackwater was sold by Prince in 2010. Since the sale, the US State Department has awarded Academi just over $500 million, as opposed to $784 million in the three years prior to his sale of the company. The firm merged with security contracting rival Triple Canopy in 2010.

AFP Photo / Str

AFP Photo / Str

Former Navy SEAL Prince then left for Abu Dhabi to continue security contracting work, vowing to never work for the US government after being spurned by the new presidential administration.

The Friday discussion veered into Republican Party politics. Prince, a Catholic conservative, claimed the Republican Party – which dominates the US House of Representatives and is poised to take the US Senate following mid-term elections this November – is “getting rolled” by the Democratic Party.

“I want you to tell your congressman that we pay them to fight,” Prince said, according to The Daily Beast. “They are hired to fight for our values, for what you sent them there to do… I am sick and tired of Republicans getting rolled—having a lousy, weak leadership that gets rolled every time by the Democratic Party. We’re like… Charlie Brown trying to kick the football every time and they keep taking it away… I encourage the Republican Party to get off their ass and fight like we pay them to.”

Prince also spoke of Iran, saying the young population simply seeks more freedom in a closely-guarded society.

“Most Iranians… are just like you guys,” he said. “They want to be able to drink a beer when they want, travel where they want, have their wife or girlfriend drive a car or wear a short shirt and wear high heels. I’m all in favor of it.”

Prince also said Blackwater, if around today, could have countered spread of the Ebola viruswith humanitarian missions using the NOAAS McArthur (S 330), an American survey ship once owned by Blackwater.

“Now, that’s the sort of thing that could help fight Ebola,” Prince told The Daily Beast.

#ANS2014 

#barack-obama, #blackwater, #islamic-state, #pentagon, #washington

Ace Worldwide News Group 13:29 on 20/10/2014
Tags: , , , , , pentagon, ,   

WASHINGTON: ‘ PENTAGON ACKNOWLEDGES AIR-DROP OF WEAPONS TO KURDISH REBELS ‘

#AceWorldNews – UNITED STATES (Washington) – The Pentagon has publicly acknowledged an air-drop of lethal aid to Kurdish rebels fighting the hardline Islamic State in the pivotal Syrian-Turkish border town of Kobani, shortly after news of considerable gains made against the terrorists there.

Smoke rises over Syrian town of Kobani after an airstrike, as seen from the Mursitpinar border crossing on the Turkish-Syrian border in the southeastern town of Suruc in Sanliurfa province, October 18, 2014. (Reuters / Kai Pfaffenbach)

Smoke rises over Syrian town of Kobani after an airstrike, as seen from the Mursitpinar border crossing on the Turkish-Syrian border in the southeastern town of Suruc in Sanliurfa province, October 18, 2014. (Reuters / Kai Pfaffenbach)

The Sunday delivery, which also contained other supplies, comes on the heels of renewed US air-strikes on Syria and Iraq’s oil infrastructure in a bid to cripple the terrorist group’s hold on it.

Smokes rises from the Syrian town of Kobane, also known as Ain al-Arab, as it is seen from the Turkish village of Mursitpinar, on October 19, 2014 (AFP Photo/Bulent Kilic)

Smokes rises from the Syrian town of Kobane, also known as Ain al-Arab, as it is seen from the Turkish village of Mursitpinar, on October 19, 2014 (AFP Photo/Bulent Kilic)

Eleven of the strikes were on the Kobani area overnight. 

A brief statement by US Central Command said US Air Force C-130 aircraft “delivered weapons, ammunition and medical supplies that were provided by Kurdish authorities in Iraq and intended to enable continued resistance against ISIL’s [Islamic State, formerly ISIS/ISIL] attempts to overtake Kobani.”

A total of 27 drops with supplies were delivered, another official stated. The aircraft left the Syrian air space following the operation.

On the Kurdish side, a spokesman acknowledged delivery of large quantities of ammunition, weapons and medical aid on Monday. The announcement followed another brief statement that “good news”would soon be released.

The spokesman may have been referring to recent gains made by Kurdish forces against Islamic State militants, who have allegedly been retreating from Kobani.

The latest from the forces on the ground was that a clean-up operation is under-way, but parts of this crucial border town remain occupied by sporadic terrorists and suicide bombers.

Source: 

#ANS2014

#islamic-state, #kobani, #kurdish, #pentagon, #united-states, #washington

Ace Worldwide News Group 14:48 on 18/10/2014
Tags: , , , , pentagon, , ,   

PENTAGON: ‘ OBAMA AUTHORISES DEPLOYMENT OF NATIONAL GUARD TO WEST AFRICA ‘

#AceWorldNews – UNITED STATES (Washington) – October 18 – President Barack Obama has authorized the Pentagon to deploy National Guard and reserve forces to West Africa in what the US claims to be an effort to help combat the spread of Ebola.

Obama Calls up the Reserve National Guard

Obama Calls up the Reserve National Guard

The National Guard would “augment the active armed forces of the United States for the effective conduct of Operation United Assistance, which is providing support to civilian-led humanitarian assistance and consequence management support related to the Ebola virus disease outbreak in West Africa,” Obama told House and Senate leaders in a letter.

“The authorities that have been invoked will ensure the Department of Defense can properly sustain the military operations required in this effort,” read the letter.

Under the president’s order, over 4,000 American troops could deploy to West Africa “to help combat the Ebola viral disease” there, Pentagon press secretary Rear Adm. John Kirby said Thursday.

Source: 

#ANS2014

#ebola, #national-guard, #pentagon, #united-states, #washington, #west-africa

Ace Worldwide News Group 14:26 on 16/10/2014
Tags: , , pentagon, ,   

WASHINGTON: ‘ Pentagon Climate Change a National Security Threat ‘

#AceWorldNews – UNITED STATES (Washington) – October 16 – The Pentagon is integrating climate change threats into all of its “plans, operations, and training” across the entire Defence Department, signalling a comprehensive attempt to tackle the impacts of global warming.

' Read the DOD Report '
‘ Download and Read the DOD Report ‘ 

In a 20-page report released on Monday, the Pentagon details its strategic blueprint to address climate change, calling it a “threat multiplier” that has the power to “exacerbate” many of the challenges the U.S. faces today, including “infectious diseases and terrorism.”

Read the article here. 

Or Download the DOD Report here:   

By Laura Barron-Lopez @ The Hill  

#ANS2014

#pentagon, #united-states, #washington

Ace Worldwide News Group 10:16 on 15/10/2014
Tags: , , pentagon, , ,   

WASHINGTON: ‘ Chemical Weapons Were Recovered or Destroyed in Iraq following 2003 Invasion but Pentagon Chose to keep it Top Secret ‘

#AceWorldNews – UNITED STATES (Washington) – October 15 – About 5,000 chemical weapons were recovered or destroyed in Iraq following the 2003 invasion but the Pentagon chose to keep the findings top secret, it has emerged.

U.S. troops DID find chemical weapons in Iraq - but Pentagon kept it secret: Discovery of 5,000 warheads and shells 'was hushed up because they were not weapons of mass destruction'

U.S. troops DID find chemical weapons in Iraq – but Pentagon kept it secret: Discovery of 5,000 warheads and shells ‘was hushed up because they were not weapons of mass destruction’

An investigation by The New York Times has revealed that U.S. forces happened across the hidden caches of warheads, shells and aviation bombs between 2004 and 2011.

Cache: Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal technicians prepare unexploded ordnance for demolition at a safe disposal area near Baghdad in 2003. It has now been revealed that about 5,000 chemical weapons were found in Iraq between 2004 and 2011 but the public was never told

Cache: Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal technicians prepare unexploded ordnance for demolition at a safe disposal area near Baghdad in 2003. It has now been revealed that about 5,000 chemical weapons were found in Iraq between 2004 and 2011 but the public was never told

But the information wasn’t made public for several embarrassing reasons including the fact some of the weapons were U.S.-made, troops were seriously injured discovering them, plus they had been sitting dormant since the 1980’s and therefore didn’t support President George W. Bush’s rationale for going to war.

Source:

#ANS2014

#pentagon, #united-states, #us, #washington

Ace Worldwide News Group 19:00 on 08/10/2014
Tags: , , , , , pentagon, , ,   

PENTAGON: ‘ US Troops Could Come into Contact with Ebola Virus When Working in Liberia in Mobile Labs ‘

#AceNewsServices – UNITED STATES (Washington) – Several dozen U.S. troops could come into contact with Ebola while testing for the deadly disease in Liberia, the Pentagon said Tuesday.

The highly trained troops will help operate seven mobile labs, where they could be working with the blood of infected patients, Army Gen. David Rodriguez said. The new details on the military’s response to Ebola reveals a riskier operation than previously announced by the White House, surfacing fresh concerns of troops entering high-risk zones.

The U.S. response did not previously involve military members helping to diagnose patients, though Rodriguez maintained that troops will be adequately protected against the disease.

“I am confident that we can ensure our service members’ safety and the safety of their families and the American people,” Rodriguez, who leads the U.S. Africa Command, said at a Pentagon briefing.

U.S. troops are already running three mobile testing labs, doubling Liberia’s lab capacity, and plan to set up four more. The labs will receive up to 100 samples per day from local clinics and will be able to give a diagnosis in hours, instead of several days.

Military personnel who work in the laboratories are trained “at the very, very high level,” Rodriguez said. He added that the troops will wear protective suits and be constantly monitored.

“They will be the primary ones that come in contact with anybody,” he added.

During the briefing, Rodriguez said the military’s trained health workers could come into contact with infected patients. But he later corrected the record, stressing that military personnel would work only with samples.

Pentagon officials say as many as 4,000 U.S. troops will deploy to West Africa to contain the spread of the virus, which has killed 3974 people, according to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, and could infect as many as 1.4 million.

Source:

#ANS2014

#africa, #ebola, #liberia, #pentagon, #united-states, #us, #washington

Ace Worldwide News Group 10:07 on 30/09/2014
Tags: , , , Bowe Bergdahl, , , pentagon, , ,   

‘ Pentagon Stalls Closure of GITMO ‘

#AceWorldNews – WASHINGTON – September 30 – The transfer of prisoners out of Guantanamo Bay has ground to a halt amid a slow Pentagon approval process.

This has caused deep frustration within the administration and raising doubts that President Barack Obama will be able to fulfil his campaign promise to close the offshore prison for terrorism suspects AP reported today. 

A detainee sent back to his native Algeria in March is the only prisoner to have moved out this year, beyond the controversial exchange of five Taliban members in return for long-held captive U.S. Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl.

#ANS2014

#algeria, #bowe-bergdahl, #gitmo, #guantanamo-bay, #pentagon, #president-barack-obama, #taliban, #washington

Ace Worldwide News Group 14:10 on 28/09/2014
Tags: , , Call of Duty, pentagon, , ,   

' Washington Hires Call of Duty War Game Creator '

#AceNewsServices – UNITED STATES (Washington) – September 28 – You would think war-themed video games copy real life, and not the other way around. Not this time. A Washington think tank has hired the maker of the acclaimed “Call of Duty” game to envision the kind of future wars the US could be fighting.

The key reason for this, according to the Atlantic Council think tank, is that, with all its money and capabilities, America really isn’t thinking creatively about the various threats it could face in the 21st century.

Dave Anthony, the creator of the billion-dollar Call of Duty franchise, will be joining other authors, screenwriters and entertainment figures in an initiative called ‘The Art of Future War Project,’ set to launch next week, according to AFP.

The idea came rather suddenly, when former Pentagon official Steven Grundman walked in on his son playing ‘Call of Duty: Black Ops II,’ which depicts a 2025 cold war between China and the United States. In it, the two superpowers are vying for rare earth elements in secret missions.

“He was struck how realistic our portrayal in ‘Call of Duty: Black Ops II’ was of a future conflict,”Anthony told the news agency.

“It occurred to me that the perspective of artists on this question is compelling and insightful, and it’s also different,” Grundman was cited as saying by the Washington Post. “One feature that struck me was the combination of both familiar technologies and novel ones.”

“I didn’t want to satisfy myself with an approach everyone was doing,” he added. “It’s a crowded field of ideas,” Grundman said, explaining his belief why military think tanks alone aren’t up to the task.

According to Anthony, the game itself was the result of brainstorming by a number of creative professionals of all sorts, including Batman screenwriter David Goyer, as well as Oliver North, the former marine who later became a TV personality at the height of the Iran-Contra affair in the 1980’s, when US officials secretly sold weapons to the Islamic state, despite there being an arms embargo.

“You get everybody in a room like that, and all the different perspectives come together,” Goyer said. “That combination was fascinating. What I would like to bring to Washington is that kind of thinking.”

#ANS2014

#call-of-duty, #pentagon, #united-states, #us, #washington

Ace Worldwide News Group 17:03 on 27/09/2014
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , Malasia, , , pentagon, , ,   

‘ Abu Sayyaf Group Threatens to Kill Hostages ‘

#AceNewsServices (SEA) MANILA – September 27 – A threat by Philippine militants to kill a German hostage in a show of solidarity with Islamic State is the latest sign that the Middle East group’s brand of radicalism is winning recruits in Asia and posing a growing security risk in the region.

' Abu Sayyaf Group Threatens to Kill German Hostages '

‘ Abu Sayyaf Group Threatens to Kill German Hostages ‘

Over 100 people from South-East Asia’s Muslim majority countries of Indonesia and Malaysia and the southern Philippine region are believed by security officials and analysts to have gone to join Islamic State’s fight in Iraq and Syria.

Malaysian and Indonesian militants have discussed forming a 100-strong Malay-speaking unit within Islamic State in Syria, according to a report from a well-known security group released this week.

Admiral Samuel Locklear, who heads the US Armed Forces’ Pacific Command, said on Thursday around 1,000 recruits from India to the Pacific may have joined Islamic State to fight in Syria or Iraq. He did not specify the countries or give a time-frame.

“That number could get larger as we go forward,” Locklear told reporters at the Pentagon. In addition to India, the Hawaii-based Pacific Command’s area of responsibility covers 36 countries, including Australia, China and other Pacific Ocean states.

The command does not cover Pakistan.

In the region, thousands have sworn oaths of loyalty to Islamic State as local militant groups capitalize on a brand that has been fuelled by violent online videos and calls to jihad through social media, security analysts say. Security officials say this has disturbing implications for the region, especially when battle-hardened fighters return home from the Middle East.

The Philippines’ Abu Sayyaf group, which has earlier claimed links with al Qaeda and is led by a one-armed septuagenarian, has threatened to kill one of the two Germans it holds hostage by Oct. 10, according to messages distributed on Twitter.

As well as US$5.6 million in ransom, the group demanded that Germany halt its support for the US-led bombing campaign launched against Islamic State this week.

Source:

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Ace Worldwide News Group 11:30 on 23/09/2014
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‘ US and Five Arab Countries Launch Air-Strikes in Syria ‘

AceBreakingNews – WASHINGTON – September 23 – The U.S. and five Arab countries launched air-strikes Monday night on Islamic State group targets in eastern Syria, and the U.S. undertook a separate, unilateral air attack on what it called an al-Qaida affiliate elsewhere in Syria.

US and Five Arab Countries Launch Air-Strikes in Syria

US and Five Arab Countries Launch Air-Strikes in Syria

Several hours after the Pentagon announced the air-strikes against Islamic State targets, U.S. Central Command said American war-planes launched eight air-strikes “to disrupt the imminent attack plotting against the United States and Western interests” by a network of “seasoned al-Qaida veterans” – sometimes known as the Khorasan Group – who have established a haven in Syria.

US and Five Arab Countries Launch Air-Strikes in Syria

US and Five Arab Countries Launch Air-Strikes in Syria

It provided no details on the plotting.

Central  Command said that separate bombing mission was undertaken solely by U.S. aircraft and took place west of the Syrian city of Aleppo. It said targets included training camps, an explosives and munitions production facility, a communication building and command and control facilities.

The air-strikes against Islamic State targets were carried out in the city of Raqqa and other  areas in eastern Syria by a mix of manned aircraft – fighter jets and bombers – plus Tomahawk cruise missiles and drone aircraft. The strikes were part of the expanded military campaign that President Barack Obama authorized nearly two weeks ago in order to disrupt and destroy the Islamic State militants, who have slaughtered thousands of people, beheaded Westerners – including two American journalists – and captured large swaths of Syria and northern and western Iraq.

In its written statement detailing the operation, Central Command said the air-strikes, which officials said began around 8:30 p.m. EDT, were conducted by the U.S., Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates.

It said the five Arab partner countries “participated in or supported” the air-strikes against Islamic State targets.

It was not more specific.

DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) – The Syrian foreign ministry said Tuesday that Washington informed Damascus’ envoy to the United Nations before launching air-strikes against the Islamic State group in Syria, attacks that activists said inflicted casualties among jihadi fighters and civilians on the ground.

A brief ministry statement, carried by Syrian state media, said “the American side informed Syria’s permanent envoy to the U.N. that strikes will be launched against the Daesh terrorist organization in Raqqa.”

Source:

#ANS2014

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Ace Worldwide News Group 10:39 on 31/08/2014
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WASHINGTON: ' Humanitarian Aid Drop and Targeted Air-Strikes on ISIL in Iraq '

#AceBreakingNews – UNITED STATES – Washington (Pentagon) – August 31

Statement From Pentagon Press Secretary Rear Admiral John Kirby
Pentagon Press Secretary Rear Adm. Kirby provided the following statement:

At the request of the Government of Iraq, the United States military today airdropped humanitarian aid to the town of Amirli, home to thousands of Shia Turkomen who have been cut off from receiving food, water, and medical supplies for two months by ISIL. The United States Air Force delivered this aid alongside aircraft from Australia, France and the United Kingdom who also dropped much needed supplies.

In conjunction with this airdrop, U.S. aircraft conducted coordinated airstrikes against nearby ISIL terrorists in order to support this humanitarian assistance operation.

These military operations were conducted under authorization from the Commander-in-Chief to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance and to prevent an ISIL attack on the civilians of Amirli. The operations will be limited in their scope and duration as necessary to address this emerging humanitarian crisis and protect the civilians trapped in Amirli.

The U.S. military will continue to assess the effectiveness of these operations and work with the Department of State, the U.S. Agency for International Development, as well as international partners including the Government of Iraq, the United Nations, and non-government organizations to provide humanitarian assistance in Iraq as needed.

Ace Press Release

Department of Defence (DOD)

No. NR-450-14
August 30, 2014

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Ace Worldwide News Group 10:35 on 31/08/2014
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WASHINGTON: ' National Guard (In Federal Status) and Reserve Activated '

#AceWorldNews – UNITED STATES (Washington) – August 31 – On the August 26 this statement was released as follows:

National Guard (In Federal Status) and Reserve Activated as of August 26, 2014

The Army National Guard and the Air National Guard announced this week a decrease in activated National Guard members and reservists, while the Army Reserve, Navy Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve, the Air Force Reserve, and the Coast Guard Reserve announced an increase of activated reservists. The net collective result is a decrease of 53 activated National Guard members and reservists in comparison to last week.

At any given time, services may activate some units and individuals while deactivating others, making it possible for these figures to either increase or decrease. The total number currently on active duty from the Army National Guard and Army Reserve is 22,651; Navy Reserve, 3,132; Marine Corps Reserve, 1,180; Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve, 6,149; and the Coast Guard Reserve, 314. This brings the total National Guard and reserve personnel who have been activated to 33,426, including both units and individual augmentees.

A cumulative roster of all National Guard and reserve personnel who are currently activated may be found online at:http://www.defense.gov/news/MoblilizationWeeklyReport-140826.pdf

Ace Press Release

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Ace Worldwide News Group 21:22 on 21/08/2014
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WASHINGTON: ' Pentagon Broke Law When it Transferred Five Taliban Detainees From Guantanamo Bay in Exchange for Bowe Bergdahl '

#AceBreakingNews – UNITED STATES (Washington) – August 21 – The Pentagon broke the law, when it transferred five Taliban detainees from Guantánamo Bay in exchange for prisoner of war Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, according to a report from a government watchdog agency.


The Government Accountability Office said the Pentagon violated the 2014 Defence Appropriations Act, which requires the Pentagon to give certain congressional committees 30 days advance notice before any detainee transfer from the Guantánamo Bay detention facility.

By Kristina Wong @ The Hill

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Ace Worldwide News Group 19:52 on 08/08/2014
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IRAQ: ' US Drops 500 Pound Laser-Guided Bombs on Islamic State Forces '

#AceWorldNews – IRAQ – August 08 – The United States dropped laser-guided bombs on ISIS artillery in Iraq on Friday, kicking off air-strikes threatened a day earlier by President Obama, the Pentagon said.

Two FA-18 jets dropped two 500-pound bombs on Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) forces outside Erbil, the Kurdish capital, U.S. officials told NBC News. Obama said Thursday evening that he had authorized "targeted airstrikes" to protect U.S. interests in Iraq.

The U.S. also launched an operation to drop humanitarian supplies of food and water to 40,000 members of the Yazidi religious sect, who are trapped on a mountaintop under the threat of mass execution by ISIS militants.

Obama said that U.S. ground troops won’t be returning to the besieged country.

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Ace Worldwide News Group 10:55 on 08/08/2014
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IRAQ: ' President Obama States he Has Authorized Air-Strikes Following Pentagon's Earlier Denial That They Had Struck Islamic States Targets '

#AceBreakingNews – IRAQ – August 08 – REUTERS- U.S. President Barack Obama said on Thursday he had authorized "targeted" U.S. air-strikes against Islamic State fighters in northern Iraq and military air-drops of humanitarian supplies to besieged religious minorities there to prevent a "potential act of genocide."


​Speaking after meetings with his national security team, Obama – in his most significant response to the Iraq crisis – said he approved limited use of American air power to protect American personnel if Islamic State militants advance toward the Kurdish capital Arbil where they are based.

"We can act carefully and responsibly to prevent a potential act of genocide," Obamas told reporters at the White House. "I’ve therefore authorized targeted airstrikes if necessary."

The airstrikes would be the first carried out by the U.S. military in Iraq since the withdrawal of its forces at the end of 2011, but Obama insisted he would not commit any ground forces and had no intention of letting the United States get dragged back into a war there.

Earlier on Thursday, the Pentagon denied reports that the U.S. military had struck Islamic State targets in Iraq’s north.

Earlier Thursday the New York Times reported, citing Kurdish and Iraqi sources, that military forces conducted airstrikes in northern Iraq against militants who had trapped religious minorities in Kurdish areas. The Times initially reported the strikes were conducted by the United States, but later suggested the strikes might have been conducted by U.S. allies like Turkey or Iraq.

The McClatchy newspaper chain also reported jet aircraft attacking Islamic militant positions in the Kurdish region, citing a local source, though the report said it was not clear who was conducting the strike.

The Pentagon’s press secretary, via his verified Twitter account, denied any U.S. airstrikes had taken place.

The White House denied reports that President Obama was about to make a statement, saying it was a “very fluid situation.”

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