American Forces Press Service  May 29, 2008 - Coalition and Iraqi forces killed 10 enemy fighters, captured 11 suspects, and uncovered scores of weapons in Iraq over the past three days, military officials said. In two-day operations that culminated today, coalition forces detained 11 suspected al-Qaida in Iraq terrorists, including two wanted men.  One of the wanted men allegedly conducted bombing attacks against Iraqi security forces and the other is believed to be a senior al-Qaida in Iraq leader in Salahuddin and Anbar provinces, military officials said.  "We will continue to put pressure on al-Qaida in Iraq together with the Iraqi security forces to protect innocent citizens from these terrorists," said Army Maj. John Hall, a Multinational Force Iraq spokesman.  In Iraq yesterday:  -- Coalition forces killed 10 members of Iranian-backed "special groups" in the Fedaliyah neighborhood of eastern Baghdad's New Baghdad district. Troops engaged the weapon-wielding militants after observing them emplace homemade bombs.  -- Troops captured a key suspected special groups financier in Mahmudiyah, about 10 miles south of the Iraqi capital. Military officials believe the suspect is the primary financier between Iranian intelligence elements and special groups operatives from Mahmudiyah to southern Baghdad.  -- Coalition and Iraqi forces found weapons caches in the following areas: northwest of Baghdad, and in the Aamel, Rashid, West Rashid and Mansour districts of the Iraqi capital. The stockpiles totaled dozens of mortar rounds, rockets, bomb-making materials, homemade explosives, assault rifles and ammunition, and other military equipment.  During two separate operations May 27, coalition and Iraqi forces discovered hidden lodes of illegal weapons. A find in the Saydiyah district of southern Baghdad yielded weaponry and ammunition of various sizes, and a local citizens group in Arab Jabour uncovered a 200-pound bomb.  "The more bombs we get off the battlefield the better," Army 1st Lt. Jeno Giorgi, a military spokesman, said of the bomb discovered in the Arab Jabour farm field. "It's one less coalition force or Iraqi casualty."  (Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq and Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)

American Forces Press Service  May 29, 2008 - After stringent review by one of the country's premier charity watchdogs, a Massachusetts-based troop-support group has been added to a list of top-rated charities. The American Institute of Philanthropy has reviewed Homes for Our Troops' finances and included the group in their "Top-Rated Veterans & Military Charities" listing.  Homes for Our Troops is a supporter of America Supports You, a Defense Department program connecting citizens and companies with servicemembers and their families serving at home and abroad.  "Homes for Our Troops is proud to be included in [American Institute of Philanthropy's] list of top rated veterans and military charities," said Tom Benoit, vice president and chief financial officer of Homes for Our Troops. "Our dedicated staff has worked tirelessly to efficiently raise the funds needed to build homes across the country for severely injured veterans.  "The support we receive from our corporate partners and from individuals and companies across the country made it possible for Homes for Our Troops to spend only 7 percent on administration and fundraising in our fiscal year [ending] Sept. 30, 2007, and to complete 11 homes in 2007," he added. "Our goal is to complete 30 homes in 2008."  Founded in 2004, Homes for Our Troops is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing specially adapted homes to servicemembers severely injured while fighting in the global war on terrorism. The organization has provided 25 veterans and their families with homes suited to meet the each veteran's individual challenges. Over the next few years, Homes for Our Troops is committed to providing at least 100 additional homes for injured troops, organization officials said.  Only five of the 32 veterans charities listed in the American Institute of Philanthropy's most recent report are included in the top-rated category, according to institute officials.  The watchdog's review process focuses on the percent of costs spent on "program service costs" and the efficiency of organizations in raising funds.  Rather than just using figures reported by charities in financial disclosure forms, the institute adjusts for direct mail, telemarketing and solicitation costs that are sometimes allocated to program service costs. It also excludes the value of donated goods and services, which can be difficult to measure.  Because of their thorough review process, the institute was described as "the pit bull of watchdogs" by the New York Times. Newsweek said, "It's the toughest of the bunch. Because it disregards certain, potentially suspect, expenses and donations, it fails some nonprofits that the other raters approve."

May 28, 2008, 2008 (San Dimas, CA) On June 4, 2008, Conversations with Cops at the Watering Hole will feature an interview with Joe Sanchez a former NYPD police officer and the author of Latin Blues: A Tale of Police Omerta from the NYPD and A Tale of the Enemy Within. Program Date: June 4, 2008Program Time: 2100 hours, PacificTopic: An Interview with Joe SanchezListen Live: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/LawEnforcement About the GuestIn 1965, Joe Sanchez was drafted into the United States Army, at the age of 18.  On his twentieth birthday, he found himself with the First Air Cavalry Air Mobile Division deployed near the village of Phantiet in South Vietnam.  On that day, his unit was engaged in a firefight with Viet Cong.  Joe Sanchez and three of his comrades were wounded by a grenade during that firefight. After discharge, Joe Sanchez served three years as a police officer with the New York Port Authority Police Department.  He then applied for, and was accepted, as a police officer for the New York City Police Department.  Joe Sanchez battled crime on the streets of New York, not realizing the most vicious enemy was within the NYPD.   In October of 1983, Joe Sanchez was indicted by a Special and Extraordinary Grand Jury in Manhattan for one count of Burglary in the First Degree; one count of Grand Larceny in the first Degree; one count of Grand Larceny in the second Degree; six counts of Grand larceny in the Third Degree; and, one count of assault in the Third Degree.  Joe Sanchez would ultimately be exonerated of the charges because the true betrayal wasn’t Joe’s, it was his enemies within the NYPD that had set him up. For a time, Joe Sanchez became a letter carrier and then reentered the criminal justice field as a correctional officer serving in both Sing Sing and Coxsackie State Prisons. If you ask Joe Sanchez, he will tell you, “It's a true story. I've been trying to tell it for a long time. It's my story, but not mine alone. It is also the story of those who lived and died alongside me, in Viet Nam and in that other battle, for justice and safety under the shield of the law; that is fought daily in the streets of every big city by every honest cop. In this case, the city is the Naked City, and the cop [namely, me] is a Latino. And the battle is neither for the civilians alone, nor just against the bad guys in the street. Some times the bad guys are in the Department. And sometimes the people who need protection are the honest cops.” Joe Sanchez is the author of Latin Blues: A Tale of Police Omerta from the NYPD and A Tale of the Enemy Within. About the Watering HoleThe Watering Hole is police slang for a location cops go off-duty to blow off steam and talk about work and life.  Sometimes funny; sometimes serious; but, always interesting. About the HostLieutenant Raymond E. Foster was a sworn member of the Los Angeles Police Department for 24 years.  He retired in 2003 at the rank of Lieutenant.  He holds a bachelor’s from the Union Institute and University in Criminal Justice Management and a Master’s Degree in Public Financial Management from California State University, Fullerton; and, has completed his doctoral course work. Raymond E. Foster has been a part-time lecturer at California State University, Fullerton and Fresno; and is currently a faculty advisor and lecturer with the Union Institute and University.  He has experience teaching upper division courses in law enforcement, public policy, law enforcement technology and leadership.  Raymond is an experienced author who has published numerous articles in a wide range of venues including magazines such as Government Technology, Mobile Government, Airborne Law Enforcement Magazine, and Police One.  He has appeared on the History Channel and radio programs in the United States and Europe as subject matter expert in technological applications in law enforcement. Listen, call, join us at the Watering Hole.http://www.blogtalkradio.com/LawEnforcement Program Contact InformationLieutenant Raymond E. Foster, LAPD (ret.), MPAeditor@police-writers.com909.599.7530

By Samantha L. Quigley American Forces Press Service  May 28, 2008 - Professional golfer Tiger Woods understands the sacrifices military families make and the importance of acknowledging those sacrifices. "I was raised in a military family," said Woods, whose late father, Earl, retired from the Army as a lieutenant colonel. "I know what it takes, the dedication it takes. They don't get enough thanks. And we're here to do that. We're here to say thank you."  He will say "thank you," this Fourth of July holiday when he hosts the second AT&T National golf tournament at Congressional Country Club here.  "We're trying to do whatever we can to showcase the military and basically give thanks," Woods said in an interview before the news conference.  This year that includes making 30,000 tickets available to servicemembers. Active-duty troops, reservists and National Guardsmen, retired servicemembers, and Defense Department civilian personnel are eligible for two tickets per person per day of the July 2-July 6 tournament.  The tournament also is offering a one-time 10 percent discount on merchandise, though the discount does not apply at Congressional Golf Shop adjacent to the clubhouse, however. In addition, each day will be dedicated to one of the five services.  Honoring the military and their families doesn't stop there, Woods said.  Twenty-five military children will accompany Woods to the first tee July 2, where two of them will take ceremonial first shots. But not before servicemembers deployed overseas have taken their swings.  Nike has provided drivers and golf balls that are being shipped to six military locations around the globe. A servicemember at each location will hit the ball, which will then be returned along with video of those shots.  Woods, who has a great respect for the military, said his father, and the military values he adhered to, have greatly shaped both his view of family and his direction in life. He's taken that to heart at home as well as on a global scale, hoping to be the same kind of father for his daughter, Samantha, that Earl Woods was to him.  "Family comes first," Woods said in the pre-conference interview. "My dad ... always made time for me. I'm looking back upon that, [and] that shaped me in the fact that I want to be there for Sam all the time," he said.  His dad also taught him about success, being a leader, and the responsibilities that come with that role. That lesson was the foundation upon which he and his father created the Tiger Woods Foundation in 1996.  "My dad, I won't say pushed me, but he always made sure I understood what it took to be a leader, the responsibilities you have to accept -- and sometimes it's not always easy," Woods said. "That's hard for kids to understand who have never experienced it before."  This lack of leadership and role models for children is not just a local phenomenon, he said. It's global.  "We have so many people around this world who need help, and we're going to do that," he said.  The foundation already has helped 10 million children through its character-development programs, scholarships, grants, junior golf teams, and the Tiger Woods Learning Center. And the gratitude he receives from the kids who are helped by the foundation is his greatest reward, he said.  "Golf is just what I do. It's not who I am," Woods said. "Having kids write letters and say, 'Thank you. I'm going to college. I'm doing things that I never thought I could do in my life,' gives me chills just thinking about it. That's the impact that everyone should have in life."  Proceeds from the 2008 AT&T National will benefit the Tiger Woods Foundation and its desire to expand its programs to the greater Washington area. The hope is to continue positively impacting the lives of future generations for years to come, according to a statement on the AT&T National site.  Fans can affect lives, as well. When purchasing a ticket on the AT&T National Web site, they can choose to make a donation to one of six charitable organizations benefiting military families.  Proceeds from the "Click and Donate Program" will be equally distributed among the Fisher House Foundation, Military Officers of America's Scholarship Fund, National Military Family Association, Our Military Kids, United Service Organizations of Metropolitan Washington, and Yellow Ribbon Fund.  All six organizations are supporters of America Supports You, a Defense Department program connecting citizens and companies with servicemembers and their families serving at home and abroad. The title sponsor of the tournament, AT&T, is a corporate supporter of the Defense Department program, as well.

By Donna Miles American Forces Press Service  May 28, 2008 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates today kicked off a six-day swing through the Western Pacific that includes a keynote address at the 7th annual International Institute of Strategic Studies' Asia Security Summit in Singapore. The visit, which also will take the secretary to Guam, Thailand and South Korea, will underscore the United States' enduring presence in and commitment to the region, a senior defense official traveling with Gates told reporters. It also will amplify the U.S. role in strengthening multilateral security cooperation.  The three-day security conference, known as the Shangri-La Dialogue after the hotel where it's held, will bring together more than 20 major participants for what the official called "the big security fest in East Asia."  Gates' address at the first plenary session May 31 will set the stage for the next presidential administration, officials said. Pointing to the longstanding U.S. commitment, he will assure regional nations of continued commitment, regardless of who wins the U.S. general election.  The speech "transcends the immediate and looks at the enduring," another official said on background.  Gates will recognize changes within the Asia-Pacific theater, including the emergence of China and India as powers.  The issue of China's growing military power, and lack of transparency about it, will almost certainly arise, the official said.  But this year, discussions are expected to be less contentious than at past Shangri-La dialogues. That's because the Defense Department released this year's China Military Power report in early spring, rather than just before the conference as in 2006 and 2007, with unintended consequences, the official said.  "We did not want to step on Shangri-La and to set up this artificial confrontation atmosphere," he said.  Gates is slated to meet with Chinese Lt. Gen. M.A. Xiatian, deputy chief of general staff for the People's Liberation Army, during a "pull-aside," an informal bilateral meeting during the conference.  The United States and China are moving toward more positive exchanges that transcend old Cold War paradigms, a State Department official traveling with Gates told reporters.  "This is not the competitive relationship of the Cold War," he said. "We are really working together to create the conditions that will be beneficial for all of us and all of the residents of the Asian-Pacific zone."  Gates will emphasize the strength of U.S. alliances and partnerships in maintaining regional security during the formal Shangri-La sessions, as well as the many bilateral and pull-aside sessions planned.  His keynote speech "will show very convincingly that the alliance structure that is out there is not some Cold War relic, not something that constricts or confines alliance partners, but is very facilitative, very enabling, and also very flexible," an official said.  The United States is approaching security challenges in the region not only multilaterally, but also as a "whole of government," the State Department official said.  "The face of American power projection in Asia these days isn't just military. It's not just diplomatic. It's not just public diplomacy. It's not just development assistance," he said. "But it is really all of these things and more, woven together.  "And Secretary Gates has been an ardent advocate in our government back in Washington in making sure that we work and coordinate better as a government in projecting our power (and) in pursuing our security partnerships in Asia," he said. "So not only do we have more foreign countries as partners, but we are also more integrated as a government in engaging with them."  Examples of this cooperation – expected to be a focus at the Shangri-La conference – are ongoing humanitarian assistance missions in both Burma and China.  The Association of Southeast Asian Nations has come up with a new plan to speed up the delivery of aid to Burma and is expected to seek support for it at the conference. "This will be a place where a lot of comment is being exchanged. It is very much the current issue," an official said.  During Gates' first stop of the trip, in Guam, he will witness the massive construction effort under way to prepare for the arrival of Marine forces being relocated from Okinawa.  An official traveling with Gates emphasized the importance of Guam, with its prime strategic location, its pro-military population and its status as a U.S. territory. "This is not just another base," he said. "This is a place where you can project power from the continental United States and Hawaii -- ships, aircraft and land troops as well."  But increasingly, Guam is emerging as a node for multilateral security cooperation in Southeast Asia, and for alliance transformation in Northeast Asia, the official said. "It is integral to the force posture transformation," he said.

Countries ill-equipped to ensure global biosafety “A two-year UN study of internationally funded training programmes in biotechnology and biosafety warns that as many as 100 developing countries are unprepared to effectively manage and monitor the use of modern biotechnologies, leaving the world community open to serious biosafety threats. […] they cite the lack of technical, policy and enforcement capacities in developing countries as ‘a potentially contributing factor to the spread of bioterrorism’ -- the deliberate release of naturally-occurring or human-modified bacteria, viruses, toxins or other biological agents.” (One World; 26May08) http://uk.oneworld.net/article/view/160556/1/ Summit town [Toyakocho, Hokkaido, Japan] fire dept to use new alert system “The fire department responsible for Toyakocho, Hokkaido, where the Group of Eight summit meeting is to be held in July, has introduced a monitoring system intended to provide early warning of disease outbreaks, be they natural epidemics or the result of bioterrorism. […] The system analyzes the frequency of reported symptoms such as fever and diarrhea, which are possible indicators of an outbreak of new strains of influenza, bioterrorist attacks or food poisoning, by comparing it with past dispatch records.” (The Yomiuri Shimbun; 26May08) http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20080526TDY02303.htm India not enforcing safety norms for GM crops: UN study “India faces a huge risk because safety norms on genetically modified crops are not being enforced, says a UN study, adding that it also makes the country vulnerable to bioterrorism attacks. The study’s Melbourne-based lead author Sam Johnston told IANS from Bonn: ‘India still has a huge problem of biosafety enforcement. Many farmers are using genetically modified crops without government approval. For example, it was recently reported in The Hindu Business Line that 28 percent of area in Gujarat was planted with illegal GM crops.’ Citing the lack of technical, policy and enforcement capacities in developing countries as ‘a potentially contributing factor to the spread of bioterrorism’ - the deliberate release of naturally-occurring or human-modified bacteria, viruses, toxins or other biological agents - Johnston said: ‘If you don’t have the ability to monitor technology, the technology can be used for bioterrorism as you are not bio-secure.’” (Thaindian News; 28May08; NeenaBhandari)http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/business/india-not-enforcing-safety-norms-for-gm-crops-un-study_10053615.html MAF Biosecurity endorses UK animal health officials “UK animal health officials have received a ringing endorsement from Barry O'Neil, deputy director general of MAF Biosecurity New Zealand and president of the World Organisation for Animal Health OIE. Answering a question about the risk of malicious release of animal diseases, he said it was an issue for countries with significant agricultural production and such ‘bioterrorism’ needed to be guarded against. ‘We do need to have disease surveillance in place to detect the unexpected, and I think the UK is very well placed on that.’" (Farmers Weekly Interactive; 27May08) http://www.fwi.co.uk/Articles/2008/05/26/110617/maf-biosecurity-endorses-uk-animal-health-officials.html Bioterrorist Attack: Fact or Fiction?“While the potential devastation (in human lives) from an attack with a biological agent like Ebola virus or anthrax bacillus is much greater again there is no evidence of any effort to undertake such an attack in this or any other country. […] The point to all this is that by the end of the 2008 fiscal year the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will have spent $50 billion on defense against bioterrorism attacks. Let's assume for the moment that the biological weapons threat is more fantasy then fact, how much law enforcement and emergency response equipment would State and local police department have bought with that amount of your tax payer dollars? Need updated cruisers, computer, commutations systems and centers, or weapons and ammo for use on your beat? Fifty billion will buy a bunch of that stuff.” (Officer.com; 26May08; Doug Hanson)http://www.officer.com/web/online/On-the-Street/Bioterrorist-Attack--Fact-or-Fiction/21$41545 Army aims to finish destruction of agent VX shells in Anniston [Alabama] today “The Army expects to finish destroying 139,581 artillery shells containing the deadly chemical agent VX this afternoon at the chemical weapons incinerator at Anniston Army Depot, a spokesman said today.” (The Birmingham Times; 24May08; Katherine Bouma) http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2008/05/army_finishing_destruction_of.html Searching for Project SHAD [Shipboard Hazard and Defense]: Vet's efforts lead to investigation, legislation “Years after he left the military, Jack Alderson began asking questions about chemical testing he was involved in and its effects on his health and the health of others. Those efforts led to the introduction of a bill earlier this month that would offer health benefits to veterans exposed to chemical agents during two classified government projects in the 1960s and 1970s. North Coast Congressman Mike Thompson (D-St. Helena) and Republican Congressman Denny Rehberg of Montana introduced HR 5954 on May 1. If passed, the bill will provide Veterans Affairs health benefits to veterans who were exposed to biological, chemical or other toxic agents as part of Project 112 and Project SHAD.” (Lake County News; 26May08; ElizabethLarson)http://lakeconews.com/content/view/4331/764/ Cornell fiber scientist receives federal grants to create fabrics to render toxic chemicals harmless “[…] Juan Hinestroza is working with the U.S. government to create fabrics made of functional nanofibers that would decompose toxic industrial chemicals into harmless byproducts. Potential applications include safety gear for U.S. soldiers and filtration systems for buildings and vehicles. Hinestroza, assistant professor of fiber science in the College of Human Ecology, is a member of two teams that secured more than $2.2 million from the U.S. Department of Defense; about $875,000 will go directly to Hinestoza's work. Both grants are multi-university collaborative efforts funded through the U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency.” (Nano-Tech Wire;25May08)http://nanotechwire.com/news.asp?nid=6023 China Quake also an Environmental Catastrophe “Eleven days after the 7.9 magnitude earthquake struck western China, vice environment minister Wu Xiaoqing first revealed Friday, May 23, that 50 hazardous radioactive sources have been located – 35 recovered and controlled; ‘three more buried in rubble and 12 in dangerous buildings. At present, tests show no accidental release of radiation,’ he reported as the death toll climbed past 55,000. Two of the most badly damaged cities housed China’s secret nuclear weapons design facility - at Mianyang - and a plutonium processing facility - in Guangyuan – both close to the quake’s epicenter. Soon after the quake struck, Chinese soldiers were sent to protect nuclear sites and preparations made for an environmental emergency.” (St Louis Today; 24May08; Tim Kusky) http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/mother-nature-watch/mother-nature-watch/2008/05/china-quake-also-an-environmental-catastrophe/ High stakes in tale of a ‘contract killing that backfired'“On August 2, 2006, Sharon Collins set up a Yahoo Mail account in the name of lyingeyes98@yahoo.ie. She sent an email from her own Eircom address to Lyingeyes the day it was created. Lyingeyes98 searched the net for contract killers and on August 8 sent an email to hitmanforhire@yahoo.com. Hitman was also visited by someone using the computer at Downes and Howard. […] She said she had ‘no conscience’ about ordering her husband's death […] She suggested an accident for the two boys or poisoning their drinks in the local pub near their holiday home in Kilkee. […] It is alleged that at one stage the FBI [Federal Bureau of Investigation] passed some information to gardai [An Garda Síochána, Republic of Ireland Police Force] which led them to search Essam Eid's cell. In that search, traces of the deadly poison, Ricin, were discovered in a contact lens case.” (Irish Independent; 25May08; Abigail Rieley) http://www.independent.ie/national-news/high-stakes-in-tale-of-a-contract-killing-that-backfired-1386457.html When is a terrorist a terrorist?“The definition of what constitutes a terrorist has exercised some of the best minds in history, but in answer to the question ‘When is a terrorist a terrorist?’ the current US President replies, ‘When I say so…’ Ok, he didn’t actually use those exact words, at least not in public, but he did say this about Saddam Hussein in 2006: ‘He was a state sponsor of terror. In other words, the (US) government had declared, you are a state sponsor of terror.’ […] Perhaps the most edifying example is the sale of WMD to Saddam by the US under Ronald Reagan to support his ambitions and keep Iranian fundamentalism at bay. Exports included biological agents such as anthrax, vital ingredients for chemical weapons, and cluster bombs - all delivered by a CIA front organisation in Chile… Obviously this was all well before Iraq’s psychopathic tyrant fell out of favour by invading Kuwait.” (Pakistan Daily; 24May08) http://www.daily.pk/world/europe/81-europe/3918-when-is-a-terrorist-a-terrorist-terrorist.html Al-Qa'eda to urge biological warfare in new video message“Osama bin Laden's al-Qa'eda terrorist network is to post a new video in the next 24 hours urging jihadists to use biological, chemical and nuclear weapons against the West, the FBI has warned. The FBI has alerted 1,800 American law enforcement agencies about the expected video calling for the use of weapons of mass destruction, Richard Kolko, an FBI spokesman, said. ‘We got information the tape is coming,’ said Mr Kolko. ‘We sent out an alert to law enforcement (agencies) to let them know.’” (Telegraph; 28May08; Tom Peterkin) http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/uncertain-world/2041499/Al-Qa'eda-urges-biological-warfare-in-new-video-message.html EPA tests plans to protect water“The pilot program ordered by the Department of Homeland Security in response to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks uses continuous monitoring of public water for contaminants that could sicken or kill millions of people. Some utilities only do spot checks now for such germs, pesticides or radioactive materials. […] ‘Water supplies are very, very accessible targets for biological or chemical weapons,’ said Donna Schlagheck, a Wright State University political scientist who specializes in American foreign policy and international terrorism. ‘There are so many potential targets - whether you are taking water from the ground or a river or a lake - and the vulnerability there is enormous.’” (Mojave Daily News; 25May08; Lisa Cornwell, Associated Press) http://www.mohavedailynews.com/articles/2008/05/25/news/nation/nation3.txt Kiss American security goodbye“Every police department from Arkansas to Ohio would be in desperate need of anti-terror funding. And why not, when the terrorists loomed so monstrously large, were so apocalyptically capable, and wanted so very badly to destroy our way of life? No wonder that, in the 2006 National Asset Database, compiled by the Department of Homeland Security, the state of Indiana, ‘with 8,591 potential terrorist targets, had 50 percent more listed sites than New York (5,687) and more than twice as many as California (3,212), ranking the state the most target-rich place in the nation.’” (Al-Jazeera; 26May08; Tom Engelhardt)http://www.aljazeera.com/news/newsfull.php?newid=119887 McCain Pledges to Work With Russians on Arms Control (Update1) “Republican John McCain extended an olive branch to Russia today by pledging to work toward the elimination of tactical nuclear weapons in Europe and to negotiate a new accord limiting strategic arms. McCain, who previously has warned of ‘Russian revanchism’ and called for the country's expulsion from the Group of Eight, said there are numerous areas where America can ‘work in partnership with Russia’ to halt the spread of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons.” (Bloomberg; 27May08; HansNichols)http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=aQo0eUgF3u54&refer=us Israelis to receive new non-conventional warfare kits “Gas-masks and other protective gear that has been collected from the public over the last few years and is being updated will be made available for collection starting January 2009. […] IDF officials that disclosed this information to The Jerusalem Post were careful to explain that the decision to begin handing out the equipment has not been affected by any threat of imminent war. […] At present, the Israeli public is virtually unprotected from any chemical or biological agents[…].” (Jerusalem Newswire; 25May08; Stan Goodenough)http://www.jnewswire.com/article/2457 Bomb disposal unit opened [New Zealand] “The stars of the show are a dozen new robots considered the Ferarris of bomb disposal. They can be fitted with a shotgun to blow off door hinges, water cannons to destroy a bombs circuitry, a sniffer to detect chemical weapons and cameras to let the team know just what they are up against.”(One News; 26May08)http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/536641/1799165 

CNS ChemBio-WMD Terrorism News is prepared by the Chemical and Biological Weapons Nonproliferation Program of the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies in order to bring timely and focused information to researchers and policymakers interested in the fields of chemical, biological, and radiological weapons nonproliferation and WMD terrorism.

By Air Force Tech. Sgt. Kevin Wallace Special to American Forces Press Service  May 27, 2008 - The poem inscribed on the Statue of Liberty beckons "Give me your poor, your tired, your huddled masses longing to be free," but on this Memorial Day, quite the opposite was true, as 44 members of the U.S. military marched forward to become America's newest citizens. In the presence of the Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, U.S. Immigration Service Acting Director Jonathan Scharfen and Army Maj. Gen. Jeffrey J. Schloesser, commander of Combined Joint Task Force 101, 44 servicemembers from 21 countries swore oaths of allegiance and became U.S. citizens.  "On behalf of President Bush and a grateful nation, I say, 'Welcome,'" Chertoff said to the new American citizens.  The ceremony brought the number of military men and women who have gained citizenship while deployed to Afghanistan since beginning the war on terror to 312, said Stacy K. Strong, deputy district director of the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok, Thailand. According to a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service fact sheet, more than 39,000 servicemembers have become U.S. citizens since the beginning of the war.  "There is no honor greater than presiding over an oath ceremony, and there is no better place to do it than here," Chertoff said. "You have all earned your citizenship through your service. Starting today, America is as much your country as it is mine."  Under an executive order, legal permanent residents actively serving in the U.S. military and honorably discharged legal permanent residents who were on active duty on or after Sept. 11, 2001, are eligible to apply for naturalization.  "This feels really great -- closure to the 'history' chapter in my life and the beginning of my future," said Army Pvt. Mark Paguio, a Philippine native who led the other servicemembers in their recital of the Pledge of Allegiance. "Becoming a U.S. citizen has opened many doors," he said.  For the 44 servicemembers who are serving in Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom or the International Security Assistance Force, the oath was an affirmation of what they have worked so hard to secure.  "This day means everything to me," said Marine Lance Cpl. Artem Starovoyt, a Ukraine native who now resides in Philadelphia. "I have been out on the front lines doing what I can for my nation, and now I can officially call America home."  The servicemembers who took the citizenship oath are from Jamaica, Colombia, the Philippines, Peru, Nicaragua, Dominican Republic, Australia, Poland, Ghana, Iran, Mexico, El Salvador, Haiti, Sierra Leone, Trinidad and Tobago, Germany, Cuba, Nigeria, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Ukraine.  (Air Force Tech. Sgt. Kevin Wallace serves with Combined Joint Task Force 101 Public Affairs.)

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of four U.S. servicemen, missing in action from the Vietnam War, have been identified and will be returned to their families for burial with full military honors.   They are Maj. Barclay B. Young, of Hartford, Conn.; and Senior Master Sgt. James K. Caniford, of Brunswick, Md. The names of the two others are being withheld at the request of their families. All men were U.S. Air Force. Caniford will be buried May 28 in Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C., and Young's burial date is being set by his family.   Remains that could not be individually identified are included in a group which will be buried together in Arlington. Among the group remains is Air Force Lt. Col. Henry P. Brauner of Franklin Park, N.J., whose identification tag was recovered at the crash site.   On March 29, 1972, 14 men were aboard an AC-130A Spectre gunship that took off from Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand, on an armed reconnaissance mission over southern Laos. The aircraft was struck by an enemy surface-to-air missile and crashed. Search and rescue efforts were stopped after a few days due to heavy enemy activity in the area.     In 1986, joint U.S.- Lao People's Democratic Republic teams, lead by the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC), surveyed and excavated the crash site in Savannakhet Province, Laos. The team recovered human remains and other evidence including two identification tags, life support items and aircraft wreckage. From 1986 to 1988, the remains were identified as those of nine men from this crew.   Between 2005 and 2006, joint teams resurveyed the crash site and excavated it twice. The teams found more human remains, personal effects and crew-related equipment. As a result, JPAC identified Young, Caniford and the other crewmen using forensic identification tools, circumstantial evidence, mitochondrial DNA and dental comparisons.    For additional information on the Defense Department's mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO Web site at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call (703) 699-1169.

By Jim Garamone American Forces Press Service  May 27, 2008 - The Air Force has flown 70 humanitarian missions to Burma in support of the relief effort for Cyclone Nargis victims, Defense officials said here today.  Over Memorial Day weekend, five C-130 flights per day arrived at Rangoon International Airport and delivered supplies.  To date, Air Force relief flights have delivered 409 pallets containing water, blankets, hygiene kits, mosquito netting, plastic sheeting for shelter, food, rice, plywood and medical supplies. The total weight is 637.27 metric tons.  Burma's ruling military junta decided last week to allow international aid workers into the nation, and news reports indicate these workers are now reaching the Irrawaddy River delta -- the hardest hit area of the nation. Burmese authorities said the toll from the cyclone, which struck May 3, is 77,738 deaths and 55,917 missing. U.S. Air Force flights began flying into the stricken country May 12, but American officials must receive clearance for each flight that lands in Rangoon.  The United States has about a dozen cargo aircraft and a dozen heavy-lift and medium-lift helicopters in neighboring Thailand. The USS Essex, USS Harpers Ferry, USS Mustin and USS Juneau remain on hold in the Bay of Bengal. The Navy ships have 14 helicopters aboard. The ships could deliver relief supplies to millions of people, but Burmese authorities refuse to let them in, U.S. officials said.  "For now, U.S. personnel and equipment will remain in Thailand as well as on U.S. naval assets located about 50 nautical miles off the coast of Burma," officials said.

Thinking of youEach night and day Whilst I'm goneFrom your loving arms I sit a momentIn this tent Appreciating the memoriesOf all you've done for me. READ ON