Via Conference Call

12:03 A.M. EDT

MR. VIETOR:  Thank you, everyone, for joining us, especially so late.  We wanted to get you on the line quickly with some senior administration officials to talk about the operation today regarding Osama bin Laden.  And with that I’ll turn it over to our first senior administration official.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Thanks for joining us, everybody, at this late hour.  It’s much appreciated.  From the outset of the administration, the President has placed the highest priority in protecting the nation from the threat of terrorism.  In line with this, we have pursued an intensified, targeted, and global effort to degrade and defeat al Qaeda.  Included in this effort has been a relentless set of steps that we’ve taken to locate and bring Osama bin Laden to justice.  Indeed, in the earliest days of the administration, the President formally instructed the intelligence community and his counterterrorism advisors to make the pursuit of Osama bin Laden, as the leader of al Qaeda, as a top priority.

In the beginning of September of last year, the CIA began to work with the President on a set of assessments that led it to believe that in fact it was possible that Osama bin Laden may be located at a compound in Pakistan.  By mid-February, through a series of intensive meetings at the White House and with the President, we had determined there was a sound intelligence basis for pursuing this in an aggressive way and developing courses of action to pursue Osama bin Laden at this location.

In the middle of March, the President began a series of National Security Council meetings that he chaired to pursue again the intelligence basis and to develop courses of action to bring justice to Osama bin Laden.  Indeed, by my count, the President chaired no fewer than five National Security Council meetings on the topic from the middle of March — March 14th, March 29th, April 12th, April 19th, and April 28th.  And the President gave the final order to pursue the operation that he announced to the nation tonight on the morning — Friday morning of April 29th.

The President mentioned tonight that the pursuit of Osama bin Laden and the defeat of al Qaeda has been a bipartisan exercise in this nation since September 11, 2001, and indeed, this evening before he spoke to the nation, President Obama did speak to President Bush 43 and President Clinton this evening to review with them the events of today and to preview his statement to the nation tonight.

And with that, I’ll turn it over to my colleague to go through some of the details.  Thank you.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  As you heard, the President ordered a raid earlier today against an al Qaeda compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan.  Based on intelligence collection analysis, a small U.S. team found Osama bin Laden living in a large home on a secured compound in an affluent suburb of Islamabad.  The raid occurred in the early morning hours in Pakistan and accomplished its objective.  Osama bin Laden is now no longer a threat to America.

This remarkable achievement could not have happened without persistent effort and careful planning over many years.  Our national security professionals did a superb job.  They deserve tremendous credit for serving justice to Osama bin Laden.

Bin Laden was a sworn enemy of the United States and a danger to all humanity; a man who called for the murder of any American anywhere on Earth.  His death is central to the President’s goal of disrupting, dismantling, and ultimately defeating al Qaeda and its violent allies.  He was responsible for killing thousands of innocent men and women not only on 9/11, but in the 1998 East Africa embassy bombing, the attack of the USS Cole, and many other acts of brutality.

He was the leader of a violent extremist movement with affiliates across the globe that had taken up arms against the United States and its allies.  Bin Laden’s most influential role has been to designate the United States as al Qaeda’s primary target and to maintain organizational focus on that objective.  This strategic objective, which was first made in a 1996 declaration of jihad against Americans, was the cornerstone of bin Laden’s message.

Since 9/11, multiple agencies within our intelligence community have worked tirelessly to track down bin Laden, knowing that his removal from al Qaeda would strike a crippling blow to the organization and its militant allies.  And last September the President was made aware of a compound in Abbottabad, where a key al Qaeda facilitator appeared to be harboring a high-value target.  He received regular intelligence updates, as was just mentioned, on the compound in September, and he directed that action be taken as soon as he concluded that the intelligence case was sufficiently strong.  A range of options for achieving the mission were developed, and on Friday he authorized the operation.

Now I’ll turn it to my colleagues to go through the intelligence.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Thank you.  First I want to point out that today’s success was a team effort.  It was a model of really seamless collaboration across our government.  Since 9/11, this is what the American people have expected of us, and today, in this critical operation, we were able to finally deliver.

The operation itself was the culmination of years of careful and highly advanced intelligence work.  Officers from the CIA, the NGA, the NSA all worked very hard as a team to analyze and pinpoint this compound.  Together they applied their very unique expertise and capabilities to America’s most vexing intelligence problem, where to find bin Laden.

When the case had been made that this was a critical target, we began to prepare this mission in conjunction with the U.S. military.  In the end, it was the matchless skill and courage of these Americans that secured this triumph for our country and the world.  I’m very proud of the entire team that worked on this operation, and am very thankful to the President for the courage that he displayed in making the decision to proceed with this operation.

With that, let me turn to my colleague to give you details on the intelligence background.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Thank you.  The bottom line of our collection and our analysis was that we had high confidence that the compound harbored a high-value terrorist target.  The experts who worked this issue for years assessed that there was a strong probability that the terrorist that was hiding there was Osama bin Laden.

What I’d like to do is walk you through the key points in that intelligence trail that led us to that conclusion.  From the time that we first recognized bin Laden as a threat, the CIA gathered leads on individuals in bin Laden’s inner circle, including his personal couriers.  Detainees in the post-9/11 period flagged for us individuals who may have been providing direct support to bin Laden and his deputy, Zawahiri, after their escape from Afghanistan.

One courier in particular had our constant attention.  Detainees gave us his nom de guerre or his nickname and identified him as both a protégé of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the mastermind of September 11th, and a trusted assistant of Abu Faraj al-Libbi, the former number three of al Qaeda who was captured in 2005.

Detainees also identified this man as one of the few al Qaeda couriers trusted by bin Laden.  They indicated he might be living with and protecting bin Laden.  But for years, we were unable to identify his true name or his location.

Four years ago, we uncovered his identity, and for operational reasons, I can’t go into details about his name or how we identified him, but about two years ago, after months of persistent effort, we identified areas in Pakistan where the courier and his brother operated.  Still we were unable to pinpoint exactly where they lived, due to extensive operational security on their part.  The fact that they were being so careful reinforced our belief that we were on the right track.

Then in August 2010, we found their residence, a compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, a town about 35 miles north of Islamabad.  The area is relatively affluent, with lots of retired military.  It’s also insolated from the natural disasters and terrorist attacks that have afflicted other parts of Pakistan.  When we saw the compound where the brothers lived, we were shocked by what we saw — an extraordinarily unique compound.  The compound sits on a large plot of land in an area that was relatively secluded when it was built.  It is roughly eight times larger than the other homes in the area.

When the compound was built in 2005, it was on the outskirts of the town center, at the end of a narrow dirt road.  In the last six years, some residential homes have been built nearby.  The physical security measures of the compound are extraordinary.  It has 12- to 18-foot walls topped with barbed wire.  Internal wall sections — internal walls sectioned off different portions of the compound to provide extra privacy.  Access to the compound is restricted by two security gates, and the residents of the compound burn their trash, unlike their neighbors, who put the trash out for collection.

The main structure, a three-story building, has few windows facing the outside of the compound.  A terrace on the third floor has a seven-foot wall privacy — has a seven-foot privacy wall.

It’s also noteworthy that the property is valued at approximately $1 million but has no telephone or Internet service connected to it.  The brothers had no explainable source of wealth.

Intelligence analysts concluded that this compound was custom built to hide someone of significance.  We soon learned that more people were living at the compound than the two brothers and their families.  A third family lived there — one whose size and whose makeup matched the bin Laden family members that we believed most likely to be with Osama bin Laden.  Our best assessment, based on a large body of reporting from multiple sources, was that bin Laden was living there with several family members, including his youngest wife.

Everything we saw — the extremely elaborate operational security, the brothers’ background and their behavior, and the location and the design of the compound itself was perfectly consistent with what our experts expected bin Laden’s hideout to look like.  Keep in mind that two of bin Laden’s gatekeepers, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and Abu Faraj al-Libbi, were arrested in the settled areas of Pakistan.

Our analysts looked at this from every angle, considering carefully who other than bin Laden could be at the compound.  We conducted red team exercises and other forms of alternative analysis to check our work.  No other candidate fit the bill as well as bin Laden did.

So the final conclusion, from an intelligence standpoint, was twofold.  We had high confidence that a high-value target was being harbored by the brothers on the compound, and we assessed that there was a strong probability that that person was Osama bin Laden.

Now let me turn it over to my colleague.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Thank you.  Earlier this afternoon, a small U.S. team conducted a helicopter raid on the compound.  Considerable planning helped prepare our operators for this very complex mission.  Senior officials have been involved in the decision-making and planning for this operation for months, and briefed the President regularly.  My colleague has already mentioned the unusual characteristics of this compound.  Each of these, including the high walls, security features, suburban location, and proximity to Islamabad made this an especially dangerous operation.

The men who executed this mission accepted this risk, practiced to minimize those risks, and understood the importance of the target to the national security of the United States.

I know you understand that I can’t and won’t get into many details of this mission, but I’ll share what I can.  This operation was a surgical raid by a small team designed to minimize collateral damage and to pose as little risk as possible to non-combatants on the compound or to Pakistani civilians in the neighborhood.

Our team was on the compound for under 40 minutes and did not encounter any local authorities while performing the raid.  In addition to Osama bin Laden, three adult males were killed in the raid.  We believe two were the couriers and the third was bin Laden’s adult son.

There were several women and children at the compound.  One woman was killed when she was used as a shield by a male combatant.  Two other women were injured.

During the raid, we lost one helicopter due to mechanical failure.  The aircraft was destroyed by the crew and the assault force and crew members boarded the remaining aircraft to exit the compound.  All non-combatants were moved safely away from the compound before the detonation.

That’s all I have at this time.  I’ll turn it back to my colleague.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  We shared our intelligence on this bin Laden compound with no other country, including Pakistan.  That was for one reason and one reason alone:  We believed it was essential to the security of the operation and our personnel.  In fact, only a very small group of people inside our own government knew of this operation in advance.

Shortly after the raid, U.S. officials contacted senior Pakistani leaders to brief them on the intent and the results of the raid.  We have also contacted a number of our close allies and partners throughout the world.

Sine 9/11, the United States has made it clear to Pakistan that we would pursue bin Laden wherever he might be.  Pakistan has long understood that we are at war with al Qaeda.  The United States had a legal and moral obligation to act on the information it had.

And let me emphasize that great care was taken to ensure operational success, minimize the possibility of non-combatant casualties, and to adhere to American and international law in carrying out the mission.

I should note that in the wake of this operation, there may be a heightened threat to the homeland and to U.S. citizens and facilities abroad.  Al Qaeda operatives and sympathizers may try to respond violently to avenge bin Laden’s death, and other terrorist leaders may try to accelerate their efforts to strike the United States.  But the United States is taking every possible precaution to protect Americans here at home and overseas.  The State Department has sent guidance to embassies worldwide and a travel advisory has been issued for Pakistan.

And without a doubt, the United States will continue to face terrorist threats.  The United States will continue to fight those threats.  We have always understood that this fight would be a marathon and not a sprint.

There’s also no doubt that the death of Osama bin Laden marks the single greatest victory in the U.S.-led campaign to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat al Qaeda.  It is a major and essential step in bringing about al Qaeda’s eventual destruction.

Bin Laden was al Qaeda’s only (inaudible) commander in its 22-year history, and was largely responsible for the organization’s mystique, its attraction among violent jihadists, and its focus on America as a terrorist target.  As the only al Qaeda leader whose authority was universally respected, he also maintained his cohesion, and his likely successor, Ayman al-Zawahiri, is far less charismatic and not as well respected within the organization, according to comments from several captured al Qaeda leaders.  He probably will have difficulty maintaining the loyalty of bin Laden’s largely Gulf Arab followers.

Although al Qaeda may not fragment immediately, the loss of bin Laden puts the group on a path of decline that will be difficult to reverse.

And finally, it’s important to note that it is most fitting that bin Laden’s death comes at a time of great movement towards freedom and democracy that is sweeping the Arab world.  He stood in direct opposition to what the greatest men and women throughout the Middle East and North Africa are risking their lives for:  individual rights and human dignity.

MR. VIETOR:  With that we’re ready to take a couple questions.

Q    One question.  You said “a small U.S. team.”  Were these military personnel, can you say, or non-military?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Can’t go into further details at this time; just a small U.S. team.

Q    Good morning.  Can you tell us specifically what contact there was with bin Laden at the compound?  You referred to someone using a woman as a shield that was not bin Laden.  But how was he killed?  Where?  What occurred at the compound?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  As the President said this evening, bin Laden was killed in a firefight as our operators came onto the compound.

Q    Thank you.  Just to go back to what you were talking about with the attacks in response to this operation, are you hearing any specific threats against specific targets?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  No.  But any type of event like this, it is very prudent for us to take measures so that we can ensure that the security measures that we need to institute here and throughout the world are in place.  This is just something that we normally would do.  We don’t have any specific threats at this time related to this.  But we are ensuring that every possible precaution is taken in advance.

Q    Yes, hey, how are you doing?  My question would be, what was the type of the helicopter that failed?  And what was the nature of that mechanical failure?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Can’t go into details at this time.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  We didn’t say it was mechanical.

Q    Was bin Laden involved in firing himself or defending himself?  And then any chronology of the raid itself?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  He did resist the assault force.  And he was killed in a firefight.

Q    Thank you.  Thank you for taking this call.  Can you give me a comment on the very fact that Osama bin Laden was just in Islamabad — and has long been (inaudible) Afghanistan (inaudible) also from India, that Osama bin Laden is hiding somewhere near Islamabad?  What does it signify, that?  Does it signify any cooperation or any kind of link that he had with establishments in Pakistan?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  As the President said, Pakistani cooperation had assisted in this lead, as we pursued it.  So we’re continuing to work this issue right now.  We are very concerned about — that he was inside of Pakistan, but this is something that we’re going to continue to work with the Pakistani government on.

Q    But the very fact you didn’t inform the Pakistani authorities — did you have any suspicion that if you informed them, the information might lead somewhere?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  An operation like this that is conducted has the utmost operational security attached to it.  I said that we had shared this information with no other country, and that a very, very small group of individuals within the United States government was aware of this.  That is for operational security purposes.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  I would also just add to that that President Obama, over a period of several years now, has repeatedly made it clear that if we had actionable intelligence about Osama bin Laden’s whereabouts, we would act.  So President Obama has been very clear in delivering that message publicly over a period of years.  And that’s what led President Obama to order this operation.  When he determined that the intelligence was actionable and the intelligence case was sufficient, he gave us high confidence that bin Laden indeed was at the compound.

Q    Thank you.  What is going to happen next?  And what is the U.S. going to do with bin Laden’s body?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  We are ensuring that it is handled in accordance with Islamic practice and tradition.  This is something that we take very seriously.  And so therefore this is being handled in an appropriate manner.

MR. VIETOR:  Great, thanks.  Just to remind everyone, this call is on background, as senior administration officials.  We have time for one more question, and we’re going to go to bed.

Q    Do you have a sense of the vintage of the compound and how long bin Laden had been there?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  The compound has been in existence for roughly five years, but we don’t know how long bin Laden lived there.  We assess that the compound was built for the purpose of harboring him.  But again, don’t know how long he’s been there.

MR. VIETOR:  Great, thank you all.  We’ll talk more tomorrow.

The New Zealand earthquake killed dozens – and some fear the death toll may rise to the hundreds – and was an aftershock of the much more powerful 7.1 magnitude earthquake that struck that nation last September near the same area, but caused no deaths.

Even though this earthquake was weaker than last year’s event, it was much shallower; was situated directly under Christchurch; hit during the lunch hour when more people were exposed to damage; and shook sediments that were prone to “liquefaction,” which can magnify the damage done by the ground shaking.

Robert Yeats, a professor emeritus of geology at Oregon State University, who is an international earthquake expert and researcher on both New Zealand and U.S. seismic risks, says that same description nicely fits many major cities and towns in Washington, Oregon, California and British Columbia.

“The latest New Zealand earthquake hit an area that wasn’t even known to have a fault prior to last September, it’s one that had not moved in thousands of years,” Yeats said. “But when you combine the shallow depth, proximity to a major city and soil characteristics, it was capable of immense damage.

“The same characteristics that caused such destruction and so many deaths in Christchurch are similar to those facing Portland, Seattle, parts of the Bay Area and many other West Coast cities and towns,” Yeats said. “And it’s worth keeping in mind that New Zealand has some of the most progressive building codes in the world. They are better prepared for an earthquake like this than many U.S. cities would be.”

The risks from comparatively shallow “crustal” faults, Yeats said, are often given less attention compared to the concerns about the major subduction zone earthquake facing the Pacific Northwest in its future, or other major quakes on famous plate boundaries such as the San Andreas Fault. There are dozens or hundreds of faults such as this that can cause serious earthquakes in the West, Yeats said.

Associated with that is the risk of liquefaction – the characteristic of some soils, particularly sediments deposited over long periods of time, to become saturated with water and quiver like a bowl of gelatin during an earthquake. Such motions can significantly increase building damage and loss of life.

“Much of the Willamette Valley in Oregon is a prime example of soils that could liquefy, old sediments deposited during floods and coming down from the Cascade Range,” Yeats said. “It’s very similar in that sense to the area around Christchurch, which sits on sand, silt and gravel from the Southern Alps to the west. This issue, along with the risks posed by crustal faults, has to be considered in our building codes.”

The city of Portland sits astride the Portland Hills Fault – which may or may not still be active – and faces significant liquefaction concerns in many areas. Seattle faces similar risks from the Seattle Fault, which is active. And whether or not an earthquake has happened lately offers little reassurance – the New Zealand fault that just crippled Christchurch hadn’t moved in millennia.

“The damage in New Zealand in the past day has been terrible, just horrible,” Yeats said. “But as bad as it has been, it’s worth noting that it could have been a lot worse. In the earlier earthquake, as well as this one, their building codes have saved a lot of lives. If the same type of event had happened in urban areas of many developing nations, the damage would have been catastrophic.”

Like much of the West Coast, Yeats said, New Zealand sits near a major boundary of the Earth’s great plates – in this case, the junction of the Australia Plate and the Pacific Plate. Past OSU research has helped characterize parts of that plate boundary – but despite intensive seismic studies in that nation, no one had yet identified the related fault that just devastated Christchurch.

“We can learn about earthquakes and help people understand the seismic risks they face,” Yeats said. “But it’s still an inexact science, the exact timing of an earthquake cannot be predicted, and the best thing we can do is prepare for these events before they happen.”

via New Zealand earthquake damage illustrates risks posed by shallow crustal faults.

Army Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, International Security Assistance Force commander, conveyed his apologies to Afghan President Hamid Karzai for the incident that occurred as Afghan and international forces continue an operation to clear a Taliban stronghold.

“We deeply regret this tragic loss of life,” McChrystal said. “The current operation in central Helmand is aimed at restoring security and stability to this vital area of Afghanistan. It’s regrettable that in the course of our joint efforts, innocent lives were lost. We extend our heartfelt sympathies and will ensure we do all we can to avoid future incidents.”

Two rockets from a high-mobility artillery rocket system missed their intended target, killing 12 civilians in Helmand’s Nad Ali district. The rockets’ target was a compound where insurgents were delivering accurate, direct fire on a combined Afghan-ISAF team, officials said. An Afghan soldier and an ISAF servicemember had been injured by the insurgent fire.

American Forces Press Service (From an International Security Assistance Force Joint Command news release.)

Firefights have erupted with Taliban militants as American troops continue positioning equipment and forces in the central Helmand province area for what is likely to be the scene of significant fighting.

“They are expecting a fight. I don’t know that they’re expecting Fallujah,” said a defense official speaking on background, referring to a heavy U.S. assault against Iraq-based insurgents in 2004. “Insurgents have been there a long time. This is a Taliban stronghold.”

In a rare glimpse at their playbook, U.S. and NATO military officials for months have remarked publicly on the strategic importance of the southern Afghanistan region and the goal to clear the area of Taliban fighters. The rationale for such a declaration of intent was to allow low-level Taliban fighters the chance to flee, and to warn civilians of the impending attack, officials said.

Marja, like other areas of Helmand, is a source of income for Taliban fighters, who cultivate poppy to yield opium and heroin for the lucrative drug market, according to reports. The U.S. State Department cites Afghanistan as the world’s largest producer of opium, and money from the drug trade is said to help in bankrolling terrorism.

“Marja has to be cracked open,” Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James T. Conway told Pentagon reporters in December. “The people there, I think, will welcome us when that happens, because the reports that we get is that there is a murder-intimidation campaign at work there — that people are being kept in, in many ways, against their will.”

Some 12,000 U.S. and NATO troops and 3,000 Afghan forces are expected to be involved once the larger-scale operation begins in earnest. Officials declined to reveal when the assault would start, saying only that it is expected to commence soon.

In the meantime, troops are conducting “shaping operations” to mold the battlefield in their favor before the offensive, said the defense official, who characterized the mission as a preparatory phase aimed at answering key tactical questions.

“When the operation begins, where do you want people stationed? Do you want Afghans here setting up roadblocks? Do you want Afghans on that hill with the proper overwatch authority on that particular valley? Do you have enough water set up? Food? Ammunition?” the official said.

Troops engaged in shaping the battlefield have encountered firefights as they prepare the area for more intense fighting, the official said.

“Some of it is tactical, some of it is logistical – it’s getting everything ready for the actual operation itself,” the official said, describing the ongoing operations. “That does sometimes entail small fire, firefights and even small battles, depending on where and how you’re doing it, and they’ve run into some firefights.”

By John J. Kruzel – American Forces Press Service via Defense.gov

Army Sgt. Joey Brumfield has a local Haitian put a chicken on his shoulder as a joke during a patrol in the Del Mas section of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Jan. 21, 2010. Brumfield is with the 82nd Airborne Division’s 1st Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment. The squadron has started stretching its efforts beyond its base camp as other humanitarian relief organizations have pitched in to help. DoD photo by Fred W. Baker III (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

“What’s up? What’s good?” shouts Army Staff Sgt. Joey Brumfield in slang Creole to the crowd of young men standing an arm’s length away.

They laugh and shout back “What’s up?” in English.

Brumfield is with the 82nd Airborne Division’s 1st Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, out of Fort Bragg, N.C. He and his team are working the streets in the Del Mas area here tracking down leads on hospitals and medical clinics.

Just a week ago, the squadron landed here intent on establishing an operating base on a golf course and setting up a distribution point for food and water. There was little electricity, no water and no real plan.

Now, this country-club-turned-military-headquarters has become the go-to spot both for those needing relief and for those wanting to help.

Finding a spot on the ground to sleep at night is now more difficult, both in the refugee camp at the foot of the hill and up in the club that serves as the main post. Several hundred military and civilian relief workers now operate with this as their base. The squadron’s staff officers now sleep on the roof to make room for the additional workers.

Catholic Relief Services, the United Nations’ point agency for relief at the base is in place, and for the most part is directing the future distribution of the massive amounts of food and water flowing in.

The National Disaster Medical System, under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, has sent medical teams from California, New Jersey and New Mexico. They set up a clinic capable of treating patients around the clock if needed.

Even actor Sean Penn made a stop at the base today to see what he could offer up with his own private disaster relief organization.

And military helicopters continue dropping more soldiers and supplies daily from dawn to dusk.

“From some respects, we’re still getting the same thing accomplished, but it doesn’t look anything like it looked six days ago,” said Army Lt. Col. Mike Foster, the squadron’s commander. “Just about everything has changed, except for the end state. The goal has not changed. It’s still to get as much help to the Haitian people as rapidly as possible, focusing on those that need it first.”

The squadron’s first attempt to distribute food and water last week ended up sending the soldiers packing from the refugee camp below. The same day, a military helicopter dropped food and water from the air down to the camp, causing near-riotous conditions, and convincing the military to abandon that method of dropping relief.

Now, the distribution point here runs relatively smoothly, comparable to the lines at a major amusement park. Haitian volunteers distribute the food, help to secure the lines and carry the sick to the medical shelter. According to the last count, about 60 Haitians a minute were filtering through the lines.

Christian Relief Service’s Donal Reilly is helping the squadron take the distribution to the next level. Reilly started working in Haiti in 1996 and has worked similar projects around the globe.

His plans are to issue tokens to the families living in the tent city below the base. The families will cash their tokens in at the distribution point for a two-week supply of food, as opposed to now, where the U.S. military hands out only a daily humanitarian meal.

“If we can get every family with two-week rations, then this stuff stops. The soldiers can maybe free up their focus for something else,” he said. “You can’t do this [distribution] every day. It’s just going to burn people out.”

Reilly acknowledged that the soldiers provided the needed first step in opening the door to relief here. His organization was looking for such a spot when they found this one.

“The Army has the logistics, the security to be able to come in and set up,” he said. “It was very hard to find a large distribution site in Port-au-Prince because of security. And here we have it.”

But Reilly also noted that he brings global resources to the table. As the lead agency for the U.N.’s relief efforts at the base, all relief organizations go through him, allowing him to channel all of the relief pouring from around the world.

“You bring in a helicopter. We’re going to bring in a truck [that can carry] 10 to 15 times the relief,” he said. “Cost-wise, it’s much more efficient.”

Foster said CRS taking on that piece of the distribution role is fine with him.

“We don’t feel some compelling need to be involved in whatever anybody else can do,” he said. “But anywhere there’s a capability established, we won’t back away from that until somebody else can do it as well as we’re doing it right now.”

Foster, the Army squadron commander, said he would like eventually to completely turn it over to the civilian agencies, but that his guys will continue to do what they’re doing until they are called home. So Foster’s soldiers have been busy stretching out beyond the base, scouring the tent city below for injured people who cannot make it up to the medical treatment facilities. Sometimes they partner with civilian volunteers. They also partner with local hospitals, providing a combat medic to help out for a day.

The patrols also are taking to the streets.

Army Capt. (Dr.) Mark Poirier treated four patients in one short patrol in the city this week. He said that overall, those in the tent city are healthy, and all of the serious injuries have been treated.

“I think the mission is going to be to push out,” he said.

The patrols also provide intelligence for the squadron as they compile information on the surround areas. The military landed on this spot will little to go on. Now they are gathering information such as which gas stations have fuel, which clinics are open and which churches are providing services.

All of this paints a picture of the community that the commander needs as he tries to reach the pockets of those who still need relief that all believe are still out there.

But more than a picture, Foster needs a crystal ball for this job — one that will tell him the problems he will encounter over the next few weeks as the crowd continues to grow. Massive crowds bring massive needs. Already, some of the structures are looking permanent by Haitian squatter standards. And the crystal ball could tell him how he will manage the flood of organizations that come knocking on his door to help, each offering good will, but also bringing their own personalities, rules and bureaucracies.

But he doesn’t have a crystal ball, and the commander freely admits he has no idea what operations here will look like in another week.

“I wish I did,” he said. “I know that it’s going to look better. But a week ago, I couldn’t have predicted it would look like this.”

The only prediction Foster will offer is that the work here will not be finished quickly.

“Quite frankly, there is so much work to be done, some of it is never going to get done,” he said. “Years from now, people are going to look around and they’re going to say ‘That’s left over from the earthquake.’

“The scope of the work is massive,” Foster said.

By Fred W. Baker III American Forces Press Service via Defense.gov

U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Troy P. Johnson

WASHINGTON, Jan. 12, 2010 – Optimism is on the rise in Afghanistan, with 90 percent of Afghans reporting in a new survey that they believe their country is headed in the right direction and support the Afghan national government.

Survey results released yesterday reveal a dramatic increase in confidence about the state of Afghanistan compared to a year ago, and increased support for the U.S. and NATO troop presence there.

The survey – commissioned by ABC News, the BBC and ARD German television — was conducted in mid-December, and included a random sample of 1,534 Afghan adults from all 34 Afghan provinces. Men and women were equally represented.

Seventy-one percent expressed optimism about Afghan’s path for the next 12 months, up from 40 percent last year. The last time the Afghan people expressed this level of confidence was in 2005, with confidence rates steadily declining until this year, the survey results show.

Ninety percent of those in the most recent survey said they support the current government, with only 6 percent favoring Taliban rule.

Sixty-nine percent identified the Taliban as the biggest threat facing Afghanistan. Sixty-six percent blamed the Taliban, al-Qaida and foreign militants for violence in Afghanistan.

The new poll marks a significant change from 2009, when just over half of those surveyed said they believed their country was on the right track. Thirteen percent expected it to deteriorate. The latest poll shows that just 5 percent expect Afghanistan’s situation to worsen during the coming year.

Respondents expressed increased support for the U.S. and International Security Assistance Force presence in Afghanistan. Sixty-eight percent approve of U.S. troops in the country, up from 63 percent a year ago. Sixty-two percent support the NATO presence, up from 59 percent.

Eighty-three percent called it “very good” or “mostly good” that U.S. forces entered Afghanistan in 2001 to drive out the Taliban. During the previous year’s survey, that percentage was 69.

Asked when U.S. and NATO troops should leave Afghanistan, the Afghan people expressed a wide range of opinions. Twenty-five percent said they should leave in 18 months, 22 percent said they should leave sooner than 18 months, and 21 percent said they should stay longer than 18 months. Twenty-nine percent said the drawdown should be based on security situation on the ground.

By Donna Miles American Forces Press Service

Forces also discovered and destroyed more than 130 rounds of ammunition in Ghazni province and three steel, explosive-filled cylinders in Helmand province over the past two days.

Yesterday, combined forces detained an unspecified number of suspects following searches of compounds in separate operations in Helmand province and northern Kandahar City. Reports confirmed that militant activity was occurring in both areas. No shots were fired or injuries occurred in either operation.

In Jan. 2 operations:

– An Afghan-international security force captured a senior Taliban commander and four other militants in a compound in Kunar province. The commander identified himself when confronted by the security force.

– Forces captured a Taliban facilitator and another militant in Wardak province. Both were captured during a search of a compound after militant activity was discovered.

In Jan. 1 operations:

– Forces detained suspected militants while searching for a Taliban facilitator in Wardak province.

– Combined forces captured Taliban facilitators suspected of planning suicide bombings and moving foreign fighters and weapons in Zabul province.

– Forces captured the confirmed leader of a bomb-making cell in Khost province. The search also netted suspected militants, a rifle and ammunition.

– Afghan National Police arrested an insurgent after discovering two missiles in a vehicle and two additional missiles in a house in Kabul.

In Dec. 31 operations:

– A combined force killed a Taliban facilitator responsible for the movement of homemade bombs, weapons and ammunition and detained several militants during an operation in Wardak province. Another militant was wounded during the assault. The force’s medical team treated the wounded militant and transported him to a nearby medical facility.

– A combined force captured a Taliban facilitator in a compound just south of Kandahar City. The facilitator is responsible for the movement of weapons and explosive components. The force also found more than a ton of explosive ingredients and other bomb-making materials at the compound.

– Forces captured a Haqqani terrorist network facilitator and detained another suspected militant in Khost province. The Haqqani facilitator is believed to be responsible for distributing mines and roadside bombs. The combined force detained another suspected militant.

– Forces searching for a Taliban facilitator in a compound in Kandahar province detained a group of suspected militants. During the search, the force also recovered illegal weapons, including hand grenades.

President Barack Obama delivers his first weekly address of 2010. The president spoke from Kailua, Hawaii, condemning the attempted Dec. 25 terrorist attack by Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab. White House photo by Pete Souza.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 2, 2010 – President Barack Obama condemned the Dec. 25 terrorist attempt on the United States in his first 2010 weekly radio address, vowing to bring those involved to justice and outlining steps the administration is taking to protect the American people. Speaking from Kailua, Hawaii, the president said the Christmas Day attempt provides an important reminder of the sacrifices Americans are making in Afghanistan and the importance of bipartisan support for all who protect the United States.

Obama blamed an al Qaeda affiliate for recruiting, training and arming Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the suspect in the incident on a Northwest Airlines flight bound for Detroit.

“This is not the first time this group has targeted us,” Obama said, noting that in recent years it has bombed Yemeni government facilities and Western hotels, restaurants and embassies, including the U.S. Embassy, in 2008.

“So, as president, I’ve made it a priority to strengthen our partnership with the Yemeni government — training and equipping their security forces, sharing intelligence and working with them to strike al Qaeda terrorists,” Obama said.

The fruits of this collaboration had begun to be realized even before the Christmas Day terror attempt, he said. Training camps have been struck, leaders eliminated and plots disrupted.

Obama vowed to ensure all involved in the attempted attack will be held accountable, but said that’s just part of a broader responsibility he took on as he came to office last January to protect the American people’s safety and security.

“On that day I also made it very clear: Our nation is at war against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred, and that we will do whatever it takes to defeat them and defend our country, even as we uphold the values that have always distinguished America among nations,” he said. “And make no mistake, that’s exactly what we’ve been doing.”

Obama cited a revised strategy that aims to bring a responsible end to the war in Iraq and increase resources in Afghanistan and Pakistan, where al Qaeda is based. He said he’s set a “clear and achievable mission: to disrupt, dismantle and defeat al Qaeda and its extremist allies and prevent their return to either country.”

The president paid tribute to seven CIA members killed this week in Afghanistan, and acknowledged that reviews must continue to determine what happened, and why.
As questions are asked and debate goes on, he urged that it be focused on making necessary changes required to protect the country.

“As we go forward, let us remember this: Our adversaries are those who would attack our country, not our fellow Americans, not each other,” he said.

Rather than giving in to fear, cynicism or partisanship, “let’s work together, with a seriousness of purpose, to do what must be done to keep our country safe,” he urged Americans. “As we begin this New Year, I cannot imagine a more fitting resolution to guide us—as a people and as a nation.”

By Donna Miles American Forces Press Service via Defense.gov

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A combined Afghan and international security force killed several enemy militants, including a sought-after Taliban district commander, and detained several suspected militants in Afghanistan’s Wardak province early today.

The force searched a compound near the village of Mayshin Kala in the province’s Sayed Abad district where intelligence indicated militant activity. Upon entering the compound courtyard, the force came under attack and returned fire, killing several enemy militants.

During the engagement, the building used by the enemy militants caught fire, causing grenades and ammunition to detonate. An Afghan woman was inadvertently killed during the exchange of fire with enemy militants.

Occupants of the compound confirmed that the Taliban district commander had arrived earlier in the night and joined the other militants. The force searched the compound and recovered multiple assault rifles and hand grenades, and detained several other suspected militants.

In a separate operation in Wardak province today, an Afghan-international security force killed two enemy militants and detained several suspected militants while pursuing a Taliban commander and facilitator believed to be responsible for numerous attacks on civilians and infrastructure in the area. The force searched compounds near the village of Qalah-ye Padshah in the province’s Nerkh district after intelligence indicated militant activity. No incidents occurred during the search, and the force detained several suspected militants.

While departing from the last compound, the joint force killed two armed militants who moved aggressively against the force from a nearby orchard. No civilians were harmed during this operation.

In another operation today, an Afghan-international security force killed an enemy militant and detained another man who was identified as a sought-after Taliban district commander in Ghazni province.

A combined force searched a compound near the village of Malang Kheyl in the province’s Qara Bagh district where an intelligence source reported the Taliban commander to be located. At one of the buildings, the joint force shot and killed an enemy militant after the person displayed hostile intent. The force searched the compound without further incident and detained the wanted militant, who surrendered quickly and identified himself as the Taliban commander. No civilians were harmed during this operation.

In Kunduz province today, a combined force detained several suspected militants while pursuing a Taliban commander believed to be responsible for the facilitation of foreign fighters to other militant elements in the area.

The force searched a compound northwest of Kunduz City without incident, and detained several suspected militants. No shots were fired, and no one was injured.

In other news, an Afghan-international security force also detained a suspected militant in Kandahar province yesterday while pursuing a senior Taliban commander. The force searched a vehicle near the village of Shad Khan Kalay in the province’s Kharkriz district after intelligence indicated militant activity. The force detained one man for further questioning. No shots were fired, and no one was harmed during the operation.

(From an International Security Assistance Force Joint Command news release.)

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KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, Oct. 30, 2009 – U.S. and other international troops in Afghanistan recently provided training in critical patient care and blood processing to Afghan doctors that they hope will spread throughout the country.

An Afghan doctor with the National Military Hospital in Kabul preps an Afghan soldier to donate blood at the Kandahar Regional Military Hospital in Afghanistan, Oct. 21, 2009. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Tyrona Pearsall (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

Afghan and coalition mentors from the National Military Hospital in Kabul provided the first-of-its-kind training here Oct. 19-22. The two courses were designed to fill shortfalls in health care provider training, as well as strengthen the Afghans’ ability to provide quality care within the critical moments after an incident occurs.

“It’s very important to have this kind of training because of the sustainment aspect,” said U.S. Air Force Col. Lorn Heyne, chief of the medical embedded training team at Kandahar Regional Military Hospital. “As these young providers grow in their ability to provide care to the wounded soldiers here, they will eventually move on. They will have the opportunity to train other providers and they will go on and they will treat civilians. Having this basic critical care knowledge is invaluable to the sustainment of the medical care system in all of Afghanistan.”

The importance of the training also was underscored by the Kandahar hospital’s commander.

“This training is very important for us,” said Col. Abdul Baseer. “About two years ago when we started our hospital here, our doctors were not as strong in their practice as they could have been. Since then, mentors and doctors came from the capital, from other provinces, to help train our hospital staff, and the staff’s [capability] kept growing better … it’s very good.”

In addition to the critical combat care, hospital staff were trained on blood component processes, as well.

“Basically, what we did was work on some blood component production, which is essentially the collection of whole blood, the centrifugation and splitting of the plasma and red cell portions into separate components,” said U.S. Navy Cmdr. Leslie Riggs, medical embedded team mentor for the National Military Hospital. “Essentially what that does is it allows for better transfusion therapy for the patient.”

Another benefit of the training was to implement an Afghanistan-wide standardization of how to treat and store blood and associated components.

“We want to organize all regional hospital blood banks to work the same way,” said Dr. Mohammad Sakhi, blood bank supervisor and quality control manager for the National Medical Hospital.

Although the success of most training is not measurable until a crisis occurs, the training did have some tangible results.

“I think, so far, the training is a success. The proof of that is in the refrigerator and in the freezer right now,” Riggs said. “The blood units and the plasma are ready when needed. We don’t like to have to use those products, but they’re there if needed.”

Riggs also commented on one aspect of the training he finds most important.

“The important thing I think that we’ve seen from this visit is Afghans teaching Afghans, which has been one of the most important things,” Riggs said. “I’ve come down to help arrange the visit, provided some background knowledge, but my mentee was able to sit this morning and teach one-on-one with his Afghan counterparts here in Kandahar how to do the job … essentially they did it themselves.”

(Army Capt. James Bressendorff serves with the 205th Corps public affairs mentor team.)

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The new mine-resistant, ambush-protected all-terrain vehicle, built specifically for the mountainous Afghan terrain, parks next to the larger MRAP, MaxxPro Dash. The first M-ATVs designated for Southern Afghanistan arrived at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, by air transport Oct. 22, 2009. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Elisabet Freeburg (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

After months of government testing, the Defense Department awarded a contract in June to Oshkosh Corp. to supply an initial order valued at $1.05 billion for more than 2,000 of the vehicles, known as M-ATVs.

“This is a very different environment than Iraq, so as we came in and continued to fight the fight in Afghanistan, we realized it requires a little bit different equipment or modification than what we have,” said Army Lt. Col. Richard Haggerty, the Regional Command South deputy director for acquisitions, logistics and technology.

With an independent suspension system designed for off-road mobility, the M-ATV is built specifically to navigate Afghanistan’s rugged landscape.

“The M-ATV really answers some of the challenges of the terrain, high altitudes and the real unevenness of a lot of the terrain out there,” Haggerty said.

The M-ATV seats four passengers and one gunner, and features an armor system with a “V” shaped hull engineered to protect occupants from enemy attack.

“It looks like a modified, huge, heavy-duty Jeep,” said Anthony Deluca, the Kandahar site lead for the mine–resistant, ambush-protected, or MRAP, program. “It’s got very good suspension systems, and everyone raves about how well it functions in the field.”

While some original MRAP vehicles may weigh nearly 60,000 pounds, the M-ATV weighs about 25,000 pounds, including standard equipment and fuel.

“We’re trying to get the soldier exactly what he needs to be successful in the battlefield,” Haggerty said.

The initial eight vehicles will be used to train drivers and mechanics with units selected to receive M-ATVs.

Air Force Staff Sgt. Jeremy Emond inspects the satellite dish of the Virtual Secret Internet Protocol Router, Non-Secure Internet Protocol Router at Combat Outpost McClain, Afghanistan. Emond operates the system to free up more soldiers for combat operations. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Melissa Stewart (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

Air Force Staff Sgt. Jeremy Emond does his part at Combat Outpost McClain, aiding soldiers by providing Internet access.

“I’m supporting the warfighters at ground zero,” he said.

Nearly everything from intelligence reports, operations planning and tracking troops outside the wire depend on Internet connectivity.

“Before he came out here, the [secure Internet protocol router] was really slow, and with most of my job I use SIPR,” said Army Spc. Daniel T. Bailey, an intelligence analyst with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, Task Force Spartan. “Since he’s come, everything has been really fast.”

Emond is one of nearly 80 airmen deployed to various locations in Afghanistan to operate the Virtual Secret Internet Protocol Router, Non-Secure Internet Protocol Router, Access Point, — known as VSNAP — a system developed early this year to provide Internet access for soldiers in remote locations.

“This is probably the most fun I’ll ever have on deployment,” Emond said. “It’s given me a chance to see how the war is being fought from inside a command post.”

“It’s a great system, because the disc can be set up in about 15 minutes, and you can probably be passing traffic in a half an hour,” Emond said. “It can pull power off a running Humvee; you don’t even need a generator to operate the system.”

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan, Oct. 13, 2009 – Because success in Afghanistan depends on winning the confidence of the people, U.S. forces are increasing reconstruction activities and changing the way they interact with the Afghan population.

Officials at Joint Sustainment Command Afghanistan are reaching out to the community as they establish the second humanitarian assistance yard in Afghanistan.

“We are providing needed supplies to communities around the region,” said Army Spc. Antonio V. Charles, a humanitarian assistance specialist from Newark, N.J.

The program started in 2005 at Bagram Airfield. The yard’s purpose is to provide timely disaster and emergency relief to Afghan communities. Poverty, famine, droughts and years of war have created a need for such a facility, officials explained. The yard provides a storage and distribution center for humanitarian aid supplies such as food, clothing, school and medical supplies, and certain household items.

“[The humanitarian assistance yard] will allow many Afghan families whose homes have been destroyed or damaged to stay put and rebuild instead of evacuate,” said Army Sgt. 1st Class Corey L. Garner, a humanitarian assistance noncommissioned officer from Aliceville, Ala. “By staying, they can continue to use local merchants and services and build the community back up, and possibly bring in opportunistic businesses.”

The Kandahar Airfield humanitarian assistance yard was initiated early this year in an effort to efficiently distribute supplies. The yard will support the southern and western regions of Afghanistan, while the Bagram yard supports the northern and eastern regions. The yard here is expected to begin supply distribution Oct 15.

The humanitarian assistance yard creates a better working relationship between the United States and Afghanistan, Garner said. “It promotes economic growth,” he explained. “It shows that our presence here is far more than just one of conflict, but of peace.”

Several U.S. agencies working closely with local communities will identify needs and submit requests to the humanitarian assistance yard, where the staff will coordinate, transport and deliver the requested items.

The yard’s presence here has provided jobs and opportunities for local residents. Afghans will be hired to work side by side with soldiers in operating the yard. All supplies stored in the yard were purchased through local vendors.

But it takes more than just gathering supplies to get the yard up and running. The soldiers working at the yard built it from the ground up. They had to do everything from conducting an initial site survey to coordinating with vendors. They also maintain records and keep track of inventory.

“It is nice to help the people of Afghanistan and show the people another side of Americans instead of bullets and guns,” said Army Pfc. Timothy J. Fiel, a humanitarian assistance specialist from El Paso, Texas.

(Army Staff Sgt. Marcos Alices serves with the Joint Sustainment Command Afghanistan public affairs office.)

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