Bipartisan Policy Center Report Outlines Dangers of Failing to Prevent Iranian Nuclear Threat

/PRNewswire/ -- With Iran on the brink of attaining nuclear weapons capability, the Bipartisan Policy Center's (BPC) National Security Initiative is calling for the United States to take a triple-track approach for preventing an Iranian nuclear threat through diplomacy, sanctions and a military option. According to its new report released today, Meeting the Challenge: When Time Runs Out, authored by former Senators Daniel Coats and Charles Robb, and retired General Charles Wald, there are three potential outcomes should the U.S. fail to thwart Iran's nuclear ambitions: a nuclear weapons-capable Islamic Republic of Iran; an Israeli military strike against Iranian nuclear facilities; or a regime change in Tehran.

The report, which is the third in a series by the BPC on Iran, argues that containing a nuclear Iran would almost certainly prove ineffective and lead to a greater regional conflict. It also stresses that an Israeli strike would be risky and regime change is extremely unlikely. Therefore, the report's co-authors strongly assert that a nuclear Iran must be prevented now.

An analysis by the BPC shows that Iran, under current trends, could have enough fissile material in July to produce a nuclear weapon by October 2010. With diplomatic and economic efforts having failed to dissuade Iran from developing its nuclear capability, the authors warn that time is literally running out.

The report recommends the U.S. immediately adopt a triple-track strategy that involves diplomacy, sanctions, and a clear demonstration of its willingness to use the military option as a last resort. The BPC has advocated this strategy in its earlier reports. "Sanctions and diplomacy are much more likely to work if they are backed up by a credible military capability and the clear willingness to use it," said Senator Charles Robb. "We reiterate our support for the President's 2009 pledge to use 'all elements of U.S. power' to keep Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapons capability."

According to the BPC, the U.S. could immediately strengthen its position by increasing the U.S. Fifth Fleet's presence in the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman; enhancing the military capabilities of U.S. allies in the region; initiating a strategic partnership with Azerbaijan to establish a broader regional presence on the ground; and by working with Iraq and Saudi Arabia to improve their capacity to ship oil out of the region without passing through the Straits of Hormuz. "Only the credible threat of a U.S. military strike can make a peaceful solution possible," said retired General Chuck Wald. "Ultimately, a U.S. led military strike is a feasible, though risky, option of last resort."

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'Time is Running Out' to Prevent Nuclear Iran

/PRNewswire/ -- Former U.S. Senators Daniel Coats and Charles Robb and General (ret.) Charles Wald, members of the Bipartisan Policy Center's (BPC) National Security Initiative, today released a report warning that "time is running out" to prevent a nuclear weapons-capable Iran. Concluding that "the Islamic Republic will be able to produce enough fissile material for a nuclear weapon by 2010," the report, entitled "Meeting the Challenge: Time is Running Out," calls on the Obama Administration to adopt a more forceful, phased strategy towards Iran, including: accelerated, defined diplomatic engagement; more "coercive" international sanctions; and, if Iranian defiance continues unabated, potential surgical military action.

Remarking on the need to update the original report, the authors jointly stated, "We are alarmed by how much progress Iran has made toward obtaining nuclear weapons capability and remain skeptical about the sincerity of Iran's new-found willingness to negotiate. We hope that the bipartisan strategy we propose can help guide our government to resolve this difficult and urgent national security challenge."

Emphasizing that a nuclear weapons-capable Iran would be "strategically untenable," the authors argue that the current U.S. approach does not reflect the rapid progress of Iran's nuclear program. It is this advancing Iranian threat and the desire to avoid a possible Israeli military strike, the authors argue, that should drive U.S. policy--not concerns over Iran's political turmoil.

The authors applaud President Obama's attempts at diplomatic outreach and call upon the international community to join together in imposing sanctions on Iran's banking and energy sectors following next week's G-20 summit. Noting that Russia and China are unlikely to support such sanctions, the report states that the efficacy of sanctions will largely depend upon the willingness of key European nations to curtail their commercial ties to Iran.

Should increased pressure on Tehran not yield credible progress by the end of 2009, the authors recommend that "the Obama Administration should elevate consideration of the military option." They argue that "the U.S. military is more than capable of launching a devastating strike against Iranian nuclear and military facilities," and that "only the credible threat of a U.S. military strike will make a peaceful resolution of the crisis possible."

This report is an update of a BPC report issued in September 2008, entitled "Meeting the Challenge: U.S. Policy Toward Iranian Nuclear Development," that was the result of a high-level bipartisan task force. The entire group could not be reconstituted, as some members are now serving in the Obama Administration. The co-chairs of the original task force--Senators Daniel Coats and Charles Robb--together with General (ret.) Charles Wald, felt that the political, technological, diplomatic, and military developments of the past year needed to be addressed.

Calling on the U.S. political leadership to make hard choices, the authors argue "we cannot shirk responsibilities that will protect the national security interests of our country."

For more information on "Meeting the Challenge: Time is Running Out," or the BPC's National Security Initiative, please visit: www.bipartisanpolicy.org/.

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Iraqi, U.S. Forces Arrest Terrorist Suspects in Iraq

Iraqi forces, working with U.S. advisors, have arrested six suspects in connection with terrorist attacks throughout the country, military officials reported.

The latest arrests came yesterday, when Iraqi special operations forces, along with U.S. advisors, arrested two suspects with court-issued warrants in Baghdad. The two are believed to be part of al-Qaida in Iraq and responsible for terrorist attacks against Iraqi government officials and security forces in the Iraqi capital.

On Aug. 16, Iraqi special operations forces arrested a suspected terrorist cell leader and two other cell members in the western city of Asad in Anbar province. The suspects, arrested on court-issued warrants, are believed to be responsible for terrorist attacks on Iraqi security forces and civilians in the area.

On Aug. 15, an Iraqi commando battalion, with U.S. forces advisors, arrested a suspected terrorist in Tikrit, about 90 miles north of Baghdad in Ninevah province. The commandos arrested the suspect on a court-issued warrant for suspicion of recruiting potential insurgents, and for planning and executing numerous attacks against Iraqi security forces. The commandos arrested the suspect at his home without incident.

Officials said the U.S. unit was conducting a combined operation with Iraqi special operations forces in accordance with the U.S.-Iraq security agreement, and that the arrests will disrupt terrorist groups.

(Compiled from Multinational Corps Iraq and Multinational Division South news releases, 8/18/09.)
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U.S. Forces Pursue Terrorists Linked to Drug Trade

U.S. forces are going after terrorists who feed off the drug trade in Afghanistan, a senior Defense Department spokesman said yesterday.

"There is a well-established connection between the drug trade and financing terrorism in Afghanistan," Bryan Whitman said.

Whitman emphasized that U.S. forces target terrorists linked to the drug trade, not drug traffickers linked to terrorists.

The difference, he said, is that counternarcotics is a law enforcement mission, and the Afghan government is in charge of that. The U.S. State Department and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency support Afghan authorities seeking to clamp down on drug traffickers.

But some drug lords finance terrorism. Officials estimate that the Taliban receive about $80 million per year from drug networks. In some instances, Taliban groups have entered the drug trade, and in others, Taliban fighters are providing protection for drug lords, State Department officials said.

The nexus between the drug lords and the Taliban creates a problem for U.S. troops conducting security and force protection. "That make them a legitimate target," Whitman said.

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
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Global Strike Command Will Stress Nuclear Mission

A key step in reinvigorating the Air Force's nuclear deterrence mission will be made today with the activation of the service's Global Strike Command at Barksdale Air Force Base, La.

Air Force Secretary Michael B. Donley said the new command will bring together the Air Force bomber force and intercontinental ballistic missiles under a single commander.

"Standing up the command is no small task, and actually we're doing it sooner than we anticipated," Donley said during a Pentagon news conference Aug. 5. "This command will provide the combatant commanders the forces needed to conduct strategic nuclear deterrence and global strike operations through ICBM, B-2 and B-52 operations."

Air Force Lt. Gen. Frank G. Klotz will command the organization. The headquarters will include 900 people, and is slated to reach full operating capability by Aug. 7, 2010, Donley said. The 20th Air Force, the service's missile organization, will come under the new command in December; and the 8th Air Force, the bomber component, will come under the command in April.

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton A. Schwartz stressed that the new command will be a major command like Air Combat Command or Air Force Special Operations Command. The role is to "organize, train and equip America's ICBMs and nuclear-capable bombers, and prepare a cadre to do this important work with passion and professionalism," he said during the news conference.

Ensuring professionalism and pride in the nuclear field will be vital to the command's success, Schwartz said, noting that airmen with nuclear expertise had been leaving the service, feeling their work was not appreciated.

"The bottom line is retention has a lot to do with perceptions on how important people's work is, and how worthy that work is," the general said. "We've worked to make it clear to those who will serve in this command that the work is important to the country's defense and it will continue to be so."

Making the command a major command also will give airmen in the nuclear fields an advocate equal to the other commands, he said.

The creation of the command is an effort to boost security and reduce errors. In a 2007 incident, nuclear weapons were loaded aboard a B-52 bomber at Minot Air Force Base, N.D., and flown to Barksdale before the mistake was discovered. In another incident, nuclear nose cones mistakenly were shipped to Taiwan. As a result, the service's top civilian and military officials -- Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne and Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley -- resigned.

Multiple studies of the incidents and the Air Force's atmosphere revealed that the service's nuclear forces and the entire enterprise lacked clear lines of authority and responsibility, officials said. The Global Strike Command is one of the solutions.

Donley said moves at the Air Staff and in the field have emphasized accountability and compliance with respect to nuclear issues at all levels. The service has re-emphasized training for inspectors and added $750 million over the Future Year Defense Plan for nuclear efforts, in addition to a $4.2 billion base budget. The service also is standing up another B-52 squadron, in part to provide for longer and more focused training.

A number of entities have an interest in the nuclear arena, including the U.S. Strategic Command and the Defense Threat Reduction Agency. These agencies will play a key role in inspections of the new command, Schwartz said.

The command will have an inspector general, and the service has made a special effort to make the inspections "more challenging and intrusive to ensure that commanders get good feedback in how healthy their commands were," the general said.

Inspections will be demanding, he promised, and will include operations, security, maintenance and weapons.

The emphasis on the nuclear missions means that when a mission requires B-2s or B-52s to carry conventional weapons, they will be reassigned from the new command to the regional commanders for that mission. Global Strike Command will ensure that air and ground crews have expertise in conventional weaponry and raids, but the focus must remain on the nuclear capability, the chief of staff said.
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
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Senate Approves 2010 National Defense Authorization Act

Includes Military Overseas Voting Amendment Sponsored by Chambliss, Isakson

U.S. Sens. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., a member of the Senate Veterans’’ Affairs Committee, praised the Senate’s passage Thurday night of the 2010 National Defense Authorization Act, an annual bill that authorizes funding for our servicemen and women and their families, critical military construction projects at Georgia bases, as well as Georgia-made weapons systems. Additionally, the bill includes a provision, sponsored by Chambliss and Isakson, to ensure that all ballots cast by U.S. troops overseas are counted in elections.

“This is an important bill that addresses many critical quality-of-life issues for our military men and women, said Chambliss. “I’m pleased an amendment to ensure that our military men and women serving overseas are able to participate in the electoral process was included in the final bill."

“Georgia is a big winner in this Defense Authorization bill, thanks in large part to the work of Senator Chambliss on the Committee,” said Isakson. “This legislation sets the priorities for our nation’s military needs, and I am proud of the strong commitment it shows to Georgia.”

The bill authorizes $679.8 billion in funding for the U.S. Department of Defense. It provides a 3.4 percent, across-the-board pay raise for all military personnel, authorizes a total of $163.5 billion for military members, including costs of pay, allowances, bonuses, death benefits, permanent change of station moves and health care. It also reauthorizes more than 25 types of bonuses and special pays aimed at encouraging enlistment, reenlistment and continued service by active-duty and reserve military personnel.

The bill includes the following provisions sponsored by Sen. Chambliss:

The Military and Overseas Voters Empowerment Act (“MOVE Act”), which requires all states to provide military voters with ballots no later than 45 days before an election. It also requires states to institute and maintain an electronic and fax system for sending voter registration applications and absentee ballot applications.

A requirement for the Department of Defense to submit a report to Congress detailing the types of duties performed for the National Guard by non-dual-status technicians, a description of the current requirements for non-dual-status technicians, and a description of various means of addressing any shortfalls in meeting such requirements, including both temporary and permanent shortfalls.

A provision directing the Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics to take appropriate steps to monitor and manage changes to requirements when program requirements are first established and the time when those program requirements are formally incorporated into a Major Defense Acquisition Program (MDAP), and to ensure that changes are not made without appropriate consideration of cost impacts.

A provision requiring the task force on care and treatment of wounded warriors, as established in the bill, to examine the extent to which the Department of Defense, in collaboration with the Department of Veterans Affairs, has established public and private partnerships to assist in the training of medical care case management personnel needed to support America’s returning wounded and ill service members.

A provision directing the secretary of defense, in conjunction with the secretary of the Air Force, to conduct a review and report on the feasibility of adding anti-jamming capability to commercial communications satellites no later than March 1, 2010.

A requirement for an additional report on the feasibility of exporting the F-22 to be prepared by a federally funded research and development center. This report will be in addition to the report on exporting the F-22 required by the Department of Defense.

A requirement for a report by the secretary of the Air Force on the alternatives for and value of re-engining the Joint STARS aircraft, stationed at Robins AFB, including a prohibition against the Air Force taking any actions that would adversely affect the re-engining effort until the report is delivered to Congress

A provision, sponsored by senators Kerry and Chambliss, making the reserve retirement provision enacted in the FY08 NDAA retroactive to include duty performed since Sept. 11, 2001.

A provision, sponsored by Sen. Lincoln, which allows for an increase in the Department of Defense’s share of expenses for the National Guard Youth Challenge Program to 100 percent of operating costs in the first two years of a state’s program, and 75 percent of operating costs for future years. The National Guard Youth Challenge Program trains and mentors at-risk youth between the ages of 16 and 18 who have dropped out of high school, and puts them on the path to become productive, employed and law-abiding citizens.

The bill also includes an amendment co-sponsored by Chambliss and Isakson that would establish a pilot program within the Department of Veterans Affairs to pair service dogs with veterans who have returned from service with physical or mental wounds, including Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Chambliss offered an amendment to restore military construction (MILCON) full funding for the brigade complex at Fort Stewart, but the amendment was not agreed to by the committee.

“I am also disappointed the bill does not include funding for the 7 additional F-22s included in the bill as reported out of Committee”, said Chambliss. “Air Force leaders have consistently affirmed their requirement for at least 60 additional F-22s, and it is regrettable that the bill does not support this requirement.”
““I’m extremely disappointed the Senate did not recognize how essential the continued production of the F-22 is to our national security. This aircraft is the most sophisticated fighter jet in the world with the latest stealth technology to reduce detection by radar, and this plane is vital to 21st century American military superiority,” Isakson said.
Additional Georgia-related projects included in the bill:

Transplantation for Combat Wounded Repair - $2 million – Intended for Emory University – Using this funding, Emory University will conduct research to develop methods to better support tissue repair and repair of lost limbs or organs.
Bioengineering for Enhanced Soldier Survivability - $2.5 million – Intended for Georgia Tech – Using this funding, Georgia Tech will conduct research in advanced tissue and bone regeneration and wound care and treatment issues relevant to military trauma care.
Advanced SAM Hardware Simulator Development - $4 million - Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) – This will allow for an in-depth understanding of the Chinese surface-to-Air missile (SAM) system to help the U.S. predict and identify weaknesses and potential aggression from the Chinese.
Cognitive Map-Based Modeling and Simulation for Tactical Decision Support - $4 million – Intended for Columbus State University – This supports a partnership between Columbus State University (CSU) and the Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition (IHMC) which aims to explore cognitive map-based modeling and simulation to support tactical decision-making by military planners in training and operational scenarios.
National Nanotechnology Manufacturing Center Research - $4 million – Intended for the National Nanotechnology Manufacturing Center in Swainsboro – Using this funding, the National Nanotechnology Manufacturing Center will deliver innovative solutions to warfighter needs and gaps by utilizing nanotechnology enabled materials, devices and supporting equipment.
Integration of Design and Manufacturing (lDM) through Product Life-Cycle Management (PLM) - $2 million – Intended for School of Aerospace Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology - This technology could result in improvements to flight technology and support advances in vertical takeoff and landing operations.
Advanced Lithium Battery Scale-Up and Manufacturing - $5 million – Intended for Excellatron Solid State, LLC, in Atlanta – This technology shifts the paradigm in battery performance by delivering more than five times the performance of the current state-of-the-art lithium battery.
Saft High Energy Li-Ion Technology for Aviation Batteries - $2 million – Intended for Saft America Inc. in Atlanta – Li-ion batteries will save weight on board aircraft, thus reducing fuel consumption and, ultimately, cost.
VICE - $4.9 million – Intended for Dynamic Animation Systems, Inc., in Fairfax, Va. – This project provides soldiers improved training capabilities and exposes soldiers to different, realistic scenarios. A major portion of the project will be conducted at Fort Benning Infantry School.

Military Construction Funding Authorized for Georgia:

Army
FORT BENNING
Battle Lab $30,000,000
Combined Arms Collective Training Facility $10,800,000
Dining Facility $15,000,000
Fire and Movement Range $2,800,000
Trainee Barracks Complex, Phase I $74,000,000
Training Area Tank Trails $9,700,000
Training Battalion Complex $38,000,000
Training Battalion Complex, Phase I $31,000,000
Training Battalion Complex, Phase I $31,000,000
Warrior in Transition (WT) Complex $53,000,000

TOTAL FORT BENNING $295,300,000

FORT GILLEM
Forensic Lab $10,800,000

FORT STEWART
Barracks & Dining, Increment 2 $80,000,000
Brigade Complex $48,000,000
Warrior in Transition (WT) Complex $49,000,000

TOTAL FORT STEWART $177,000,000

TOTAL ARMY (GEORGIA) $483,100,000

ARMY NATIONAL GUARD
Fort Benning Readiness Center $15,000,000

ARMY RESERVE
Atlanta Army Reserve Center/Land $14,000,000

TRICARE MANAGEMENT ACTIVITY
Fort Benning, Blood Donor Center $12,313,000
Fort Benning, Dental Clinic $4,887,000

SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND
Fort Benning, SOF Expand BN HQ $3,046,000

DOD DEPENDENT EDUCATION
Fort Benning, Wilson ES Gymnasium $2,330,000
Fort Stewart Elementary School $22,501,000

MOODY AIR FORCE BASE
Rescue Operations/Maintenance $8,900,000
Headquarters Facility

HUNTER ARMY AIR FIELD
Hunter Army Aviation Readiness Center $10,509,000


BASE REALIGNMENT AND CLOSURE RELATED MILCON

Fort Benning AAFES Troop Store $1,950,000
Fort Benning Armed Forces Reserve Center $18,000,000
Fort Benning Equipment Concentration Site $43,000,000
Fort Benning General Instruction Complex 2 $58,000,000
Increment 2
Fort Benning Maneuver Center $42,000,000
HQ & CDI Building Expansion
Fort Benning Medical Facility, Increment 2 $77,000,000


GEORGIA MILCON TOTAL $816,536,000


Additionally, the bill authorizes fiscal year 2010 active-duty end strengths for the Army of 547,400; the Marine Corps, 202,100; the Air Force, 331,700; and the Navy, 328,800. It also authorizes the secretary of defense to increase the Army’s active-duty end strength by 30,000 above 2010 levels during fiscal years 2011 and 2012 if sufficient funding is requested in the budgets for those fiscal years.

The bill also prohibits retirement of C-5 aircraft before the Air Force completes testing and reports on the results of tests of the C-5 Reliability Enhancement and Re-Engining program (RERP). It requires the secretary of the Air Force to submit certain analyses before retiring any of the strategic airlift aircraft after that prohibition expires.
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Defense Agency Simulates Biological Attack on Pentagon

The risk of attack against senior government and military officials always has been high, making protection of the Pentagon and other buildings in the national capital area a top priority, a senior official involved with a recent bio-attack drill said.

Paul Benda and Christina Murata -- director and deputy director, respectively, of the Pentagon Force Protection Agency's chemical, radiological, nuclear and explosives directorate -- spoke about preparing for a biological attack on the Pentagon during a July 22 webcast of "Armed with Science: Research and Applications for the Modern Military" on Pentagon Web Radio.

Benda and Murata explained how they used a commercial garden powder to simulate a biological attack in a July 11 test of response procedures and decontamination methods, and how the findings of their test will affect future response to bio-weapon attacks.

More than 200 people participated in the test, including 87 volunteers who were exposed to the garden powder and washed down. The Pentagon Force Protection Agency has conducted tests regularly since 2005 to gather data to better protect people in the event of a biological attack.

"We spread [the powder] across the reservation," Benda said. "We had volunteers that got exposed to it. The building was exposed to it. We tracked where this powder went and where it went on our volunteers."

The directorate tested different options for decontamination, from portable showers to what Benda described as a "wall of water." More than a dozen organizations participated in the test in hopes of finding the easiest and most effective methods.

"We wanted to compare the different decontamination strategies," Benda said. "What's the fastest way to clean these people? What works the best?"

The quickest, most effective cleaner they found was water, Murata said. Simply flushing items with water cleaned more than 95 percent of contaminants from the road and more than 90 percent from vehicles.

"It's that old fireman's adage that there's no problem that enough water can't cure," Murata said. "Point for point, water did the best."

For personnel contaminated with a biological weapon, the best cleaning method was to make a "wall" of water using five fire trucks. Four pumper trucks fired water against each other while a ladder truck released water from above. Volunteers walked through the streams, scrubbing their body and hair to remove contaminants.

"This is a standard capability that every fire department has," Benda said. "Whether it's a volunteer fire department or a professional fire department, they're able to use their standard nozzles, connected to a hydrant, to create this decontamination capability."

The beauty of using fire trucks, beyond their accessibility regardless of location, is their effectiveness. It's not a new technology, but it performs on par with other decontamination methods.

"It works as well, if not better than specific technologies, and it gives us faster through-put," Benda said.

Once the team sorts the data from this test and figures out which questions have been answered and what new questions have arisen, they'll share the findings and begin planning for the next test.

And though certain information in tests related to security for Defense Department and other government employees is safeguarded, the information that applies to organizations nationwide will be spread through professional conferences and published articles.

"We do our best to get the information out that will protect the nation as a whole," Benda said.

By Ian Graham
Special to American Forces Press Service
(Ian Graham works in the Defense Media Activity's emerging media directorate.)
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Forces Probe Rocket Attack, Detain Suspected Terrorists in Iraq

U.S. forces made headway in an investigation of a rocket attack on a base in Iraq, and Iraqi-led forces detained suspected terrorists and seized weapons in recent operations in Iraq, military officials reported.

U.S. soldiers pursued criminals suspected of launching a rocket attack against Contingency Operating Base Basra on July 16 that resulted in the deaths
of three Multinational Division South soldiers.

Following the attack, U.S. troops were flown by helicopter to the suspected launch location, northeast of Basra Airport, where the soldiers were met by 14th Iraqi Army Division soldiers.

A U.S. patrol pursued a suspicious vehicle to a nearby house and searched for evidence related to the rocket launch. Meanwhile, a joint U.S.-Iraqi patrol investigated another house nearby. Three men were questioned and released, and the investigation into the attack continues.

"The quick action of the 14th Iraqi Army Division inspires confidence that the criminals who committed this act will be brought to justice," said Army Maj. Gen. Rick Nash, commanding general of Multinational Division South. "We will not tolerate such acts of violence against our soldiers."

Elsewhere, the Iraqi 4th Emergency Response Battalion, aided by coalition advisors, arrested a suspected terrorist July 19 in Salahuddin province, north of Baghdad. The suspect is believed to have built and emplaced roadside bombs in support of a terrorist cell that targeted Iraqi security forces convoys.

In southern Iraq, Iraqi police from the Basra special weapons and tactics team, along with coalition advisors, arrested two suspected terrorists July 18 during an Iraqi-led operation.

The suspected terrorists are believed to be linked to an insurgent cell operating in Basra and are suspected of murder and roadside bomb and rocket attacks against Iraqi and coalition forces.

The force also uncovered four previously used 107 mm launch tubes, four 107 mm high-explosive rockets, a 107 mm rocket-launch rail system and various bomb-making materials.

(American Forces Press Service; Compiled from Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)
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Chambliss, Isakson Statement on Administration’s F-22 Veto Threat

Senate Armed Services Defense Authorization Bill Includes Funding for Seven Additional F-22s

U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., today made the following statements regarding the administration’s veto threat over funding for additional F-22s:

"In the past several months, Air Force leaders have consistently stated before Congress and to the media that they have a requirement for additional F-22s beyond the 187 that have already been purchased. Repeatedly, military leaders have confirmed that the decision to limit funding to 187 planes is driven by budgetary decisions, not military requirements,” said Chambliss. “It is regrettable that the administration needs to issue a veto threat for funding intended to meet a real national security requirement that has been consistently confirmed by our uniformed military leaders.”

“The federal government must tighten its belt in these tough economic times just as Americans have to do, but we must also maintain a strong national defense in order to protect our country,” Isakson said. “The F-22A is the most sophisticated fighter jet in the world with the latest stealth technology to reduce detection by radar. This plane is vital to 21st century American military superiority and provides a priceless service to our Armed Services. The administration needs to seriously consider the ramifications of vetoing legislation that authorizes funding for our military men and women and their families as well as critical military construction projects.”

Today the Senate Armed Services Committee voted the Defense Authorization bill out of committee, which includes an amendment offered by Chambliss that fully funds seven additional F-22s. The bill now goes before the full Senate for consideration.

"Regarding the Senate Armed Services Committee's authorization for seven additional F-22s, I am pleased that a majority of my colleagues chose to support my initiative to fund these aircraft. Our debate and vote took place with full awareness of the administration’s veto threat, and the result of the vote speaks for itself,” said Chambliss. "I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues on the committee and with the leadership of the Air Force and the Department of Defense to ensure that our nation's military requirements are met."

“Thanks to the work of Senator Chambliss, the F-22 still has a fighting chance,” Isakson said. “I’m pleased the majority of the Senate Armed Services Committee recognizes that continued production of this aircraft is essential to both our national security as well as the many local economies and thousands of workers that would be devastated as a result of these cuts.”
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Disjointed Security Threats are New Normal, Commander Says

The threats that face the United States are more amorphous today than at any time in history, and the commands responsible for defending North America must maintain vigilance, Air Force Gen. Gene Renuart said Monday.

"People believe we are getting back to something like normal after Sept. 11," the commander of U.S. Northern Command and North American Aerospace Command said during a morning briefing to members of the Capitol Hill Club. "I will tell you that that normal will never return."

NORAD is a joint U.S.-Canadian command charged with early warning of threats. Formed 51 years ago, the command was aimed at defending North America from aerial threats from the Soviet Union. It has morphed into a command looking at threats from the air, space, land and sea.

The threats facing the United States take on many faces: terrorists and terror groups, nation states, drug cartels, uncontrolled immigration and natural and man-made disasters.

"We have to continue to grow our capabilities to ensure that we are prepared to defend the nation, anticipate the threats we may face and then defend the nation from these kinds of actions," Renuart said.

The enemy seeks to attack the seams and gaps in American defenses, the general said. These seams are between areas – such as the boundary between U.S. Northern Command and U.S. Southern Command; agencies like those between the departments of Defense and Homeland Security; and domains such as space and maritime.

"We have to be prepared to deter those threats and we have to be prepared to defeat them if they materialize," he said.

The command also has responsibility for missile defense – a capability increasingly in the public eye as North Korea continues to develop nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them.

"This is a core part of our mission each day," Renuart said. "We would all agree that [the North Korean] regime is unpredictable at best. It underlines the fact that there are and will continue to be nations out there that look to develop a long-range capability that will hold other countries at risk."

Iran poses a threat not to the United States directly, but to allies in the Middle East and Europe. "They certainly have an intermediate-range capability today, their long-range ability to strike the U.S. is a few years down the road," he said.

U.S. Northern Command is tasked with missile defense. The system is very capable against the threats it was designed to counter. "It's not designed to be a shield against all [intercontinental ballistic missiles]," the general said. "It is designed to meet a threat from a rogue nation like North Korea, and potentially like Iran down the road."

The system is capable, as testing has shown. "I can say with a high-degree of confidence that it is highly effective in those scenarios," Renuart said.

It's important to not create false expectations for the system, as it is still in operational test and development, Renuart said.

"The decision to turn a portion of the system over to the operational commander tasked with defending the homeland was a good one," he said. The command will continue to work with testing officials to stretch the system.

The drug cartels have developed a distribution system to rival the world's largest retailers. Some 280-plus cities have been touched by the Sinaloa Cartel, and competition between the drug cartels is increasing, Renuart said. That is causing increased violence and kidnappings along the U.S.-Mexico border, he said.

The possibility exists for terrorists to use the same network to move people, weapons or illicit materiel to hold the United States at risk. Forty-five federal agencies are integral members of U.S. Northern Command and they help plan operations and share intelligence around the government.

The reserve components make up a large portion of the command. Renuart said the decision to increase the budget to train and equip the reserve components has paid off.

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
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Iranian Man and His Company Charged in International Scheme to Supply Iran With Sensitive U.S. Technology

/PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- An Iranian citizen and his Tehran business have been charged with purchasing helicopter engines and advanced aerial cameras for fighter bombers from U.S. firms and illegally exporting them to Iran using companies in Malaysia, Ireland and the Netherlands. Among the alleged recipients of these U.S. goods was an Iranian military firm that has since been designated by the United States for being owned or controlled by entities involved in Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile program.

The charges against Hossein Ali Khoshnevisrad, 55, and his Iranian company, Ariasa, AG (Ariasa), were announced today by Matthew G. Olsen, Acting Assistant Attorney General for National Security; Jeffrey A. Taylor, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia; Kevin A. Delli-Colli, Acting Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement, U.S. Department of Commerce; Joseph Persichini, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, FBI Washington Field Office; Mark X. McGraw, Special Agent in Charge, Washington Field Office, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security; and Special Agent in Charge Edward Bradley of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service Northeast Field Office.

Khoshnevisrad was arrested on Saturday, March 14, after he arrived at San Francisco International Airport on a flight from abroad. He made his initial appearance earlier today in federal court in San Francisco.

A criminal complaint filed under seal in federal court in the District of Columbia in August 2008 and unsealed today, charges the defendants each with two counts of unlawfully exporting U.S. goods to Iran and two counts of conspiracy to unlawfully export U.S. goods to Iran in violation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and the Iranian Transactions Regulations. If convicted, Khoshnevisrad faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison on each of the first three counts of the complaint and a maximum sentence of five years in prison on the fourth count of the complaint.

According to the affidavit in support of the complaint, from January 2007 through December 2007, Khoshnevisrad and Ariasa caused and instructed a trading company in Ireland to purchase several model 250 turbo-shaft helicopter engines from Rolls-Royce Corp. in Indiana. The model 250 engine was originally designed for a U.S. Army light observation helicopter and has since been installed in numerous civil and military helicopters. In 2007, the Irish trading company purchased 17 of the model 250 helicopter engines from Rolls-Royce for $4.27 million, falsely stating that the helicopters would be used by the Irish trading company or by fake companies.

The affidavit alleges that these helicopter engines were then exported from the United States to a purported "book publisher" in Malaysia, at a Malaysian freight forwarding company address, and later shipped on to Iran. Among the recipients in Iran was the Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company, known by its Iranian acronym as HESA.

On Sept. 17, 2008, the Treasury Department designated several Iranian weapons of mass destruction proliferators and members of their support networks pursuant to Executive Order 13382. Among the entities designated was HESA, which the Treasury Department determined was controlled by Iran's Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics and has provided support to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps.

In addition to the alleged illegal export of helicopter engines, the affidavit alleges that Khoshnevisrad and Ariasa also caused to be exported to Iran several aerial panorama cameras from the United States. These specific cameras were designed for the U.S. Air Force for use on bombers, fighters and surveillance aircraft, including the F-4E Phantom fighter bomber, which is currently used by the Iranian military.

According to the affidavit, in 2006, Khoshnevisrad instructed a Dutch aviation parts company to place an order for these cameras with a U.S. company located in Pennsylvania and to ship them to an address in Iran.

According to the affidavit, the Dutch company ordered the aerial panorama cameras from the Pennsylvania firm, falsely stating that the Netherlands would be the final destination for the cameras. In an email to the Dutch company, Khoshnevisrad provided the following instructions: "Regarding the end user as you know USA will not deliver to Iran in any case. You should give them an end user by yourself."

In August 2006, a representative of the Dutch company notified Khoshnevisrad that he had received the cameras from the United States and that the cameras would soon be shipped to Tehran aboard an Iran Air flight, according to the affidavit.

Despite these alleged transactions, neither Khoshnevisrad nor Ariasa has ever sought, obtained or possessed any authorization or license from the U.S. Department of Treasury to export any goods or technology to Iran, according to the affidavit.

This investigation was conducted by special agents from the Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry Security, Office of Export Enforcement; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Department of Homeland Security's U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement; and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service. U.S. Customs and Border Protection provided assistance in the arrest.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Denise Cheung and Ann Petalas of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia, and Trial Attorneys Johnathan Poling and Ryan Fayhee of the Counterespionage Section of the Justice Department's National Security Division. Local coordination is being provided by Assistant U.S. Attorney Candace Kelly of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of California.

The details contained in a criminal complaint are mere allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

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Five Radical Islamists Convicted of Conspiring to Kill Soldiers at Fort Dix

A jury today convicted five men on charges they plotted to kill members of the U.S. military, Acting United States Attorney Ralph J. Marra, Jr. announced.

After 5½ days of deliberations, which began Dec. 17, the jury convicted Mohamad Ibrahim Shnewer, brothers Dritan Duka, Shain Duka and Eljvir Duka and Serdar Tatar on Count One of the seven-count Superseding Indictment that charged them with conspiracy to murder members of the U.S. military. The jury acquitted each of defendants of Count Two, which charged attempt to murder members of the U.S. military.

For the conspiracy conviction only, each of the defendants faces a sentence of any number of years up to life in prison.

The case was tried by Deputy Assistant U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael A. Hammer, Jr., Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Terrorism Unit. U.S. District Judge Robert B. Kugler, who presided over the 12-week trial, scheduled sentencing of the three Duka brothers for April 22. Judge Kugler scheduled sentencing of Shnewer and Tartar on April 23.

The remaining counts of the Superseding Indictment, which was returned in January, charged the three Duka brothers, who are illegal immigrants, and Shnewer with firearm offenses; including possession of machine guns. See below for conviction details on each of the defendants.

The defendants’ arrests occurred on May 7, 2007, in Cherry Hill as Dritan and Shain Duka were meeting a confidential government witness to purchase four automatic M-16 rifles and three semi-automatic AK-47 rifles to be used in a future attack on military personnel. The other defendants were arrested at various locations at about the same time.

“These men planned, trained and ceaselessly talked unambiguously about their intention to ambush and kill U.S. soldiers,” said Marra. “The word should go out to any other would-be terrorists of the homegrown variety that the United States will find you, infiltrate your group, prosecute you and send you to a federal prison for a very long time.”

“Vigilance was the key to disrupting the dangerous terrorists convicted today and we are glad they are off the street,” said Janice K. Fedarcyk, Special Agent in Charge of the Philadelphia Division of the FBI. “We appreciate the tip from an alert citizen who reported this suspicious activity to law enforcement. Without tips from concerned citizens or cooperation from our law enforcement partners, it is much more difficult to safeguard our nation and protect the
United States from terrorist attack.”

“Today's verdicts underscore the need for continued vigilance against homegrown terror threats,” said Patrick Rowan, Assistant Attorney General for National Security. “While these defendants were not members of an international terrorist organization, their involvement in weapons training, their surveillance of domestic targets and their discussions of killing U.S. military personnel posed a serious threat that required the law enforcement disruption and the prosecutions upheld by the jury today.”

In convicting the defendants, the jury found that one member of the group conducted surveillance at Fort Dix and Fort Monmouth in New Jersey, Dover Air Force Base in Delaware and the U.S. Coast Guard in Philadelphia. The co-conspirator obtained a detailed map of Fort Dix, where they hoped to use assault rifles to kill as many soldiers as possible,
according to trial testimony and evidence.

During the trial, the jury viewed secretly recorded videotapes of the defendants preforming small-arms training at a shooting range in the Pocono Mountains in Pennsylvania and watching training videos amongst themselves that included depictions of American soldiers being killed and of known foreign Islamic radicals urging jihad against the United States.

The defendants and the charges on which each was convicted are as follows:

• Mohamad Ibrahim Shnewer, 23, of Cherry Hill: conspiracy to murder members of the members of the U.S. military, and the attempted possession of AK-47 semi-automatic assault weapons to be used in the attack.

• Dritan Duka, 30 of Cherry Hill: conspiracy to murder members of the U.S. military; possession of machine guns; possession and attempted possession of machine guns in furtherance of a crime of violence; and two counts of possession of firearms by an illegal alien.

• Shain Duka, 27, of Cherry Hill: conspiracy to murder members of the U.S. military; possession of machine guns; possession and attempted possession of machine guns in furtherance of a crime of violence; and two counts of possession of firearms by an illegal alien.

• Eljvir Duka, 25, of Cherry Hill: conspiracy to murder members of the U.S. military, and possession of firearms by illegal aliens. The jury acquitted on one count of possession and attempted possession of machine guns in furtherance of a crime of violence.

• Serdar Tatar, 25, of Philadelphia: conspiracy to murder members of the U.S. military.

A sixth co-defendant, Agron Abdullahu, 26, of Buena Vista Township, Atlantic County, pleaded guilty before Judge Kugler on Oct. 31, 2007, to aiding and abetting the Duka brothers’ illegal possession of weapons. Abdullahu was arrested on May 7, 2007, along with the defendants convicted today. On March 31, 2008, Judge Kugler sentenced Abdullahu to 420 months in federal prison.

The charge of conspiracy to murder members of the U.S. military carries a sentence of any number of years up to life in prison. The charge of possession of a machine gun in furtherance of a crime of violence carries a statutory maximum penalty of 30 years imprisonment. The charge of attempted possession of AK-47 semi-automatic assault weapons to be used in the attack carries a statutory maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment. Each count of unlawful possession of machine guns carries a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison. Each count of being an illegal alien in possession of firearms carries a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison.

Marra credited the Special Agents of the FBI's Philadelphia Division and the FBI South Jersey Joint Terrorism Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Fedarcyk, in Philadelphia, for investigation of the case.

Marra and Fedarcyk also thanked investigators with member agencies of the FBI South Jersey Joint Terrorism Task Force, which comprises ICE’s Philadelphia Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge John P. Kelleghan, the Camden County Prosecutor's Office, under the direction of the Prosecutor Warren W. Faulk, NJ State Police, under the direction of Col. Joseph "Rick" Fuentes, Superintendent, and the Delaware River Port Authority Police, under the direction of Chief Dave McClintock, for their tireless efforts on the investigation.

Additionally, Marra and Fedarcyk would like to thank the following agencies for their assistance and support: the U.S. military services at Fort Dix, Fort Monmouth, Dover Air Force Base, and the U.S. Coast Guard in Philadelphia, along with the Cherry Hill Police Department, Mt. Laurel Police Department, Cherry Hill Fire Department, Camden County Sheriff's Department, Philadelphia Police Department, Pennsylvania State Police, the Burlington County Prosecutor's Office, and N.J. Homeland Security.