May 14, 2009

Baghdad maternity hospital back to full capacity

BAGHDAD (May 14, 2009) – For engineer Wathiq Abdul Jabbar, the May 9 ribbon-cutting ceremony that capped a $2.4 million renovation of the Alwaiya Maternity hospital here was especially meaningful.

May 12, 2009

Soldiers bolster Iraqi media on local level

BAGHDAD (May 12, 2009) – A partnership among the local government, Iraqi security forces and the 1st Infantry Division’s 1st Combined Arms Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, has given citizens of northwestern Baghdad’s Hurriyah neighborhood an improved community.

May 11, 2009

Special operations forces save lives after bomb attack

KABUL, Afghanistan, May 11, 2009 – As soon as they heard the news of the suicide bombers yesterday, a coalition Special Operations team in southern Afghanistan sprang into action.The team rescued, treated and medically evacuated 19 civilians after two suicide bombers detonatedthemselves in the Gereshk bazaar in Helmand province, injuring 20 and

May 10, 2009

Commander: Taliban forced civilians to remain in targeted buildings

WASHINGTON (May 10, 2009) – Taliban operatives shaking down villages for money appear to have forced civilians to remain in buildings that were bombed in the course of a long May 4 firefight, the commander of U.S. Central Command said Sunday.

May 10, 2009

Petraeus says Pakistani leaders uniting against Taliban

WASHINGTON (May 10, 2009) – Pakistani leadership is united in opposing the Taliban occupation of the Swat Valley, and the leaders also understand a “whole-of-government” counterinsurgency strategy is necessary in the country, the chief of U.S. Central Command said Sunday.

May 7, 2009

Gates: Taliban 'overreached' in Pakistan offensive

WASHINGTON (May 7, 2009) – The Taliban “overreached” in their offensive in Pakistan’s Buner district, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said Thursday in Kabul.

May 7, 2009

Gates, Marines share lively Q&A session in Afghanistan

CAMP LEATHERNECK (Afghanistan, May 7, 2009) – The question-and-answer session Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates opened here today with newly deployed Marines started with a pregnant pause, but quickly moved into a lively give-and-take about everything from deployment lengths to current and possible future military operations.

May 6, 2009

President encouraged by Afghan, Pakistani cooperation

WASHINGTON (May 6, 2009) – President Barack Obama said today he is encouraged by the spirit of cooperation between the leaders of Pakistan and Afghanistan as the two nations confront extremists.

May 5, 2009

Gates praises Egypt, seeks Saudi support in Pakistan

CAIRO (May 5, 2009) – Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates praised Egypt today as a key U.S. ally and said progress on a wide range of security issues in the region will require Egypt’s “full participation and leadership.”

May 4, 2009

Webster takes reins at U.S. Army Central

Lt. Gen. William G. Webster took command of U.S. Army Central Monday. Though he is new to USARCENT, this will not be his first assignment at the command.