U.S. Soldiers Free VOA reporter, Seize Terrorists

**American Patriot** · July 17th, 2006, 00:42

U.S. Soldiers Free VOA reporter, Seize Terrorists
American Forces Press Service ^ | Multinational Force-Iraq

WASHINGTON, July 16, 2006 â€“ U.S. soldiers freed a kidnapped Voice of America journalist and captured four suspected terrorists in two separate operations in Baghdad July 14, officials in Iraq reported. Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers rescued a kidnapped Voice of America reporter in southeast Baghdad. Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade, 101st Airborne Division, had observed four men dumping a bound-and-gagged body from their vehicle.

The soldiers engaged the suspects with small-arms fire, but the men escaped into a nearby palm grove. The U.S. soldiers had first believed that the suspects in the car were dumping a corpse.

However, the soldiers found the missing reporter and transported him back to a coalition forces forward operating base.

In another action, Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers detained four suspects and seized weapons during a combat patrol in northern Baghdad July 14.

Soldiers from 7th Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, had stopped a suspicious-looking minivan and found a PKC machine gun, a rocket-propelled grenade and a belt of ammunition.

The U.S. soldiers detained the vehicle's four occupants for questioning. During interrogation, one of the suspects provided information that led to a house search that yielded anti-coalition forces propaganda and plans for future attacks.

In other news, Iraqi leaders, soldiers and engineers teamed up to repair some broken water pipe during a project conducted west of Mahmudiyah July 13 and 14.

The Iraqi engineers and soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 4th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, worked together for two days to make the repairs. A group of Iraqis led by Sheik Kareem Al Kafawni had gathered outside the Mahmudiyah city council building the previous day to request repairs needed to restore water service to their neighborhood.

Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 4th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, facilitated a meeting between Mayor Muayed, the city council and neighborhood leaders. The mayor organized local engineers, arranged for the purchase of repair materials and requested that Iraqis perform the job.

After consulting with local officials and residents, Muayed dispatched a repair crew consisting of soldiers and civilian engineers to the worksite. The Iraqi crew completed the repairs early July 14.

(Compiled from Multinational Force-Iraq press releases.)

**American Patriot** · July 17th, 2006, 02:20

Homeland Security urges heightened vigilance
Reuters ^ | July 16, 2006

The Department of Homeland Security said on Sunday it was urging stepped-up vigilance for possible spillover from mounting Middle East violence.

"We urge vigilance during this heightened state of tension in the Middle East," although there was no specific or credible information suggesting an imminent threat to the United States, the department said in a joint assessment with the FBI.

The assessment went to federal, state and local authorities late Friday as well as to private sector leaders, department spokeswoman Michelle Petrovich said.

Five days of Israeli air strikes in Lebanon, after Hizbollah fighters seized two Israeli soldiers, have killed 140 people, all but four of them civilians. Hizbollah rockets killed eight people in the Israeli city of Haifa on Sunday.

**American Patriot** · July 17th, 2006, 02:23

Strikes Are Called Part of Broad Strategy (U.S., Israel Aim to Weaken Hezbollah, Region's Militants)
Washington Post ^ | 7-16-06 | Robin Wright

Israel, with U.S. support, intends to resist calls for a cease-fire and continue a longer-term strategy of punishing Hezbollah, which is likely to include several weeks of precision bombing in Lebanon, according to senior Israeli and U.S. officials.

For Israel, the goal is to eliminate Hezbollah as a security threat -- or altogether, the sources said. A senior Israeli official confirmed that Hezbollah leader Hasan Nasrallah is a target, on the calculation that the Shiite movement would be far less dynamic without him.

For the United States, the broader goal is to strangle the axis of Hezbollah, Hamas, Syria and Iran, which the Bush administration believes is pooling resources to change the strategic playing field in the Middle East, U.S. officials say.

Whatever the outrage on the Arab streets, Washington believes it has strong behind-the-scenes support among key Arab leaders also nervous about the populist militants -- with a tacit agreement that the timing is right to strike.

"What is out there is concern among conservative Arab allies that there is a hegemonic Persian threat [running] through Damascus, through the southern suburbs of Beirut and to the Palestinians in Hamas," said a senior U.S. official who requested anonymity because of sensitive diplomacy. "Regional leaders want to find a way to navigate unease on their streets and deal with the strategic threats to take down Hezbollah and Hamas, to come out of the crisis where they are not as ascendant."

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...

**Jag** · July 17th, 2006, 02:45

Originally Posted by Rick Donaldson

Homeland Security urges heightened vigilance
Reuters ^ | July 16, 2006

The Department of Homeland Security said on Sunday it was urging stepped-up vigilance for possible spillover from mounting Middle East violence.

"We urge vigilance during this heightened state of tension in the Middle East," although there was no specific or credible information suggesting an imminent threat to the United States, the department said in a joint assessment with the FBI.

The assessment went to federal, state and local authorities late Friday as well as to private sector leaders, department spokeswoman Michelle Petrovich said.

Five days of Israeli air strikes in Lebanon, after Hizbollah fighters seized two Israeli soldiers, have killed 140 people, all but four of them civilians. Hizbollah rockets killed eight people in the Israeli city of Haifa on Sunday.

Would this be due to the Hezbollah sleeper cells here in the United States Rick? An interview on Fox News Saturday said we should be worried as they are in about fifteen cities.

Jag