Afghanistan

18 November 2009 -- Amnesty International has urged Afghanistan's newly re-elected President Hamid Karzai to prioritize human rights and the rule of law in his second term in order to strengthen the country's stability and security.

"Afghans from around the country continue to tell us that they suffer from poor governance, endemic corruption, a weak and inept justice system and lack of respect for human rights and rule of law," said Sam Zarifi, director of Amnesty International's Asia-Pacific programme. "All these factors weaken support for the government and its international allies."    » read more »

November 16, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez (CA-47) today introduced House Resolution 904, honoring women who have served or are currently serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. If passed, the resolution would recognize the expanding role of women in the military and their important contributions to America's military operations at home and abroad.

"Today, I am proud to honor the strength and accomplishments of our women in uniform," said Rep. Sanchez. "It is absolutely necessary to recognize that women are now engaging in frontline duties, fighting beside our male soldiers. Moving forward, it is imperative that we continue to give our servicewomen the tools they need to serve safely and effectively in combat."

The full text of H. Res. 904 can be found below:    » read more »

November 13, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – Rohullah Farooqi Lodin and Hashmatullah Farooqi were each sentenced today in Alexandria, Va., to four years in prison for their roles in a scheme to offer $1 million in bribes to a U.S. Army contracting official in Afghanistan, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Neil H. MacBride of the Eastern District of Virginia.

U.S. District Court Judge Liam O’Grady also sentenced Lodin, 48, from Irvine, Calif., and Farooqi, 38, from New York City, to each serve three years of supervised release following their prison term and ordered each to pay a $30,000 fine. Lodin and Farooqi, both dual Afghan/U.S. citizens, each pleaded guilty on Aug. 7, 2009, to one count of offering to bribe a public official.    » read more »

As New Facility Opens, Prisoner Rights Still Lacking

November 14, 2009 -- (London) - The Obama administration should revise its detention policies in Afghanistan to make them consistent with international law, Amnesty International, Human Rights First, and Human Rights Watch said today. The United States military is hosting the media and some nongovernmental organizations today at its recently constructed but empty detention facility in Parwan province, Afghanistan.

The three organizations urged the US to end arbitrary detention in Afghanistan and to fully align US detention practices with international law.    » read more »

November 9, 2009 -- OLYMPIA – Washington Governor Chris Gregoire has directed that flags at all Washington state agency buildings be lowered to half-staff Thursday, Nov. 12, in memory of U.S. Army Specialist Aaron S. Aamot of Custer. Aamot was killed last week in Afghanistan when an improvised explosive device detonated near his military vehicle.

Flags should remain at half-staff until close of business Thursday, or first thing Friday morning, Nov. 13.

Congress amended the U.S. Flag Code to give governors the authority to lower flags when a state resident in the military is killed in the line of duty. Other government entities, citizens and businesses are encouraged to join in this recognition.

Source: Washington Governor

Fund Would Provide Greater Aid to Military Families Nationwide

WASHINGTON, D.C. – November 4, 2009 -- Illinois Governor Pat Quinn will endorse a bill that would provide aid to military families in all branches of the armed services at a National Press Club Newsmakers press conference at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, November 4, 2009. The press conference will be in the Zenger Room on the 13th floor of National Press Building, 529 14th Street NW, Washington, D.C., 20045.    » read more »

Senator's New Requirements Will Help Returning Soldiers, Prevent Needless Tragedies

October 28, 2009 -- (Washington, D.C.) - Montana’s senior U.S. Senator Max Baucus joined President Obama today for the signing of his legislation to provide medical screenings to returning combat troops to help identify and treat post-combat related behavioral health issues. Baucus’ measure was included in the final version of the Department of Defense Authorization Bill that the President signed into law.    » read more »

EN ROUTE TO TOKYO, Oct. 19, 2009 – Questions about the legitimacy of Afghanistan’s national elections are a complicating factor, but President Barack Obama’s strategic review doesn’t hinge on the outcome, and ongoing military operations aren’t being affected, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said today.

The Afghan election issue has “complicated the situation for us,” Gates said, but he said he doesn’t expect it to delay Obama’s decision on the larger issue of charting the way forward in Afghanistan.    » read more »

10/19/2009 - SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. (AFNS) -- When President Barack Obama authorized an additional 17,000 troops to "surge" into Afghanistan for Operation Enduring Freedom in February, mobility Airmen answered the call.

To move that many personnel, a concentrated effort in the mobility airlift and air refueling community was needed.

According to statistics from the U.S. Air Forces Central Combined Air Operations Center in Southwest Asia, cargo and passenger movements for January and February remained fairly steady at the "pre-surge" state for Operation Enduring Freedom. In January, 16,450 tons of cargo and 26,600 passengers were moved by mobility aircraft while in February 16,720 tons of cargo and 24,200 passengers were moved.    » read more »

WASHINGTON, Oct. 14, 2009 – Defense Department officials have been straightforward about the number of U.S. troops flowing into Afghanistan, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said here today.

As deliberations on the way forward in Afghanistan continue at the White House, Morrell addressed media reports that implied the department was sending an extra 13,000 servicemembers to Afghanistan as enablers for added combat forces.    » read more »

WASHINGTON, Oct. 14, 2009 – Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates will kick off a whirlwind trip this weekend that will begin with a change of command ceremony at U.S. Pacific Command in Hawaii, followed by visits to South Korea, Japan and a NATO defense ministers conference in Slovakia.

Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell announced the around-the-world trip during today's Pentagon media briefing.

Gates is slated to preside at the Oct. 19 Pacom change of command ceremony at Camp H.M. Smith in Honolulu, where Navy Adm. Timothy J. Keating will pass the helm of the oldest and largest U.S. combatant command to Navy Adm. Robert Willard.    » read more »

October 7, 2009 -- Although U.S. Army deployments have been linked positively to the likelihood of reenlisting for much of the past decade, a new RAND Corporation study shows that by 2006 the mounting burden of deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan reached the point where deployment had a negative effect on reenlistment.

However, the increased rate of deployment did not reduce reenlistment rates through 2007 for any of the three other branches of the U.S. military.    » read more »

Senator expressed concerns regarding oversight of contractors and security risks in war zone

September 15, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Continuing her fight for better oversight of federal government contracting, U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill today questioned Admiral (ADM) Michael G. Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, on whether lessons learned from Iraq are being applied to contracting practices in Afghanistan.    » read more »

July 1, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – A retired U.S. military official pleaded guilty to bribery and conspiracy charges relating to Department of Defense (DOD) contracts in Afghanistan, the Department of Justice announced today.    » read more »

Two Military Officials Plead Guilty to Bribery, Fraud and Conspiracy Related to Defense Contracts in Afghanistan; Third Military Official Pleads Guilty to Receiving Stolen Property

June 19, 2009 -- Four Contractors and Four Contracting Companies Also Charged with Related Crimes

Two U.S. military officials pleaded guilty to various bribery, fraud and conspiracy charges relating to Department of Defense (DOD) contracts in Afghanistan. A third military official pleaded guilty to receiving stolen property, which was obtained through the bribery conspiracy. In addition, four DOD contractors and four affiliated contracting companies were indicted for their roles in paying bribes to the military officials and otherwise defrauding the United States.    » read more »